as6 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 8, ises. 



were EnRlisb PnraJise, or at least whnt I liave always ecen (or 

 it ; and both stocks, as alreaily stated, forced on the trees as well 

 as did the Crabs planted in the same quarter and at the same 

 time, and this is the case with every Apple stock I have yet 

 grown excepting the Pommier de Paradis ; only that good sur- 

 face-rooting stocks ripen the wood better than do the deep- 

 rooting kinds, thereby causing the Apples grafted on them to 

 bear sooner. As to Mr. Rivers saying that there are several 

 sorts of stocks used by the French, and called Doncin, I know 

 it to be so, but these stocks are just of the category that Mr. 

 Bivers's and mine arc — surface-rooting Crabs. 



I have now said my say about the little Pommier, and will 

 leave it for time to prove whether I am right or wrong about 

 its hardiness. — John Scott, Merriott, Suiiursct. 



ORCmVUD-HOUSE IN DEVON. 



The cultivation of fruit under glass is largely extending in the 

 west of England, and becoming every year a subject of greater 

 interest to amateurs. Several instances of success in this mode 

 of culture may be noted in this part of the country. More 

 particularly would I call attention to the successfulmanage- 

 ment of an orchard-house situated at BiUacombe, in the parish 

 of Plyrastock, near Plymouth. This house is 60 feet in length 

 by 23 feet, and has a span-roof, the ends of which are north 

 and south, a plan which persons building orchard-houses would 

 do well to adopt, as by this arrangement the early and late sun is 

 secured, a matter of vital importance in the cultivation of fruit 

 under glass. I paid a visit to this house on the 7th of March. 

 Here I found three modes of culture practised — namely, trees 

 planted in borders and trained as half standards ; trees planted 

 in borders and trained to wire trellises ; trees planted in pots 

 half plunged. Peaches. Nectarines, and Apricots constitute 

 the_ principal feature ; wlule to Pears, Cherries, and Plums is 

 assigned a limited space. While struck with the neatness, 

 arrangement, and order of the house, the health and beautv of 

 the trees were remarkable, every tree in full bloom constitut- 

 ing a mass of flowers. Several varieties of Peaches and Necta- 

 rines could be seen in the differently-formed flowers, which of 

 themselves are an interesting study to every intelligent culti- 

 vator of fruit. This house is the property of E. Arkell, Esq., to 

 whom was awarded seven first prizes for" pot fruit, at the hor- 

 ticnltura! exhibition in July last year, in connection with the 

 meeting of the Royal Agricultural* Society held at Plymouth. 



The mode of treatment Mr. Arkell adopts certainly reflects on 

 him great credit. Giving plenty of air in favourable weather, 

 opening the house early in the mominf- and syringing the 

 trees, also syringing and closing early in the afternoon, form the 

 principal features of the summer-management of this house. 

 A very large quantity of fniit of the best q'uality is here pro- 

 dnced. The proprietor kindly informed me, that last year he 

 grew in pots Peaches measuring 'Ji inches round, wliile the 

 flavour was very good. This I can verify from having seen 

 some of the fruit. 



Another and uot the least interesting feature in this house 

 consists in the Vines planted in borders and trained to poles, and 

 not allowed to touch the roof or in any way obstruct the light. 

 Here are about thirty varieties of Grapes, all of which looked 

 remarkably well. These constitute nothing less than a vine- 

 yard under glass. There are in addition some hundreds of 

 Strawberry plants in pots in the best state of cultivation. This 

 house is well worth a visit. 



The proprietor afterwards conducted me to another glass 

 house. This structure is of smaller dimensions, 30 feet by IS, 

 half span, heated by hot-water pipes, with a hot-water tank in 

 the centre, 12 foet by 4. This house, also, is devoted to the 

 growth of fruit in pots under a high condition of temperature. 

 Ob the tank I found fourteen Vines in pots, principally Black 

 Hamburgk, and these for health of foliage and promise of good 

 bunches I have never seen excelled. I fonnd Mr. Arkell had 

 left only five bunches on each Vine. This in mv opinion is 

 much preferable to a larger number if size of bunch and berrj- 

 is to be secured. These Grapes were in bloom. In this house I 

 also found several Peaches in pots covered with fmit the size 

 of walnuts, and looking remarkably healthy both in the foliage 

 and fruit. These trees appear to enjoy th'e temperature suit- 

 able for the Vines under the management pursued. 



