412 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ November 28, 1878. 
colour. Its cultural requirements do not differ from that given 
to ordinary Grapes; itis only in “setting” it well that the 
whole secret to success lies, and this Mr. Battram overcomes 
through carefully fertilising the flowers. Anyone acquainted 
with this Grape will have observed that when the flowers are 
just ready for opening a little globe of glutinous matter holds 
the stamens together at the point. It is when the flower is 
held together in this way that the berries do not form, and it 
is by carefully brushing off these little globules with a feather 
that the berries form so well. 
Gros Colman is grown in quantity, but its appearance is 
more favourable than its qualities, unlessit is ripened early 
and allowed to hang late. Black Alicante is also grown ex- 
tensively and well, and so is Lady Downe’s; the bunches, 
berries, and indeed the whole crop of which was extremely 
fine. Duke of Buccleuch was planted on its first appearance 
in public, but although it has been tried with every attention 
in several houses it will neither grow nor fruit freely, and it 
is now put aside as a variety not worth extending. Golden 
Champion has been placed on the same list, but neither 
of them will be much missed with Canon Hall so fine. 
Madresfield Court has done well from the first, and Mr. Battram 
thinks yery highly of it as a summer and autumn Grape; a 
quantity of it was hanging that had been ripe for a consider- 
able time, yet it showed no signs of decay, and a few berries 
we tasted were quite firm. Most of the early Pine borders are 
inside, consequently no fermenting material is used at starting 
time, and itis considered that even with the borders outside 
this is unnecessary when the Vines are in good health. None 
of the borders are mulched or covered up at any time, but 
great quantities of water are given, and the surface is kept 
clean, free and open at all times. The strong wood, clean 
foliage, and heayy well-finished crops all indicate that this 
treatment may be strongly recommended. All the Grapes 
were remarkable for their fine bloom, the result of care being 
taken that the berries are not touched during thinning or rubbed 
afterwards. Many Vines in pots which were struck from eyes 
in the spring of 1877 were bearing about 12 Ibs. of fine fruit 
each. Most of the kinds planted out are fruited in pots to fill 
up spare corners, and a few dozens are started early to fruit in 
March before the late ones are finished. 
A stock of 1500 Pines are kept up, and about half this quantity 
fruit every year. Large houses are set apart for each kind. 
One house full of Black Jamaicas were all in fruit at different 
stages of development; 3, 4, and 5 tbs. is the general weights 
these attain, and for winter use it is considered the finest 
flayoured Pine extant. Many housefuls of Queens were coming 
forward for next spring and summer fruiting, and the fine 
state of the plants gave great promise of a heayy return. Some 
of the Providence and Black Prince varieties were bearing 
fruit 10 tbs. in weight, and Mr. Battram showed us photographs 
of former fruit weighing 11 and 12 ibs. It is indeed a gratify- 
ing sight to see such magnificent fruit. Many of the plants 
are grown in pots, and many are planted out in beds. Good 
yellow loam mixed with a little manure is what they are 
grown in, and after they are come into fruit guano water is 
plentifully supplied. 
We were rather late for seeing the Peaches at their best, but 
the crops of former years were magnificent, and the trees are 
in as fine a state of health as ever they were. Figs bear great 
crops ; the trees are planted out in the centre bed of a large 
span-roofed house. Winter Cucumbers are clean, healthy, and 
fruitful in pits, and Melons are grown in large quantities in 
low frames in the middle and end of the season, and in little 
span-roofed houses earlier. 
Besides such quantities of fruit there are many large plant 
houses and frames containing choice collections of indoor plants 
all in fine health and growing luxuriantly. One very large 
house of Heaths is particularly noteworthy as containing such 
specimens of all the leading kinds of these fine plants as one 
has seldom the pleasure of seeing. 
Out of doors the vegetable crops all looked well, but 
Cyfarthfa is not a place for fine shrubs. No kinds of Roses do 
well in the open air, and the choicer kinds of bedding plants 
do not succeed well either. The Pampas Grass was growing 
Insuriantly, however, and one of the houses in Merthyr was 
beautifully covered with the coral-berried Cotoneaster. It is 
surprising how all kinds of fruit and plants are brought to such 
perfection under glass in such a situation ; it certainly proves 
that Mr. Battram is a master of his calling. It must be stated 
that through the much-lamented ill health of the proprietor 
the garden has lost its chief supporter and some of the 
houses are in a dilapidated state. Let us hope, however, every- 
thing connected with this great garden may soon be restored 
and placed on an equal with the productions which few can 
haye seen equalled and none surpassed.—M. 
