Jano 29, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTDRE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



513 



hill is a roaery. This is fenced from the carriage drive by a 

 Larch hedge, and is bounded by the precipitous sandstone 

 sides of the hill. This natural nail is bting covered with 

 climbers. Clematises, Eose.'i, Ampelopeis, &o., making it not 

 only ornamental, but subduing the reflection of heat, and 

 making the temperature more agreeable to both Rosea and 

 visitors. The beds of the rosery are edged by dwarf margins, 

 a foot wide and high, of Cjtoneaster microphylla. We leave 

 the rosery, passing through bowers of Ivy, and by aecents of 

 rugged steps flanked by walls of rocks, and reach a walk, the 

 sides of which are being formed into a garden of hardy her- 

 baceous flowers. By this charming route we gain the summit 

 of the hill, from which the view is extenpive and magnificent, 

 reaching even to the Crystal Pulace at Sydenham on a clear 

 day. On the summit of the hill are placed wnter tanks of 

 great size and substance, into which water hard and soft is 

 forced, and which is again conveyed in pipes to all parts of the 

 establishment, including the gardens. These tanks are nearly 

 hidden by the Conifers, which have been planted and are 

 growing well. 



The soil of the place is a heavy van^a of cliyey marl, which 

 can only be worked at favourable intervals. It is most difficult 

 to deal with, involving much labour, and is apparently as un- 

 kind and ungenial as can be imagined, yet the trees, shrubs, 

 and Conifers, also Rhododendrons and Azuleas, have made 

 free and vigorous growth. In strong clay Rhododendrons are 

 in exuberant health, looking as well but not so short-jointed as 

 plants in peat. Oa the west side of this hill are bold jutting 

 natural rocks, putting to shame all artificial imitations ; and 

 here, under overhanging boughs, a hardy fernery is to be 

 formed, and which when completed will be one of the finest 

 and most ornamental features of the place. 



The kitchen garden is enclosed by lofty walls. The south 

 aspect of the north wall, 300 feet in length, is covered with 

 Peaches and Nectarines. The trees have been planted eight 

 years, and seven crops of fruit have been gathered, each tree 

 now yielding fifteen to twenty dozens of fruit. The trees have 

 been planted in good soil, are protected in spring by canvas 

 screens, and are richly fed with liquid manure in the summer 

 months. They are treated in the same liberal manner as the 

 trees under Mr. Luckhurst's charge, and give the same excel- 

 lent results. Mr. Taylor has suggested that Sussex is not the 

 worst of counties for Peach-growing, and I think he is right. 

 Both the soil and climate appear to be favourable ; but grant- 

 ing that, we cannot but acknowledge the skill of such gardeners 

 as those whose names are mentioned in growing so quickly 

 Peach and Nectarines trees which are characterised by great 

 vigour and extreme fruitfulness. Oa the north side of the 

 south wall Piums and Cherries are trained, and are in an 

 excellent bearing state. Late Duke Cherry on this site is 

 found to be etpecially useful, its fruit continuing until October. 

 On the east aspects of the boundary walls are Pears and Cher- 

 ries, and on the west aspects Plums and Pears. Apricots are 

 also planted on both these aspects, but they only flourish on 

 the eastern site where they receive the morning's sua, not 

 thriving on the corresponding aspect where they only receive 

 the afternoon's sun. The difference in these trees in the same 

 garden and the same soil is very striking, and aSords a useful 

 hint worthy of being mentioned and remembered. The kitohen- 

 garden crops, especially the Strawberries, are in a flourishing 

 state, thanks to well and deeply-prepared soil and liberal sur- 

 face-dressing of rich manure. Outside the walls a capital 

 orchard is being established, the trees growing freely and 

 healthily in the hard-baked soil. 



The south aspect of the north wall is covered with glass, the 

 length of the houses being 350 feet. They were erected by Mr. 

 Grayof Cbelsea, and, with their heating arrangements, give great 

 satisfaotioD. Certainly they are answering their purpose well, 

 for finer crops of ftuit— Grapes and Peaches — would be difiioult 

 to find. This fine range of glass i^! entered by a ooriidor, which 

 is devoted to the cultivation of Paachps and Fi^e and for the 

 forcing of Strawberries, of which Vicomtesse Hericirt de Thury 

 is foaud to be the most productive and satisfactory. Adjoin- 

 ing the corridor is a Peach house, containing two trees — Grcsse 

 Mignonne and Violette H.itive, the latter being a fortnight 

 later than the former, the two kinds thus producing a long 

 ssason of fruit from the same house and under the same treat- 

 ment. These trees are in a splendid state. In May the fruit 

 was just ripening, some measuring more than 10 inches in 

 circumference. Yet it was not thinned to a fruit to each square 

 foot of trellis, but so close were they that I counted nine fruits 

 on a Burfaoe of less than that in area. These trees are eight 



years old, and, notwithstanding the heavy cropping to which 

 they are subjected, they are in exuberant health. Their highly 

 productive and admirable state ia attributable to rich surface- 

 dressings and copious supplies of liquid manure in the growing 

 season. They are not afraid of feeding the Peach in Sussex — 

 not afraid of luxuriant wood, not destitute of splendid fruit. 



