666 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



succeed well in average seasons. The best of these, in my own experi- 

 ence, is ' Early Grosse Mignonne,' which seldom fails to yield a full crop, 

 which, when finished, have size, colour, and flavour scarcely inferior to the 

 best produce from under glass. Nectarines are scarcely so easily grown as 

 Peaches, but ' Rivers' Orange ' and ' Lord Napier ' generally give satis- 

 faction. Other reliable varieties are ' Elruge,' ' Violette Hative,' and 

 ' Newton.' 



Figs are more generally cultivated than Peaches and Nectarines, and 

 there are but few gardens possessing a wall or the end of a building but 

 can show one or more Fig trees. Some of these in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of Galloway House are of great age, and fruit very freely. 

 It however depends very much upon the weather conditions of early 

 autumn as to whether they will ripen, but as a rule they do so. The 

 largest-fruited and earliest is ' Castle Kennedy,' which seldom fails to ripen 

 thoroughly ; it is, however, the shiest to fruit, and until the trees attain 

 considerable age they are not satisfactory in this respect. * Brown Turkey ' 

 and ' Brunswick ' form a good succession to the last named. In places 

 near the coast protection in winter is unnecessary for Figs, but further 

 inland some kind of material is used on the approach of severe weather 

 to ward off the possible ill-effects. 



Small and Bush Fruits. — Under this heading are included some of 

 the most popular and certainly the most easily grown of hardy fruits. 

 The moist equable climate being favourable to the full development of 

 both plants and crops, and insect pests appearing to be less troublesome 

 than in many parts, the culture of some or other of these is carried out 

 in most gardens. 



Straivberries. — The small early varieties, as ' Black Prince,' ' John 

 Ruskin,' ' King of the Earlies,' and a few others, which held the premier 

 position for so long, have now been replaced to a great extent by ' Royal 

 Sovereign,' which possesses many good points, but we find the fruit is 

 very apt to rot rather than ripen during spells of very wet weather. 

 ' La Grosse Sucree,' ' Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury,' * Dumbarton 

 Castle,' ' President,' and ' Elton Pine ' maybe named as the best standard 

 varieties ; although many of the later introductions have given every 

 satisfaction as croppers and for quality. 



Gooseberries. — All varieties that I am acquainted with flourish here, 

 and where such is the case it is difficult to particularise ; but from among 

 others * Early Sulphur,' ' Hedgehog,' ' Berry's Early Kent,' ' Whitesmith,' 

 ' Rough Red,' ' Crown Bob,' ' Whinham's Industry,' and ' Warrington ' 

 can be confidently recommended for cropping and quality, either for 

 dessert or cooking, and they maintain the supply of this excellent fruit 

 over a long season. 



. Currants are also a very profitable crop. Black Currants being 

 especially prized for preserving. These seldom fail to bear freely, but of 

 late years the Black Currant mite has wrought much mischief in many 

 previously healthy plantations. Many of these have been formed from 

 very original stocks, and it would be difficult to name them ; but among 

 those of more recent date ' Baldwin's Champion ' and ' Lee's Prolific ' are 

 valued for the increased size of berry, but for weight of crop it is scarcely 

 possible to name any that are an improvement upon the older varieties. 



