fl4 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTXJRE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB, 



t October 8, 1874. 



It was in April I had my peep. The majestic castle was 

 closed, but the not less majestic Elm avenue was opening the 

 fresh green foliage, and just adding another glow of life to 

 the centuries of the past. The fruit trees were a mass of 

 floriferoug wreaths, bright with hope of a rich harvest of fruit. 

 It may, however, have been, as it was in too many places, but 

 the winding-sheet, emblematic of the death, almost before it 

 had life, of the longed-for, the coveted, the useful fruit. But 

 some trees were covered — that is, on walls, and they were 

 covered, not merely veiled with a slender network of hemp, 

 which is not to be depended on for keeping-out the frost, but 

 with a closely-wove material affixed on rollers to draw-up and 

 down as required. That is sensible covering, and in the end 

 the most economical, judging it by the value of the crops pro- 

 duced. There are few things in gardening so half-done as 

 fruit-tree covering. Better by far not cover at all than do it 

 on the spider's-web principle, and disappointment will be the 

 less. That ia one specimen of the practical utility of Frogmore. 



They were cutting Asparagus, forced of course. But it is not 

 everywhere, not, indeed, in many places forced as for the royal 

 table. The beds are covered-in with stout wood shutters — 

 there may have been glass attached, I forget, it was only a 

 rush through, as if the Guards were after us — but there ap- 

 peared to be pipes running along the covered paths between 

 bed and bed, and a boiler at the end to feed them. Simple 

 and effectual again, and well worth the doing. But all over the 

 beds were sticks stuck about. What for ? Simply to tell 

 where the blanks were, so that fresh roots could be put just 

 where wanted at the right time for planting. A capital plan 

 that. I know a garden where it is regularly adopted, and the 

 beds are as fresh, and full, and good as they were forty years 

 ago. 



But a man is found to run us through the houses, they seemed 

 BO busy as hardly to be able to find one. He was very civil and 

 obliging. Forcing of fruits and vegetables was, of course, in full 

 swing. Dwarf Kidney Beans in enormous quantities were here, 

 there, and everywhere. Shelves and stages were not only 

 filled with pots, but borders were planted with them, and all 

 bearing excellent crops. " What are the sorts you find the best ? 

 Some of the new ones must be splendid forcers," was inno- 

 cently suggested. Mark the reply : " They may be good, but 

 we find nothing so useful as the old Mohawk, and grow no 

 other in quantity. " And what is the quantity ? The reply 

 must be given by time instead of numbers. " We gather 

 Dwarf Kidney Beans," said our guide, " nine months indoors 

 and three months out." Dwarf Kidney-Bean forcing at Frog- 

 more is evidently a gigantic work, well done, and the testi- 

 mony to the old variety above named is no ordinary one. 

 Moreover, it is as good outdoors as it is in, and for light soils 

 especially it is a question if it has any superior, taking into 

 account quality and productiveness. 



Strawberry-forcing is another great work at Frogmore. 

 Strawberries are grown by the thousand in large 48 and small 

 32-8ized pots, the kinds used being Vicomtesse Hericart de 

 Thury, Le Gros Sucre, Keens' Seedling, President, and Dr. 

 Hogg. The second one named was very highly spoken of as a 

 great-bearing excellent variety for forcing, and in truth it was 

 then fine, but so also were the others. They were grown on 

 shelves in diiierent houses, yet one house was devoted entirely 

 to this fruit. It was a span-roof with a high flat centre stage 

 near the glass, and a table round the sides. The pots were 

 plunged in leaves, and as the fruit was all neatly tied-up and 

 supported above the foliage it was a fine sight. The man in 

 charge was evidently proud of it, and well he might be, for it 

 did him credit. The plants are not stacked to get root-dried 

 in winter, but are simply protected by fern, and a portion, no 

 doubt, in the fruit houses. So long as the drainage is right 

 Strawberries will stand any amount of moisture at any season, 

 as note the extraordinary crops of 1873 after the extraordinary 

 downpour of rain of the preceding winter. 



The Peach and Plum houses were carrying good crops, but we 

 will glance at the Vines. No great attempts at gigantic bunches 

 to startle tbe world and make we small fry stare, are evidenced 

 in the vineries at Frogmore. The roof is made to carry as 

 many rods as possible consistent with securing a great number 

 of useful medium-sized bunches, and berries of good quality. 

