



1844.] 



jnced"] Barbot, yellow, tinted with ro.se, a very pleasing 



wind ; Boutrand, rose; Comte de Paris, flesh, one of the 

 finest' Tea-scented Roses ; Delices de PJantier, coppery 



THE GA RDENERS' CHRONICLE 



lose very rich-looking ; Josephine Malton, huffish yel- 

 -^Jtow'of a beautiful form ; Julie Mansais, sulphury white, 



*to?l 1 the 'buds large and handsome ; La Renommee, a whitish 



fytMfellow, not new, but apparantly little known; Madame 



Roussel, white ; Marie de Medicis, rose, with fawn 



le MnL rpntre zood and distinct; Moire, large full pale yellow, 



^iX m . e | de8Cr T ti0n ; after wbich interval, of three vear. 



Zt\ h t P *° b «™ n tbe P-ning. ; never displacing 



701 



Ifis 



; -"': 



a superb Rose ; and Safranot, a distinct and striking 

 TArietv of a beautiful saffron colour when first expand- 



Net varietie 



»i'.L 

 line; 



Re: 



t tbe ing, gVadually melting off into buff. Some of these 

 ■tifti. varieties I had previously seen in England, and in equal 

 beauty of bloom ; but others I there claimed acquaint- 

 anceship with tor the first time. 



Roses in Pots were numerous, but there were none 

 remarkable as specimens of superior cultivation; cer- 

 tainly none that I saw were equal to those exhibited at 

 the Horticultural Exhibitions about London, by Messrs. 

 Beck, Lane, Paul, and others ; nor is it, perhaps, right 

 to judge them by such a standard, as they were not grown 

 to show what could be done with Roses in pots under 

 good management, but merely as market plants. As 

 sucb, the only objection to them by Englishmen would 

 be the tali stems on which they were worked, and the 

 little attention paid to their beauty. The head of the 

 plant seemed to be considered the only part worthy of 

 notice.— W. Paul, Cheshunt. 



Home Correspondence. 



The Plantation at Nerquis. — In reply to Mr. Bil- 

 lington's statement, (p. 651), I beg to say that there 

 were four persons — one an artillery officer — present, be- 

 sides myself, when Mr. Billington went through the 

 plantations at Nerquis. Mr. B. was very anxious 

 that we should adopt his theory of the growth of 

 trees, and because we could not agree with him in 

 his views, he was evidently displeased, and every- 

 thing was wrong afterwards. I have lived with Dr. 

 Thackeray for a period of more than 40 years. I have 

 at ail seasons of the year during that time employed 

 many hands to assist me in fencing, planting, draining, 

 thinning, and pruning, without any interruption, and yet 

 Mr. B. says, M I perceived that some parts of the planta- 

 tion had been long neglected before they had been 

 thinned and pruned ;" " and the greater part of the 

 Larches are good, but they are not what they might have 

 been under a better system." This 1 beg to contradict, 

 as I as well as the persons whom I have had under me 

 know that it is not the fact. Mr. B. further remarks 

 that, "the Oak and Ash are not fine trees, and evidently 

 show signs of haviug been injured by the Larches not 

 having been sooner thinned out from among them, and 

 also from having been pruned to excess : one object is 

 however gamed, viz., tall, straight, slender trees, without 

 side branches to a certain height, and which are fit only 

 for ladders, rails, poles, or such .like purposes." Now 

 1 appeal to my neighbours, and to all who have exa- 

 mined these plantations, whether this is not an unfair 

 statement of facts. Mr. B. brings before us a few well- 

 grown trees, planted probably in good soils, and in a 

 better climate, but I put in a claim for a large plantation 

 thinned and pruned with the utmost care for 30 years, 

 as we I as tor plantations which I planted 10 years before 



ep a 'It H Dn Th u ack f a y ,s ste P*°» « and I must 

 repeat that they are the admiration of all (with the ex- 

 ception of Mr. B.) who have examined them. When 



would! ;L ngt °, n WaS leavin & the woods > Dr ' T ' be SS ed *e 

 Zn. take * kmte *"<* s»>ow us in what manner he would 



tree nf^K ?^ ab ° Ut 10 0r 15 feet hi S h > P oin ""g out a 



net nl at f e * ThU 0ak had a !""■«■ and four com- 

 petin branches. Mr. B. then foreshortened four of them 



tt TyZ^ ?f U,C Stem ' aad said that in two or 

 We iln a • ! S , h ° Uld CUt them off close iQ to the trunk. 



