566 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



|> f ovEJti*n 17. 1888. 



Nursery Notes. 



THE FRUIT NURSERIES OF MESSRS. 

 J. VEITCH AND SONS. 



Langlet, Slough. — Here in a position peculiarly 

 favourable for successful fruit-tree cultivation the 

 Chelsea firm have a nursery that is well worthy of a 

 visit from those who have an interest in pomology. 

 The soil is loamy, similar to that which is used for 

 brick-making ; it lies over gravel, and it is evident 

 that the trees find in it the constituents of vigorous 

 growth. Large quantities of fruit trees are grown, 

 very noticeable being the quarters devoted to hori- 

 zontal and fan-trained Pears, comprising all the best 

 varieties both on Pear and Quince stocks. 



In a season such as the present when, speaking 

 generally, Apples and Pears are somewhat scarce, 

 and not of the best quality, we have thought it well 

 (as it may prove instructive) to give lists of those 

 which grow and also fruit so well here, pointing out 

 by so doing such varieties as seem best adapted for 

 general cultivation. It may be mentioned that all 

 the fruit has been grown without any special care 

 or attention. 



Pears. — These were noted in all sizes from trees 

 having two to five and seven tiers of branches, 

 amongst which the following varieties were note- 

 worthy by reason of the crops of fine fruit they were 

 carrying, viz. : — Summer Beurre dAremburg, Winter 

 Nelis, one of the best late Pears, Passe Colmar, 

 Olivier de Serres, Jargonelle, Glou morceau, 

 Duchesse d'Angouleme, General Todtleben, Sou- 

 venir du Congres, Beurre Giffard, Beurre de 

 Jonghe, &c. Large quarters are devoted to pyra- 

 mids in all sizes, and in excellent condition, both on 

 Quince and Pear, many being good crops of fruit, 

 the list including the names of our best Pears, and 

 some others which, if amateur growers would exercise 

 a wiser discretion, would very soon be consigned to 

 the rubbish-heap. 



Apples. — In this section are to be seen fine quar- 

 ters of horizontal-trained trees on both Crab and 

 Paradise stocks, many bearing, for such small trees, 

 enormous crops. The varieties most notable in the col- 

 lection were those which have repeatedly been brought 

 under notice in the accounts of the late Conference 

 at Chiswick, and which were to be found in certain 

 numbers in almost every collection of moderate size. 

 We noted several large quarters of pyramid Apples on 

 Paradise and on Crab stocks — good, stout, well-shaped 

 trees, and in many cases heavily cropped with fine 

 fruit. Amongst others, specially noticeable may be 

 mentioned the following sorts (trees only three years 

 old were carrying good crops): — Domino, a good early 

 Apple, considered to be an improvement on Keswick 

 Codlin ; Baumann's Red Reinette, very large and 

 highly coloured, a good keeper; Cox's Pomona, Niton 

 House, larger than the famous Stirling Castle, and 

 keeping good till March, therefore valuable ; Prince 

 Albert, very prolific ; Warner's King, indeed a grand 

 Apple ; Stone's or Loddington Seedling, very fine ; 

 Ringer, large and fragrant ; Pott's Seedling, excel- 

 lent, the coming Apple ; Frogmore Prolific, very 

 fine ; The Queen, large and handsome ; and School- 

 master, &c. 



Several quarters of Apples on Crab are being 

 grown as standards — each quarter holding about 

 6000 trees — amongst others, the Sandringham (intro- 

 duced by the firm) is very conspicuous from its clear, 

 straight, clean stem, and compact habit. It is con- 

 sidered here to be one of the coming Apples for 

 orchard planting — the fruit, too, being of good size 

 and quality ; it is of handsome appearance, is a 

 good keeper, and may, therefore, fairly lay claim to 

 being a valuable Apple. Tyler's Kernel, Mrs. Barron, 

 Barnack Beanty, King Harry, Gascoigne's Seedling, 

 and September Beauty, are varieties of recent intro- 

 duction which promise to be of great value to growers 

 for market as well as private gardeners. King of 

 Tompkins' County is likely to be very valuable, 

 especially in warm districts, being large and hand- 

 some, and late in the season, and of fair quality as a 



dessert Apple. Bismarck (another introduction of 

 the firm) is an extraordinary bearer, last year's 

 maidens being in many cases loaded with fine fruit. 

