Jaxvary 12, 1895.] 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
37 
VEITCHS 
SUPERB 
CAULIFLOWERS 
TCHS’ 
EXTRA “EARLY FORCING. 
rf poet habit, en close ne "white 
Comes into use earlier than any other variety. Highly 
commended for forcing. 
Per Packet, 1s. 6d. and 2s. 6d, 
VEITGHS’ PEARL. 
The best Main Crop Variety, — pure white 
heads of medium size and finest quality. 
r Packet, — 6d. 
VEITCHS AUTUMN GIANT. 
The grandest variety in cultivation. Magnificent. large, 
— heads, of ssa quality; indispensable for 
er Ounce, 2s. 
4 
For full descriptions of the above and , other CHOICE 
NOVELTIES & SPECIALTIES, see SEED CATALOGUE 
for 1895, 
JAMES VEITCH e SONS 
ROYAL EXOTIC NURSERY 
CHELSEA, LONDON, 
S.W. 
i 
ESTABLISED 1832. 
No Connection with po er Firm of 
the same na 
CATALOGUE 
FOR 1895, 
VEGETABLE= FLOWER SEEDS 
BULBS & PLANTS, 
IS NOW READY. 
Will be sent E on application to their offices, at 
OVERVEEN, HAARLEM, HOLLAND, or to their 
daik Ageite | 
Messrs. MERTENS & CO., 
3, CROSS LANE, LONDON, E.C. 
HIS renowned HANDBOOK 
consists of 170 pages of finely 
illustrated matter, including full cul- 
tural directions for nearly all classes 
of Flowers and Vegetables. 
Free by Parcel Post for 6d. 
The Dundee Weekly News says of 
it:—“ This well-known work has 
again made its welcome appearance 
for the season, and no one who desires 
to attain to some measure of success 
in the keeping of a garden, or has 
the ambition to distinguish himself 
as a competitor at the flower shows, 
should neglect procuring a copy. The 
advice given is sound, practical, and 
above all things else, easy to under- 
stand and follow, and in these respects 
it is of much more real use than many 
expensive guides. Messrs. Dobbie 
& Co., the celebrated Rothesay Seeds- 
men, are the publishers.“ 
One of the most successful profes- 
sional Gardeners in England says of 
it: —‘ Messrs. Dobbie’s Catalogue 
and Competitor’s Guide is vastly 
ahead of ordinary Catalogues. It is 
a most trustworthy Guide to the 
culture of Flowers and Vegetables.” 
An amateur of long standing 
writes: — “Your Catalogue is of 
great service. I would not take 5s. 
for it if I could not get another. 
Messrs. DOBBIE anp CO., Seed 
Growers and Florists to the Queen, 
Rothesay, beg to inform the readers 
of the Gardeners’ Chronicle that a 
copy of the Twenty-eighth Annual 
Edition of “DOBBIE’S CATA- 
LOGUE AND COMPETITORS’ 
GUIDE” will be forwarded to any 
address, per Parcel Post, on receipt 
of SIXPENCE in Stamps. 
Please apply early. 
DOBBIE & Co., 
ROTHESAY. 
| 
Gardeners Chronicle. 
SATURDAY, 
JANUARY 12, 1895, 
ST. OSYTH’S PRIORY, ESSEX. 
NHIS, the beautiful residence of Sir John 
Henry Johnson, is one of the oldest places 
in the county, It is e 1200 years since St. 
Osyth (oe Osgith) lived 115 06 and romantic 
i Colne. 
King of the Mercians—a good C 
dently, who assisted Erthemwald, then Bishop of 
London, in the founding of Chertsey Abbey in 
666. From her childhood, St. Osyth’s life seems 
one of legend and romance. Her parents com- 
pelled her to marry Sigher, King of Essex; 
but immediately after the wedding the King was 
enticed forth to chase a white stag before the 
doors of the palace. St. Osyth embraced the 
opportunity, and fled, and took the 
husband, who loved her much, and deserved a 
better fate, 228 bestowed upon ber the 
town of Chi h, as it was then called, after- 
wards 5 as St. Osyth, in order to enable ari 
to maintain a nunnery for her residence. 
she lived with her companions in peace 2 — 
from Denmark approached 
St. Osyth. They did their utmost to oonvert her 
to their faith, and failing, the chief ordered her 
head to be struck off. And the legend is, that 
St. Osyth took up her head in her hands, and 
under angelic guidance ran to the church, which 
she had caused to be built near the nunnery, 
knocked at the door with her blood- staine 
hands, and then fell dead. Her tomb thence- 
forward became a healing shrine for all manner 
of diseases—and obviously proved a potent factor 
in the making of St. Osyth. 
Soon after the Norman Conquest, St. Osyth 
herself became prioress with large and various 
endowments, the priests and canons being men of 
ability and deserved influence, At the disso- 
lution of the monasteries the priory was at the 
height of its prosperity, and had an abbot, a prior, 
, 
besides mills, houses, and tithes in arish, — 
Its total revenue exceeded £680 per annum, a 
large income in those days, when a fat ox could 
be bought for twenty-four sh eae 
fat fowl for twopence-halfpenn; 
e dissolution a sae portion of = 
Priory buildings had been newly erected, 
, and the — 
a 
i 
fully surrendered to enry VIII. on Sane 
28, 1539, an ater various toggle for are oe 
