420 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ November SO, 1871. - 



more so than I remember to have noticed in any other Grape 

 partaking of that cature. I omitted to inquire of Mr. Bogne 

 the history of this Grape, but I hope it is not deatiaed to 

 linger unnoticed in its present abode, as I believe it is as hardy 

 as the Hamburgh, colours well, has round berries, and foliage 

 of a healthy hue. The nest house contained some of the best 

 Muscats I have seen this year, there being scarcely a vestige of 

 shanking or spot, from which causes in many places the crop 

 is destroyed. Such a house of Muscats many a person would 

 be proud of, and Mr. Bogue said they had been equally good 

 last year, and for several years before that ; thus showing that 

 with careful and skilful management, and a judicious prepara- 

 tion of the border at first, this fruit may be grown without 



shanking. Neither the house nor the border is in any way 

 remarkable, but both the Black Hamburgh and the Mnsoat of 

 Alexandria were all that could be wished. 



But lest the reader may think that I have overpraised 

 the Grape culture, I will mention a fruit with which the 

 results have been very different, that is the Peach. Mr. Bogue 

 has failed to secure good Peaches from the walls after many 

 years' trial, and frequent planting of new trees, until at length 

 he has entirely abandoned growing them out of doors, and keeps 

 some in houses as healthy and in as good bearing condition as 

 could be wished. This difficulty in obtaining Peaches on the 

 walls is not confined to Gorhambury, for we have heard of it 

 in many places, but here it was plain enough. On the forma- 



tion of the last Peach house, Mr. Bogue having a good space 

 of south wall to spare, determined on one more effort. The 

 soil was removed and fresh wrought in of the same kind as that 

 used for the trees to grow in in the new bouse, but all in vain, 

 for after a year or two they dwindled away, and there only 

 remained some wretched-looking objects compared with those 

 under glass and with some Apricot trees by which they were 

 associated. The Apricot does remarkably well here, there being 

 a wall of considerable length devoted entirely to those trees, 

 from c& which good crops had been gathered during the present 

 season, and the same had been the case with Peaches in the 

 houses, the latest one hanging stili in fruit. On the other walls 

 were excellent crops of Plums and Pears. Amongst the former 

 I noticed as good. Pond's Seedling, Eeine Claude de Bavay, 

 Jefferson, Victoria, Golden Drop, Magnum Bonum, Kirk's 

 Plum, Green Gage, and several others, the early ones having 

 been gathered. Pears were also represented on espalier trees 

 by the sides, as well as on the walls, while there were several 

 open standards of Pears and of Apples in the west slip. 



Extensive slips for the growth of fruit or vegetables sur- 

 rounded the garden on all aides but the north, which might be 

 called the back of the garden, and in these slips were crops of 

 fruit good for the year, seeing that Apples and Pears are very 

 scarce this season in most places ; and although the crop here 

 was not so heavy a one as that of last year, it must be pro- 

 nounced a good average one. The Celery I saw in the kitchen 

 garden was most excellent. Mr. Bogue has endeavoured to im- 

 prove this important vegetable, and by selecting the best varie- 

 ties has, in the course of years, succeeded in checking that 

 tendency to ran to seed which moat kinds of Celery have when 



grown too early. Solidity of stalk and hardihood are also 

 essential, and the quarters of this vegetable showed an even- 

 ness of growth, proving the uniformity and good qualities of 

 the kinds grown, Mr. Bogue told me that he had not been so 

 successful with winter Broccoli, the disasters of last season 

 proving too much for all the seclioas of this numerous family, 

 excepting a few of the very latest. Let us hope, however, that 

 a winter like the last one will not often be repeated, and that 

 the growth of this vegetable, checked as it has been by the dry 

 weather in August and September up to the 22nd, will not 

 partake of too much grossness after the autumn rains set in. 

 This was the misfortune of last year, when mild growing autumn 

 weather almost up to the time of severe frost, caused many of 

 the winter crops to became quite 5 feet high, and as tender as 

 a greenhouse plant. We are now led by our worthy cicerone 

 to an open spot in the park, whence a good view of the sur- 

 rounding country is to be obtained. Near here the former 

 msLnsion of Gorhambury stood, the residence of the great 

 Chancellor Bacon, and an old Oak is still pointed out as his 

 favourite tree. The traces of that edifice have, however, been 

 too completely obliterated to leave snfiicient marks to judge of 

 its character. Another building has also stood near at hand, 

 but whether older or more recent than the one occupied by the 

 great philosopher we are not able to say. 



Great places like Gorhambury, however noble in themselves, 

 are not always supplied with ail the modern improvements so 

 eS3ential to comfort, and here an ample supply of water has been 

 long felt a necessity. For many years a deep well and horse 

 pump were the means of supplying the mansion, but the pump 

 being at some distance, Ij;rd Verulam determined to dig 



