September 27, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



255 



most difficult matters for solution is the re-distribution of pro- 

 perty. To find the rightful owner in cases where a whole family 

 have been destroyed and settle such never-ending conflict of 

 claims will find employment for generations of Turkish lawyers, 

 if the fate of the war leaves it to them to deoide; while the ad- 

 ditional complication may arise of confiscation for the Bulgarians 

 Who have joined the Russians and have become de facto rebels, 

 or for the Turks who may be mulcted in their land for in- 

 demnities to Bulgarians whose property they have destroyed. 

 Whichever side gains the day, it will open a fruitful field for 

 roguery and rapacity, and the unhappy dwellers in these lands 

 ■will by no means see their troubles terminate with the war." — 

 (.Times.) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The International Potato Exhibition will be held in the 

 Royal Aquarium on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday next. 

 Considering the peculiarities of the season, the Exhibition 

 should, and we do not doubt will, prove especially useful as 

 illustrative of the relative value of varieties, and methods of 

 cultivation. It is certain that good cultivation is in some 

 degree preventive of disease, for in the worst Potato years the 

 Potato fanciers lift good sound crops. 



The finest Golden Champion Grapes we have yet seen 



have been grown this year by Mr. Mowbray, gardener to the 

 Earl of Leven and Melville at Fulmer, Bucks. A Vine is 

 planted at the back of the vinery and trained a few feet down 

 the roof. It produced splendid fruit last year, and this year 

 it has produced bunches as regular as any Black Hamburghs, 

 while some of the berries measured folly 4J inches in circum- 

 ference. They were perfectly free from spot, were of a clear 

 amber colour, and of excellent flavour. They would have 

 gladdened the eyes of Mr. Thomson as they did those of Mr. 

 Solomon, the eminent fruiterer of Covent Garden, who pro- 

 nounced them superior even to the Clovenfords produce. A 

 small bunch from this Vine was awarded an extra prize at the 

 Crystal Palace Show. 



Mr. Dobree, The Priory, Wellington, Somerset, had 



the first prize in the amateurs' class for twenty-four Dahlias 

 at the Alexandra Show. The other prize-winners in that class 

 were named in our report. In the class for twelve Fancy 

 Dahlias the prizes were awarded to Messrs. Keynes, Dobree, 

 Glasscock, Rawlings Brothers, and Saltmarsh & Sons. 



In last week's Journal a correspondent asks about 



Beechnuts. We have here some fine specimens of Beeches ; 

 they are so loaded with nuts that they have assumed quite a 

 pendant habit, which adds quite a charm to their noble appear- 

 ance. I never saw them so loaded before ; the squirrels are 

 having a jolly time of it among them, but that does not prevent 

 the rascals visiting our choice Filbert plantations. — North 

 York. 



On the 18th inst. the Master (Mr. Samuel Williams), 



the Wardens (Mr. Henry Bollen and Mr. Alderman Knight), 

 and the Court of the Fruiterers' Company, waited by appoint- 

 ment upon the Lord Mayor in the saloon of the Mansion House, 

 and presented him with an excellent assortment of the choicest 

 erupts of the season, including Grapes, Peaches, Apples, 

 Pears, Melons, and Green Gages. Formerly the gift consisted 

 of twelve bushels of Apples, which, neatly packed in clean 

 baskets and covered with linen napkins, where brought from 

 Farringdon Market by porters, escorted by the beadle of the 

 Company, to the Mansion House. On its arrival in former 

 days the Lady Mayoress used to direct the housekeeper to take 

 charge of the fruit and put a bottle of wine in each basket for 

 the use of the carriers, who were " regaled " with a dinner. 

 At the ceremony on the 18 th the Lord Mayor was accom- 

 panied by Lord Elcho, M.P., Mr. Scott Russell, the Rev. R. J. 

 Simpson, Sir John Bennett, and other gentlemen who had 

 been with him on public business. The Master of the Company 

 in appropriate terms offered the fruit for the Lord Mayor's 

 acceptance, and his lordship suitably acknowledged the gift, 

 and, following the custom, invited the Company to dine with 

 him at the Mansion House later in the year. James I. in the 

 year 1605 instituted the Fruiterers' Company, and granted 

 them arms — these are the Tree of Knowledge entwined by a 

 serpent, and Adam and Eve standing one on each side. The 

 Company's motto is " Deus dat incrementum," God gives the 

 increase. 



The Berkhampstead Cottaoe Garden Society held 



their annual Exhibition of flowers, fruit, and vegetables at 

 Berklaampstead on the 17th inBt., under the presidency of 



Earl Brownlow. During the afternoon Mr. John Hunter 

 delivered a lecture on bee-culture, accompanied by practical 

 demonstrations with living bees, which much interested the 

 large company assembled. 



