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JOUENAL OP HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ November 4, 1875. 



CO feet square. At the end is their feeding honse, into which 

 they ponr at stated intervals through openings in the door. 

 In the centre is their dining table, and the well-finished oases 

 of drawers on one side are their larder ; and on the other are, 

 I suppose, their bedrooms — rows of separate cages, into which 

 they retire at the proper time. Adjoining is the pigeonry and 

 henery. The aviary and its connections at Osmaston demand 

 more than this passing notice. For extent, cleanliness, and 

 diversified attractions it is capable of affording enjoyment to 

 all fancies and gratification to all tastes. I will now pass to 

 a different and less ornate feature of Osmaston, and note 

 briefly its 



Gardens. — I mean by these the kitchen, fruit, and forcing 

 gardens. There are two walled gardens — one being devoted 

 almost entirely to fruit culture, the other to vegetable-growing. 

 There are also strips of ground outside the walls, making the 

 amount devoted to culinary purposes about six acres. The 



walls are very strongly built and finished with cast-iron copings 

 which project about 6 inches. Bat I will first glance at the 

 glass structures. These comprise eighteen houses. Six are 

 devoted to the cultivation of Peaches and other fruits, four to 

 Grapes, an e(iual number to plants, with erections for Caoom- 

 bers. Melons, and general forcing purposes. 



My previous remarks have been of rather a glowing nature, 

 but I must now draw a veil. If justice in some departments 

 has demanded of me to write freely and approvingly, truth in 

 another branch compels me to write soberly. Well, there are 

 no Grapes at Osmaston. A fine garden hke this without Grapes 

 sounds like a misnomer, but the late owner of Osmaston 

 appears to have thought more of plants than Grapes. He had 

 a rich and valuable collection of plants, and the Vines appear 

 to have been grown only, or principally, for affording shade to 

 the specimen Orchids. These valuable plants have been sold, 

 and in their stead the present owner is hoping to have Grapes. 



Fig. b7. — Osmaston minor— the terrace front. 



New vineries have been erected, one 18 feet wide and 40 feet 

 long for Black Hamburghs, another of the same dimensions 

 for Muscat of Alexandria, and others of similar size for new 

 varieties. The front walls are built on arches, and the borders 

 are 10 feet in width. They are concreted, and have a sharp 

 fall from the ridge in the centre where the Vines are planted. 

 Drain pipes are laid at 4-feet distances, and are connected with 

 an outfall or catch-water drain running parallel with but below 

 the borders. The beds have 18 inches of drainage, and about 

 3 feet of soil, composed of good sound turf and a liberal ad- 

 mixture of bones. Provision is, therefore, abundant for taking 

 water out of the borders, and it becomes consequently a pri- 

 mary question of pouring it in. Borders so constructed cannot 

 easily have too muoh water given them ; a fact to which Mr. 

 Booth is fully alive, and he is provided accordingly, for he 

 has only to turn a valve and he can flood them to repletion. 

 It is just possible that more mistakes have been made in 

 making Vine borders too dry than too wet, and it cannot be 

 too well remembered that where a complete system of drainage 

 is effected a proportionately full supply of water must be pro- 

 vided. This is the case here, and good Grapes are as certain 

 to follow as night follows day. Fruit is already foreshadowed, 

 for the Vines which were planted in April of the present year 

 have made canes 22 feet in length after having been three 



times stopped. The canes are stout, short-jointed, and well 

 ripened, and will carry good Grapes next year. 



The Vines are planted closely, every alternate one being 

 intended to be borne heavily, and subsequently taken out, 

 resting the permanent canes which are about 4 feet apart. 

 Mr. Booth is, however, not quite comfortable as to leaving the 

 dead roots of the nursing Vines in the border lest they should 

 engender fungus, and he is almost inclined to preserve the 

 whole of the Vines, cutting every alternate one down annu- 

 ally, and cropping them on the long-rod system. If he carries 

 out that idea it is probable that he will obtain more and finer 

 fruits than he would secure by any other means. Experience 

 as to the effects of dead roots in Vine borders is needed. Very 

 many growers have planted Vines thickly with the object of 

 removing the surplus canes, and they now hesitate to carry 

 out their object for fear of inducing fungus on the dead roots, 

 and which may spread to those of the permanent Vines. 

 Mr. Peach opines there is no fear of danger on this score, and 

 his extensive travels and careful observation enable him to 

 speak with authority; still, some records of actual practice 

 would be opportune and acceptable. Mr. Booth does not intend 

 to plant any more surplus Vines in his permanent borders, but 

 would prefer to fruit them in pots or tubs, a practice which is 

 recommendable for its safety. His Vine borders now axe sur- 



