October 14, 1869. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOBTIOULTUKE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



299" 



Black will be different from the same variety on Black Ham- 

 bnrgb. Ab to the appearance and quality of the fruit, I have 

 Been it at exhibitions, at Dalkeith, in ISGS, and also in the 

 present year, bat have only found one mark to note against 

 it, and that is, when the fruit is quite ripe, some of the berries 

 are affected with brown spots, which seem to be more than 

 skin deep. This is accounted for by the exceedingly thin skin 

 of the berries being easily injured by sulphur fumes, or water 

 incautiously sprinkled on tlie hot water-pipes. In a young 

 state it is said to be shy in showing fruit. I found the laterals 

 where it was pinched back, showed bunches during the summer, 

 so I have no doubt it will fruit well next year. — James Douglas. 



AUTUMN CROCUSES. 

 ToUK correspondent, "M. H., Acldam Ball," deplores the 

 lo«», or the supposed loss, of many of our autumn-llowering 

 Crocuses. Now, with regard to one of the most beautiful — viz.. 

 Crocus speciosus, I think that if he could visit the esta- 

 blishment of the Messrs. Osborn, at Fulham, he would find a 

 splendid patch of this variety, which has been during the last 

 week "glorious;" indeed, it seems to be naturalised there, for 

 it is to be seen coming up even in the gravel walks. — F. J. S. H., 

 Fulhavt. 



A VISIT TO A LINCOLNSHIRE PARSONAGE. 

 The occasional communications contributed from time to 

 time to the columns of the Journal by " C. C. E.," including 

 the pertinent query "Who is to blame?" which would seem in 

 gome degree to have disturbed the equanimity of the horti- 

 cultural world, may have — at least in a few isolated cases — 

 given rise to another very natural query — Who, what, and 

 where is the owner of the three familiar letters ? An answer 

 to this supposed query m.ay not be altogether uninteresting at 

 this juncture. Now, as to the " who," I have no warrant to 

 «dd some other alphabeticalt which to me seem to come very 

 ■sturally after the " E.," so will content myself by saying that 

 he is a member of a family of considerable standing and inllu- 

 •nce ; that he i> a clergyman, and — yes — a gardener ; and that 

 on a clear day the towers of Lincoln's glorious minster may be 

 seen from his g»rden ; and to make it a little clearer still, I 

 ■lay say that these towers may be seen for upwards of twenty 

 miles round. So much for the who, what, and where. 



Xorticnlture in its different aspects owes much to the resident 

 elergy of this country. It would seem to be a study particu- 

 larly congenial to educated minds. Alluring, comprehensive, 

 interesting, and gratifying, what wonder, when such minds im- 

 bibe a foretaste of its genial influences, they should press on to 

 the health-giving fountain with zeal and enthusiasm. Such 

 energy, such enthusiasm, intelligently exercised will and must 

 •nsure succtss. And who cannot but recognise the ability, the 

 willingness, nay, almost the anxiety, of those gentlemen to 

 •ommunicate through the qualified channels to others the re- 

 criation and enjojTuent which they themselves have so freely 

 partaken of? And, on ths other hand, who stands forward 

 more boldly, and breaks through the cordon of trade interest, 

 and proclaims more loudly, not what pleases, but what disap- 

 points them — a voice of warning which they feel called on to 

 give for the benefit of their co-workers, and for the real pro- 

 motion of horticultural progress? Into this army of clerical 

 horticulturists is now fairly enrolled " C. G. E." — a worthy 

 member of a worthy band, who, as lime rolls on, will occasion- 

 ally step into the front rank with a budget of information, 

 sound, because matured and practical, the result of careful and 

 systematic observation. 



