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JODENAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



I Jane 29, 187S, 



therein contaiced in regard to the cnUivation of Melon?. The 

 fystem there epoken of — Ihat is to say, planting about 1 i inches 

 from plant to plant and training np a sing'e steta without 

 stopping until the deeired height is attained — is very superior 

 to the old method of growing llelonB. 



Having practised the mode of culture alluded to I wish to 

 giva my experience of it at greater length, seeing that " Q. E." 

 could necessarily not do more than merely mention it in pass- 

 ing. I am convinced that nearly double the quantity of fruit 

 can be procured from the same space by this over the old 

 eyatem of culture. For a few years past we have grown 

 Meredith's Hybrid Cashmere to the extent of one-half of our 

 plants, planting alternately with other varieties. The variety 

 named is not only a good Melon, but it is of strong growth. 

 We allowed it to run up (which j ust suits the variety) , denuding 

 it of all lateral shoots for several feet from the bottom, only, of 

 course, carefully preserving the principal leaves ; the inter- 

 mediate plants being stopped before reaching where the laterals 

 of the others began, and the fruit of the dwarfer plants set as 

 soon as a sufficient number of flowers could be procured open 

 at one time. It is not necessary to say to a gardener how 

 injurious it is to the chances of a crop by setting the first 

 fruit that appears ; but so many amateurs of limited experience 

 grow a few Melons that to them the hint may be useful not to 

 do so, but rather cut the iirst flower or two away until three or 

 four are open and can be set at the same time, for as sure as 

 the first fruit is set and begins to swell it is futile to expect a 

 satisfactory crop on that plant afterwards. 



By growing a few plants of such early and free-setting va- 

 rieties as Malvern Hall, scarlet flesh; and Gilbert's Improved 

 Victory of Bath, green flesh, to be fruited at tho bottom of 

 tho house; and Hybrid Cashmere, Beechwood, or any of the 

 later vorietits at the top, it is surprising how long a small 

 house will continue to supply fruit, and it will also astonish 

 anyone who has been growing Melons on the older method, the 

 quantity of fruit that can be had by the system of closer plant- 

 ing, &c. Our practice is to stop the first joint after the fruit, 

 and after the fruit ia fairly set to thin away by degrees all 

 other shoots not requirod. If the object is the supply of a 

 family we do not consider three or four fruit to a plant too 

 many. If very large fruit is wanted, then one or two had 

 better be taken ; although the larger number with liberal treat- 

 ment will swell to a size quite large enough for ordinary pur- 

 posts. The system is quite as applicable to frames as to 

 bouses, so far as the limited space admits of fruiting two sets 

 c.f plants, and all the plants require to be planted at the front 

 ard trained towards the back. 



In my present situation pits are provided for Melon culture 

 which are only one remove from frames (with the exception 

 that ours are heated with hot water) ; we have trellises which 

 wo fix to keep the plants off the soil, on which trellises we 

 train the plants, and this season for our earliest crop we had 

 a space of 24 feet by 7 feet 6 inches outside measurement, in 

 which we planted eighteen plants, and from which we have 

 cut sixty- six fruit of fair size. I do not think it necessary to 

 enter into the details of soil, temperature, and tho routine of 

 management, &a., my object rather being to draw attention to 

 the system of close planting, and limiting tho plants to single 

 stems, than to detail cultural directions. I may, however, add 

 in regard to the difficulty sometimes experienced with Melons 

 damping-ofi at the neck, of which Mr. Douglas treated in your 

 issue of May 18th, that I have found it a good plan to place a 

 handful of crushed charcoal round the collar of each plant at 

 the time of planting, and also that I have found it very useful 

 of adopting the old system when convenient of covering over 

 the surface of the beds with slates, Ac, on lifting which it will 

 be remarked that tho roots are quite matted on the surface of 

 the soil beneath them. 



Another observation of " Q. E.'b " eo entirely coincides with 

 my own ideas that I should like to say a few words in connec- 

 tion with it — that is, relating to starting Vines in November. 

 On entering on my present situation last autumn I learned 

 that the Vines in the early vinery had always been started on 

 the 1st of November. On taking the matter into consideration 

 I could not see that v;e should be likely to gain much by 

 forcing in the two dullest months in the year, and I decided noi 

 to start the Vines till the new year. The Vmes broke readily, 

 but we did not by any means push them hard. We set the 

 fruit at aliout C5' night temperature. When I say about, I 

 mean that was the temperature aimed at, although on very 

 cold nights it was otcasionally a degree or two below. Theni 

 are two Vines of Muscat of Alexandria in the house, and they 



set their fruit equally a3 well as the Black Hamburghs ; and on 

 referring back to the books that are kept of the produce of the 

 garden I find that we out or-e day sooner than last year, and 

 could have cut a few days earlier had the Grapes been required ; 

 and we certainly saved a quantity of fuel, which is of some im- 

 portance, and also avoided not a little anxiety during the two 

 months the Vines were resting. I may add that the bordei is 

 an outside one and the Vines old. — J. B. S. 



