December IG, 1876. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND OOTTAGE GARDENER. 



533 



No man has effeoted more cultural improvement by the com- 

 bination of sound science and practice than Mr. Mechi, and 

 no one can point to existing evidence with more certainty 

 than ourselves, for we know what his Tiptree land yields now, 

 and we knew personally its comparative sterility when he 

 entered upon its cultivation. 



We regret to hear that the Phylloxeka has made its 



appearance in the vineyards of Tarragona and also in different 

 parts of Portugal. The Spanish Agricultural Council were to 

 meet Dec. 11th, to consider the best means of arresting the 

 progress of this scourge. 



A PROLIFEROUS POINSETTIA. 



Since the introduction of the well known plant Poinssttia 

 puloherrima from Mexico forty years ago it has been without 

 a rival as a distinct, scarlet-braoted, winter-decorative plant. 

 It is now, however, likely to be effectually superseded by a new 

 and totally distinct form, which has also been discovered in 

 Mexico by M. Koezl, and which is regarded by that collector 

 as the most valuable of all his discoveries. The entire stock 

 of the new Poinsettia is in the possession of the Messrs. Veitch, 

 and is now in full beauty at their nurseries at Chelsea. 



The examples which we have seen of this plant are remark- 

 able alike for the sine of the heads, their form, the distinct 

 character of the bracts, and their marvellous brilliancy of 

 colour. In the old type the plant is surmounted by a single 

 cluster of yellow flowers, from the base of which the bracts 

 radiate in a horizontal manner. In the new form the central 

 or primary cyme, which is surrounded by splendid bracts, is, 

 as it were, the root of other flowers which spring from it on 

 short simple stems, each surmounted by flowers and bracts ; 

 and these secondary heads become further subdivided, and 

 forming also perfect flowers and bracts — the head, in fact, 

 culminating in a multiplication of parts, each perfect and of 

 extraordinary brilliancy. The individual bracts differ also 

 from the normal species by their longer petioles, so that each 

 principal bract, instead of extending horizontally, is gracefully 

 arched after the manner of the leaves of Draciena Cooperi : 

 thus each head forms a perfect cone of colour, and not a simple 

 flat disc as in the old species. 



The head which we more particularly noted was 16 inches 

 In diameter, and from the base to the apex of the cone of 

 drooping bracts was 11 inches in depth. The bracts on this 

 head were fifty in number, arranged on seven separate cymes 

 which had sprung from the primary base. The colour is 

 superlatively brilliant, as if a delicate tint of orange floated 

 over the intense scarlet, imparting a more dazzling appearancB 

 than is possessed by the old species. If the designation " a 

 cone of fire " is applicable to any plant in existence this is the 

 one ; and if it proves constant to its character, as every head 

 we have seen is constant, it is a plant which must find its way 

 into all gardens in all lands where stove plants are cultivated, 

 and form a brilliant monument to the researches of Mr. Eoezl. 



FRUIT KEEPING AND ROOM. 



Fbom what I have read and heard from various parts of the 

 country Pears and Apples are keeping very badly this year, 

 which is attributed to so much wet during the end of the 

 autumn. Both Pears and Apples are keeping as sound with 

 me as they generally do at this season of the year. Louise 

 Bonne of Jersey, Comte de Lamy, Marie Louise, Durondeau, 

 Haeon's Incomparable, Aeton Town, and Winter Nells are all 

 as sound as when gathered. Some of them are unusually 

 large. Keswick and Manks CodUns and Lord Snffield Apples 

 were only finished on the 20th of last month. CeUni, Round 

 Winter Nonsuch, Baauty of Kent, King of the Pippins, Eib- 

 Btons, and Golden Noble we are using at present. 



My fruit room stands almost due south and north, apart 

 from any other building except a small room at one end used 

 for storing away early and late seed Potatoes. It is ventilated 

 at the top, both ends and sliding shutters, also two trap-doors 

 in the roof of the ceiling, which causes a regular circulation 

 of air during the storing-away season, and dries up the over- 

 abundance of moisture given off when the fruit ia first 

 ^thered. There is also a sliding ventilator in the top of the 

 TOor, and the inside of the window closed up with shutters 

 which meet in the centre right and left, so that they can be 

 opened with very little trouble when required, as they slide in 



a groove into the hollow walls so that no frost can enter ; 

 when the weather is unusually severe we can put on a fire, but 

 is seldom used. There are six tiers of shelves 2 feet wide, 

 with strips of wood 2 inches wide and 1 inch apart between, 

 so that the air circulates right under the fruit. 



