Kovember 7, 1865. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



379 



covered or exposed conn, and I returned homo with the convic- 

 tion tliat I uiiKht as well expect to tiud a liank of wild Bhio- 

 bells or Snowdrops with their roots or bulbs exposed lloweriuf! 

 luxuriantly. Tliere is, indeed, great similarily in the most 

 favourite locality of the Cyclanieii's homo in Sicily to the cop- 

 pice banks in which our liluebell delights to live. I recollect, 

 however, finding a largo Cyclamen eorm growing in the cleft of 

 a rock at Solomon's I'ools near .Jerusalem, but even it had its 

 Bheltering bush, and was covered with decayed leaf mould. I 

 therefore vent ire to suggest tliat the proper place to grow Cy- 

 clamens acccrling to their natural habit must be on a sloping 

 bank, or something resembling a miniature rockery, with clefts 

 in the drainage, into which the corms will grow and adapt their 

 shape to the crevices, and with 5 inches deep of loose friable 

 mould above tliem, through which they can scud their leaves 

 and flower-stems. 



The smallest cultivator may make an appropriate place for 

 ten or twelve Cyclamens in a large seed-pan. Let him builil 

 ii]> a cone of drainage in the centre, and upon it a hard bed of 

 toil for the corms, jiuttiug in a few pieces of stones to sujjport 

 she loose open soil of the little mound above the corms, imitat- 

 ing as closely as possible their natural localities. — W. X. W. 



CH.\NNEL ISL.VNDS ORCHARD-HOUSES. 



I RESUME my notice on the periods of the ripening of Peaches 

 and Nectarines, by stating my experience in the case of those 

 which ripened during Sejitember and October. 



Early in September Stauwick Nectarine was abundant ; I 

 have some large trees of it, and none of the fruit cracked this 

 year, but neither in size nor in flavour were they up to the 

 mart. There were also Teton de Venus Peach, like Chancellor 

 and Boudin, all ugly in name, and not good enough now ; also, 

 Walburton Admirable, over-jiraised, and too shy a bearer for 

 small houses. Then seedling Peaches came in, which will one 

 day be famous. 



The second week ripened Desse Tardive, an old kind, ripen- 

 ing in France early in October in warm localities. It has had 

 its day, but is useful to raise new sorts from. Shanghae, one 

 cannot well decide on, but it is not prolific enough fur small 

 houses. Kensington is a I'eacli which seems to reipiire the 

 open air, but when there it was too tender, and was always 

 mildewed, so it is practically useless. A few Nectarines still 

 remain, also a fine new American Peach given to me by Mr. 

 Bivers. It is called Heath's Northern Free, and much like 

 Noblesse. It will be a gain for our house. What my good 

 friend will report on it I do not know yet, but he is so very 

 particular, that the public may best learn from him. 



September, then, on the whole is not here a favourable 

 mouth for the houses — that is, their first glory is over, and 

 Grapes are so abimdant now that we hardly miss Peaches. 



The first week of October brought in a small but very useful 

 class of Peaches. The first and choicest is Pavie (clingstone) 

 de Tonneux. This noble Peach eats as hard as an Apple, but 

 when placed in the best situation becomes sugary, and has a 

 rich flavour. These cUngstone Peaches are more valued abroad 

 than here ; they are, nevertheless, very delicious to true Peach 

 fanciers. Another, which ripened here later, was Jlitchell's 

 Mammoth, which was also good, paler in colour, and looking 

 more like a freestone ; but whatever is fairly ripe by the middle 

 of October should be accepted without severe criticism. 



Thomas's Late, an American, and first fruited here three 

 years ago, is a good Peach. It is very prolific, above the midiUe 

 size, and has a juicy flesh, with a brisk flavour. 



Tecumseh, a new Georgian, sent me from Sawbridgeworth 

 this year, will be a gain. It is above the middle size, of a pale 

 straw, mottled feebly on the sunny side with crimson dots, 

 round, with a distinct suture, flesh juicy ; a freestone. The 

 leaves have kidney-sliaped glands. Ripe about the middle of 

 the month. 'What pleasure to the amateur- to fruit a Peach, 

 and to describe it. 



Tardive d'Espagne, one of my oldest trees is always good for 

 the season. It is said to be only eatable at Angers, when the 

 season is very warm. We thus see that orchard-houses aug- 

 ment oui' ripening power, far from diminishing it, as some 

 pretend. Tliis Spanish Peach is a perfect yellow variety, very 

 pointed, and highly coloured like an Apricot, juicy, large, and 

 a freestone. Showy for dessert, and makes an acceptable present 

 to a friend at this season. 



