December 27, 1S64. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



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themselves cut out altogether by fruit grown in a more 

 genial clime, and purchased, begged, or borrowed purposely 

 for this Exhibition — and by whom? Why by one of the 

 Honorary Secretaries. 



The Pears and Apples from Jersey were certainly very 

 fine indeed, but it is out of all reason for them to come into 

 competition with English-grown fruit; and therefore, as I 

 said before, it shows the absolute necessity of distinct classes 

 for all foreign fruits, if any satisfaction is to be given. 



Lastly. I agree with Mr. Miller in thinking that a tho- 

 roughly healthy horticultural society is much wanted in Bir- 

 mingham ; but at the same time I trust the next schedule 

 of a fruit show that may be issued, will be one that will not 

 only tempt but repay thoroughly good fruit-cultivators to 

 put in an appearance, so that really fine English fruit may 

 meet with its deserts, and not all the principal prizes go to 

 foreign fruit-jobbers. — W. H. Treen. 



WINTEEING PLANTS WITHOUT AETIFICIAL 

 HEAT. 



In your Number of December 13th, there is an inquiry 

 from a " Yotjno Gakdeneb " as to the best method of pre- 

 serving his bedding plants during the winter in an unheated 

 greenhouse. This is a difficulty that must have forced itself 

 upon the attention of gardeners over and over again, espe- 

 cially of late years when so large a stock of bedding plants 

 is required. 



Professor Piazzi Smyth informs us that from careful ob- 

 servations carried on for many years at the Royal Obser- 

 vatory at Edinburgh, it is found that the mean semi-annual 

 variation of heat amounts at the surface of the ground to 

 50° Fah. ,- at 3 inches under the surface 30° ; at 3 feet 16° ; 

 at 6 feet 10" ; at 12 feet 5° ; at 24 feet 1°. 



Thus we see that at a depth of only 6 feet, the mean va- 

 riation is five times less than at the surface of the ground. 

 I cannot, therefore, help thinking that the knowledge of 

 these facts might lead gardeners to a solution of their diffi- 

 culty. Let the house intended for the preservation of plants 

 during the winter be sunk 6 or 8 feet below the surface of 

 the ground, and you may do away with flues, and pipes, and 

 charcoal, with their disagreeable accompaniments of coal 

 and smoke and ashes, to say nothing of the expense, and 

 constant attention and anxiety which attend them. 



As regards light, the glass roof would be the same as now. 

 For ventilation, air might be admitted to the bottom by 

 means of a pipe, similar to the wind-sails for admitting air 

 to the holds of ships, with two or three ventilators or aper- 

 tures at the top of the structure ; and the necessary drainage 

 could be easily effected. 



It also appears to me that the present sloping stages with 

 the plants in pots exposed to the air on all sides, are very 

 unsuitable for preserving them during the winter. Would 

 not horizontal stages be better? the plants being placed 

 in boxes somewhat larger than Mignonette boxes ; and two 

 or three of these h orizontal stages might be arranged one 

 over the other, thus accommodating a greater number of 

 plants. The lower stage would not have much light, but 

 that is not of vital importance with the present object. 



If additional security against frost were required, a baize 

 cloth might be stretched when necessary at the top of the 

 house, from back to front, about 1 foot beneath the glass. I 

 have made the above remarks merely by way of suggestions. 

 — Isle of Wight. 



LATE MELONS. 

 I see in your report of the Fruit Committee of the 

 Horticultural Society that a Melon was exhibited by Mr. 

