Jamwry 7, 1875. ] 



JOUBNAIi OP HOBTIOULTURB AND COTTAGE GABDBNESB. 



master of the art, Mr. D. Thomson. It is perhaps the main 

 praotioe ground from which was evolved the matter of that 

 excellent book of modest title — a work which all should read 

 — the " Handy Book of the Flower Garden." Gardening here 

 was assuredly good then, and it is assuredly good now. The 

 mantle of Mr. Thomson has evidently fallen on an able suc- 

 cessor in Mr. Kettles, the present superintendent. Let us look 

 at his work. We are in tlie Archortield, or kitchen and glass 

 garden, in contradistinction to the Dirleton enclosure. But 

 even the kitchen garden at this place would make many a 

 flower garden blush for its fame and envious of the etiect 

 created by its borders. On entering this walled garden in the 

 centre of the south walk one must perforce stand still. With 

 the telling ribbon borders in the direct line of vision, and a sea 

 of flowers to the right hand and to the left, and a fine range 

 of glass behind, the strange visitor if alone is compelled to 

 halt between two or three opinions : he is, as it were, spell- 

 bound by an overpowering sense of flowers, and knows not 

 which way to turn for the best. It is not so much the arrange- 

 ment or mere quantity that is so striking as the surprise in 

 entering what is expected to be (and in fact is) a garden of 

 vegetables, and see nothing but flowers. Yet the area of colour 

 and its order of disposition is not to be passed by without a 

 note of examination. The extent of the ribbon borders is about 

 120 yards, and are in their finish perfect. Their tone is quiet, 

 chaste, and pleasing rather than brilliant and gorgeous. Be- 

 ginning at the margin of the walk, the lines are planted as 

 follows; — 1, Cerastium ; 2, Dwarf Ageratnm ; 3, Dactylis ; 

 4, Iresine Lindeni ; .5, Silver- foliaged Pelargonium; C, Purple 

 Lothian Stocks ; 7, Scarlet Gladioli, bounded by closely pinched 

 and planted pyramid Pears, and beyond these rows of Sweet 

 Peas and Scarlet Bunners as a divisional fence between the 

 flower borders and general vegetable ground. I am sure Mr. 

 Luokhurst, who so worthily advocates quiet and repose in floral 

 arrangement, would have appreciated these borders, as that 

 is their prevailing tone, with just sufficient streaks of colour 

 to prevent him being hushed to a point just beyond I'epose — 

 sweet sleep. But no fear of tliat, or here is an awakening. 



Running parallel with the south walk is a close and rather 

 tall fence of espalier Pears. Between these and the walk is a 

 border, with a rather sharp slope, about yards wide and 

 IJO yards long. This border is in three divisions ; it is a 

 mass of colour, planted as follows : — Take an end division ; 

 the back row next to the hedge of Pears is Tritoma, next 

 maroon and white dwarf Dahlias, then a strong silver Pelar- 

 gonium. Fronting these rows is a mass, 5 feet wide, of Wal- 

 tham Seedling Pelargonium, dotted down the centre at in- 

 tervals of 5 yards with large plants of Centaurea ragusina. In 

 front of this mass again is a line of Dactylis, another of dwarf 

 Ageratnm, finishing next the walk with a row of Lobelia and 

 Polemonium iu alternation. That is a fine and telling border, 

 the 150 feet by 5 of Waltham Seedling showing to great ad- 

 vantage. For a mass like this it is a question if a better 

 Pelargonium could be found, its free, bold, upstanding trusses 

 and good colour marking it as still one of the best for large 

 masses. 



The other end division of the border ia similarly planted, 

 except as to the Pelargonium, where Excellent is substituted for 

 Waltham Seedling, and with a less telling effect. The central 

 division of the border is differently planted. It is more quiet, 

 and certainly more beautiful than the ends. In front of the 

 Dahlias at the back is a fine row of yellow Calceolaria, the 

 row next following being of Dell's Crimson Beet. Now comes 

 the 5-feet mass, which is a mixture of Beaton's Silver Nose- 

 gay Pelargonium and Purple King Verbena, both in perfect 

 trim as to growth and bloom ; the flatness of the mass being 

 relieved by graceful specimens of Yucca oleifolia variegata 

 plunged at wide intervals along the centre. In the front of 

 this fine mixture is a row of Iresine Lindeni, followed by 

 Christine Pelargonium, Cineraria maritima, broad row of 

 Crimson King Verbena, with a margin of Cerastium. 



