Apill 3, 1874. ] 



.70UBNAL OF HOBTIOULTUKE AND OOTTAQB GABDENEE, 



277 



vineriea ; the Vines in the former had been lifted last year 

 after the crop was gathered at midsummer, and an addition 

 was likewise made to the outside border. The crop in this 

 house was a beautiful sight. On the back walls are Figs 

 trained like Pears, and Mr. Temple easily obtains as many 

 branches as he wishes to fill-in with by cutting a notch above 

 each eye, which has the effect of causing the dormant eye 

 to start. Jlr. Temple speaks highly of rough plate glass 

 especially for latft vineries, although for general purposes he 

 prefers clear glass. Facing east are a vinery and Peach house, 

 the former containing Muscats for late use ; and it is worthy of 

 remark that Mr. Temple found the Vines rooting freely in 

 nothing but the yellow clay outside, and we may add that the 

 Black Muscat of Alexandria, or Muscat Hamburgh as it is 

 commonly called, thrives well with Mr. Pearson at Chilwell, in 

 a border little better than brick clay. It must not, however, 

 bo inferred that because Vines will thrive in such soils an 

 artificial border is not desirable, but we mention the fact to 

 ^how that in certain cases those who cannot go to the expense 

 of elaborately prepared borders need not be afraid to attempt 

 CJrape-growing with comparatively slight preparation where 

 the soil is naturally good. 



Besides the vineries, <fec., there is a leau-to orchard house. 

 Go feet by 18, with Peach trees on the back wall. In the body 

 of the house are Peach trees in pots plunged in iron basins 

 and placed on trucks to wheel out and in, on the Rev. John 

 Fountaine's system. A number of trees are also planted out ; 

 these are thriving admirably, and are found to involve much 

 less labour in watering, so that ultimately it is probable the 

 whole will be planted out. 



Before quitting the Idtchen garden, the whole of the walks 

 in which, it should be remarked, have very neatly-kept Box- 

 edgings, we may remark that many of the wall trees require 

 renewing, and Mr. Temple has already replaced a considerable 

 number, especially in the case of the old Apricots, which have 

 been dying-off for years. The renovation of some is being 

 attempted by lifting-out of the clay the roots of one side of 

 the tree one year, and those on the other side the next, re- 

 planting in fresh soil mixed with lime rubbish. 



The plant houses are in a walled-in area behind the kitchen 

 gardens, and consist of well-finished span and half-span struc- 

 tures 250 feet long in all. They are heated by one of Weeks' 

 upright tubular boilers, which does its work efficiently, heating 

 besides three vineries and a Mushroom house. The stove con- 

 tained an abundance of plants for house decoration, as Dra- 

 CEBnas, Marantas, Palms, Crotons, Begonias, Ac. Ferns and 

 fine-foliaged plants. Cyclamens, Primulas, Salvia gesnerseflora, 

 and a variety of other flowering subjects enlivened the other 

 houses. In a Cucumber house, which had just been planted, 

 were Gardenias, Eucharis amazonica, and a variety of other 

 plants being pushed on. 



A number of useful brick pits, about 350 in all, are used 

 for growing Pines, Strawberries, and for vegetable-forcing. 

 The Pine Apples chiefly grown are Queen and Smooth-leaved 

 Cayenne, of which Mr. Temple is working-up a good stock, 

 and nothing could be more satisfactory than the appearance 

 of the plants, both fruiting and succession. In the Mushroom 

 house were splendid crops of large fleshy Mushrooms, and 

 fresh beds were coming-on, which promised to be equally pro- 

 ductive. 



The foregoing is but an imperfect sketch of what is to be 

 seen at Blenheim ; hut to appreciate the beauties of the grounds 

 they must be seen. We have purposely abstained from all 

 attempt at a description of the magnificent edifice which they 

 surround as being foreign to gardening, as well as from allu- 

 sions to the achievements of the great captain of his ago, which 

 are matters of history. The noble possessors of Blenheim 

 have long been noted for their active interest in gardening, 

 and it is gratifying to find that the present Duke and Duchess 

 inherit the same taste. We may feel certain, then, that it will 

 not be their fault nor that of Mr. Temple, whose antecedents 

 are so favourably known, if it do not take a yet higher position 

 as a home of gardening than it has hitherto held. 



FLOWEES FOR OUR BORDERS.— No. 29. 



ALSTBOMERIA CHILENSIS.— CniLIiN Al,STn.i-MEEIA. 



The a. chilensis may be said to belong to the hardiest 

 section of the genus ; the early shoots are sometimes cut by 

 spring frosts, but the roots appear capable of resisting almost 

 any amount of cold. It is somewhat doubtful whether this 

 plant has a claim to be considered a distinct species. We believe 



it was originally raised by M. Van Houtte from seeds imported 

 from Chili ; but the species appear to hybridise so freely that 

 this circumstance is not altogether conclusive of its distinct 

 character. The flowers vary considerably in their tint, some 

 of the specimens producing blossoms much darker than others. 



Alstrcimeria chilensis is of the easiest cultivation, requiring 

 only to be planted in moderately rich soil of a sandy texture, 

 where it will flourish for years with but little attention. It 

 grows about 2 feet high, and the roots will, when two or three 

 years old, produce several stems, each terminated by an umbel 

 of from ten to twenty blossoms, which expand in July and 

 August. 



The plant will not succeed in stiff loam, and, therefore, 

 when the soil of the borders is of this character, an artificial 

 compost must be prepared of sandy loam, rotten manure, and 

 leaf mould or peat. It will be advisable to plant the roots at 

 a depth of at least 4 or 6 inches ; they will then be not only 

 less liable to injury from severe frost, but will also suffer less 

 from drought in summer. In dry weather, during their growth , 

 they will require a frequent supply of water, and when in flower 

 the stems, being somewhat feeble, must be supported by neat 

 sticks. In shallow hot soils neither this nor any of the species 

 succeed well. 



Alstrumeha cliilenBls. 



After flowering, if seeds are desired, the plant must still be 

 freely watered, or the seed vessels will wither ; and this remark 

 applies equally to many other plants, which it is but too com- 

 mon to neglect when they will no longer repay us for our 

 attention by their beauty. With the precaution just noted the 

 plant will ripen abundance of seed, by which it may be easily 

 increased. If sown as soon as ripe the seeds vegetate readily, 

 especially when aided by a little bottom heat ; but unless tho 

 young plants can be kept in a growing state through the winter 

 by preserving them in a greenhouse, it will be advisable to 

 defer sowing until spring, as the young tubers would, in all 

 probability, shrivel and perish if allowed to become dry, and, 

 from then' immature condition, they would scarcely surrive an 

 exposure to the vicissitudes of our winter. In any case, a 

 light sandy soil with a small admixture of vegetable matter 

 is to be preferred for raising the plants, and, as the seeds are 

 rather large, they may be covered with half an inch of earth. 

 When sown in spring, and forwarded on a hotbed, a few of the 

 seedlings will, perhaps, flower the same season : but, in general, 

 the tubers will not produce blossoms until the second year. In 

 favourable localities and suitable soils the seed may be sown in 

 the open ground, and will then produce stronger plants than if 

 sown in pots. 



The plant may also be propagated by dividing the tubers, 

 which increase freely ; but we do not recommend that this be 

 done too frequently, as a large clump of the plant is far more 

 effective than single specimens. 



It may, if desired, be cultivated in large pots, but will then 



