480 



JOURNAL OF HOETICDLTURE AND COTTAGE SARDENEB. 



[ December 24, 1868. 



accl only on one or two occasions had it put out a single blos- 

 som. SuEpeeting that the want of snBcess in obtaining fruit 

 arose from too luxuriant a growth, I had the roots cut away to 

 •within about 2 feet of the stem, and 1 then enclosed Ihe roots 

 ■with brickwork. After one intervening season the tree blos- 

 somed, and bore fruit abundantly. I employ no "heat, as it 

 would bo inconvenient for me to do so where the tree is now 

 planted ; hut I think if a little warmth could be convenienUy 

 given when the fruit is setting, and for a little vvhilo after- 

 wards to promote growth, the fruit wonld be finer — indeed, 

 quite cqnal to the growth of Italy or of any other congenial 

 climate." We think so too, and can but recommend Mr. 

 Downing's practice for adoption. ■-' - 



PEARS IN DEVON. 



We have received some unusually largo specimens of Pears 

 grown by Mr. John Garland, gardener to Sir T. Dyke Adand, 

 Bart., at Killerton, near Exeter. The largest is an Easter 

 Beurre, measuring 131 inches in circumference the long way 

 over the stalk and eve (but, of course, not including the .'talk), 

 and 13 inches round the girth, and weighing 2(»i ozs. It had 

 begun to pass and had lost three-quarters of an ounce, Mr. 

 Garland having weighed it 21 ozs. Glon Mor(,"eau is Vii inches 

 in its long circumference, and 11} in girth, weighing lOi ozs. 

 BeurrC de Ranee is 13 inchesiuitslongcirenmference,and lO.l in 

 girth, weight 13 oz?. WinterNelis is lOincliesin itslougcircum- 

 ference,andO; in girth, weight Scza. Tbese are large specimens, 

 and, unfortunately, in the case of the Easter DcurrS and Glou 

 Morcjeau decay at the core had begun, so that their true flavonr 

 could not be judged of. Beurre de Ranee is not yet lipe; hat 

 Winter Nelii was in the highest degree in fine condition as 

 regards texture of fiesh and richness of flavonr. We have 

 received from Mr. Garland the following communication re- 

 lating to those : — 



"Winter Nelis and Benric de Rmce I planted ten years 

 since, side by side on a wall hiving a southern aspect. Both 

 are on the Quince stock. Easter Beurre and Glou Moroeaa I 

 planted side bj- side on a wall with a western aspect, Botli ai-e 

 on the Pear stock. 



" The soil is a heavy loam of good quality, it being the top 

 spit of an old pasture, such as is generally known as first-rate 

 Meluu soil by gardeners. No manure has been used except to 

 mulch the trees the first year after planting. The garden is 

 perfectly drained by Natnre, being situated at the base trnd to 

 the south of a hill of volcanic origin, the top of which, generally 

 known in this neighbourhood as Killerton Clump, was planted 

 by the present Mr, Veitch's grandfather. The hill is composed 

 of solid rock, which is within 12 or IS inches of the suiface. 



" Tlie branches of each tree are triiued horizontally from a 

 central stem, three courses of bricks being the distauce'betwcen 

 the branches. Two years after planting I obtained four and 

 five branches on each tide in a season, by notching the central 

 stem close above the bud I wished to break ; cutting deepest, 

 or half through, above the lowest buds, the next notch above 

 baing less deep, and the next proportionately less. The two 

 top buds were not notched above, as they were ctrtain to break 

 freely. By the above method the growth of the branches was 

 very evenly regulated. At the end of the fourth year after 

 planting the branches had reached the top of the wall, or as 

 near the top as they could be trained, there being fourteen on 

 each side of the centre stem, and every two being exactly 

 opposite each other, or along the same joint of brickwork. 



" Every year since the above period, with the exception of 

 Glou Morjeau in ISGC, the trees have all borne good «rops of 

 fruit. Winter Nehs bears so freely that I am obliged to thin 

 the fruit every year to encourage growth at the points of the 

 branches. This season the crop has been very heavy and is 

 also very fine. I consider it the best Pear of its season, it 

 being so richly flavoured, and so free a bearer. You saw the 

 fruit of it and Doyenne da Comice which I exhibited at South 

 Kensington, on the 17th of November. 



" The tree of Doyenne da Comice I planted at the same time 

 as the others — viz., ten years ago. It is growing as a pyramid 

 in a border of the kitchen garden ; its height is 1 li feet, it is 

 10 feet through, and inches in diameter at the base of the 

 stem, and is on Iho Quince stock. It grows freely, forms a 

 handsome pyramid, but is a very moderate bearer. I gather 

 four or five times as much fruit from the tree of Winter Nelis 

 I m^tioued, as I gather from Doyenne du Comice. The fruit 

 of ^^ inter Ndii J^astjje, 4^djy^^e,fl4.,l9BtiiigjJuaokJoBger-.ia 

 i edl u'gub-ilJ 3qiq-vvi,fi au'i gcJijil' to doxiEJ vis 



season than that of Doyenne du Comice; the latter, however, 

 is a first-rate Pear, generally ripe by the middle of November, 

 and lasts a fortnight in season. The first fruit I exhibited of 

 it was at the Devon and Exeter Hot-ticultural Society's Show, 

 on the 11th of November, 18(54, in the class for any sort, and 

 it obtained the second prize. Until then it was quite unknown 

 in this neighbourhood. 



