850 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 80, 1885. 
ference of about 28 feet. There are nine primary branches, the largest of 
which has a circumference of 14 feet at 5 feet from the ground. Several 
large branches have been broken off and removed, otherwise it is likely a 
much larger diameter of head could be recorded, but as near as one could 
ascertain from one extremity of the branches to the other is not less than 
63 feet. The trunk of the next specimen is more perfect, and is undivided 
up to a height of 8 feet from the ground. I measured its circumference at 
5 feet from the ground, and it was not less than 19 feet of solid trunk. 
The bole of No. 3 was also pretty perfect, with a circumference of 13 feet. 
The fourth, as previou-ly mentioned, is much smaller than and distinct 
from the rest. Long may these patriarchs remain in their present 
position in such harmony with the huge piles of metamorphic rocks sur¬ 
rounding them.—J. T. R. 
DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH GRAPE. 
In reply to “ A Duke Grower,” let me say that while it was not my 
intention to recommend the Duke as an early forcing Grape, I admit 
that what I set forth in the circular can be construed to mean that. Had 
I clearly stated that it was an excellent early forcing Grape—that is to 
say, a Grape that would force in the same house as the Black Hamburgh, 
and ripen on the 1st of May, and ready for table before its black companion, 
I would only have been stating what I knew to be truth. 
I suppose your correspondent must have observed that a wound made 
on a Vine just as it starts into growth bleeds, and he must also have made 
note that a wound made on the same Vine when in full bloom does not 
bleed; yet he writes, “ One would naturally expect the extra sap to run 
out at the hole made by the gimlet for its escape, but no one ever saw 
anything of the kind happen.” To enter into a controversy on such a 
question with one who expects to see gap flowing from a gimlet wound 
made in a Vine in full growth would be beating the air. I, and no doubt 
many others, will be much interested if your contributor, “A Thinker,” 
will explain to us how he proves it to be a settled fact “ that moisture 
passes from the atmosphere into the fruit and causes splitting.—W m. 
Thomson. 
“A. W.” sends the following note on Heightening Birds: —“A 
remarkable instance of the efficacy of a beaver hat to scare birds from 
Peas was discovered the other day in the garden at The Beeches, 
Guildford. So ‘ frightened ’ were the birds that a nest containing three 
eggs was found in an old hat used to keep them away.” 
-Mr. G. Bates of Calcott Gardens, near Reading, has sent us a 
very simple, but very efficient, contrivance for distributing water 
from Watering pots. Its effect is the same as that which is produced 
by a kind of the French watering pot, where thejwater is spread out 
like a sheet instead of passing as a shower through a perforated rose. 
In the French pots the spreader is fixed, but in this case it is moveable 
like a rose, and we consider it a very useful appliance. 
- We are informed by a correspondent that the eighteen 
Hyacinths to which the Lord Lieutenant’s cup was awarded at the last 
show of the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland were probably 
the finest that have ever bean exhibited there. The cup was taken by 
Mr. Shapland M. Landy of Clarendon Park House, Kingstown, and it is 
interesting to notice that he is again taking the high place as an exhibitor 
which he used to hold, until circumstances led him for some years to 
discontinue exhibiting. As a grower and exhibitor of Auriculas, Hyacinths, 
and Gladioli he at one time held the very foremost place, and it is 
hoped that this great success is but the augury of future triumphs. 
-Eclipse Strawberry for Forcing. — Mr. Pithers sends 
us ripe fruit of this variety from Summerhill Gardens, County Meath, 
the variety, he says, succeeds better than any other, bearing from 
eight to ten fruits on a plant. They are very fine indeed. Our corre¬ 
spondent observes, “ We are nearly washed away with rain.” All 
over the south of England pastures and crops generally have been 
suffering by the want of it, but on Tuesday night we had a welcome 
shower. 
-We are desired to announce that the Cray Valley and Sidcup 
Horticultural Society will hold their exhibition on July 11th, 1885 ; 
and West Grinstead Horticultural Society on August 26th, 1885. 
- “ J. C.” sends some flowers of Anemone Chrysanthemum 
Astarte, very fresh, bright, and beautiful, and states that he has been 
cutting from the variety every week since January. The plants did not 
flower until placed in a temperature of 50° to 60° at night, but since 
then it has been very satisfactory. For late flowering such a variety 
is extremely useful, but have other growers found it similarly late ? 