This centre border is, if I recollect rightly, wider than the 

 ends, but taking the whole expanse of bloom from end to end 

 of the three divisions the just balance of high colours with 

 neutral tints, the lines relieved by masses, and the flatness 

 broken by the distinct Y'ucoas, and the picture disarms criti- 

 cism by its powerful appeal to one's whole capacity of ad- 

 miration. There is nothing complex, intricate, or dainty about 

 it. It is just grand in its light yet massive, simplicity — in a 

 word, it is worthy of Archerfield, and with this remark I leave 

 it. On the opposite side of the walk are the Vine and Peach 

 borders, but they are narrow — only .3 or 4 feet wide. These 



are also planted with flowers, principally with Tricolor and 

 Bicolor Pelargoniums in variety, relieved by fine plunged 

 standard plants of Solanums laden with fruit, eventually to 

 be attractive objects for winter indoor 'decoration. Such is 

 the south and principal walk of the kitchen garden of Archer- 

 field. It surely savours little of culinary produce. For this 

 we must go behind the scenes— the espaliers and bush fruit 

 trees which line the walks. Here we find just as much atten- 

 tion given as to floral matters. A few varieties of vegetables, 

 and of these the best-suited to particular wants, appears to be 

 the guiding principle in cropping. Not a weed is to be seen, 

 or hardly a decayed leaf visible. Every bit of ground is 

 cropped, and every crop well tended, the whole doing credit 

 to the departmental overseer. 



The soil is a good sound loam, rich and deep, of a fine 

 staple for fruit and vegetables, except the upper portion, which 

 is rather light, and, as a consequence, the Pears on the east 

 wall lack stamina. The walls are mostly covered with Pears and 

 Plums carrying fair crops. On the north aspect are Morello 

 Cherries, with Currants and Gooseberries trained vertically 

 from horizontal mains, and in this cool aspect the season of 

 these fruits is usefully prolonged, and is easy to protect from 

 birds. Outside the square is a spacious and useful skirting 

 for fruit and coarse vegetables. Within this skirt on the 

 south aspect of the wall are fine Plum and Pear trees, which 

 bear produce of the first quality. Peaches aru grown under 

 glass. The kitchen-garden ground may be about four acres. 

 Apples not a full crop, but whenever we came to a tree of the 

 useful Blenheim Orange it was laden with fine fruit. 



Wo now look at the glass department, which is rather ex- 

 tensive, comprising eleven spacious houses and a considerable 

 extent of pits and frames. The principal range is in the 

 walled kitchen garden, and comprises a central staged house 

 for flowering plants, with four houses on either hand planted 

 with Peaches and Vines. The plant house, as a conservatory, 

 is hardly worthy of Archerfield; the stages, by their elevation, 

 do not show the plants to advantage, which were good. The 

 lean-to's are capital houses, and carry capital crops of fruit. 

 The end ones for late Grapes have a steep pitch, and are well 

 adapted for keeping purposes. Early Grapes and Peaches 

 were gathered, but the late vineries were carrying excellent 

 fruit. Muscats were very good, but the Barbarossa, which is 

 largely grown, was the most striking by its numerous and 

 massive bunches. This variety, which is in many places shy, 

 is free enough here, Mr. Kettles having no difiiculty in getting 

 a houseful of bunches. His plan is the very sensible one of 

 training-up young rods, and shortening them at pruning time 

 according to judgment, insuring thereby a choice of spurs and 

 young wood, and what is better, insuring also a crop, guarding 

 against overcrowding. This is a safe plan of getting Grapes, 

 and the Vines are furthermore in a constant and steady state 

 of renewal. Lady Dowue's is also fine in the berry, but, of 

 course, not so big as Gros Colman. This latter Grape is not 

 well coloured, one Vine especially being curious in always pro- 

 ducing colourless fruit, yet the berries are of large size, and 

 equal in fiavour to the black ones on the next Vine. This 

 range of houses is heated by one pipe running along the front. 

 It is flat, 1 foot wide by 4 inches deep, and troughed its whole 

 length three-quarters of an inch deep, which, Mr. Kettles says, 

 gives off too much moisture, and he uses portable evaporators 

 of less superficial area. The front wall is on arches, and the 

 best roots are probably in the inside borders, the outside ones 

 being only 3 to 4 feet wide, and cropped with flowers, although 

 the soil under the walk is made good ; but for the matter of 

 that all the soil is good in the garden, and would of itself 

 grow Grapes well with the otherwise good culture here given. 

 'There is also another fruit house in the south wall of the out- 

 skirt garden about 150 feet long. This is a very light and 

 excellent structure. It is principally planted with Plums, and 

 wired about 4 feet up the roof, so that the back wall has light 

 over this Plum trellis to the very bottom. Besides, from the 

 trellis a branch is carried from the Plums up each rafter Vine 

 fashion. The rafters are 6 feet apart. 'The back wall ia 

 covered with Peaches, having splendid fruit. There are also in 

 this house Figs, Guavas, &c. This useful house is heated, 

 and gives an immense quantity of fruit. It was, moreover, 

 particularly gay, the floor being covered from end to end with 

 healthy and well-bloomed plants of Mr. Pearson's and other 

 good Pelargoniums, than which, in their now varied colours, 

 nothing can give a finer summer display, and what is of first- 

 rate moment, they carry no filth into a fruit house. 



In what may be called the forcing ground is another block 