'• The following are the weightfl'Of; individual Pears grown 

 here this season — viz. : ^i flJ'" ■' 



BeuiTH CLiirgeau ^jhj,,^^jp|,2uA 

 Easttr Beurre.. .,'..,'.,r.'-t>. 21" 

 01oaMorroini...;^l.V:'.;^.'15V 



'-'•■-'■ '■ ■ ozs. 



Van Mods Lt-on le Clerc llj 



Chauiuuutcl 14 



Bouri'ti do Ranee 13^ 



Winter Nelis 8J 



DOTeUHL- da Comice 15t 



1 J«:The Easter Beurre is the same as I have sent, but it is not 

 quite so heavy now. — John Garland, Killntim Gardens. 



" P.S. — At a monthly meeting of the members of the Devon 

 and Exeter Horticultural Society and their gardeners, J. Somer, 

 Esq., exhibited six Pears of Uvedale's St. Germain, weighing 

 14! lbs. The same gentleman told me he had twenty-four of 

 the same sort which weighed 48 lbs. He resides in this parish, 

 Broadolyst."!' ■-■: 1 " ^ •' ' '^ • 



:!■'■■'. ■ i:"Li\::i ■ II—; — : — T' . '! " . ■ 



Yj:$i|]ts,i,*6;;i 6ahi)33Ns public and private., 



!: iiaii;.' MES*B9. ROLUSSON & SOSS', TOOTING. - I 



' ThebS is not to my mind so pleasantly situated a nnrseiy 

 in the neighbourhood of the metropolis as this old-established 

 and weli-knnwu one. Tho region of Tooting, Balham, &o., 

 was quite nr.kuown to me until a few months ago, when I paid 

 my first visit to the Messrs. Rollisson's ; and having lately had 

 an opijortuuily of ngain feeing the establishment in its winter 

 trim I am confirmed in my opinion. Its extent is about sixty 

 acres of freehold land, running far back from the high road, 

 with water, meadow land, and evei^thing that can conduce 

 to the well-doing of n nursery ; while Ihe well-known ability, 

 and scientific and practical linowledge of the intelligent ma- 

 nager, Mr. Buckley, have secuied for the firm that consider- 

 ation to which it ip so justly entitled ; and it is very refreshing, 

 in these days of hard-headedness, to observe the kindly feeling 

 existing between proprietor and manager which is to be found 

 here. It makes one somi-tiraes question whether the " good 

 old times " were a fable after all ; and one feels pleased in the 

 universal rush nud go-a-lieadedness of these days, that there 

 is room left for those kindlier feelings which ought ever to be 

 forwd, and which tend .=o much to lighten the weight of what 

 to all must be a burden in some form or other. 



Tlie portion of the nursery which fronts the main Tooting 

 Bold has a veiy noble and imposing appearance, as here are 

 situated the large glass stmctnres, and the ornamental ground, 

 in the centre of which is placed a fountain. The entrance is 

 through a noble conservatory of 130 feet long by 25 feet wide. 

 Along the ronf of this are trained fine plants of Cobaoa scandens 

 vaiiegata, which is continually in flower; Mandevilla suave- 

 olens ; Passitlora Impf-ratrice Eugenie, blue, rose, and white, 

 the largest of all the Passion-flowers ; Lapngeria roses, rfecr; 

 Fine plants of some of the tree Ferns, as Cyathea Smithii," 

 Dicksoni^s, itc, laige plnnts of Arauearia Cunninghamii (tKe 

 Moroton Bay Pino), Camellias, and other ornamental plants, 

 filled up the centre of the house; while its borders were all 

 edged with Lycopodium, giving it a fresh and green appearance, 

 and at various times ChiysantLemums and other flowering 

 plants are brought in to brighten it up. Next to this is a large 

 Heath house, 100 feet long and 18 feet wide, containing a large 

 stock of the different varieties of this very beautiful tribe— one 

 which has indeed fallen into sad disfavour in these days, simply 

 because it is one of the crucial tests of a gardener's skill. If 

 a man can grow Heaths well he can do anything in the plant 

 way. A Veiy different matter indeed it is from filling a house 

 with " bedding stufi," or growing Grapes, and yet how well 

 deserving of care they are. Here were young healthy plants of 

 different sizes, also what are called half-specimen plants, and 

 a beautiful stock of such kinds as Elegans, Cavendishii, which 

 was raised here many years ago, Hsrtnelli, Massoni, &c. •;- 



The stove contained a fine selection of flowering and orna;^'^ 

 mental-leaved plants ; amongst the latter an excellent selection 

 of Palms, a tribe which is coming more into favour with us 

 now, and which will ultimately, I doubt not, be still more so. 

 It in one to which additions are being constantly made. For 

 instance," I saw at Brussels a fortnight ago M. Linden's collec- 

 tion, in which there are fifty new Palms! Amongst those 

 most noticeable at Tooting were Geouoma fenestralis, with 

 leaves curiously pierced ; Arecanobilis, concinnn (quite smooth), 



