THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
[Dzc. 26, 
prefers a diseased leaf to a healthy one, and that it 
attacks only such ? for Mr. Smee asserts that it cannot 
well live upon a very vigorous plant, as it would be 
drowned by the exhaled water; and what is a very 
vigorous plant but a healthy one? If the Aphis, there- 
fore, cannot live upon a healthy plant, Mr. Smee’s case 
is gone, and that too by his own showing; and the poor 
little Aphis is not the destroying agent Mr. Smee has 
represented it to be, but a simple and harmless little 
Aphis denuded of the vastator. It is to be regretted 
that Mr. Smee could have penned paragraphs 286 and 
451, without seeing their q , and the inference 
naturally and legitimately deducible from them ; as it 
would have saved him from the awkward position in 
which he has placed himself, of attributing to the Aphis 
powers which these paragraphs deny ; but he has the 
consolation, however, of having given the factand erred 
in the inference only, a position that reflects no discredit 
on the integrity of the writer, but rather bespeaks an 
honesty of purpose that no individual need blush to 
own. Beyond all that has been here stated of the 
Aphis, I would remark that very cogent facts may be 
adduced to shew that it could not have caused the 
Potato disease, and further, that the Aphis cannot des- 
troy healthy vegetable life. It must be borne in mind 
that Mr. Smee has not adduced a single fact, so far as 
I ean perceive, in support of the destroying powers of 
the Aphis, and he has completely negatived any suppo- 
sitions on that head by paragraphs 286 and 451. The 
extent of my letter reminds me that I cannot enter into 
any facts regarding the cause of the Potato disease ; 
I will therefore conclude" with a summary of Mr. 
Smee’s account of the Aphis, and some counter assertions 
of my own, so as to exhibit a balance sheet of what the 
Aphis is, and what it is not, 
Smee’s Aphis.—1. Is the cause of the Potato disease 
page 162 (586), and page 132 (443). 
2. After its attacks fungi grew. Page 162 (8). 
3. The Aphis prefers Turnips, but feeds on the 
Potato. Page 96, (313 and 314). 
4. The Aphis cannot exist on a vigorous plant (451), 
and yet it punctures the leaf, &c., and causes disease, 
Page 162 (6). 
5. The Aphis from a unit becomes in five generations 
5,904,909,000 ; and 20 generations may exist in a year ; 
page 86 (268); yet it may be destroyed by iehneumons 
and lady-birds ; page 136 (459) ; and page 124 (417). 
6. The vastator would be drowned by the transpired 
water of a healthy plant ; page 133 (451), yet “ neither 
water nor thunderstorms seem to have much influence 
upon it y’ page 140 (468). 
7. The Aphis vastator has destroyed the balance of 
creation ; page 123 (413) ; yet it cannot bear the water 
of a transpired plant ; page 133 (451). 
8. The Aphis has threatened millions of men, p. 120 
(405); it has baffled scienee, polities, and powers ; it 
has invaded our territories in spite of our armies, fleets, 
and forts, pp. 134 and 135 (453); and yet it may be de- 
stroyed by tobaeco smoke, p. 139 (468). 
The above is a faithful representation of Mr. Smee's 
Aphis vastator, as described by him ; and I leave the 
chameeleon in the hands of those who feel disposed to 
study its anomalous propensities, and close my balance 
of the account with a few assertions of what the Aphis 
is not :—1st. The Aphis vastator is not the cause of the 
disease either in the Potato or Spinach ; 2d. The Aphis 
is not the cause of fungi; 3d. It cannot destroy healthy 
vegetation; 4th. It has never threatened millions of 
men with starvation; 5th. It has not destroyed the 
lance of creation, or the harmony of the universe.— 
G. Phillips, 4, Upper Park-street, Islington, Dec. 21, 
PLAN OF BELLE VUE, NEAR MASHAM, 
THE RESIDENCE OF G. Currr, Esq. 
Ir has occurred to me, that much might be done 
towards ereating and advaneing a taste for horticultural 
pursuits among what may be termed the middle classes, 
if small plans could occasionally be given, to show what 
may be done with only a small piece of ground, if the 
work be properly set about af first. Many a man of 
comparatively limited income, retiring from a harassing 
profession, or the worry of business, would gladly resort 
to gardening as a source of both health and pleasure, 
were he not too frequently disgusted in the outset by 
fiuding or fancying it impossible for him,with his limited 
means and space, to accomplish anything pleasing or 
pi que, and he q ly does nothing; whereas 
if he had à way pointed out to him at first, his little 
home would ere long become in his estimation a para- 
dise, not to be exchanged for the palaces or parks of 
princes, boli, 
With this view I beg to give the following plan of a 
little place in this neighbourhood, the whole extent of 
which, including: the space on which the house and 
offices are erected, is under half an aere ;it was de- 
signed byits present proprietor, George Cuitt, Esq., 
and certainly affords a full exemplification of what may 
be achieved in asmall space,where taste and method are 
properly made to bear on the subject, for it surpasses 
any place with which I am acquainted for compactness, 
neatness, and just arrangement in every respect, 
The piece of ground is entirely surrounded by a 
boundary wall, but not so high as to exclude views of 
country (here very picturesque) ; and 
TERE the windows are eie és or Ana 
Where the river Ure is seen winding 
ws, with Masham-bridge for the fore- 
Olifton Castle in the distance. The house 
in the plan ; and for comfort, convenient arrangement, 
and unpretending elegance, is, I should imagine, not to 
be surpassed. "The garden is certainly a complete 
multum in parvo,and contains a great number ofchoice 
plants, all accurately named, and arranged with the 
strictest regard to harmony and effect, whether in 
the beds or borders, oron the rocks; the shrubs are 
as healthy as possible, and are so tastefully planted in 
groups and belts as to render the picture pleasing both 
winter and summer ; at one place there is a group of 
scarlet Rhododendrons; at another, one of the commoner 
kinds ; in another herbaceous plants, andso on. The 
hedges are very ornamental ; the Beech one is about 
10 feet high, through which five arches are cut at equal 
distances ; the evergreen Privet hedge has no passages 
through it but is cut the reverse of the other ; that is 
A 
9 
ee 
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e 
I 
m 
19 ~. : 
ey, sities 
12 
to say with the arch cut concavely, giving the effect of 
green drapery hanging in festoons. 