■o wheilh k° W th u C 88P iut0 the ,eader > instead of d °W 

 to fteori£ T C i 68 8re thiGker ? " U P° n this he na«aS 

 cut the ?»m u Wh , ilst he was doin S so I was desired to 



** same tTm ^V ° ff <* uite cloae to the stem - 1 at 

 in the saml Said that a11 the trees had been managed 



Plan, the n u W ! y, - and that ' had the y suffered from this 

 h e would ha? 13 mUSt haVC been a faiJure »"and that 

 of the beintif f Cen a wretched collection of trees instead 

 ni m. I W a , ° D , eS that were t0 be fouud all around 



nor more than fi red l ° take ° ff " 0t lesS thau lhree » 



Ranches we U ° f tlie ia rgest and most luxuriant 



ia the course Ini *** descen ding the tree. Probably, 



Ranches will >k 8Umwer » °ne or more of the side 



fr om 40 year*' be removed or foreshortened, and, 



success-exne . eXpenence » I am confident with the best 



matter of uunf? 06 being the best instructor in the 



in ^e wood 8 at . About a fortnight ago there were 



fr °m Cambril ° nC tlme, * Sentlemau from Essex, one 



d °a8hire one f' ° ne fr0m Lond on, one from Hunting- 



^mutel/in^.. 01 ? Noifolk ' and two from Chester, who 



Mghly gratified . tbe wood *> and expressed themselves 



[ ^peatedly 6 »i f i * a11 the y saw > having, as they 



I their lives, nl, never 8een niore flourishing trees in all 



pruning. tne 0w , la ; **> extract from Pontey respecting 



? n, 7» which is ° j 18 d ° ne once in ,hree or five y ears 

 J ee n instructed^t^f n rent from the m ode which I have 

 ^ r * J - Scott R ? w ' as m ay be seen by referring to 



a Ppeared f rom /: USseil 8 letter » and others which have 

 T^aatey savs ( l Vi me iu lhe Gardeners' Chronicle. 

 T? e for m but i„ (pagC lb6) ' " Prunin « not only improvei 

 \ J?"" P-W 20? aS ' S T p he Si2e 0r S eneral "aight of a 

 hen the plant* 7--- _. - r8 - t P rUQ ing took place 



hi 



k 



r 



CT!C 



I'r. ■ I 



I 



f:'::l 

 Luil 



i b ri 



A 



til 

 meat 



I6tl 



Coi 

 iii 



I? 





if 



I* 



t 



} 



I* 



w 



mnri» Hio« ♦ .• fumuga, never displacing 



de.d I » FuKl? Ue " V ° nCe ' eXCe ^ more shoald V^ove 

 of n'runin. • V, ^ T* be observed that this method 

 confc he,? ™ lc * l * ted ^ Srow the trees with a long 



benefit frori X ^ ^ WOuld have ™ r J ^sMI 

 them r.„ ? ^ at ^°spbere wbich the space allotted 

 them can admit."- Thomas Roberts, Nerquis. 



^ZZZfT1'T S - m - Billi °gton deserves the 

 thanks of all who feel any interest in this subject, for the 



question of pruning, as relates to the far-famed Nerquis 

 plantations. The results of his inspection are precisely 

 what Uiad conceived, from reading the various descrip- 

 tive notices that have from time to time appeared in your 

 columns. Dr. Thackeray is to be highly commended for 

 his attention to his plantations ; but if that attention 

 proceeds upon a mistaken principle, it is detrimental 

 where it might be highly beneficial. It is really mar- 

 vellous how, at this advanced period of experience and 

 observation, any one can proceed and act on the prin- 

 ciple, that depriving a tree of its branches adds to or 

 accelerates the growth of its stem ; and yet it turns out 

 that this is the principle carried out. according to Mr. 

 Billington, in the Nerquis plantations, which several of 

 your correspondents invited me to visit, in order that I 

 might, from actual .inspection, be induced to recall the 

 opinions I had advanced in your columns. I desire no 

 better authority than that of Mr. Billington ; and, ac- 

 cording to his descriptive statement, Dr. Thackeray's 

 practice is merely Pontey out-done. Mr. B., in con- 

 clusion, protests against the " non-pruning advocates." 