Up to the present time " C. G. E." has confined his garden- 

 ing exercifes t:i hardy fruit culture especially, and to vegetable 

 culture incidentally. Having become fairly established in these 

 branches, he is now desirous to emulate his compeers in another 

 branch — Roses. To this end he has purchased addiliunal laud 

 adjoining his garden. His garden — we will now look into it, 

 or more particularly into a part of it, for it is in two divisions, 

 the old and new. The latter is the plot most interesting. In 

 size this portion may be two or three acres, and in form for 

 practical purpotea may be called square. A few years ago — 

 Jveor six — ihis was an old ridgo-and-furrow grass field of but a 

 Tery ordinary character. What a change ! " C. C. E." has 

 commeceid work in the spirit of the old proverbs, "What is 

 worth doing at all is worth doing well," and " Well done twice 

 ione." He was not only studious to carry stagnant water out 

 of the garden, bat equally so to carry fresh water in. He has 



drainage in and out. Here Nature was his handmaid, andhe^ 

 was quick to turn her services to account. Situated on the 

 western declivity of a range of hills, it occurred to him that 

 simply holding up the watercourse a given height— it itmspsst 

 his garden — would give him a reservoir of supply quite under 

 command. " C. C. E." is not only fertile in conception but 

 decisive in action. The thing was done. Supplementary re- 

 servoirs are formed in different parts of the garden ; these aio 

 placed at the proper level, and are in pipe commuuicatioD with- 

 the reservoir proper. By the simple use of a sluice and plugs, 

 he has water in or out at will. From these reservoirs an 

 engine will throw water in all directions. An exoelleEt idest 

 well carried out. 



The water in subjection, hii battle is now with the winda, 

 The garden is intended soltly as a fruit garden, and it is Inlly 

 exposed to the full sweep of the north and east winds. T» 

 break their force, not a will but an embankment is run along 

 the entire north and east sides. This is not a mere hillock 

 thrown up of any sort of material at hand, but is a work of 

 some magnitude formed of splendid maiden soil. It might b© 

 appropriately designated a railway embankment, for, by & 

 happy synchronism, at the time " G. C. E." was making his 

 garden the Great Northern Railway Company were making a 

 railway contiguous, and as the soil wanted taking ont cl th& 

 one and putting into the other, " C. C. E. " was wide swsie,, 

 and quickly on the spot stipulating for the top spit of the rail- 

 way — an old pasture soil, a medium hazel loum. This is tie 

 soil of the embankment. It is quite filled with hardy shmis, 

 which, as may be supposed, have grown remarkably well. At; 

 regular intervals, especially along the eastern side which slopes 

 to the walk, are planted choice and hardy kinds of Conifera. 

 The block is already effectual, and is and will be highly orna- 

 mental. The shrubs on th» south slope of the north embank- 

 ment do not reach down to the walks, but a border is left con- 

 taining six rows of pyramid Pears and Plums running parallel 

 therewith. 



The level or general soil of the garden largely consisJa et 

 this imported loam. I am afraid to say how many hnndrsdf 

 loads have been appropriated. The whole is trenched oyer 

 and intermixed with well-rotted manure and crushed bones isc 

 no homa:opathic doses. This is something like beginning to 

 garden. The eastern boundary to the garden is a large hedge 

 which thus separates it from the old garden and viearng© house. 

 A hedge also forms the boundary to the south. The entrauee 

 to the garden is at the north-west corner. The garden is in- 

 tersected by three main grass walks 5 feet in width. The Jnit 

 of these walks is in the finest possible order, and as level as » 

 river. They converge at the point of entrance on a small 

 plateau of lawn. One walk branches off in a southerly di- 

 rection and parallel with the eastern boundary fence, leaving, 

 however, a border about 20 feet wide between tho walh anil 

 fence. Another takes an easterly course, parallel and a short 

 distance from the foot of the north embankment, and the third 

 or main walk strikes straight across to the opposite or south- 

 east corner. At the end of this long walk is a veritable earth- 

 work on which are fixed th» targets for rifle and archery pracliCB, 

 in both of which " C. C. E." is no mean adept. On each side 

 of these walks runs a row of Strawberries, backed-np by lows 

 of fruit trees, bush and pyramid, of Apples, Pears, and Plums,, 

 the dwarfest in the front, the tallest at the back, and the Irses 

 in each row of the same height and size. 



There are, of course, other walks of ashes for ths con- 

 venience of working operations. I have seen " C. C E.'s "■ 

 garden under different aspects, but to stand at the entrance in 

 the middle of April and look down tho straight long lines e? 

 blossom which radiate in all directions, is a sight worth going 

 far to see. 



The trees, as before remarked, are planted paraliel with the 

 walks, in rows of from three to six. They are planted thickly, so 

 that half of them will be thinned out and planted in the angles 

 which are thus formed by the peculiar arrangements of the 

 walks. The garden will be eventually a fruit garden solely, 

 but in the meantime these angles are devoted to the cnltnre of 

 vegetables, and such vegetables ! they must not only be as fine, 

 but finer than other people's to satisfy. Here I saw the verit- 

 able Supreme Pea, which grew such a length that it got quit© 

 out of the garden into the post office, and we all know thf» 

 result. When I saw the Pea it was 3 feet high, and had not 

 begun to blossom. I think we may fairly allow any Pea t» 

 grow a few inches above its orthodox height in such a (maiden »9 

 this, but it certainly should not have overgrown and smothered! 

 the row of Veitch's Perfection by its side. I have seea this P«» 