 Washington is a very beautiful American Apple, but 

 wants apparently a warmer climate. 



A great feature at Langley is the trial border, 

 which runs the whole length of the portion devoted 

 to fruit trees, in which are planted, with the view 

 of testing, the best old as well as new, about 350 

 varieties of Apples. Similar borders are planted 

 with Plums (containing all the best sorts), the crops 

 of which have been very large this season, as visitors 

 to the Royal Horticultural Society's meetings have 

 witnessed. Archduke promises to be an acquisition, 

 fruiting freely on either standards, pyramids, or 

 cordons, and hanging very late. Pears are being 

 tested in the same way, also Cherries ; the whole 

 length of borders thus planted is upwards of 

 1000 yards. 



Regarding stocks for Apple trees in use here, it 

 may prove of interest to note that the English Para- 

 dise is that principally usei. The French Paradise 

 forms very prolific little trees, but they are subject 

 to canker, and in dry hot seasons the fruit is apt to 

 be covered with spots which penetrate to the centre, 

 rendering the fruit quite useless. 



Amongst miscellaneous fruits all the best Goose- 

 berries and Currants are grown. Of Raspberries 

 there is a good collection, including the fine new 

 variety named Superlative ; this is very distinct in 

 its strong robust growth. 



The Fulham Nukseeies. 



Pears are here found in large quantities, fan and 

 horizontal trained, both on Pear and Quince stocks. 

 Apples are here also grown in quantity, very notice- 

 able being the standard trees of extra size for 

 orchard planting, pyramids on Crab stocks, and a 

 fine piece of young pyramids on the Paradise of the 

 leading varieties ; dessert and Morello Cherries in 

 large fruiting trees, standard and dwarf-trained. 

 Referring to the trained Cherries here, it is com- 

 puted that if they were walled they would cover a 

 line of wall extending from Fulham to Chiswick. 

 Standard and half-standard maiden and one-year 

 trained Peaches are here in large numbers ; while 

 round the walls, fences, and borders are fine fruiting 

 trees of the latter in considerable numbers ; varying 

 from \h to 5£ feet stems, with heads from 5 to 10 feet 

 wide and 4 to 6 feet in height of stem; and the 

 trained Peaches and Nectarines are exceedingly fine 

 healthy stock. Mulberries, standard and trained 

 for walls, were likewise noticed. 



The larger nursery at Fulham — for there are two — 

 is called Southfields, to distinguish it from the one 

 above noticed, which once formed part of the land 

 in occupation of the late firm of Messrs. Osborn & 

 Sons. Here, in the presence of gas and other factories, 

 and lying in the Thames Valley close to the manu- 

 facturing districts of Wandsworth and Battersea, it 

 would be thought that the surroundings are not such 

 as are suitable for successful fruit culture, and yet 

 the stock is in a wonderfully thriving condition. 

 The greater portion of the soil is sand and humus, 

 the remainder loam over gravel. 



Horizontal trained Apples both on Crab and Para- 

 dise have borne large fruit. Trees on latter stock 

 are very suitable for small gardens, and for soils 

 where trees on Crab grow too vigorously, and where 

 large and highly coloured varieties are selected such 

 trees are very ornamental. Pyramid Apples, prin- 

 cipally on Paradise, are here in quantity, most of 

 which have borne well. Pears trained on Quince 

 (quite young trees) have borne well. Pyramids on 

 both stocks are here in quantity in all sizes. About 

 4 acres are used for the cultivation of Peaches and 

 Nectarines, the soil being favourable for the produc- 

 tion of bearing wood and fibrous roots. Large 

 numbers of extra sized trees with fifty and in one 

 piece up to a hundred shoots on each tree, some of 

 which are 12 and 13 feet across, were remarked. 

