348 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r November 1, 1864. 



The dry weather and the grub had spoiled a border of China 

 Asters, in the culture of which Mr. Donaldson used to excel ; 

 but as a consolation to us we noticed a nice border of her- 

 baceous and bedding- plants, and were informed that this 

 border belonged to Lady Chesham, whence she could gather 

 flowers without interfering with the beauty of the rich par- 

 terre near the mansion. Something of this kind should 

 always be provided where cut flowers in quantity are a daily 

 desideratum. Nothing will so thoroughly paralyse energy 

 and effort, as finding a first-rate ted of yesterday trans- 

 formed into little better than a wreck to-day, through this 

 person and that being permitted to gather flowers from it 

 at pleasure. 



One other fact, and we finish the account of our morning's 

 inspection of this interesting place. On walking up the 

 bank from the pleasure ground we observed cast metal pipes 

 in trenches not yet filled (the joints, we think, closed with 

 lead), for transmitting water from the reservoir in a higher 

 position to the stables, garden, mansion, offices, clergy- 

 man's house, lie. This water of the reservoir is brought 

 up the hill from the lake by the action of a water-wheel. 

 TV"e did not see the wheel as the place was locked, but we 

 saw Air. Metcalfe, the able superintendent of the farm, 

 and his water-wheel was going, and helping to thresh, cut, 

 grind, saw timber, tic. The water to turn this wheel is 

 brought across through the wood by a wooden culvert from 

 the lake, and over what is called the old stream, which acts 

 as the tail course to the farm wheel. Mr. Metcalfe would 

 like more power, but the cascade is only high enough to 

 give him a breast instead of an overshot wheel. The wheel 

 that drives the machinery for the supply of water to the 

 mansion is entirely in a chamber beneath the ground level, 

 and the tail water comes out beneath the cascade. If the 

 water is too low to drive this wheel a horse can be employed 

 to work the machinery. The cascade is a fine feature with 

 the water foaming and frothing over it, but it is apt to be 

 dry when the farm wheel is worked during the day. Raise 

 the cascade some 18 inches, which raising would necessitate 

 but little alteration in the present banks of the lake, and 

 far enough back transfer the waters of the old stream into 

 the Colne ; and not only would much more power be given 

 to the wheels, but, as the old stream would supply as much 

 water as is now taken for working them, the cascade with 

 its tumbling and sparkling waters would be a thing of beauty 

 every hour of the day. "vVe need scarcely add that neatness 

 and good culture were everywhere conspicuous. 



The first word in the sixteenth line of the previous article, 

 page 333, should be " winding " instead of " building." — 

 E. Fish. 



PEOPCSAL FOE A EOSE COMMITTEE AT 

 PABIS. 



How can the inundation of new Roses from the continent 

 be stemmed advantageously to the English growers ? Facts 

 go to prove that out of the fifty new Roses annually sent to 

 this country not more than five or six live over three years 

 in the public mind, or are worthy of a place as distinct 

 varieties in any respectable Rose catalogue. 



While I believe that the years I860 and 1867, from the 

 great heat of the present and last season, will place English 

 raisers more on a level with their neighbours, something in 

 the meantime must be done to prevent English growers and 

 amateurs from being quite disgusted and discouraged in 

 buying new Roses. 



I would propose for consideration that a committee to 

 protect the interests of the Rose be formed in this country, 

 much on the principle of the Fruit Committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, to consist of say twenty of the first 

 Rose growers, to sit at Paris every month during the Rose 

 season. To carry this out a Rose Society would require to 

 hi set on foot, each member subscribing a fixed moderate 

 sum to defray expenses, including the sending out monthly 

 three or more of the above committee to preside at the 

 meeting in Paris, and give certificates of merit and prizes 

 for the best new productions. The English judgment and 

 taste would thus be better met, confidence restored, and 

 time and money saved, as it would not then be necessary to 

 grow in quantity hundreds of " novelties " two years before 

 ■they can be faithfully recommended for our gardens. The 



minds and pockets of honest nurserymen would not be hurt 

 by consigning hundreds, nay thousands of the well-grown 

 new Roses annually to the faggot-pile, where they ought to 

 be carefully put to make room for better varieties. 