- The Cineraria has found a most congenial home at Farnham 
Royal, near Slough, where Mr. James now has a fine collection numbering 
some thousands, growing and flowering in great luxuriance, promising a 
fine seed harvest. Every plant is a picture of health, large dark green 
foliage completely hiding the pots, and surmounted by grand heads of 
blooms. The individual flowers of some reach the extraordinary size of 
4 inches in diameter, and the colours throughout are extremely varied and 
rich, especially the dark seifs, of fine substance and perfect shape. Mr. 
James has been honoured with both the gold and silver medals of the 
Royal Horticultural Society for his collections of Cinerarias. In a few 
weeks the Calceolaria 0 , for which he is also famous, will present a still 
more brilliant mass of colour. 
- ‘“A. W., Guildford," observes :—“ In walking through the fine 
old gardens of historical Loseley Park, near Guildford, the other day, Mr. 
Begg, the gardener, called my attention to half a dozen plants of a very 
fine dwarf and compact variety of Myosotis sylvatica. The flowers 
are of a darker blue, are larger and finer than those of M. sylvatica ; it is 
only 3 inches high, and resembles very much the character of Lobelia 
Emperor William for compactness and free flowering. I believe it will 
become one of the finest varieties for spring bedding.” 
- The International Inventions Exhibition Railway Guide and 
Route Book, compiled and edited by Mr. J. R. Somers Vine, is now being 
issued by Messrs. W. Clowes & Sons, who are the authorised publishers 
of the guide books in reference to the Exhibition, which will shortly be 
opened at South Kensington. The “ Railway Guide ” gives a general 
outline of the programme of attractions for the season, a plan of the 
Exhibition, a railway map extending to about thirty miles round London, 
with full particulars as to fares, including admission to the building, indi¬ 
cating the stations where passengers have to change trains and the times 
of the last trains at night. A great variety of useful information to 
intending visitors is given, and the fares are in the majority of cases 
surprisingly low. 
- The Crystal Palace Programme of Arrangements for 1885 
is just to band, and in addition to the Horticultural Exhibitions which 
we have previously noticed, it gives particulars of the Handel Festival, 
miscellaneous concerts, dramatic entertainments, and innumerable other 
attractions of a most diversified nature. 
-Mr. Bardney has recently directed attention to the great 
importance of Preserving Hot Water Pipes in mains. His remarks 
were timely. It is to be feared that sufficient care is not always taken 
in preventing the corrosion of pipes underground. An instance of this 
came under our notice the other day. In an excellent garden, managed 
by one of the best gardeners in the kingdom, there has been a complete 
breakdown in the heating. The main pipes were crowded into trenches 
so small and narrow that the lime used in the brickwork was in im¬ 
mediate contact with the pipes. To use an expressive phrase, it simply 
“ate them up” until nothing was left in some places, and mere wafer¬ 
like shells in others. Leakage occurred, and the pipes when touched fell 
in pieces, and yet they have only been in some sixteen or seventeen years, 
not arranged under the superintendence of a competent gardener, but a 
“ clerk of the works.” The new mains have been arranged in tunnels 
large enough for a man to traverse and paint the pipes, and in this way 
they may be kept sound for generations. 
- Messrs. Hooper & Co. of Covent Garden inform us that 
they have succeeded in importing from the Riviera very fine specimens 
of Phcenix sylyestris about 8 feet high in tubs, as fresh and green as 
the day they left. They will be pleased to show the plants to anyone 
who may call and inspect them. 
-Hyacinths appear to have been unusually good this year, and 
Mr. McIntosh’s Bulb Beds at Duneevan were a few days ago mag¬ 
nificent. The Hyacinth spikes—there are some thousands of them—are* 
in not a few instances, equal to those that win prizes at exhibitions, and 
the Tulip beds are gorgeous. These are the varieties, and it would not be 
easy to find more effective beds :—La Belle Alliance, surpassing Ver¬ 
milion Brilliant; Chrysolora, the best yellow; Rosamunde, feathered 
rose ; Moliere, much deeper, with orange base ; and Wouverman, the 
darkest of all—purplish plum colour. The fruit trees in the garden are 
