820 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE, 
[Dzc. 12, 
Out of doors there was literally nothing to look at. 
Nothing could exceed the disorder of the botanic 
gardens at Ghent, where I also saw Van Houtte’s 
grounds, with his 20,000 Camellias and extensive Rose 
beds ; but it must not be mentioned with some of our 
first nurseries in London, nor indeed in the'country. 
It was the first week in September that I entered 
Belgium. I concluded from the appearance of the 
Potatoes along the lines of railway, that they were gene- 
rally diseased, the tops everywhere looking black and 
withered. I had the impression that with us this is 
seldom the case till frost comes. But I did not hear 
much complaint, and I was told that tle crops were 
expected to be very fair. In Switzerland we heard a 
different statement, and they were evidently diseased in 
many parts. I was told they were very dear, and 
would be still more so. Ifthe mischief spreads to the 
Alpine parts of Switzerland where the peasants, however 
elevated their dwellings, seek out the most suitable 
patches for their little plot of Potatoes, and where, from 
their elevated and secluded positions, little else in the 
way of food besides Potatoes and milk can reach them, 
the distress will be severe indeed. 
The season was too far advanced for botanizing, yet 
the success I met with formed one of the most interest- 
ing features in my tour. I had the high satisfaction of 
meeting with many of the rarest plants in flower, which 
though chiefly appearing in spring, put forth, as in our 
ardens, a sprinkling of their beauty in autumn. My |^ 
grand delight was to find and to gather with my own 
hands, besides five other species, our garden Gentia- 
nella, the Gentiana acaulis. I had long been hoping as 
I traversed the Alpine passes that Nature would be 
kind, and put forth her second produce, and just one 
flower, as large as our garden ones,'I espied above 
8000 feet above the sea, near the snowy Wetterhorn, in 
the Grindelwald pass. In the Grimsel pass I gathered 
on a rock a beautiful pink Primula in flower, the origin, 
I suspect, of our Auricula, Dryas octopetala in flower 
on Righi, as also our Polemonium cæruleum in full 
flower, and Gentiana lutea, Solidago alpina, near the 
Rhone glacier, Astrantia major and minor ; a beautiful 
little Linaria, purple with yellow eye, one of our newly 
introduced annuals I suspect in England, near Mont 
food and sour wine. It was something new to pass 
through miles of Rhododendrons on the Alps, in many 
places putting forth their heads out of the snow with 
abundant promise for next year’s beauty. At 
Rosenlani at the base of one of the finest of the Alps, 
the Wetterhorn, and just in front of a tremendous 
glacier, I found the Maitre d’Hotel in a small wood 
dwelling only used in the summer, and most roman- 
tically situated,—a very intelligent botanist. He goes on 
the highest summits with the Chamois hunters in the 
spring, and makes his collections, which he sells to 
travellers. I bought one of these in admirable order. 
Similar collections are on sale at many of the other 
hotels, Righi, Meyringen, &c., but I saw none equal to 
those at Rosenlani ; at Bienne, in a limestone wood 
above the town, I gathered our garden Genista with 
angular stalk, which was growing in abundance, and 
our garden perennial Aster, and also one of our 
Veronicas, and a bright red Pink I never saw before; 
also, in many places, a bright purple kind of Salvia, as 
well as a pale-yellow of the same genus; but having 
no access to botanical books I could not ascertain what 
they were. If my enjoyment was so great even at so 
unfavourable a period of the year, what would it have 
been in the summer ?—and if along the beaten mule 
passes I was so successful, what would have been my 
delight if I had been able to diverge on foot and 
examine more minutely more favourable localities,? 
I continually saw plants without flowers which I knew 
to be extremely rare, and which could not fail to set 
me a longing to be there at a more favourable season. 
