October 31, 1869. J 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIODLTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



321 



Ciematis Jackraanni, Prince of Wales, and Babella, mast Lave 

 bad on it fully five hundred expanded blossoms. 



The kitchen garden is in a valley in the park at a distance 

 from the dressed grounds ; it consists of a walled garden of 

 aboQt 1} acre ; and an adjoining plot, enclosed by a fence, pro- 

 bably covers about 3 acres. In the walled garden were good 

 vegetable crops, some beds of Alpine Strawberries, with abund- 

 ance of fruit ; Cob Nut and Filbert trees laden with nuts, and 

 on the walls plentiful crops of Green Gage and Orleans Plums, 

 and Morello Cherries. A pump stands in the centre of the 

 garden ; it is supplied with good water by pipes from a pond at 

 the head of the valley. 



On a vacant space of ground between the pond and the walled 

 garden is a Peach or orchard house, 98 feet long by 5 feet wide, 

 heated by pipes. This house is worthy of notice from its 

 being built on a hanging level, so that one end is considerably 

 above the level of the other; another singular feature ia the 

 use of slate slabs for the front wall, in place of brickwork. 



Near the orchard house is a range of cold pits 50 feet long 

 by 9 feet wide, divided into four compartments ; these are 

 devoted in spring exclusively to the production of early Pota- 

 toes, which are followed by a crop of Melons, of which large 

 numbers are required, and I have no doubt the supply is quite 

 equal to the demand, for this range contained a crop of at least 

 a hundred fruit, all swelling to a large size, and many of them 

 approaching maturity. Scarlet-fleshed kinds are most sought 

 for, and among the many varieties grown here Scarlet Gem 

 takes a leading position. 



Mr. Gifkins evidently has the gardens well in hand, and I 

 heartily wish bim success in that most interesting work to a 

 gardener, the gradual development of the gardens under his 

 care, from roughness and sterility to the highest possible state 

 of order and productiveness. — Edward Luckhubst, Egerton 

 House Gardens, Kgcrton, Kent, 



IRESINE HERBSTII. 



I AM pleased to see " D., Deal," speak so highly of Iresine 

 Herbstii as a decorative plant. I have grown it two seasons 

 with good eiiect ; it withstood the drought of 1868, and con- 

 tinued to be an object of interest till killed by the frost. With 

 a little attention to pinching and pegging, it can be used for 

 front, second, or third rows in ribbon planting ; neither the 

 summer sun nor autumn rains seem to have any deleterious 

 effect upon it. The cold and wet of the early part of this 

 summer made it somewhat late before it could become tho- 

 roughly established, but the fine late autumn has amply made 

 up for that deficiency, as the colour and the size of the foliage 

 are now all that can be desired ; and I question if we can find 

 anything in habit and colour of foliage to compete with it. 



A great recommendation in favour of Iresine Herbstii is the 

 facility with which it can be propagated, as the smallest piece 

 will easily strike, and quickly become a plant, which is a great 

 consideration where only a limited space is allotted for grow- 

 ing bedding plants for planting out. — Eustic. 



SOOT AND MILDEW. 



Some time in last July a large number of fine Hybrid Per- 

 petual Boses in pota were here (Sawbridgeworth), so infested 

 with mildew as to be white, every leaf being covered with it. 

 Happening to walk out one dewy morning I found them, to my 

 surprise, black. On looking at them more closely I observed 

 the change of colour caused by a coating of soot adhering to 

 every leaf, and on inquiry I learnt that Mr. Perry, our man 

 Friday among the Boses, finding flowers of sulphur quite use- 

 less in arresting this Rose pest, had, as a sort of dernier ressort, 

 applied soot while the leaves were covered with dew. This 

 was allowed to rest on the leaves for five days, and then, lack- 

 ing a shower, it was washed off with the syringe placed close to 

 the plants, and used with as much force as possible. The 

 leaves at once assumed that dark green so agreeable to the 

 cultivator, and all the buds opened freely, giving flowers of 

 more than ordinary brilliancy, as if the soot had not only killed 

 the mildew, but had acted as a powerful manurial stimulant, 

 which was undoubtedly the case. Before applying the soot the 

 blossoms should all be cut off, leaving only the buds. 



