126 Calls at Suburban Gardens. 



their fruit a month earlier than those at the cold end ; and the vines in the 

 succession pineries are, of course, much later than those which are ripening 

 fruit. By this means a succession of grapes is obtained from April to July. 

 There are now in these houses ripe Sweetwaters and Hamburghs, and Ham- 

 burghs and Muscats not larger than radish seeds. The stems of most of 

 the plants are within the houses, in general in the back path, and the vines 

 trained under the glass over that path ; but sometimes they are planted in 

 front, and trained under the rafters. In the latter case the roots extend 

 into a front border ; in the former they extend under the tanpit, and into 

 a border behind the back wall. The borders are never dug, but every year 

 a coating of about a foot in thickness, of half-rotten dung, is spread over 

 them, to keep out the frost in winter and drought in summer, and to 

 nourish the roots, and encourage them to come to the surface. On ex- 

 amining this dung, the fibrous roots are found occupying the surface of the 

 soil, and rising into the decayed part of the dung. 



Vauxhall Nursery, 17 th April. — Messrs. Chandler and Buckingham have 

 been famous for their collection of Camellias for several years. The blow is 

 now rather on the decline ; but still there are many fine specimens, the 

 glass being covered with mats during sunshine to prolong the bloom. 

 Several varieties of waratah, blush, single white, the myrtle-leaved, and 

 sasanqua are veryfine. In a separate house are the new sorts raised from seed 

 in this nursery, including those figured in Camellia Britdnnica, a work 

 which we have elsewhere noticed (Vol. I. p. 3 17), and some others which have 

 not yet received names. There are various other very fine and showy plants 

 here. Many of the green-house shrubs of the season are in luxuriant 

 blossom. Azalea indica alba, Faeonia moutan vars. rosea and £>apaveracea, 

 .Rhododendron fragrans, Prostranthera violacea, Jmaryllis Johnsora, i?rica 

 nigretta, are a few of the names. This nursery contains a large stock of 

 Paeonia^apaveraceaand moutan, Magnolia conspicua, and Pyrus japonica. 

 The first of these plants is not to be purchased under five guineas. Messrs. 

 Chandler and Buckingham commenced with a score of them, when they were 

 at a much higher price, about seven years ago ; and must therefore have a 

 very considerable capital employed on this particular plant. That it should 

 be worth a tradesman's while to do such a thing, is a gratifying proof of the 

 immense riches and botanical taste of this country, 



Gibbs's Nursery, Old Brompton, April 18. — We called here, expecting 

 the pleasure of viewing Mr. Gibbs's collection of hybrid cowslips, the most 

 extensive that probably was ever formed. Unfortunately, last winter's frost 

 has destroyed every plant of the collection in this nursery; but in Mr. Gibbs's 

 grounds at Ampthill there are duplicates of most of the sorts, which have 

 survived. These hybrids were arranged in four divisions ; oxslip cowslips, 

 polyanthus cowslips, primrose cowslips, and auricula cowslips; and the 

 varieties under each division were numerous, and very beautiful : we be- 

 lieve Mr. Gibbs was the first that ever originated such varieties. A very 

 fine bloom of apple trees is now expanding in this nursery ; there are up- 

 wards of 400 sorts, which have been proved, and of which the proof trees 

 remain, as specimens, and for the purpose of supplying grafts. The blossom 

 of one tree struck us as being remarkably large and beautiful : we were 

 informed it was the Scarlet Perfume, an apple of first-rate merit, very odori- 

 ferous, and of the highest flavour. Mr. Gibbs has proved most of his apples 

 by grafting them on other free-growing apple trees of three or four years' 

 growth : he generally puts three or four sorts upon a tree, forming so many 

 boughs, and distinguishing each by a number stamped on lead, and suspended 

 by copper wire. Several of Mr. Braddick's new Flemish pears are coming 

 into blossom here; and some sorts have already been proved. The leading 

 features of this nursery are fruit trees, and the original grass garden, from 

 which it is said the idea of the one at Woburn Abbey was taken. 