 In a word, everyday usefulness rather than show, excellence 

 rather than size, would appear to be the ruling principle of 

 Frogmore Grape-growing. The crops were heavy, and the 

 inside borders were being fed with liquid manure. The foliage 

 was dispoeed on what I always lay down as the right and safe 

 guide, of light for every leaf, and always a leaf for light. If 



those little words were always remembered it would, per- 

 haps, be no worse for Grapes generally. Pot Vines, when I 

 saw them, were on the point of ripening their fruit, and were 

 heavily laden. They were trained-up the rafters, and if I re- 

 member rightly, the pots were plunged. Some of the canes 

 had been purchased and fome were home-grown, but all were 

 good, the bought ones, perhaps, the best. 



Let us look a moment at the Pines. It was only a walk 

 down the pits and peep-in now and then. They are grown 

 in deep pits filled with leaves to give the necessary bottom 

 heat, for which there is no grand mechanical provision. But 

 there are grand Pines. As seen in April they were simply in 

 splendid order, and self and friend mutually agreed on the 

 resolution that they would make somebody look-out before 

 the season was over. They did so, and those staged at " the 

 Palace " in September were right royal specimens. Than 

 Pines nothing is better done at Frogmore, and if we do not 

 envy, we may at least seek to emulate the skill of the able 

 grower of them. The front walls of the pits are, perhaps, 

 4 feet high. Close to them was run a row of early Peas, to be 

 followed by Tomatoes. Thus no space is lost, but every spot 

 and site turned to useful account. To the plants. Well, 

 plants here are grovm to be spoiled. That is just it. They 

 have to do duty in corridor and vestibule of the Castle, and the 

 dry atmosphere, and draughts, and gas tell the old tale ; yet 

 clearly tbe best attention is given to cleanliness and cultural 

 restoratives. 



On the whole, Frogmore is managed excellently well, and 

 worth a visit. But how did I get in ? Patronage of course. 

 A friend of mind was taking a pig to the royal farm — he is a 

 royal pig now, and it was under the patronage of this animal, 

 sharing the conveyance, that I got my peep into Frogmore, 

 and was gratified. We cannot suppose that such influence is 

 generally necessary to gain admittance, but it so happened, 

 and I got a rush round without any fuss and was satisfied. I 

 wrote my name in the visitors' book as I write it now. — 

 J. Wkight. 



NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GAKDENS, KEW. 



The Cape house is perfumed with the delicious odour of 

 Aponogeton distachyon. It is flourishing in a large bell-glass 

 of water, on which the leaves float, intermingling with the 

 curious two-forked inflorescences. The pure white glistening 

 bracts which subtend the flowers are the inevitable source of 

 attraction. In contrast with these are the black anthers and 

 dark green foliage. Its culture in this way is very simple. 

 Select a bell-glass or other convenient vessel about 16 inches 

 wide at the mouth, and about 22 deep. Place soil therein to 

 a depth of 4 or 5 inches, and plant the roots just beneath 

 the surface, three of which will be quite sufficient. Dung or 

 other enriching material should be carefully avoided, as it 

 merely serves to contaminate the water without conferring an 

 equivalent benefit to the plant. Carefully pour in water so as 

 not to disturb the soil ; every week at least a portion should 

 be drawn oft and be replaced with fresh. It is convenient to 

 do this by means of a siphon formed by bending a piece of 

 small lead pipe or other tubing. The interest of this " thing 

 of beauty " may be greatly enhanced by the addition of animal 

 curiosities, and to those who possess aquariums containing 

 such, this plant is to be earnestly recommended. To flower 

 from the present onwards, plant about the end of Angast. 

 There is yet time enough to have it in flower for the winter 

 season. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. 



Veitchia Canterburyana is one of the finest of all Palms. 

 In the Palm house a well-developed specimen has long been 

 grown as " Areca sp., from Lord Howe's Island," and has 

 been recently proved the above. It is about 30 feet high, and 

 is almost without doubt the finest in Europe. Those who are 

 fortunate enough to obtain the seeds must not be surprised if 

 they fail to grow. Seeds of the genus Kentia (of which this is 

 a member), almost always reach this country dead. They 

 should be sown in pots and plunged in a bottom heat of 85°. 

 When the young plants are spreading their first leaf, pot in as 

 small pots as will contain the roots without breakiug, using a 

 soil of equal parts peat and loam. Pure loam may be used 

 when the plants are large, but for their infantile condition a 

 lighter mixture is preferable. Small pots should always be 

 used, as a quick growth is thereby favoured and less room re- 

 quired. It is of little moment if they become pot-bound ; on 

 receiving a shift young roots proceed from the stem, which 

 supersede the old ones. When the plants are growing water 