Looking at the great and deserved love England has for 

 her Rose, I consider this subject, which I have but feebly laid 

 before your readers, worthy of the earnest attention of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society, and of all who are interested 

 in our national flower. — Hexbt Curtis, The Devon Eosery, 

 Torquay. 



LAEGE PEAES. 



Seeing in the Journal what the Rev. S. Reynolds Hole, of 

 Caunton Manor, near Newark, can produce from the Con- 

 seiller de la Conr Pear, I beg to enclose you a slip taken 

 from the Ev.mfries Standard, to show what can be produced 

 from the Duchesse d'Angouleme. The weight of the eight 

 Pears was 7 lbs. 14 ozs. — Gilbeet Tweedie. 



"A fruit-bearing Pear tree was shown by Mr. T. Tweedie, 

 and is quite a prodigy. By a process which Messrs. J. Palmer 

 and Son have carried out with singular success, the tree is 

 dwarfed in size, so as to gain in produce what it loses in 

 stature ; and this specimen (a Duchesse d'Angouleme) has, 

 under Mr. Tweedie' s careful management, proved so prolific 

 that, though little more than 4 feet high and growing in an 

 11-inch pot, it displayed eight immense Pears ; one measured 

 nearly 12 inches round, and weighed 14 ozs. ; another, of 

 rather greater circumference, weighed 11 lb. ; the rest of the 

 crop being worthy companions of these individual specimens. 



" TFTien at Annan, we had an opportunity which we gladly 

 1 embraced; of viewing the garden and greenhouse in which 

 Mr. T. Tweedie practises with so much success as an amateur 

 horticulturist ; and we feel sure that if merchants and others 

 of his class saw what he accomplishes with considerable care, 

 but at comparatively small pecuniary cost, the luxury of a 

 greenhouse would be much more generally indulged in. A 

 few rare exotics figured amongst its contents, and from the 

 roof hung quite a harvest of Grapes, similar to these large 

 specimens which lent opulence to the exhibition. An aviary 

 near by vied in attractiveness — we might almost say bore 

 away the palm from even the fruitful vinery. Such a col- 

 lection of the feathered tribes is, we suspect, not to be 

 readily found elsewhere in the possession of a private gentle- 

 man. In a shed — we cannot call it a cage — 20 feet by 9, 

 were more than a hundred birds, from the redbreast, the 

 lark, the blackbird, the thrush, and others of a commoner 

 kind, to the goldfinch, canary, starling, and pheasant, all 

 manifesting a loving fellowship with each other, and forming 

 such an interesting, happy family as was delightful to behold. 

 An Oak stump in the centre, and various shrubs in other 

 parts of the aviary, form the roosts or resting-places of the 

 plumaged race, and there they were seen hopping from 

 twig to twig, or taking a larger flight across, enjoying com- 

 parative freedom, and evidently in the highest comfort and 

 health. A golden pheasant is the paragon of the entire 

 establishment, and the creature, though superlatively hand- 

 some and most superbly attired, assumes no haughty airs, 

 and lives in amity with the humblest of his brethren. The 

 owner of this unique feathered republic is Mr. G. Tweedie, 

 who, we suppose, feels as much pleasure in presiding over it 

 as his brother does in his horticultural products." 



LAEGE CEOP OP PEACHES. 



Ix 1863 I ripened on eight trees 1600 Peaches, many of 

 immense size ; and in 1S64, the same "trees produced and 

 brought to perfection 2500 Peaches not so large, partly 

 owing to the drought. In the year 1863, about 4000 Peaches 

 had previously been taken off; and in 1864, at least 5000 

 were also removed. 



The eigBt trees are on a wall with a south-easterly aspect, 

 have been about eighteen years planted, and have generally 

 borne most abundant crops. In consequence of the fruit being 

 for some years destroyed by spring frosts, I had a covering 

 of thin canvass placed over them. In the first year when 

 removing the canvass, I found an abundant crop of fruit but 

 no leaves ; these had been destroyed from keeping the cover's 

 over the trees night and day. In a short time rresh leaves 

 came out, but all the fruit gradually disappeared. 



