220 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 24, 1863. 



Messrs. Smith, of Dulwich. Prince of "Wales, a beautifully- 

 shaped flower ; Model of Perfection, very good, but not quite so 

 large ; and Princess of Wales were good ; while Sunbeam, exhi- 

 bited by Messrs. Smith, is very bright and promising. There 

 was a pretty new Rhododendron, Romain de Smet, exhibited by 

 the Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith, and Mr. Veitch, of Chelsea ; 

 and Hebecliniuin atro-rubens by Mr. A. Henderson, of Pine Apple 

 Place, and Mr. Parker, of Tooting, is likely to be a useful 

 spring-flowering plant. Mr. Henderson had also a pretty 

 Epacris, Viscountess Hill ; and Mr. Smith, of Dulwich, a nice 

 little collection of Cyclamens, consisting of persieum and its red 

 and spotted varieties. 



I have left untouched the plants exhibited, nor have I given 

 a nominal list of the florists' flowers, as these matters will fall to 

 other hands ; but I think one could not but see how super- 

 fluous the February Exhibition was, while, at the same time, 

 such a Show as this tends very much to quicken the taste for 

 early spring flowers. 



The conservatory looked gay ; but really there is Buch a thing 

 as viewing everything in a couleur de rose tint, and spectacles of 

 the most roseate hue must have been on your correspondent of 

 last week who could see anything in the gardens. To me they 

 seemed but little improved ; while those abominations, the oil- 

 cloth patterns of Mr. Nesfleld, I heard unsparingly condemned 

 on all hands. --D., Deal. 



APEICOTS AND OKCHARD-HOTTSES. 



I confess being much surprised at Mr. Rivers finding fault 

 with my devoting a page and a half of No. 106 of The Jouenal 

 oe Hobticulttoe to the management of the Apricot, when his 

 own articles on his favourite orchard-houses might be measured 

 by the dimensions of the houses themselves. To say the produce 

 of his pen in that way is one hundredfold more voluminous than 

 my unfortunate one on Apricots is speaking within the mark, 

 so that the public may draw their own conclusions as to whom 

 the term "voluminous" more particularly applies. 



Mr. Rivers also says that all writers on gardening matters 

 ought to be travelled men. Unfortunately those in private 

 service cannot always make their travelling from place to place 

 such a paying affair as a nurseryman can do ; but, at the same 

 time, the views they put forth are exempt from all interested 

 motives. But as the direct reference Mr. Rivers makes to me 

 compels my saying more of myBelf than I would have wished 

 to do, I may say I believe there are only about half a dozen 

 counties that I have never visited; while on the other hand, 

 I have followed my calling in five countieB of England, and 

 these widely apart. I do not for one moment doubt but Mr. 

 Rivers travels, and sees much more than I do, and I have 

 read many of his articles with pleasure ; at the same time I must 

 say I should have liked them much better had" his favourite 

 theme usurped somewhat less space in the productions of his pen. 

 Assuredly Mr. Rivers must have been joking when he called my 

 article on the Apricot of one page and a half voluminous. Even 

 his article in criticism of mine was half its length, without 

 adducing anything fresh in the management, beyond condemning 

 the idea of Apricots being grown against a north wall, which I 

 happen to know was done by one of the most successful fruit- 

 growers in the kingdom — one who, I believe, has taken as many 

 prizes at the metropolitan shows as any man living. 



Mr. Rivers says I have, " ns usual," had a throw at orchard- 

 houses. Now, on looking over the paragraph relating thereto 

 on Apricot trees, the impartial public will, I believe, give me 

 credit for dealing with that part of it with great delicacy. And 

 more recent information confirms me that I spoke the feelings of 

 nine-tenths of the fruit-growers in the kingdom. At the time I 

 wrote it a letter from a friend was before me, detailing the un- 

 successful attempt to grow Apricots under glass; and if Mr. 

 Rivers had read the letter of " A Constant Readeb," in No. 102 

 of The Jotjenal oe Hokticultube, he would then have learned 

 that there had been failures in Apricot-growing since 1829, as 

 the writer says he had a fair crop on his open wall in 1861 and 

 1862 without any covering, while he had none in his orchard- 

 house in 1861, and only three or four fruit in 1862. Surely this 

 case required more of Mr. Eivera' attention than mine, especially 

 as with the simple notice of Apricots not doing well under glass, 

 I believe I have not more than incidentally mentioned orchard- 

 houses for nearly two years ; but even if I had, is not criticism 

 legitimate ? 