Mont Blanc was covered. Fresh snow had fallen, and 
Isaw nothing in ascending to Montemvert but abun- 
dance of Rhododendrons, and here and there the 
Astrantia minor, a Saxifrage out of flower, and the 
Campanula, I think hirsuta or alpina; our large 
garden Epilobium was abundant in many localities, and 
if I mistake not, I saw the Daphne Mezereon in the 
Grindelwald Pass. [It may be useful to mention, in 
the scarcity of Potatoes, two very good vegetable dishes 
which I frequently saw and were new to me. The 
seed of Kidney Beans and Scarlet Runners when the 
pods are too old to use, are stewed and make 
excellent dish. Endive also which is so little called 
for, and largely wasted in our gardens — I frequently 
saw stewed like Spinach.]— W. Carus Wilson, Caster- 
ton Hall, Westmoreland, Nov. 10. 
B 
CULTURE OF THE PINE-APPLE. 
[Fourth Notice.] 
Fruiting Pits.—Mr. Pelvilain has four fruiting pits, 
which are heated with hot water and stable litter com- 
dined ; the stable litter for bottom-heat, and the hot- 
water for surface-heat. No 1 with 11 lights (each light 
is 4 feet 4 inches wide) is the largest fruiting pit, of 
which Fig. 1 is the ground plan, and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 
different sections of it. 
Nos. 2 and 3, with 15 lights. They are in one line, 
and the middle light is occupied by the furnace, &c. 
No. 4, with 10 lights. The whole are constructed 
upon the same plan. 
Ground Plan of Fruiting Pit, No.1, 
Figs. 2, 8, and E 
4 sections of it. 
In Eb is 
shown the man- 
ner in ich 
access is had to 
the hot-bed, 
i shows 
the entrance and 
thefurn ace, with 
a 
the pit. 
a, furnace ; b, 
hot water pipes ; 
Ü 14 
concealed pit to 
b 
cistern; n, shelf 
P 
iron railings for 
hanging the straw 
t pon, 
which serve to cover 
Pp 
TM 
[74 
Air is given to all the pits when required by lifting 
up the lights.—Mirabile dictu. 
—————— 
THE EARLY NONPAREIL. 
Synonymes.—Stagg’s Nonpareil, Summer Nonpareil, New Non- 
areil, Hicks’s Fancy. 
Tur peculiarly brisk rich flavour of the old Nonpareil 
renders it the especial favourite of almost every one ; 
put its period of maturity is not till winter or spring. 
Its earliest substitute is the variety here represented. 
Yellowish, covered with very thin 
russet, interspersed with a few 
grey specks. 
It is stated in the “ Guide to the Orchard and Kitchen 
Garden,” that this very excellent Apple was raised 
from a seed of the Old Nonpareil, by a nurseryman o! 
the name of Stagg, at Caister, near Great Yarmouth, in 
Norfolk, about 65 years ago. The last name originated 
somewhat whimsieally,in a nursery near town, in con- 
sequence of a gentleman of the name of Hicks having 
selected this, from a large collection of which he had 
tasted, in preference to any other. 
The flesh is yellowish-white, juicy, crisp, and tender, 
with a rich, brisk aromatic Nonpareil flavour. In per- 
fection in October and November ; tree more vigorous 
than its parent, and an abundant bearer ; shoots deep 
olive-green near the base, and where shaded, but ap- 
proaching to a Chestnut colour where well exposed, 
sprinkled with pale grey distinct spots ; leaves middle ~ 
sized, ovate, somewhat acuminate, crenated ; petioles 
moderately strong, about an inch in length, slightly 
tinged with red ; flowers of medium size, petals round- 
ish-oval, broader than those of the Old Nonpareil. 
variety highly deserving of cultivation, and suitable for 
working on the Paradise Stock. The shoots have a 
strong tendency to grow upright, and consequently 
crowded ; but they must be kept thin and regular—in 
the case of dwarf trees more especially—by summer 
pruning.—R. T. 
THE AMATEUR GARDENER. 
