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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t February 10, 1878. 



strive to make himaelf worthy of its possession, lest a more 

 worthy man should be appointed to reign in his stead. I was 

 once " one of them," and know what it has been to trudge 

 eight miles a day, and work with them for 2s., therefore I 

 know their views, and that I speak the truth on this matter. 



I also know something else, and that is, that they think 

 owners of the gardens should plant the trees, and who shall 

 prove that thought wrong ? Whoever plants them the trees 

 become part of the freehold, and indeed they increase its 

 value as many a rent roll proves. I wish all rectors would use 

 the influence which they possess in inducing landlords to 

 make the homes of their humble neighbours homes indeed, 

 by a distribution of fruit trees, as one of the neglected means 

 of establishing a contented and home-loving peasantry. It 

 may be that landlords imagine that Ihe " sons of toil " do not 

 care for fruit trees, but I can speak for my " old friends," and 

 state that they do care for and prize them highly. 



If the planting of fruit trees by owners could be brought 

 about, I would not dispute for standards or pyramids ; the 

 trees in such gardens would soon settle that point. For the 

 gardens of the clergy and those similarly circumstanced 

 pyramid trees are highly appropriate, as being ornamental, 

 instructive, and also profitable ; bat for fiUing with fruit old 

 churns, clothes-baskets, &o., I like to see trees requiring a 

 ladder once or twice a year. It is the preservation of such 

 trees that I urge as important, trees which I fear have not 

 always been estimated at their proper value. I have more to 

 say on the subject of "old trees," but I must now be "off to 

 work." — A Radical Conservative. 



In your paper of January iiOth I read an article on old 

 Apple trees. I think the writer of it has exaggerated the diffi- 

 culties of dealing with them. I do not doubt that many Apple 

 trees are too old to be out or grafted, but my experience has 

 taught me that a very large proportion of full-grown trees may 

 be so dealt with. 



Twenty years ago I purchased a farm with several acres of 

 cider orchards of old-fashioned sorts, full-grown trees, in a 

 very crowded neglected state, and producing very little cider. 

 I began (first thinning the tops of all), by cutting-ofi the whole 

 heads of many trees and grafting them with better kinds. Of 

 these a certain number died in some years, chiefly blowing 

 down and had decayed roots. I then adopted the plan of graft- 

 ing a part of a tree, say one-fourth to one-half of the higher 

 branches, and in a few years gradually grafting the remainder. 

 So far I have lost none of these trees, the grafts have all done 

 well, and the wild shoots from the old stocks have been en- 

 couraged, except when their tops interfered with the grafts, 

 till the trees had formed such large new heads that the wild 

 shoots were unnecessary to help to furnish a top to give action 

 to the roots. My consequent plan now is, to cut off a portion 

 of a head and graft it each year for four or five years, as I 

 may judge the age and condition of the old stock requires. 



The general result has been, that at the end of twenty 

 years my orchards are pretty full of old regrafted trees, which 

 produce live or six times the quantity of cider that they did 

 when I first began to regraft them. — A. Z. 



MOAT BANK, 



THE RESIDENCE. OF AERAM BAS.S, ESQ. 



All connected with horticultural pursuits are justly proud 

 of the patrimonial seats of the nobility and gentry, and the 

 abiUty with which our " great gardens " are managed. Few 

 of those places can bo visited without their imparting instruc- 

 tive lessons to the observant visitor, and descriptions of them 

 seldom fail to interest and add to the stores of knowledge of 

 which members of the "ancient craft" are ever in search. 



But besides the historical places of our noble families there 

 are, scattered over the country in more or less of obscurity, 

 those who are earnest workers in a small way, yet who bring 

 to bear abilities worthy of recognition in the culture of some 

 special flower or fruit. If we wish to see our national flower 

 cultivated for " very love of its beauties " we must enter the 

 precincts of some secluded parsonage, and there we see the 

 Rose enthroned in regal dignity. It is so with many florists' 

 flowers, and not unfrequently also with fruits. 



How ably Grapes are grown by amateur skill was described 

 on page 93, and now is noticed an unpretentious garden where 

 not only Grapes but other fruits are cultivated to a degree of 

 excellence that many gardens of greater fame might envy, or 

 at any rate be proud to own. 