In some cases the mildew was not all destroyed, and so, after 

 eight or ten days, a second dressing of soot was given, which, 

 after a few days, waa washed off by a heavy shower, leaving 

 the plants in a beautiful state of health. Since the first ope- 



ration, as above described, large numbers of Rosea in the open 

 quarters were dressed in the month of August with soot. In 

 all cases it has arrested mildew, nearly destroying it. Within 

 these few days (October 6th), the first plants dressed were again 

 attacked with mildew, and are now black with their sooty coat ; 

 this will be washed off in a day or two. 



A short time since I had some Peas (sown in July), dressed 

 with soot; there was no mildew on them, but I thought it 

 might prove a preventive. The dressing was given when the 

 morning dew was thick on them, but owing to the glossy nature 

 of their leaves it would not rest on them, but all settled on the 

 soil. This might have some effect. At any rate the Peas are 

 bearing a fine crop, and are most luxuriant in their growth. 

 I think it quite probable that scot as a remedy for mildew is 

 very old, but I do not remember having seen it recommended. 

 It may be applied to many things betides Boses ; it can do no 

 harm. It must be borne in mind that soot to cure mildew 

 should be dry and fresh. 



October 11th.— On having the Roses, which were dresaed 

 with soot on the 6th, syringed this morning, so as to wash it 

 thoroughly off, I find every leaf clean, and of a dark green. — 

 TnosiAS Rivers. 



SAXIFRAGA SARMENTOSA CULTURE. 

 This plant seems to be among the forgotten ones, for I never 

 see its name mentioned, and I wish to recommend it for pot 

 culture. Under proper treatment it produces pyramids of 

 bloom l.{ to 2 feet in height, and more than half as much 

 through ; it is then a beautiful plant for conservatory or table 

 decoration, and few plants will bear close inspection better 

 than it, with its prettily-spotted flowers and variegated foliage. 

 Pot the runners at different times in the spring in a compost 

 of equal parts of turfy peat, loam, and leaf mould, with suffi- 

 cient sand and broken bricks or charcoal to make it light and 

 porous ; shift them as required, giving the last shift about 

 August, when they will require 8 or Oinch pots ; and keep them 

 always in a greenhouse or airy pit, except when they are wanted 

 for forcing. They can easily be forced. By forcing some and 

 retarding others, they can be had in bloom all spring and 

 daring a good part of the summer. Take off all runners as they 

 appear till the plants show flower ; then stop the runners at 

 the pot's edge, and they will make a pretty fringe to cover the 

 pot. They require care in watering at all times. The plant 

 dies after flowering.— J. W., Oxton, Clieshire. 



NUNEHAM PARK ONION. 

 As Mr. Cutbush invites reports on the Nuneham Park Onion, 

 I give you my small experience of the matter. On the 26th of 

 February I sowed four rows of White Spanish, four rows of 

 Strasburg, and three rows of Nuneham Park, each row being 

 of precisely the same length — viz., 24 feet, the rows 1 foot 

 apart, and side by side with each other. The following is the 

 result :— Four rows White Spanish weighed 19 lbs. ; four rows 

 of Strasburg, 33 lbs. ; three rows of Nuneham Park, 33 lbs., 

 the same weight precisely of the four rows of Strasburg. The 

 Nuneham Park Onions are rather flattish, something of the 

 Tripoli shape, pale-skinned, and mild in flavour. I know 

 nothing yet of their keeping properties, as I never grew them 

 before, having been induced to do so this year from the re- 

 marks and advertisements I read in this Journal. I intend 

 trying their keeping qualities with the Strasburg, and if they 

 stand the test I shall grow no others in future, unless, indeed, 

 some others turn up to beat them again. I may add there was 

 not a thick-necked Onion in the lot.— Joseph Metcalf, Tern- 

 2/leogue, Co. Dublin. 



WATER RENDERED CHALYBEATE. 



From the well here we used to draw the water by means of 

 a windlass and bucket, with much inconvenience, consequently 

 I substituted a pump and iron piping. Now, this has rendered 

 the water very unpalatable, and although it is still clear, it 

 oxidises the sides of a water bottle if allowed to remain over- 

 night, yet it will be perfectly clear upon pouring out. Again, 

 even upon pumping all the water out of the suction-pipe, so as 

 to procure some direct from the well, it is strongly and unplea- 

 santly chalybeate. Would yon have the kindness to tell ma 

 the best means of remedying it at the least expense?— J. M., 

 Worth, Susse.T. 



[The pipes should have been vitrified, or lead pipes used, 