The vegetable and fruit departments are also well 
managed ; anything new that is worthy of cultivation is 
added to the stock; and Mr. Cuitt has himself been 
very successful in raising new things. Some of his 
Potatoes I have formerly noticed, and his seedling 
WDR eSI crean ivhl 
id e. 
hood ; nor are the beauties of Flora neglected, there is 
a very good collection of Roses, besides other plants too 
numerous to particularise ; in a word, I consider the 
place as a perfect model for the imitation of those who 
desire to possess a little spot wherein they may find 
health, pl bl pl an inexl ibl 
source of refined and ennobling amusement, — 
J. L. Snow, Swinton Park, Bedale, 
FIELDS 
FIELDS 
Reference to Plan.—1, Approach to front gate and boundary 
wall; 2, Doorinto the garden; 3, Entra oor to kitchen, 
andiground plan of the house ; 4, Kitchen yard ; 5, Offices and 
l shed; 7, Fruit ro 
lawn ; 15, Plantation ; 16, Rockwork, with shrubs at the back, 
next to Beech hedge,through which are arches cutas entrances 
to the flower-garden, &c. ; 17, Shrubs; 18, Rockery, with cir- 
cular bed of Roses and tree Prony in centre; 19, Flower gar- 
den on turf, partially surrounded by a Privet hedge, ornamen- 
tally pruned; 20, iub be with Hollyhocks, and. other 
flowers ; 21, Flower beds and gravel walks ; 22, Espalier Apple 
trees ; 23, Quarters for vegetables ; 24, Gravel walks; 25, Straw- 
berries, &c.; 26, Large Elm tree; 27, Rose arch, giving ad- 
mission to kitchen garden ; 28, Soil and compost ground, en- 
closed from observation by shrubbery ; +, +, Two large Apple 
trees, trained in the form of arm-chairs. 
CULTURE{OF THE PINE APPLE.) 
[Sixth Notice.] 
Ar Meudon four fruiting pits, as I have formerly 
stated, are employed. This constitutes one of the most 
remarkable features in the whole plan. It will be ob- 
served that the pits individually are small ; externally 
they might be taken for one good sized pit, with wooden 
boxes in front of it. With these Mr. Pelvilain pro- 
duces annually an enormous quantity of fruit of the 
first excellence. These are not produced at one season 
only, but through the whole year, This circumstance 
renders the system of vital interest and importance in 
most establishments in this country. In fact it is of the 
utmost moment to produce a regular supply of fruit, 
and this alone would secure for the system a preference 
above other systems. Mr. Pelvilain can have Pines in 
four different stages, each approaching maturity in suc- 
cession, and I shall now endeavour to show how this is | 
accomplished, 
Suppose a pit to be empty at the end of tho year ; 
this is immediately replenished with fruiting plants from 
the boxes. It is just possible that these would be 
matured and cleared by the end of July. Mr. Pelvi- 
lain would not certainly wait until the following Janu- 
ary to get in a fresh stock ; having always an abundant 
supply on hand, he immediately renews it with other 
lants. These may possibly ripen fruit in the following 
spring, having started them before Christmas. It there- 
fore does not follow that one pit ripens one crop annually. 
On the contrary, it is quite compatible with his mode 
of culture to ripen three crops in two years; and if 
driven hard, two might, in the same period, be matured, 
although, probably, this would be at the expense of 
ituated et the north endof the ground, as shown 
GINO ua 
EMNIuYys 
AI 
weight. It must he emphatically understood that no 
plant is removed into the fruiting pits until it has at- 
| tained a position to justify this ; otherwise it would be 
an act entailing delay and derangement in the place 
of culture. At Meudon it is not likely that this would 
occur, the supply being always abundantly ample. The 
immense number of Pines that may be grown in a very 
limited space upon the plan I am now detailing, must 
forcibly strike all Pine growers ; and it is with a view to 
its general introduction that my feeble efforts have been 
| stirred in the matter, convinced that no plan of culture 
| hitherto adopted is able to produce, with the same 
| trouble and expense, asupply of Pine-apples equal in 
| size at ali seasons of the year to those grown at Meudon. 
| I formerly promised to explain why the system of 
| 
transplanting is adopted. This, I think, almost ex- 
plains itself, In the first place it is more economical 
to grow the plants in boxes where they stand in 
| closer proximity to each other. This cannot admit 
of a doubt; besides the temperature also required 
|for the young plants is different from that in the 
| the fruiting pits. It has been found iu practice that a 
| lower temperature, ebarged with vapour, is more con- 
genial to the growth of the young plants, "The foliage 
does not become lanky and attenuated, but with an arti- 
ficial temperature of 60° during the night, accompanied 
with moisture, the leaves are thrust up broad and 
Stout, as in the case of those at Meudon. The plants 
must of course be kept near the glass, so as to give 
them the full benefit of the light. This treatment and 
temperature I have observed is found more suitable for 
the growth of the succession plants; but, in ihe cli- 
mate of England, these conditions are not calculated to 
mature the Pine-apple in that perfection which it is 
capable of attaining. Therefore a higher temperature 
| is required, and much drier, to bring up the saccharine 
| qualities of the fruit, particularly as it approaches ma- 