Moat Bank is situated about two miles from Burton-on-Trent 

 on the high ground overlooking the town and a great extent 

 of country. It was once a Roman station, the moat still exist- 

 ing and filled with water, the " stronghold " which it encircles 

 being now a plantation and orchard. About sixteen years ago 

 Mr. Bass selected this commanding and healthy site for his 

 residence, and erected thereon a Gothic structure from plans 

 of the eminent architect Mr. Street of London. Gothic houses 

 are frequently dark and not always convenient ; but here it is 

 not so, for a more light and cheerful, and also homely and 

 convenient residence, it would be difficult to find. 



From every room the view is splendid. From one stand- 

 point the winding Trent may be seen in eight or nine places ; 

 from another Cannock Chase, Bretby, and the hills of Derby- 

 shire are seen. Alton Towers, Tutbury Castle, Bar Beacon, 

 twenty-five miles distant, are also within the line of vision, 

 and the eye in sweeping the panorama can distinguish the 

 spires and towers of not less than forty-eight churches. Such 

 is the salubrious and commanding position of Moat Bank. 



Now let us look at its gardens. In extent they are small, 

 but in quality they are great. Surrounding the residence are 

 Conifers in great profusion and, considering their age, of mar- 

 vellous growth. The staple of the soil is clay ; but that the 

 shrubs and trees were not only well planned but were well 

 planted by Mr. Barron is clearly manifest, and that thej have 

 been equally well tended by their owner tlieir health and shape 

 abundantly proves. The Deodars are numerous and exceed- 

 ingly fine, also are Wellingtonias and Pinuses lasiocarpa, 

 grandis, &c. ; and the Yews, Hollies, and other shrubs are of a 

 size to render it a matter of surprise that the site they occupy 

 was sixteen years ago a bare field. These Conifers are gratify- 

 ing proof of what can be effected by solicitous care and well- 

 directed BkiU. They are Mr. Bass's pride, and well may he be 

 proud of them. 



We next enter the walled garden, and find fruit trees of 

 pyramids, bushes, and espaliers in superior health, their forma 

 and fine fruit-bearing condition bespeaking them at once to be 

 under a master's eye and hand. In order to have the eutdoor 

 fruits as perfect as possible Mr. Bass sent his gardener to take 

 lessons from the Rev. C. C. EUisou of Bracebridge ; and the 

 result has been very gratifying, the gardener having proved 

 himself an apt pupil of an able tutor. 



We find also some glass structures. The small span-roofed 

 plant house had Fuchsias trained up the rafters after the 

 manner of Vines — a mode which shows the pendant blooms 

 to the greatest advantage, and which is worthy of more 

 general adoption. The Fuchsia rods are trained and pruned 

 precisely similar to Vines. The plants in the house (Roses, 

 Ferns, Camellias, &c.) were all looking well. But I cannot 

 linger here, and pass to the vineries — small again — not the 

 Grapes, but the houses. The Vines are in the first order of 

 health, and produce splendid Grapes, fruit of a quality worthy 

 of the table of a prince. These Vines reflect the greatest 

 credit on the gardener, Mr. Deaville, who was trained at 

 Trentham. The borders were made and the Vines planted 

 under the personal superintendence of Mr. Pearson of Chilwell 

 about eight years ago. The sorts comprise Black Hamburgh, 

 Mrs. Piuoe's Black Muscat, Alicante, Muscat Hamburgh, and 

 Frankenthal ; one Vine of Muscat of Alexandria having a 

 small house to itself. At the time of my visit the fruit was 

 cut — the best having been distributed amongst friends, the 

 remainder hanging in the fruit room. The crop was seen 

 growing by Mr. Henderson of ColeOrton and other well-known 

 good judges, including Dr. Hogg, and was by them pronounced 

 most superior. To the excellent border made by Mr. Pearson, 

 and to the skill and vigilance of his gardener, Mr. Bass attri- 

 butes the admirable state of his Vines. 



I now arrive at the main object of my visit — the orchard 

 house. I had heard of this house and seen some of its fruit- 

 fruit which was pronounced of the highest excellenca by the 

 highest authority of the generation. 'This house and trees I 

 thought worthy a visit — a visit to be remembered. Sir Ton- 

 man Moseley had kindly placed a conveyance at my disposal, 

 deputing his gardener as coachman, but so bitterly wintry was 

 the day — ice below and a drifting blinding snow filling the air, 

 that we had " mercy on the beast," stabled the horse at Burton, 

 and " faced the storm " on foot. It was a cold journey, but 

 we had a warm welcome. Why ? Because we were gardeners, 

 and because Mr. — yes, and Mrs., Bass were, and are, gardeners 

 too. Unfortunately Mr. Baas was confined to his room by ill- 

 ness, but he kept up a constant communication with bis 

 unseen guests by sending down first one fruit and then another, 