NOTES on VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING, 



The changing of colour of Virginian Creepers and various 

 other trees and shrubs which precedes the fall of the leaf only 

 tells too plainly that autumn is near at hand. We must prepare 

 ourselves to meet it. Greenhouses and other structures that 

 have been emptied of their occupants for the purpose of harden- 

 ing-off or for enabling such houses to have a complete overhaul 

 in the way of repairing, painting, and whitewashing, ought now 

 to be completed, and ihe plants be returned at once to their 

 various homes. 



Cuttings of Geraniums and other plants likely to suffer by 

 frost, and which were recommended some time since to be placed 

 out of doors, will require to be watched. la the case of Budden 

 frost any temporary covering will protect them, but potting 

 them singly in Bmall 60's and. housing them must be proceeded 

 with as rapidly as possible. It frequently happens that we have 

 just sufficient frost on one or more nights to turn the more 

 tender plants black and useless, and afterwards a short period 

 of warm and fine weather. We have already heard of frost 

 occurring in several localities, but where French Beans and 

 Vegetable Marrows have not suffered a timely covering over 

 these on unfavourable nights will proloDg their supply. 



Any Alternantheras or other bedding plants required as stock 

 plants to furni6h cuttings in the spring should be taken up, 

 potted, and placed in a warm house at once ; but every effort 

 should be made to prolong the attractive beauty of the flower 

 garden for a little while yet by occasionally running the mowing 

 machine over the lawns, picking off decayed flower trusses, 

 clipping the edges of the beds, and sweeping up the wormcasts, 

 which are becoming troublesome. 



Note any errors in the arrangement of your flower beds that 

 you wish to remedy for another season before it is too late. 



Alterations and making of new borders, beds, and plantations 

 can be now commenced ; the weather of late has been very 

 favourable to the lifting and transplanting of all shrubs and for 

 the relaying of turf. It too frequently happens that in laying 

 out villa gardenB a great variety of shrubs are planted. Some- 

 times good specimen plants are planted amongBt Laurels and 

 other commoner shrubs ; this is a mistake, and nearly always 

 when a garden is first laid out the shrubberies are planted 

 thickly so as to give effect at once. Wherever this is done the 

 shrubs will require timely thinning, otherwise they will grow 

 into each other and become a tangled mass. A judicious thin- 

 ning becomes absolutely neceBsary, and if there is room in other 

 parts of the lawn or grounds we advise preparing other borders 

 to receive them, and if this ia begun at once the transplanted 

 shrubs will have a chance of making fresh roots before the ex- 

 treme cold weather is with us. 



Ehododendrons remove well at any time ; their small fibrous 

 roots are so numerous that a good workman finds no difficulty 

 in lifting them with sufficient balls to ensure their safe re- 

 moval. Very many of the Conifers have Btrong coarse roots, 

 particularly the Wellingtonias ard Cupressuses, it would there- 

 fore be almost certain death to remove any of these that had 

 made rapid growth and become coarse at the roots; it would be 

 far better to root-prune them firBt for a Beason and lift them 

 the next. In all our best nurseries from whence specimen 

 shrubs are annually supplied the whole of them are annually 

 lifted to prevent a coarse root-action, and consequently to pro- 

 mote the emission of fibrous roots around the stem, and large 

 shrubs are then lifted and sent safely almost any distance. 

 Tews, Laurels, and many other shrubs will bear lifting better; 

 they may also be out-in with a knife to make space to admit 

 light and air to choice contiguous specimens. In preparing for 

 freBh plantations trench the ground deeply, for shrubs will make 

 much more rapid progress in well-prepared ground than in 

 ground which has had little or no preparation; and it is surpris- 

 ing how well most shrubs will grow in poor stony subsoil if it 

 has once been deeply broken up and become incorporated with 

 the top soil. We have had great experience with poor, light, 

 gravelly soils, and by adopting the above method and keeping 

 down weedB during the Bummer Bhrubs of all kinds have grown 

 exceedingly well. Anoi her very important point in removing 

 shrubs is to plant them again as speedily as possible, for the 

 shorter time their roots are exposed to the air the greater is the 

 chance of their taking more speedily to their new quarters. 



In the kitchen-garden department continue to plant-out 

 for the Bpring Bupply Cabbage plants as they become strong 

 enough. Thin the autumn-sown Onions if there is a likelihood 

 of their being too thick. The thinnings may be transplanted, or 

 used young. Continue planting-out fresh breadths of Endive 

 and Lettuce, and tie-up both kinds, if required, to blanch ; also- 

 earth-np Celery, choosing dry dayB for this work. The first 

 planted rows will now be ready to receive the final earthing-up. 



