the Orange in England. 69 



of air at all seasons, and in summer should be put out early 

 in the season, and not treated as they are at Hampton Court, 

 and several other of His Majesty's gardens, where they have 

 some of the finest in the country, or at least which were the 

 finest when they arrived there; but at present they assume 

 another appearance. The treatment these trees receive must 

 convince every reasonable person that it is impossible they 

 can be otherwise, when it is known that they are kept in a 

 house all summer, with only a few windows in front of it, and 

 then, in August, after they have made young wood, like 

 windlesti'aws, by being kept in such a place, they are turned 

 out of doors for two or three weeks, for the winds to 

 blow off their leaves, and blast the young shoots. On the 

 contrary, they should be turned out early, as in France, which 

 is, in most seasons, from the 1st of May till October. 



Perhaps it may be argued that our climate is not so good. 

 That I will allow ; but if our early part of summer is not so 

 hot, our month of August is sometimes more so. I would 

 never wish for a better place than that at Hampton Court for 

 wintering orange trees, when in many parts of France they 

 are kept in cellars and caves, and in very few places have they 

 a better place than an old coach-house or barn. 1 know an 

 English candle manufacturer at Rouen, who has 80 of the 

 finest orange trees I ever saw, and has no place to keep them 

 in except an old barn, in which they are obliged to set the large 

 plants on pillars five or six feet from the ground, in order that 

 the smaller ones may be placed under their branches, where 

 they stand without injury until the following spring, without 

 scarcely losing a leaf. M. Vallet, who is well known about 

 London as an importer of standard roses, has upwards of SOO 

 orange trees from four to sixteen feet high, and has no better 

 place than the sheds under a cotton manufactoiy in which to 

 winter his trees ; and many other instances I could mention, 

 if necessary. 



There is another thing that I have often observed in France, 

 namely, that orange trees in small wooden boxes, made ac- 

 cording to the size of the plant, always thrive better than in 

 pots. The reason, I presume, is merely this, that the boxes 

 generally stand on four small feet, about two inches from the 

 ground, and of course always keep the plants free from stag^ 

 nant water, which orange trees cannot endure without injury. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Ujpiper Clapton, Nov. 29. 1830. R. S, 



F 3 



