312 



JOURNAL OF HOETICTJLTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ October IS, lSSi. 



though we axe on the west coast of "Wales, it hitherto has 

 not done well here. Last year it lived through the winter in 

 a cold frame. I have tried it in the hothouse, it began to 

 shrivel there. It does not succeed much better in the 

 greenhouse. I am inclined next year to try it out of doors. 



Woodsia ilvensis grows without any particular care in our 

 fernery, which is under the shade of a large Beech tree. — 

 A Fern-geowee, Peniarth, Merionethshire. 



COjSTSELLLER DE LA COUR PEAR. 



The Rev. S. Eeynolds Hole, of Caunton Manor, near 

 Newark, informs us that he has just weighed two fruit of 

 that variety, and he wants to know "whether 18i ozs is, or 

 is not, an unusual weight for a delicious dessert Pear grown 

 in a midland county ; " to which we readily reply that it 

 is an astonishing weight for this, or any other delicious 

 dessert Pear. The greater experience we have of Conseiller 

 de la Cour, or Marechal de la Cour, as it is sometimes called, 

 teaches us that it is not only one of the finest Pears in cul- 

 tivation, but that it is one which does not confine its fine 

 qualities to certain, or very highly favoured localities, but 

 will succeed even in those districts where the choicest Pears 

 are rarely to be met with in perfection. 



MR. J. CATTELL'S MJRSERT, WESTERHAM. 



Wheeevee gardening is carried on with energy, combined 

 with skill and careful management, there is much to see 

 that is both interesting and pleasing, as well to the pro- 

 fessional horticulturist as to the amateur. This is more 

 particularly the case in extensive grounds, where, from the 

 variety of subjects presented to notice, the ability of the 

 cultivator is rendered more manifest. The perseverance of 

 English gardeners is often a theme for eulogy, and we are 

 all proud of their exploits, and, as Englishmen, we all love 

 to praise and admire their achievements. Such was the 

 pleasure I experienced on a visit to Mr. Cattell's nursery at 

 the end of last month. 



The nursery, situated on the north side of the town of 

 "Westerham, has been established many years, and is too 

 well known to the horticultural world to need particular 

 description. For the information of your readers it may be 

 as well to state that it is easily reached from the Sevenoaks 

 Station, a few miles to the east, or from the Caterham 

 terminus by the omnibus, passing through the villages of 

 Oxted and Limpsfield, just under the eastern portion of the 

 ridge of the North Downs, one of the prettiest drives in the 

 county of Surrey. 



The premises have been greatly improved by the entire 

 rebuilding of the seed warehouse, offices, shop, and residence, 

 with a handsome frontage in the High Street of "Westerham 

 now in course of completion, and which will add greatly to 

 the convenience of the establishment. 



Passing through the building the visitor at once enters 

 the nursery. The first object of attraction is a belt of 

 Conifers, with some ornamental shrubs intermixed, on each 

 side of the road leading to the lower part of the grounds. 

 This plantation, which is of considerable length, contains all 

 the varieties now ordinarily used for ornamental purposes, 

 excepting the larger Pinuses, with many beautiful kinds of 

 recent introduction. Being tastefully arranged, the view 

 from the upper end is very striking; the more so at this 

 time of year, when the diversity of the foliage of the 

 coniferous tribe is seen to the best advantage ; and, being 

 interspersed with the variegated forms of the Holly, Box, 

 Negundo, Syringa, the effect is considerably heightened. 

 Among the Conifers are fine specimens of Abies (Picea) 

 nobilis, A. Nordmanniana ; Cupressus Lawsoniana, C. ma- 

 crocarpa, C. Goveniana; Thuja gigantea, T. aurea; Thu- 

 jopsis borealis ; Juniperus drupacea, the curious J. sphterica, 

 J. hibemica compressa, a very diminutive form of the Irish 

 Juniper ; Abies clanbrasiliana and A. pymasa. The ground 

 on each side of these belts is appropriated to seed-plots for 

 kitchen garden plants, Strawberries, and some herbaceous 

 and annual flowers. 



Crossing the public road which divides the nursery, the 

 principal compartment is entered containing the stock of 

 American plants, a very complete collection in exceUen 



condition, notwithstanding the long drought of the summer, 

 which has seriously affected this class of plants in many 

 parts of Surrey, and probably in other localities where the 

 soil is not naturally adapted to them. Here were also the 

 quarters for the Eoses and the more choice ornamental 

 shrubs, the orchard-house, propagating-houses, flower-beds, 

 and the Dahlias, then in magnificent bloom. 