Let ub, however, take a fair view of the matter, and see what 

 really has been done in the way of orchard-houses which has been 

 so many years before the public. I will take the two broadest 

 views that fruit is judged by — quality and quantity, and just 

 compare what has been done in orchard-houses during the last 

 twelve or twenty years with what haB been done in the old- 

 fashioned way. 



Like many of your readers, I went to the great fruit show at 

 Kensington in the beginning of October last, and was much 

 pleased with what I saw. Amongst other thingB I was told 

 there were upwards of two hundred entries of Pears, some of them 

 of half a dozen and more dishes each, and there were twenty-one 

 prizes awarded. Now, was it not fair to suppose that the mode 

 said to produce the best fruit ought to have been represented in 

 the "prize list ? but from inquiries I made at the time and since, 

 I believe not one of these twenty-one prizes was given to 

 orchard-house fruits. Now, I call this a fair test of the merits 

 of the mode. There were some nice fruit on trees in pots ex- 

 hibited, very creditable to the grower ; but I think there were 

 samples of the same kind of fruit grown in the ordinary way, 

 quite as good, and certainly larger. 



Now, as Pears are a favourite orchard-house fruit, why were 

 none in the prize list ? The answer is simple and conclusive 

 enough. When orchard-house fruit-growers can beat thoBe who 

 have followed the old path it will be a very good time to vaunt 

 their success. Hitherto (with, perhaps, one solitary case in a 

 thousand), they have been "nowhere " in the race. It is need- 

 less saying anything about the quantity of fruit from orchard- 

 houses : the letter of " A, Constant Readeb," page 186, could 

 be repeated in many instances, only there is always a greater 

 disinclination to record failures than successes. 



Having a year or two ago given my opinion on orchard- 

 houses, I may say I have seen nothing since but what confirms 

 the views I then took of the matter. With trees planted out on 

 a border of suitable soil, I have not the least doubt but most 

 fruit trees may do well, and cause little trouble. Kept in pots 

 they may occasionally do tolerably well, but with a vast 

 amount of extra care and attention ; and even with that, failures 

 will occur. To say that a Peach will not succeed in a pot is 

 more than I ever asserted ; but I have never yet seen a fruit of 

 that kind grown in a pot equal to the same grown in the ordi- 

 nary way, and the results of fruit shows confirm my views ; 

 besides which, the term " fruit grown on trees in pots," must 

 be accepted with caution. I have been anxious to see good 

 Peaches in pots, and once took a journey of many miles to 

 witness this result, and sure enough there was a fair good crop 

 of fruit on trees in pots ; but the said pots were as firmly fixed 

 to the ground as the house itself. The roots, alive to one of 

 Nature's laws more potent than any Mr. Rivers teaches, had 

 gone in quest of that food intentionally denied them by the cul- 

 tivator. To call such fruit " grown in pots " is a mockery. 



I do not by any means doubt but that Mr. Rivers' trees are 

 managed differently, but I have not seen them ; nevertheless, I 

 find there is a difference of opinion amongst those who have. 

 But as Mr. Rivers Bays his greatest difficulty with Apricots has 

 been in thinning the fruit, I i m bound to believe him a very 

 lucky man. By the columns of The Journal oe Hobticultube, 

 there are others as well as myself who have yet much to learn 

 on this matter ; and although I have not read all the voluminous 

 matter Mr. Bivers has written on orchard-house affairs, I have 

 never read of orchard-house fruit beating at a fruit show that of 

 the same kind grown in another way. At the same time, more 

 light would be thrown on the matter, if all who have tried 

 growing the larger kinds of fruit trees in pots would come forth 

 and Btate the result of their practice, success, and failure. That 

 there are several who have abandoned it owing to failure I have 

 good proof; but as such people naturally shrink from avowing a 

 failure in an enterprise they had previously advocated, it is not 

 fair to urge them to come forward. This, however, need not 

 prevent those who have been successful from recording their 

 practice. For, be it remembered, that I do not deny the possi- 

 bility of a good Peach being grown in an orchard-house; but I 

 ask, Where was one grown iu a pot equal to those grown else- 

 where ? and was any other opinion of its merits taken except 

 that of the grower ? 



That it is quite possible to grow good Wheat, Barley, and 

 Potatoes in pots I do not doubt, and " agricultural-houses " 

 may be aB fashionable hereafter as " orchard-houses " are now, 

 the names bearing a strong resemblance ; but I reckon the time 

 is far distant when Mark Lane or Covent Garden will be in any 