 —Who are they ?— So do I : yet I will venture to say, 

 that proper thinning, with no pruning at all, is preferable 

 to the system followed at Nerquis. I have all along 

 avoided the physiological question, which I think quite 

 unnecessary in arguing the utility or non-utility of 

 pruning. The J term •« reciprocity," which I have used, 

 between root and branches, comprehends the whole ; and 

 the greater the degree of it, the more solid wood will be 

 laid annually on the stem : whether that wood be formed 

 from ascending or descending sap, is practically of little 

 consequence in the matter : the great point is to get it, 

 and get it quickly, without saying anything about the 

 modus operandi, which the authorities do not appear to 

 have yet satisfactorily settled. The term "judicious 

 pruning" is often used by your correspondents. Will 

 any of them define it? How long is "judicious pruning" 

 to continue ? At what age of the trees is.it to cease ? Will 

 Mr. Billington answer this, in reference to any of the 

 plantations noticed in his last paper ? It has occurred 

 to me, that those who follow the severe pruning system(?) 

 nvght save themselves some labour, by docking the roots 

 a little. It would tend to preserve the equilibrium, and 

 prevent the growth of useless wood, which only robs the 

 stem Quercus. ' 



Receipt for refreshing Raspberry and other Jams, 

 long made.— Boil Blackberry juice till greatly reduced ; 

 add white sugar in the proportion of 1 lb. to a pint of 

 juice ; mix the old jam with this syrup, and boil until 

 sufficiently done. By this means the colour as well as 

 the flavour is restored. — P. T. O. 



Strawberries. — Most parties are, I believe, agreed as 

 to the good result of placing stones under the fruit- 

 bearing branches of Strawberries. In dry seasons they 

 keep the ground around the roots moist, and in wet 



seasons they preserve the, fruit clean. 

 Now, I would suggest that a simple 

 tile might be made of the annexed form, 

 which I think would answer well, look 

 neat, and cost but little. Let them be 

 made about 12 inches square, pre- 

 serving room for the average size of the 

 stems. After a season in preparing new beds, the runners 

 might be placed at equal distances, so that the bed would 

 be entirely covered when required by these tiles, which 



would lay thus. A bed of 

 40 feet by 6 would require 

 but 500, and their cost ought 

 to be but little, as tbev could 

 be made by any brickmaker, 

 being merely flat tiles and 

 scooped out. Is the idea a 

 good one, and had the tiles 



better be glazed ? A little 

 additioml cost is of no moment. — M. A. S. [On no 

 account glaze them. If you have round pebbles at com- 

 mand, why not pave the ground with them ?] 



demned to prison and solitary confinement : the roots 

 will make constant efforts to gain liberty, and be repulsed ; 

 they wiU make search for food, and be driven back to the 

 one spot : in that spot they will become thick, and the 

 fibres dense ; the soil around will be soon exhausted : 

 and the new supply troublesome. If it be otherwise I 

 shall be glad to know.-^ Reader.^Th\ S is assuming 

 just that which nothing but experiment can show 1 



Cabul Melons. -In reply to Mr. Fleming, (p. 684), I 

 beg to say that, although I made a mistake respecting 

 the name of the Melon which I advertised, it is the true 

 one sent out by Mr. Fleming's permission, as the adver- 

 tisement of Mr. White below will prove. In the 

 Chronicle for Oct. 7, 1843, it is stated, " By the kind- 

 ness of Mr. Fleming we are again able to supply a few 

 more packets of the Hoosainee Persian Melon at 5s. per 

 packet." Mr. Fleming is the only person who had cul- 

 tivated the Melon to perfection up to the time that he 

 sent it out, and I cannot see how it can disgrace his 

 name.—/. Cuthill, Camberwell. 



Raspberries. — I strongly recommend the Beehive 

 Raspberry as a prolific bearer of large fruit, and most 

 excellent. I have a second crop of the B. Raspberry at 

 this moment, on the new wood, as fine as those of the 

 abundant summer crop.— D. B. Greys. [What is the 

 Beehive Raspberry ?] 



Large Yew-tree. — There is in the churchyard at the 

 village of Gresford, Denbighshire, a Yew-tree, which 

 measures 30 feet in girth at the height of 4 feet from the 

 base. The branches are in themselves large trees, and 

 shade the ground to a great extent. It must be of in- 

 calculable antiquity, and it is not yet in a state of much 

 decay, though it has for centuries perhaps attained its 

 maturity. Other Yew-trees, in the same place, which 

 were planted (as tbe parish-register records) in the year 

 1727, are, on average, ia girth somewhat more than 

 4 feet.— E. C, Pa?Uyocher, Gresford. 



Rose Catalogues.— The criticisms in the Chronicle 

 lately, iu reference to the dissimilar representations of 

 the colours of Roses, are not wholly without cause ; but 

 perhaps, upon consideration, they may not seem so' well 

 merited as would appear at first sight. Rather than 

 confine myself to the apparent error alluded to in my 

 pamphlet on the Culture of Roses in Pots, I would take 

 a general view of the subject ; and in relation to the dif- 

 ferential descriptions given by various growers, would 

 hazard an opfnion that the colours and appearance of 

 Roses vary beyond degree. We believe that colours are 

 deepened by the action of light, and numerous other 

 circumstances also contribute in causing variations ; 

 for instance, the seasons— the different times of the 

 seasons— the stage in which the flower is submitted for 

 examination — the soil in which it has been grown— the 

 health of the plant — and, above all, the different ideas of 

 colours (without entering into the correctness or incor- 

 rectness of such ideas) maintained by different individuals. 