 Short, gardener at Clewer Park,- Windsor, of excellent 

 quality for so late in the season. I cannot but congratulate 

 Mr. Short on such a decided success. A late Melon cannot 

 be otherwise than a decided acquisition where much fruit is 

 in demand, more especially when it is required to be of good 

 flavour. Some time ago I communicated an article to your 

 pages pointing out the desirability of a good late Melon, as 

 I then considered such possible, and I am glad such results 

 are alreadj accomplished. When gardener at Crom Castle 



in Ireland, Mr. Short kindly forwarded me a few seeds of a 

 Melon called " Graham's." I changed my abode before the 

 Melon was ready for table, but I understand from my suc- 

 cessor that " Graham's " Melon is a first-rate kind as regards 

 flavour, being the best by far amongst a good many other 

 kinds. Mr. Short appears to possess some really good kinds, 

 which I hope he will enable other cultivators to obtain. — 

 John Edlington, Wrotham Park, Barnet. 



PEOTECTING BUDS FEOM BLEDS. 

 I was much struck the other day while walking round the 

 grounds of my neighbour, Mr. Rivers, with two rows of 

 Plum trees, large pyramids from 12 to 14 feet high, and 

 nearly as many years old, all apparently surrounded by a 

 network of lace, which in the bright sunshine was quite 

 dazzling, owing to the heavy coat of rime on each thread. I 

 found on inquiry that the buds of these Plum trees were in- 

 such high favour with the sparrows and bullfinches, that 

 they usually stripped the trees during the winter, not 

 attacking trees of other sorts growing near them, the buds 

 of the sort in question, the Reine Claude de Bavay Plum, 

 being apparently their favourite food. On examining the 

 trees I found the apparent network formed by white worsted 

 carried round the outside shoots of each tree, with a twist 

 round the ends of several twigs to make it hold fast. It 

 thus formed a net with meshes from 1$ to 2 feet in diameter. 

 I was assured that this was an old custom, but a sure pre- 

 ventive to the vexations depredations cf bud-eating birds. I 

 observed, also, on the lawn some large bushes of the May 

 Duke Cherry, the buds of which are such especial favourites 

 with bullfinches, protected by white worsted, and not a bud 

 was touched. The cost and trouble were not heavy, 2J lbs. 

 of worsted and two boys with a short ladder netted one 

 hundred large Plum trees in two days. — Pbunus. 



WHITE ISCHIA FIG— CANABY AND HONEY 

 PEACHES. 



In reply to " R. F.'s " inquiry '(page 439) regarding the 

 White Ischia Fig, I cultivated it many years in a house 

 without heat, but never obtained anything more than a 

 stray specimen of fruit. This was, of course, fruit of the 

 first crop. Upon making inquiries of a Fig amateur who 

 had lived in Italy, I was informed that the White Ischia 

 was equally loth to give a first crop in its native land, so I 

 put my plant into a heated house, and now obtain an 

 abundant second or autumnal crop. Its flavour is so pecu- 

 liar and so excellent, that I have increased my stock, and 

 tried one tree in the border of the house, but the fruit was 

 no larger than from pots. The compact growth of this 

 variety makes it very desirable where space is scarce. 



In page 430 of your Journal Mr. Brehaut appears to say 

 that a Canary Peach ripened in his orchard-house on. the 

 11th July. Surely, if this is not a misprint, the house must 

 have been heated. The Honey Peach, to which he also 

 refers, is a most singular fruit. In taste it is very sweet ; 

 but the shape is so like a swollen almond that it is possible 

 that the Peaches described by the ancient Romans may have 

 been nearly allied to this variety. — S. B. 



NEW BOOK. 



The Cottager's Garden Guide. Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot. 

 London : Hamilton, Adams & Co. 

 We believe that it is no secret, and we are sure that it 

 ought not to be, that this excellent little threepenny book 

 was prepared by Mr. Cunningham, a writer to the signet, 

 and landed proprietor in Scotland. He had observed, as all 

 must have observed who have travelled among highland and 

 lowland cottiers, that they, as a rule, neglect gardening. 

 There are many notable exceptions to be met with, but 

 generally the Scotch cottager neglects his garden. This, at 

 the first thought, seems the more surprising, because gar- 

 deners are one of the three great exports of Scotland, 

 doctors and black cattle being the other two; but if we 

 inquire we find that the gardeners by profession are not 