ROSE ELECTORS. 
I must thank Mr. Hinton for his remarks in his “ Rose Olla 
Podrida’’ upon what I have recently said in the Journal of 
Horticulture, but he has quite misunderstood me if he thought 
I wished to have an election of electors. I only want one 
amateur—say Rey. S. R. Hole, as President of the National 
Rose Society—to name six nurserymen, and let Mr. W. Paul as 
a non-exhibitor, or Mr. Charles Turner, name six amateurs 
who shall be noted exhibitors, and who are well known as 
competent authorities especially in the matter of new Roses. 
Many amateurs cannot afford space nor money nor time to try 
the newer Roses ; yet with our past experience, and when we 
look back on the recent acquisitions of late years, it is to the 
interest of all rosarians to haye some competent verdict on the 
newer introductions. Why Iwant both amateurs and nursery- 
men, and only a dozen, or say a baker’s dozen, is that the 
raisers of Roses are too fond of their own children, and yet 
practical nurserymen have more varieties pass under their notice 
than amateurs, and have comparatively more opportunities of 
observation ; though I say again that the amateur, with a 
more discriminating taste and judgment, and who rides perhaps 
only one hobby, is more disposed to make an impartial judg- 
ment, than one whose trade interests are at stake, and who 
must have many branches of his profession to carry on. 
After Mr. Hinton’s experience in the qualities of electors I 
would venture to lay before him, or say a meeting of the 
Committee of the National Rose Society, the names of twelve 
electors—half amateurs and half nurserymen—whose decisions 
would be accepted, and who, I think, would be willing to act. 
I am very glad to find that in nearly all points we are so much 
in accord.—C. P. PEACH. 
DOES THE MANETTI THROW UP SUCKERS ? 
I ADD my testimony to the Rey. C. P. Peach’s remarks on 
this subject. I do not remember to have seen a genuine root 
sucker attached to the Manetti, but have seen plenty of shoots 
from the stock, caused, I have no doubt, by careless people 
leaving the eyes in. 
I have looked over all that haye been prepared by myself 
or by the young man who assists me in this work, and there 
is not a sucker or shoot of any kind to be seen, while on look- 
ing over a flat-of three thousand stocks budded this season 
which were bought I see numbers of shoots from the bottom 
of the stocks, and am conyinced they are all from eyes that 
have not been properly cut out. 
Is not the Rev. W. F. Radclyffe joking when he names six of 
our most vigorous Roses as growing well on the seedling 
Briar? What stock will not such Roses grow well on?— 
F. Boyes, Beverley. 
“WORK FOR THE WEEK. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
THE early pruning of bush trees, such as Gooseberries, Currants, 
&c., as well as Apple, Pear, Plum, and Cherry trees, is desirable. 
The sooner such work is done after the leaves fall the more expe- 
ditiously it is performed. There is often, however, considerable 
damage done by birds, and where these are numerous andoi a 
kind likely to prey upon the buds it may be a lessening of anxiety 
to defer pruning until spring, in the hope that there being more 
buds in an unpruned tree or bush than one pruned, there is likely to 
be more buds left on the former than latter. Unfortunately the 
birds appear to relish the plump fruit buds, not caring for the lean 
buds so long as fruit buds are obtainable; therefore it is ques- 
tionable whether late pruning preserves the fruit buds and crops. 
Our experience is the other way, and we can only preserve the 
buds from bullfinches by employing the gun, it being astonishing 
what an extent of mischief a pair of these birds can effectina 
short time. Pruning may be stated to consist in cutting off cer- 
tain shoots or branches of a tree for the purpose of modifying its 
form, increasing its fertility, or stimulating particular parts to 
increased vigour. It is difficult to give instructions suitable alike 
for pruning all descriptions of trees, the difficulty being increased 
when dealing with those having little gardening experience. 
Generally we may say that Apples and Pears grown as pyramids 
should not be allowed to become too thick, not only as regards 
the spray but also the main branches, as the fruit buds require to 