From the Peach house we step into the early vinery. The 

 Grapes (May) were ripe, the Black Hamlurghs being in an 

 exhibition state, so fine were the berries and well were they 

 coloured. They have been similarly forced and ripened for 

 eight years. Another vinery is devoted to Hamburghs and 

 Alioantes, the crop being very heavy and regular ; and adjoin- 

 ing it is a house planted with Muscat of Alexandria and Black 

 Hamburgh altenately, a Eplccdid crop, the remaining houses 

 being entirely occupied with Muscats, and for size, regularity, 

 and well-set bunches this house must have a very high rank. 

 Mr. Jenks is evidently a skilled fruit-grower. The Tines are 

 planted inside, their roots having access to outside borders ; 

 but owing to the rich dressings and copious waterings of the 

 inside borders the roots do not care to travel far from their 

 feeding ground, and only a very small proportion of them are 

 found in the outside borders. It is an instance that Vines 

 may be prevented from rambliiig into ungenial soil if sufificient 

 and suitable food is provided for them at and near the surface 

 of the borders. 



About the centre of the range the roof of a house is covered 

 with Marechal Niel and Gloire de Dijon Roses, which bloom 

 profusely and afford valuable supplies of flowers at Eastertide. 

 Roses are in great demand and are provided " all the year round." 



At the other end of the range is another Peach corridor, an^ 

 amongst the mo^t useful sorts is Belle Bauoe, a vigorous tree 

 and a free bearer of finely-coloured fruit of superior quality ; 

 the corridor also contains Tomatoes, Cape Gooseberries, cfcc. 



Of the plant houses a few words will suffice. They are light, 

 well-heated, span-roofed structures, devoted to the cultivation 

 of stove and greenhouse plants, and for forcing purposes. 

 As is the case in many other good gardens specimen-plant 

 growing is not attempted. Plants are grown for particular 

 places and purposes of decoration, and for affording large fup- 

 pliea of out flowers throughout the year. The whole of the 

 plants were clean and healthy and in the best state for the 

 purposea for which they are grown. 



A Cucumber house was noticeable for the extraordinary crop 

 which the plants were producing. The sort is Cox's Volunteer; 

 no other than this is grown at Brambletye, as it ia found to be 

 a free bearer, hardy, and of excellent flavour. 



I have only to add that every part of the grounds and gar- 

 dens was in superior order, and to remark that Mr. Laruaoh 

 by the very complete garden that he has made has done much 

 for local and general horticulture, and to hope that he will 

 long enjoy the fruits of his liberality and see his beautiful 

 place increase towards perfection yearly. 



As to Mr. Jenks he is simply like all other able gardeners, 

 not only courteous, but willing to impart any information that 

 can further the advancement of the work which he practises 

 so successfully in the hope that others similarly engaged maj 

 be equally successful. — J. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WORK FOR 

 THE PRESENT WEEK. 



H4RDY FRUIT OAKDEN. 



The wall trees require a good deal of attention at this time ; 

 not only the nailing-iu of tbe young growths must be attended 

 to, bat since the weather has become so warm the aphis tribe 

 has also considerably increased. The Morello Cherry trees on 

 the north wall are annually attacked by it, but it is easily de- 

 stroyed by dipping the shoots in water to which has been added 

 soft soap and tobacco water. Instruolion as to its use was given 

 a fortnight ago. 



Any wall trcea on which the fruit has set very thickly should 

 have all removed that is not wanted for a crop. It is certainly 

 well worth all the trouble required to properly thin out fruit 

 from such Pears as Marie Louise, Van Mons Leon le Clerc, 

 DoyenLo du Cornice, and other large sorts ; the fruit is so much 

 larger, and the total weight of fruit from a tree that has been 

 thinned is quite as much if not more than from one that has not 

 been so treated. Cherries are late, but Knight's Earjy Black 

 and Elton are quite lipe, and it is necessary to protect the trees 

 with nets to proverit the fruit from beiug destroye d by our 

 feathered friends. The nets are nailed at the top and bottom of 

 the wall moderately tight, and then forked sticks stand out from 

 the wall, the net being caught in the fork ; this tightens the 

 net and removes it far enough from the trees, preventing the 