A FEW WORDS on THE KrreueN GanpEN.—The 
unexpected and severe frost which has occurred since 
my last paper on protecting out-door plants was 
written, has confirmed the views I then stated respect- 
ing the little injury done by such visitantsin the month 
of November. I have examined my own garden, and 
I cannot find anything has suffered, although I had 
afforded protection to very few productions, But this 
will not be the case bye and bye. When the frost 
penetrates to the roots, and lasté for weeks, the conse- 
quences will be very different, and therefore the 
amateur should be reminded of the proverb, * Be wise 
in time,” 
But I cannot say the same thing of the Kitchen 
Garden, whose more succulent products are sadly 
nipped by the late frost. This reminds me that most 
amateurs grow vegetables as well as flowers, and that a 
few lessons founded on experience may not be unac- 
ceptable to them, If the flower garden is more attrac- 
tive in summer, the kitchen department has much 
interest associated with it in winter, since we depend so 
much upon it for the supply of our tables. It isa 
serious thing for the cook to find all the culinary vege- 
tables frost bound, and this calamity ought never to 
occur. At the first intimation of frost, a provision should 
be made in-doors of such articles as are ready 
to be stored away. I do not mean Potatoes and 
other roots, which of course ought to have been for 
some time out of the ground, but such productions as 
are ordinarily in a growing state at this season of the 
year. Cauliflowers, Broccoli, Celery, and Lettuces may 
be kept in sheds in quantities sufficient to last a family 
through a frost of usual duration, With all these, care 
should be taken to avoid rottenness, and therefore 
superfluous leaves must be removed, and a cold oy 
atmosphere obtained. Turnips for kitchen use shoul 
be liberally laid up in this way, for a few weeks makes 
little difference to their flavour when taken out of the 
ground. 
Tf small supplies of these thin skinned tribes have 
been planted near walls, and in other sheltered places, 
Celery suffers much from frost, and it should therefore 
be earthed up almost to the top, and the sides of the 
trench may be covered with some long dung. Loose 
straw should be placed over the top leaves, as, if they 
are injured, the frost-bitten part will deeay down to the 
heart of the plant. 
earthing up all rows of Cabbages, Broccoli, &e. 
Do it with a fork, that the soil may remain as 
light as possible. Finally, throw up in hacks as they 
are here called, or in deep ridges, all unoccupied 
ground. This is very important, not only because the 
soil is improved by the process ; but on account also of 
the dryness which is thus secured in the early part of 
the year. After a frost these ridges will admit of being 
pulverised, and may be made available for early sow- 
ings. Two years ago this “hacking” system was 
neglected in my garden, and I suffered the greatest in- 
convenience from the oversight, While my neighbours 
were sowing Onions, &c., in prime style, my land could 
not be worked, and the season being wet, it was not till 
the close of March that the needful work could be 
performed. 
Seakale crowns should be covered with leaves to keep 
the frost away, that if you wish to begin forcing any of 
them, frost may not be an impediment. Rhubarb for 
early use may be covered a foot deep with light ma- 
terials, and afterwards boxes or earthen vessels 
placed over the advancing leaves will hasten their 
growth. 
Home Correspondence. 
Simmons's Hygrometer.—To account for my name 
being attached to this article instead of that of the 
inventor, it is necessary for me to say afew words about 
its origin to which I beg the attention of your corre- 
spondents, and of all those who have purchased this use- 
ful instrument. I trust it will exonerate Simmons from 
all blame in not having provided rules for its use in 
horticultural buildings. Between two and three years 
back, Mr. S., who is by profession a chronometer maker, 
was at Worton Cottage, and in walking through my 
greenhouses I mentioned how much we felt the want of 
an instrument by which at a glance we could determine 
the amount of moisture present, in the same way that 
t t by the tl t Thi 
we learn the p ie 
subject took hold of his ingenious mind, and the result 
was the production of the instrument in question, but it 
was at no little cost of his valuable time, &c. When it 
had been tested in a variety of ways, both in Coleman- 
street, and in my Orchidaceous house, I had the pleasure 
of placing one in Dr. Lindley's hands, which was trie 
at the Society’s Garden at Chiswick, and upon the 
favourable results of that trial it was introduced to the 
it will be easy to keep them fit for use by employing - 
* | hurdles and mats, or by laying straw thinly over them. 
Take the first opportunity of | 