Baldwin's Late, first fruited here in 18G.S, is our last. 'Very 

 proUfic, but difficult to swell and soften. In fact, had we fire 



heat at command wo should now urge it on, and so incur the 

 censure of those critics wlio argue that lean-to's are not orchard- 

 houses, and tliat artificial heat of the most supplementary 

 cliaracter vitiates the claim of a s]ian-roof to be ranked as an 

 orchard-house also. What about half-spans ? 



Wo have had an abundant sup|ily of Peaches since tlie middle 

 of ,1 uly , without tl re heat. On one day w c gathered four hmidrcd, 

 one-half of which went to Covent (harden, one-ijuartor was 

 disprjsed of as presents, and the rest gave much labour to get 

 rid of. 



It might interest some of your readers who thought it worth 

 while to come to see mo this year, to state that our new lean-to 

 will shortly bo finished ; and I mention this chiefly for the 

 sake of saying, that I do not agree with those who in any way 

 encumber the glass of their houses. The whole roof should bo 

 left perfectly clear. Those who think that I find potted trees 

 unmanageable, must have misunderstood me, for there is really 

 no difficulty about it. I have a tree eight or nine years potted, 

 which bears regularly about fifty Nectarines, and it is not 6 feet 

 high, and the stem is not at all large. 



I have long had seventeen transverse espaliers, and have had 

 less fruit on them in proportion than on bush trees in pots. 

 Not, however, that these espaliers are not good in their proper 

 place, and well-known moans to an end, but good as they are 

 I shall not choose them for the new house. Visitors here, 

 almost as a rule, prefer the spiral cordon, and it is certainly 

 most beautiful and profitable. Two trees are twisted round 

 three wires, and wind upwards to the glass. The wires may be 

 at any distance apart ; of course, the farther from each other 

 the longer is the twist of the cordon trees. I place two trees 

 together, or even three, because otherwise the angle of the 

 ascent would be too great. Now, I propose having immense 

 trees ten years trained as cordons, to coil them round wires, 

 leaving the centre open for, say 'i feet. Sun and air freely 

 play round these cordons, and I know, from many years' ex- 

 perience, that they bear immensely. During the blossoming 

 period nothing can surpass them ui regular beauty. I should, 

 therefore, imagine that fifty or sixty of these in a double row, 

 would look rather nice in the spring ; so with deference to 

 others of greater experience, I shall choose this way for the 

 new lean to. As to encumbering the glass in any way, it is not 

 to be thought of ; and as to any other way of treating the 

 shoots except by very close priming, it is a mere waste of time 

 in orchard-houses. The comparison of the produce of espaliers 

 under the old system, and of spiral cordons on the new, would 

 speedily dissipate any doubts. Our back wall is to be covered 

 with diagonal cordons, now fine trees, which are to be removed 

 from the old house to the new one. The wall of this last being 

 much higher, these cordons will be single, at 1(5 inches in- 

 terval. These diagonal cordons were first applied to orchard- 

 houses in my own, and I think that this new wall will not be 

 easily surpassed, if equalled, by any other style. — T. C. 

 BuKUAUi, l!u-liiiwiiil Huimc, Giwrmcij. 



GRAPES IN AN ORCHARD-HOUSE. 



The Muscat Hamburgh has succeeded here ( Ticehurst, Sussex) 

 admirably this year in a cold vinery ; it is not grafted. The 

 bunches are large, very compact, and of good shape ; the 

 berries are also large, very black, with perfect bloom, thoi'oughly 

 ripe, and the flavour high and excellent. The crop is large. 

 This is the second year of bearing ; the first year the berries 

 were small, and some never ripened, and the bunches were 

 long and loose. I had not a good opinion of the Grape except- 

 ing as to flavour. This Vine is in an orchard-house, where aU 

 the Vines were turned out for the winter ; the chief care being 

 bestowed on the orchard-house trees. About the end of April 

 the Vines were taken in, the Peaches and Nectarines being 

 sufficiently advanced not to be injured by the shade of the Vines. 

 The whole roof, 72 feet long by 3ti span, the house being 30 feet 

 wide, is now covered with Grapes of the finest description. 



The orchard-house trees are also in the best condition for 

 next season. The (iolden Hamburgh also did veiy well this 

 season, the berries being very large and the bunches compact ; 

 but it is not a favourite with me, the flavour is very sweet, but 

 rain, if the roots are outside, causes the Grapes to decay in a 

 few days. — Constant EE.ii)EK. 



Mr. Fleming's Ke^w Beudixg Geeanivms. — The seed- 

 ling Geraniums exhibited by Jh'. Fleming, of Clivcflen, before 

 the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society daring 