How often do we see fruit rooms put up on the back wall 

 of hothouses, which is too hot and dry for keeping fruit any 

 length of time, as it ripens too prematurely and shrivels. I 

 sent in on Midsummer-day a dish of Sturmer Pippin, Brad- 

 dick's, and Old Nonpareil, as sound and fresh as when gathered, 

 fine in colour and flavour, when I have seen the same varieties 

 shrivelled up by the end of April in fruit rooms put up at 

 the back walls of hothouses. — William Macphebson, Sndston 

 Gardens. 



PHLOXES. 



TuEY can be grown from 1 foot to 18 inches in height by 

 striking the young shoots late in spring. When rooted repot 

 them singly in small pots, ready to be planted out into beds or 

 borders where they are to flower. During the summer they 

 will throw up heads of their richly-coloured flowers, of which 

 there is a great variety. We generally find them stuck among 

 shrubs in some out-of-the-way corner of the garden struggling 

 for life, but all lovers of flowers ought to allot a prominent 

 place for these fine herbaceous flowering plants. They are espe- 

 cially well adapted for pot culture, for decorating the green- 

 house or conservatory, and when well grown they will surpass 

 many of the usual greenhouse flowering plants. They are 

 easy to manage. 



I now name a few sorts worthy of note, as follows : — White 

 Lady, Mons. Guldenschuch, Edith, Deliverance, Mrs. Dom- 

 brain, A. Verschaffelt, Mons. Domage, Madame Moisset, 

 Madame la Comtesse de Turenue, Chanzy, William Rollisson, 

 M. tiustave Dore, Mons. Lannay, Etoille MeruUy, Madame 

 Autin, Flora Maonab, Mars, Daux, Mons. Hughson, L'Ave- 

 nir, Rex, Madame Atzer, Lothair, Hercules, Miss Robertson, 

 Socfates, Mrs. Graenshiela, Chatiment, Coquette de Pare, Bosa 

 Alba, Baron de Charette, Revo d'Or, Coccinea, Prima Donna. 

 — E. H., Mountains, Hildenborough. 



ROLLESTON HALL.— No. 1. 



THE SEAT OF SIR TOKMAN MOSLEY, BAET. 



The estate of Rolleston has been in the possession of a long 

 line of owners of high and ancient lineage. It is directly 

 traceable to the ownership of Edward the Confessor, and was 

 subsequently enjoyed in turn by Earl Tosti, Morcar Earl of 

 Northumberland, Robert de Ferrers (first Earl of Derby), Sir 

 Henry de RoUeston (whose descendants resided here for four 

 centuries), the estates eventually passing by purchase into the 

 Mosley family in 161i. 



This family is also of ancient lineage. Near Wolverhampton 

 ia the hamlet of Moseley, derived from the Saxon Meos (Moss) 

 and Leay (field) ; in Domesday it ia called Moleslei. Of this 

 hamlet Ernald became first tenant and then owner, and, as 

 was the custom in those times, derived his surname from the 

 place of hia residence — thus Ernald de Moseley. Ernald'a 

 sons, Oswald and Osbert, migrated to York and Lancaster, and 

 gained a substantial position in the latter county, Nicholas 

 Moseley, Esq., becoming established on an estate at Hongh 

 End near Manchester. In 159(1 this gentleman purchased the 

 rights and appurtenances of the manor of Manchester, which 

 continued a part of the hereditary possessiona for 230 years ; 

 these rights, after much litigation in their defence, were sold 

 to the Corporation of Mancheater in 1846. In the collegiate 

 church of that city memorial plates are inscribed to Sir Oswald 

 Mosley lord of the manor of Manchester. 



Nicholas Mosley was Lord Mayor of London in 1599, and 

 was knighted by Queen Elizabeth to mark her high approbation 

 of his services during that period, Her Majesty at the same time 

 presenting him with a richly-carved oak bedstead and other 

 furniture. The bedstead was unfortunately destroyed in the 

 diaaatrous fire which occurred at RoUeston in 1871, some of 

 the other furniture being preserved, and is now as bright and 

 sound as when it left the carver's hands. In 1720 Oswald 

 Mosley was raised to the baronetage by George I. Sir Oswald 

 was succeeded by the Rav. Sir John Mosley, who restored the 

 manaion in 1737. Sir John was a gentleman of benevolent 

 disposition but eccentric habits, aa may be gathered from the 

 following characteristic address which he delivered at a meet- 

 ing of noblemen and gentlemen at Stafford, who had assemble^ 