 Standard trained Peaches and Nectarines are also a 

 grand stock from one-year trained to trees that will 

 carry next season good crops, many of the trees 



being G feet and 8 feet across. Plums, dwarf trained 

 in all sizes, from young trees with nine shoots to 

 trees 7 feet and 8 feet across, the larger being trans- 

 planted, are literally bristling with flower-buds, and 

 many of the trees have borne finely this season. 

 Pyramid Plums are also here in quantity — large 

 trees and standards of fruiting sizes. Cherries on the 

 Mahaleb stock succeed remarkably well in the light soil 

 here, the Morellos and a good collection of Dukes 

 being grown on it as cordons, pyramids, and trained 

 trees. Many of the latter are extra sized, being 

 from 8 to 10 feet across, and have borne well in 

 open quarters. Apricots, standard and dwarf trained, 

 are grown in quantity, and include some large trees. 

 Amongst cordons, Apples, Pears, Plums, and Cherries 

 have borne well, even trees transplanted this spring 

 bearing good fruit. The candelabra or palmette 

 form of trained Pears and Plums is very ornamental 

 — there are many in this nursery. Gooseberries and 

 Currants grown as cordons have been wonderfully 

 prolific. Pyramid Gooseberries of some sorts were 

 very fine. A house of Peach trees in pots struck us as 

 very remarkable from their healthy appearance and 

 vigorous growth. Figs in pots form an especial feature, 

 four houses being devoted to their culture. Vio- 

 lette Sepor, a new variety introduced by the firm, 

 is a kind which by reason of its many good quali- 

 ties will undoubtedly make way when more widely 

 known. 



It now only remains to be stated that the nurseries 

 which we have of necessity so very hastily and im- 

 perfectly described are under the supervision of 

 Mr. Morle — Messrs. Veitch's fruit foreman. 



The Aigbceth Nueseries of Messes. R. P. Kee 

 & Son, op Liverpool. 



These enjoy a high reputation locally and gene- 

 rally. Starting from Basnett Street, in which the 

 office and seed-houses are situated, a pleasant drive 

 by Sefton Park, and along a shady road towards 

 West Derby, brings the visitor to Aigburth, where 

 the nursery grounds, comprising an extent of 14 

 acres, are situated. They are compact, convenient, 

 and well kept. The visitor sees there the best things 

 intelligently cultivated by the manager, Mr. Ranger 

 and presented to view in the best condition. 



On entering from the West Derby Road, the 

 visitor sees the office on the right, and on the left a 

 pleasant piece of flower-garden ; and then, following 

 a path lined on either side with choice evergreen 

 and deciduous shrubs, the houses are reached, of 

 which there are several. The contents show that a 

 general stock of stove and greenhouse plants is main- 

 tained, including many flowering subjects suitable 

 for cutting from. Clethra arborea is largely grown ; 

 it is starved in small pots, and then flowers abund- 

 antly. Dracsena canncefolia is noticeable ; it is a 

 good hardy type of the D. rubra section, and stands 

 well ; and of D. lineata there are some very fine 

 specimens. There are hundreds of small decorative 

 plants and Ferns, and Adiantum cuneatum is largely 

 grown. Palms are much grown, and plants of all 

 sizes, from exhibition specimens down to those 

 representing model table plants, were found. Kentia 

 is the species mainly grown, these plants being in so 

 much request for decorative purpose. 



From the Palm-house radiate eight or nine 

 others, forming a kind of glazed star if looked at 

 from above. Here are two houses of Cyclamen 

 persicum, which are as fine as any found in the 

 neighbourhood of London. Messrs. Ker & Sons 

 have been selecting for years, their aim being to get 

 the large flowers of the giganteum type associated 

 with the dwarf compact habit of the C. persicum 

 type. One could but look with amazement on plants 

 of such size, and so finely developed, by the first 

 week in August. The plants were in 5-inch, 6-inch, 

 and 7-inch pots, and it was said the flowers are of 

 the highest quality — equal, at least, to anything 

 grown in the neighbourhood of London. 



Greenhouse Rhododendrons form another leading 

 feature, and are much in demand. For decorative 

 purposes the best are Duchess of Connaught, Duchess 

 of Teck (which has pale buff flowers), and Princess 



