August 23, 1864.] 



■TOTTRTSTAT, OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



151 



BUSH APRICOTS. 



The Apricot being a favourite fruit with me, I read with 

 interest the article in Xo. 177. Six years ago, come Xo- 

 vember, I planted two very young trees of the Breda 

 variety as bushes, and they grew so vigorously that when 

 four years had expired, they each of them measured fully 

 10 feet in height, and as much across, although rather 

 severely pinched and cut back. In the third and fourth 

 years they blossomed abundantly, but would not set fruit. 

 About this time your contributors and readers spoke out. 

 Some complained that they could obtain no fruit, and Mr. 

 Rivers advised that the trees should be turned into firewood. 

 I had at that moment come to the same conclusion (spring 

 of 1863), and had commenced cutting one down ; but when 

 about to sever the last leader of this fine bush, a fit of com- 

 passion seized me. I trimmed neatly the mutilated parts, 

 lifted the tree, and replanted it in another place. It bore 

 and ripened fruit the same year, and the untouched com- 

 panion bush also produced a heavy crop of delicious fruit. 

 This year they both bear a light but serviceable crop. 



The description of De Jonghe's Sweet Kernel Apricot 

 closely agrees with the Breda. Is it better, as a more 

 sure bearer ? or should I do well to plant De Jonghe's 

 Diainant ? At the present time I have scarcely any wall 

 to use, and am glad of bushes that succeed, as they take no 

 gardener's time. I can manage them myself, which I love 

 to do. The Apricot is a delightful companion all the grow- 

 ing season ; beautiful in blossom, beautiful in its lively 

 and luxuriant foliage, and not less so when occasionally 

 adorned with its golden.fruit. — Chakles Ellis, The Orchard., 

 Upper East Sheen. 



[Until the new varieties which you name have been grown 

 for some time in this country, it would be impossible to 

 answer your questions -n-ith certainty.] 



AMONG THE WELSH MOUNTAINS. 



" I should like to visit Wales if it were only to see the 

 Sambucus niger, the plant said to be always found near old 

 cottages, placed there by their first owners to beep away the 

 witches." So said a fair young lady not long since. " You 

 may remain at home and see it," was the reply; and a spray 

 of Elder was fetched from a neighbouring hedge. 



This is not quoted merely for the purpose of noting that 

 the Elder is usually found near old cottages in Wales and 

 elsewhere, and that it might have been placed there for 

 anti-witchery purposes, or hecause a favoured wine is made 

 from its berries, or a cosmetic from its flowers ; but the con- 

 versation is quoted as an example of things being sought 

 for at a far distance which might be obtained close at hand 

 — only because we do not know better. 



Take another instance. Englishmen go abroad in search 

 ■of the grand and the "beautiful, yet the writer of this has 

 ascended Table Mountain at the' Cape of Good Hope ; has 

 done the same among the rocky mountain passes of St. 

 Helena; and he ihas threaded his way among the jungled 

 hills of Sumatra. From all the lofty elevations of those 

 far-off lands he has looked TOpon Xature in some of her 

 grandest and most "beautiful aspects ; and now he records 

 his experience that their equals — their equals fully — are in 

 the mountain districts of North Wales. 



This is written sitting in a window looking down the lakes 

 of Llanberis, or, as they are here called, Lyn Padarn and 

 Lyn Peris. The densely wooded feet of the mountains Tr 

 Alltwen and Coel Mawr are on either hand coming down to 

 the lake's edges, and would have been bathed by the waters 

 but that a road has been cut around the margin. Xestling 

 in these mountain woods peep out a few white-walled cot- 

 tages ; in the distance, where the waters of the lakes com- 

 mingle, and on a rocky prominence, stands that castle of 

 many mythic tales — Dolbadarn ; and beyond that, towering 

 as if in emulation to excel in height, are Glyder fawr, Mynyd 

 fawr, and Snowdon.* In the garden borders near him are 

 in full bloom surpassingly fine specimens of Fuchsias, 

 Dahlias, and Hydrangeas — the latter blue-flowered without 

 the aid of the gardener. Truly this mountain-enclosed 

 valley is a combination of the grand, the beautiful, and the 

 * Glydyr fawr is 3275 feet high ; Mynyd fawr, 2293 ; and Snowdon, 3570. 



cultivated, which may be often equalled but cannot be much 

 excelled. 