Eoses form an important branch of the business here, and 

 have been successfully cultivated for many years, the stock 

 numbering many thousands. To see one particular kind 

 was the chief object of my visit. A new seedling raised by 

 Mr. Cattell is being sent out this autumn for the first time 

 it is named "Beauty of Westerham," and is one more 

 instance that good Eoses can be originated in this country. 

 When I first saw a single bloom of it, now more than two 

 years ago, in a box exhibited at the annual Show of the 

 Blechingley and Nutfield Cottage Garden Society, in com- 

 pany with Victor Verdier, Senateur Vaisse, Madame Furtado, 

 Louis XIV., Madame C. Crapelet, and others, then compara- 

 tively new Eoses, it appeared a beautiful and distinct 

 flower. I expressed my opinion of it at the time in another 

 journal, and a further acquaintance with it gives me no 

 reason to change my opinion. Its qualities may be thus 

 summed up. As an English production it is well calculated 

 to withstand the vicissitudes of our climate, being vigorous 

 in habit, with bright green foliage, blooming freely all 

 the season, dehghtfully fragrant, equalling in that respect 

 Madame Furtado, and of a rich scarlet crimson colour. It 

 will be said that we have enough crimson scarlet Eoses ; 

 and all who have seen the noble blooms of Senateur Vaisse, 

 Charles Lefebvre, Beauty of Waltham, Lord Clyde, Gloire 

 de Santenay, Maurice Bernardin, Due de Eohan, and some 

 others that have this year been produced and exhibited, 

 must acknowledge that we are rich in this colour, yet Beauty 

 of Westerham is distinct from any of the above varieties ; 

 and Mr. Cattell is quite justified in sending it out as a 

 useful addition to our Hybrid Perpetual Eoses. 



Another novelty, of a very different nature from the pre- 

 ceding, is a Tropseolum called Foxhunter, obtained by Mr. 

 Farmer, the intelligent foreman, from T. Schultzi. This 

 will prove a very useful bedding plant, where masses of 

 colour are sought for, being a most profuse-blooming kind, 

 Of a very brilliant scarlet. A peculiarity of this TropEeolum 

 is the sending out spurs 3 or 4 inches long at every joint 

 along the stem, producing abundance of flowers. Mr. 

 Farmer informed me that it is the freest-blooming Tropaeolum 

 he has ever known. The foliage somewhat resembles the 

 well-known Crystal Palace kind. 



The fine weather previous to my visit had brought out the 

 Dahlia blooms in great abundance and perfection. The 

 large plot of ground planted with Dahlias afforded a splendid 

 sight. Mr. Cattell is not unknown to fame in connection 

 with this flower, having on several occasions boldly entered 

 the lists with the Hector and Achilles of Dahlia growers 

 from Slough and Salisbury. 



Not being a connoisseur of Dahlias, I speak with di ffi dence 

 about them. Of the great number of varieties, I could not 

 but admire the large and magnificent blooms of Andrew 

 Dodds, Midnight, and Triomphe de Pecq, among the dark 

 kinds ; Lord Palmerston, John Keynes, scarlet ; Lord Derby, 

 crimson; Queen, Golden Drop, and Gold finder, primrose 

 and yellow ; Juno, lilac ; Hon. Mrs. Trotter, Miss Pressley, 

 and Charles Turner, mottled or tipped at the edges of the 

 petals. 



A walk through the orchard-house necessarily concluded 

 my visit, for, although there was much more to see, my time 

 was limited. This orchard-house is what I have been taught 

 in the columns of this Journal an orchard-house ought to be 

 — viz., a simple wood-and-glass structure to protect fruit 

 trees from the inclemencies of this variable climate, and to 

 further the ripening of the fruit without the aid of artificial 

 heat. Mr. Farmer informed me that the house in question 

 fully answered the purpose it was intended for. His ex- 

 planation was very simple. The trees which are all in pots 

 are brought into the house in February, when the sap gene- 

 rally begins to rise. After they have fruited, and the young 

 wood is thoroughly ripened, they are brought out and fully 

 exposed during the winter. On their treatment while 

 under cover it is no part of mine to enter, not pretending to 

 sufficient acquaintance with the subject further than the 