BEAMBLETYB, 



THE SEAT OF DONALD LAIiXACH, ESQ. 



BR.iMBLETyE is recorded in the history of Sussex as being 

 well known to lovers of the picturesque, and to those of fiction 

 by Horace Smith's excellent novel " Brambletye House." The 

 manor was part of tie barony granted by the Conqueror to 

 his kinsman the Earl of Moreton and Cornwall. From the 

 early part of Edward I. tho manor was held by the family of 

 De Audeham, with whom it continued till 9 Edward III., when 

 it belonged to John de Sancto Chro, or Seyntclere, a distin- 

 guished county family, subsequently connected with the 

 families of Walleys of Glynde, Gage of Firlc, and Pelham of 

 Laughton. The last of the male line. Sir Thomas St. Clere, 

 died in 143.5, leaving three daughters as co-heiresses, the eldest 

 of whom, Elizabeth, married as her second husband Eichard 

 Lewknor. He is supposed to have built the old house of 

 Brambletye, some trifling remains of which and the moat still 

 exist. The family of Lewknor, once the most influential and 

 widely-spread in Sussex, were associated with East Grinstead 

 by property and as representatives of the borough in Parlia- 

 ment for about two centuries. About the end of the reign of 

 Elizabeth the Comptons were proprietors. Sir Henry Compton , 

 KB. (of tho same family as the Earls of Northampton), mar- 

 ried Cecilia, daughter of Eobert Sackville, Earl of Dorset, and 

 was iu all probability the builder of the more recent mansion 

 Brambletye House, as his initials and those of his wife, 

 " H. M. C.," with the dale 1C31 and the arms of Compton, 

 remain over the entrance of the ruined mansion. The remains 

 of this house are situated in a delightful valley. It was 

 originally a very handsome mansion, and had towers with 

 ogee cupolas, such as were built in the time of the early 

 Stuarts. It is now aa Ivy-mantled shell, though several 

 towers and a detached gateway survive to indicate its ancient 

 glory. The immediate successors of the Comptons are not 

 known, but in 1684 Sir .James Eicharde, then created a 

 baronet, is described as of Brambletye House. He was of 

 French extraction, and was knighted for an act of bravery at 

 sea. Subsequently he settled in Spain, and some of his 

 descendants have occupied high positions in the Spanish army. 

 On his quitting Brambletye the house fell to decay. From 

 about 1714 till 1866 it belonged to the Biddnlphs, and it then 

 passed by sale to Donald Larnach, Esq., who erected the pre- 

 sent mansion a few years ago. It is a commodious and orna- 

 mental structure of native stone, overlooking the ruins above 

 mentioned and a great expanse of country. 



The grounds were designed by Mr. Marnock, the work being 

 carried out under the superintendence of Mr. Jenks the 

 present gardener. The ground contiguous to the mansion is 

 boldly undulated, and these undulations have been turned 

 to good account. The hills have been clothed with trees 

 and shrubs, and the dells left mostly in a state of nature. 

 The wild plants have not been removed, but the Furze, the 

 Broom, the Heath, and the Ferns have been left iu their 

 natural beauty, and with them have been associated Pampas 

 Grass, Ehododendrons, and Conifers — tastefully, because irre- 

 gularly and sparsely planted. So deep is one of these dells 

 and so close to the carriage drive as almost to look dangerous, 

 yet a feeling of security is afforded by a hedge of Larch, 

 which has been kept to a height of about 4 feet, and iti par- 

 ticularly cheerful by the peculiar light grten of its fohage. 

 Th(>re is a small terrace flower garden near the mansion , but ex- 

 tensive fancy flower gardening would be manifestly incongruous 

 with the natmal features of the place and the bold nature of 

 the surrounding scenery. Isolated from the mansion is a 

 newly-erected billiard room, and between the two — the mansion 

 and billiard room — a conservatory has been erected. This is 

 planted with Tree Ferns, Palms, Camellias, Ac, and contains 

 also many good specimens of plants in pots, and is an orna- 

 mental promenade for the family and guests. 



The kitchen garden is situated some distance from the 

 mansion, and behind ahold hill. This hill has been turned to 

 account, both usefully and ornnnKutally. At the foot of tho 