In the same house are also some fine Orange trees in pots, 

 consisting of the Tangierine, Blood, Oval, and St. Michael 

 TVietias. Mr. Arkell informed me that tho Tangierine Oranges 



were delicious. The fruit of this variety was all gathered, 

 while the St. Michael's were covered with fine fmit, which 

 afforded us an opportunity of testing the excellent quality of 

 this fruit, which it has often been said cannot bo grown to per- 

 fection in this country. Hero I fonnd about a hundred pots of 

 Strawberries in a very forward state locking remarkably well. 

 This house, as a whole, was exceedingly clean and healthy, and 

 reflected great credit upon the proprietor, who, as an amateur, 

 has given considerable attention to the growth of fmit under 

 glass, and who has everything carried out under his own 

 directions. — J. Snow, Sallrain Gardens. 



ROY.\L HORTICULTUR.VL SOCIETY. 

 The following pro%Tncial Flora! and Horticultural Societies 

 have been admitted into union with the Royal Horticultural 

 Society : — Alton Floral and Horticultiual Society, Boston 

 Floral and Horticultural Society, Bury St. Edmunds Ilorticnl- 

 tural Society, Darlington Horticultural Society, Devon and 

 Exeter Botanical and Horticultural Society; Durham, Northum- 

 berland, and Newcastle-on-Tyne Botanical and Horticultural 

 Society, Faversham Horticultural Society, Fermoy Horticultural 

 Society, Lincoln Horticultural Society, Maidstone Horticul- 

 tural Society, Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society, 

 Newbury Horticultural Society, Royal Horticultural Society 

 of Ireland, Shepton Mallet and East Somerset Horticultural 

 Society, Southampton Horticultural Society, South of Scotland 

 Horticultural Society, Staffordshire Floral and Horticultural 

 Society, Swansea and Glamorgan Horticultural and Floral 

 Society, Watford Horticultural Society, and Wrexham Floral 

 and Horticultural Society. 



^^ARC^ 31sT. — The prizes offered nt this meeting were : — 1, For the 

 Lest collection of eighteen bulbs iu flcwer. for which Mr. Young, gar- 

 dener to IS. Barclay, Esq., of Highgatc, was first, and Mr. Bartlett, of 

 Hammersmith, .'second. 2. For the best eollectjon of twelve miscellaae- 

 ons plants in tlower. In tliis claes a very effective exhibition was made 

 by Mr. AVilliam Paul, of Waltham Cross. It consisted of a saccess- 

 fuUy bloomed pink Hawthorn, Pninus sinensis, Khododcndron faa- 

 tnosnm, Deutzia crenata fl. pi.. Rhododendron randidnm, .\zaleas 

 Belle Gantoise. Roi Leopold, and Beante de Ledebprp. Kulmia lati- 

 folia. Diosma purpurea, and Cinerarias. This received the first prize. 



Mr. Young received extra prizes for collections of twelve Uyacmths, 

 distinct, and for five Amaryllis in pots, and on© also for n tray of 

 Camellia blooms. Messrs. J. & C. Lee, of Hammersmith, also exhi- 

 bited a tray of Camellia blooms of great beanty, among which were 

 the lovely Lavinia Maggi, Valtevaredo. and Countess of Orkney, and 

 these received an extra prize. Mr. Reeves, of Ladbroko Nursery, 

 Notting Hill, received un extra prize for six handsome plants of 

 Dentzia gracilis. Messrs. Lnck-inp. Brothers, received a first-class 

 certificate for a fine collection of forced flowers. 



DAPHNE INDICA. 



I OFTEN wish that a plant of such easy culture as this were 

 more grown, for it is a general favourite. As soon as the 

 shoots are 2 or 3 inches long slip them off with a bit of heel, 

 and plunge in a stove or Cucumber-bed ; they will soon take 

 root. Then pot them off, and keep close for a few days, and 

 when the plants are well rooted in their pots pinch out the top 

 of each, and place them in a house or, better, a pit. They will 

 soon shoot out, and when they have grown 3 or 4 inches pinch 

 off the leading bud of each shoot ; by doing this twice or thrice 

 nice bushy plants can be secured the first season, and these 

 w ill always bloom in the following year if tho wood be properly 

 ripened. By following the same plan a second year the plants 

 will be quite large. This system does not seem to weaken 

 them, as their leathery leaves and strong shoots indicate that 

 they are in good health. — W. C. 



FAILURE OF THE VERBENA. 

 If gardeners could carry out the plan of your worthy con- 

 tributor, Mr. Robson — namely, giving a change of soil and 

 situation, I have little doubt that it woidd go far not only \o 

 prevent tho failure of the Verbena, but to improve all other 

 bedding plants. In proof I can give an instance that came under 

 my own observation. Not quite two years ago I entered my 

 present situation, and knowing that there wae a scarcity of 