Other lessons, however, are to be learned among the Welsh 

 mountains, and they shall be jotted down, though small 

 details are felt as a descent after sweeping over such a grand 

 total. 



The present year has given birth to a cry against hotel 

 landlords that has swollen into a mania for joint-stock-com- 

 pany hotels ; whereas it would have been wiser to encourage 

 those landlords who manage their establishments liberally, 

 make their hotels enjoyable, and charge moderately. If 

 asked where such are to be found, I reply there are many 

 such in Xorth Wales ; and two at once rise upon my memory 

 — the hotel at Capel Curig, and the Penrhyn Arms at Ban- 

 gor. Moreover, they are surrounded by gardens thrown 

 open to visitors, well ornamented with flowers, shrubs, and 

 trees, and preserved in order such as is only usual in private 

 establishments. 



Xot far from the Penrhyn Arms, which I would select as 

 a model hotel, occurs that model village, Llandegai. I 

 visited the place to see the tomb of James the First's Lord 

 Keeper, Archbishop Williams, but was far more gratified by 

 the entire village. Every cottage, built of stone and slated, 

 is a model of cleanliness and perfect repair ; every hedge is 

 Quick, uniform in height, and scrupulously clipped to a 

 pyramidal form ; every cottage has a garden, and every 

 garden is fully stocked and well cultivated. Every cottager 

 is tidy ; and I visited the place more than onoe, attracted 

 by the appearance of comfort and contentment which seemed 

 all-prevalent ; and it is no exaggeration to say that I felt 

 the happier for looking upon a place where labour and re- 

 spectability, utility and perfect order, are so intimately com- 

 bined. 



Cottage gardening there is pursued under favourable cir- 

 cumstances. Lord Penrhyn is its patron, and a sheltered 

 valley contributes alluvial soil and a genial temperature ; 

 but I have seen gardening in Xorth Wales pursued under 

 no ordinary difficulties. 



At Capel Curig I strolled up a mountain side to an eleva- 

 tion on which clung a plantation. Hazel had there been com- 

 bating with the elements, and was worsted in the struggle. 

 Birch, however, defied the winds and oth^r mountain seve- 

 rities ; and just above them on a ledge of the mountain was 

 imbedded a cottage. It has even a name in the ordnance map 

 — Bryn Engyn. I could say much about the simple manners 

 and kindliness of its tenants, but they chatted only in 

 Welsh, and so we could only telegraph by nods, and finger- 

 pointings, and smiles, there were no frowns needed. Well, 

 in this region of Birches was a small garden, with a wall 

 needfully high to protect its tenants, which were Goose- 

 berries, Black Currants, Cabbages, Carrots, Potatoes, Tur- 

 nips, and Peas, just ready (August 6th) for use — a tall late 

 sort. Xothing could be said in commendation of the horti- 

 cultural skill displayed, but the produce of the vegetables . 

 was a full average, except of the Carrots, and they would not 

 require this exception had they been sufficiently thinned. 



Good gardening, however, or gardening of any degree of 

 merit or demerit, does not characterise Xorth Wales ; but it 

 is satisfactory to notice that there is such a prevalent taste 

 for botany among tourists, that there are residents who 

 specially announce their readiness to aid in guiding to the 

 localities where rare plants dwell, to assist in naming and 

 mounting them, and to supply specimens. As examples, 

 there is Mrs. Sykes, at Llandudno, and "John Roberts, 

 Botanical Guide," at Llanberis. The latter has a green- 

 house in which he has for sale potted Ferns, natives of the 

 vicinity, and the list is not scanty. 



Whoever intends to ascend Snowdon, should do so from 

 Llanberis. There is no more either of difficulty or danger 

 in accomplishing the ascent from thence, than there is in 

 ascending any steep, stony bridle-way, for the road is only 

 traversable on horseback or on foot. So little is the diffi- 

 culty, that an invalid lady, incapable of walking anywhere 

 without support, reached with me the extreme summit of 

 Snowdon, mounted on a mule, and aided by that most 

 attentive and careful of guides, Elias Roberts, brother of the 

 " Botanical Guide." The supply of " Snowdon ponies " is 

 ample — sturdy, sure-footed beasts, not to be urged out of 

 what they know is a safe, short-stepped walk, by any 

 amount of persuasion, verbal or whackamical ; and if the 