 Now, with regard to the variation in the colours of 

 Roses, see Indica Le Camelcon when just expanding — 

 it is almost white. View the same flower a day or two 

 afterwards — it is changed, and become a crimson ! In 

 tact, we may apply to Roses what the poet has written 

 about a very different part of the creation : — 



" * How slow its pace ! and then its hue— 

 Whoever eaw so fine a blue ! ' 

 ' Hold there,' the other quick replies, 

 ' Tis green — I saw it with these eyes.' 

 ***** 



* Sirs,' cries the umpire, * cease your pother, 

 The creature 's neither one nor t'other. 

 I caught the animal last night, 

 And viewed it o'er by candle-light. 

 I marked it well— 'twas black as jet — 

 You stare— but, Sirs, I 've got it yet, 

 And can produce it.' 



***** 



" Replies the man. « I '11 turn him out : 

 And, when before your eyes I 've set him, 

 It you don't find him black I Ml eat him.' 

 He said ; and full before their sight 

 Produced the beast, and lo J 't was white ! " 



Prince Albert (Hybrid Perpetual) occasionally blooms 

 of a vivid crimson, and often of a cloudy purple. T. Safra- 

 not appears almost saffron-coloured, but dies off a poor 

 buff. The first flowers I saw of Lady Alice Peel (Hybrid 

 Perpetual), now two years ago, were pink, and as such I 

 retain a vivid recollection of them, although I have never 

 seen them of that colour since. I have just gathered a 

 flower of Bourbon Augustine Lelieur, which measures fully 

 four inches across ; but the colour is so different, that, 

 had I not gathered it myself, I should have had some 

 difficulty in naming it. Without multiplying solitary 

 instances, i( we view the whole body of Roses that bloom 



.■. — — % ■ * M ^m 



Monstrous Grapes. — The reading in a late Paper twice in the year, and compare the colours noted down 



.*< 





y 







Pessary to disoia t- a ^ ^® ct "g u » it might be \r tne column oe oroau, me neat win not uc givcu «■ 



* w er branches -and * ° r at most three tiers of the desired » and however often supplied with food, I should 



» a two years further, two sets more of, doubt the long life and vigorous health of a plant con- 



an account of a monstrous berry of a Black Ham- 

 burgh Grape, lately produced at Stover, in Devon- 

 shire, has induced me to mention that in a vinery at 

 Dorfold Hall, in Cheshire, there is on the same variety 

 a bunch in which there are three of these monsters ; the 

 largest of them measures in circumference 5 inches, the 

 second -Ij inches, and the third 4} inches. The bunch 

 itself probably weighs about 3 lbs. ; there are several 

 berries nearly as large in other bunches on the same 

 Vine ; they have very much the appearance of a Tomato 

 — A Constant Reader. 



Culture of Vines. — I imagine that it is not out of 

 place my bringing light from another science to bear on 

 gardening, to say, that the method of growing Vines 

 proposed by Mr. Hoare is in my opinion somewhat 

 objectionable, as they must of course have a very limited 

 range in their search for food. It may be said, Make 

 the column large and fill it frequently with manure ; but 

 if the column be broad, the heat will not be given 



in summer with their real appearance at this season, we 

 shall find a difference. But supposing Roses to bloom 

 alike at all times and in all situations, some indulgence 

 may be claimed from the public, where 800 or 1000 

 varieties are catalogued and described. Perhaps the 

 first step towards attaining accuracy of description is, to 

 take down the colours on the spot during the season of 

 bloom. This, doubtless, is done, although requiring a 

 sacrifice of time and labour from the principals, which 

 an extensive Nursery business will scarcely admit of. 

 But, again, the whole varieties cannot be found in bloom 

 at any one time, and the collection would require a 

 second, third, or even a fourth looking through, which 

 would be incompatible with other duties. The probable 

 consequence is, some few are described from memory. 

 Now, although such descriptions may not be perfectly 

 correct, may they not be considered sufficiently so to 

 guide purchasers in selecting ? which is the only purpose 

 for which Nurserymen's Catalogues are published. — 

 \Y. Paul, Cheshunt, Herts. 



. Couve Tronchuda, — This Cabbage seems a wild and 





