JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
176 
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[ March 2, 1882. 
crimson, of medium size, very juicy and sweet, it is always in 
demand while in season. 
Cox’s Orange Pippin is pre-eminent among the pyramids, 
spreading wide and high, amply filling its 10 feet of space, and 
bearing abundant crops of fruit so handsome and so pleasant to 
the palate that we cannot wonder at “ Wiltshire Rector’s ” 
amusing preference for it. The fruit of three trees in the kitchen 
garden enjoying the full benefit of a highly cultivated soil is very 
large, of a pale yellow hue slightly tinged with red on the exposed 
side, and the flesh is tender, very juicy, and has the rich aromatic 
flavour fully developed. It ripens early, but does not keep well, 
and affords a singular contrast to the fruit of a dozen trees 
growing in a poor soil largely impregnated with oxide of iron. 
These trees are not half grown, and yet are so prolific of fruit 
that mention has been made of them as remarkable examples of 
early fruiting. No doubt the peculiar nature of the soil is the 
cause, as it is also of the peculiar high colour of the fruit, all of it 
being of a deep crimson, comparatively small, the flesh firm, and 
keeping so well as to form an admirable succession to the larger 
fruit. 
Beauty of Kent is so vigorous that it has become almost too 
large for the space assigned it. Root-pruning would tend to 
check its growth, and has been resorted to this winter, but I 
avoid it as much as possible, for a healthy tree cannot have too 
firm a hold of the soil. It came slowly into fruiting, but the 
magnificent fruit is worth waiting for ; all of it is large, some 
measuring 12 inches in circumference. It is very tender, juicy, 
has brisk pleasant acidity, and is certainly one of our best winter 
kitchen Apples, continuing good into the present month. Brabant 
Bellefleur is of equally robust vigorous growth. The tree is a fine 
one in perfect health, and also came slowly into bearing. The 
fruit is very large and handsome, of a rich yellow now, and much 
of it has a bright crimson hue on the exposed side. It keeps well 
and is much valued for cooking, being juicy, sweet and rich. 
Hubbard’s Pearmain.—Of this valuable winter dessert Apple I 
have two handsome pyramids, very symmetrical, with clean healthy 
growth, well furnished with fruitful spurs. The crop was abundant, 
and has proved very useful. I have still about a bushel of it in 
excellent condition, and regard it as one of the best winter dessert 
Apples, very rich in flavour, and so distinct in form as to be easily 
recognised. Keddleston Pippin is a handsome tree in full bearing. 
Its small yellow fruit is firm, crisp, juicy, sweet, and of pleasant 
flavour. It came into use in December and keeps well. Ash- 
mead’s Kernel.—This is a fine pyramid of sturdy clean growth, 
with plenty of fruit buds, and it had a full crop of small yellow- 
hued fruit slightly tinged with red. It is rich in flavour, very 
juicy, and is now in perfection. It is an excellent winter dessert 
Apple. Mannington’s Pearmain is a small pyramid of spreading 
habit of growth, very prolific, its pretty small fruit clustering 
thickly upon every branch. Its flesh is firm, crisp, sweet, rich and 
juicy. It comes into use in November, and keeps so well that it 
maybe said to be good throughout winter. Lodgemore Nonpareil, 
a healthy pyramid of a singularly dense bushy habit. It comes 
slowly into fruiting. The fruit is small, yellow, of a brisk pleasant 
flavour, with firm flesh, and keeps well. Bess Pool is a fine healthy 
tree of free vigorous growth, in full bearing. The crop was an 
abundant one of handsome bright-coloured fruit of pleasant flavour, 
which keeps well, and is in excellent condition now. It was one 
of the earliest to bear fruit. Barcelona Pearmain, a small tree 
fruiting well. The fruit keeps well, but is only second-rate in 
flavour. 
Pomme d’Api.—This soon became a handsome pyramid, and 
began bearing its pretty little fruit proportionately early, but 
canker soon attacked it, and spread so fast that the tree is almost 
dead. It evidently requires a deep rich soil, where it would 
prove very attractive, its clusters of bright red fruit being very 
ornamental. Cobham is a monster pyramid, bearing fine crops of 
its handsome fruit, which bears a close resemblance to Blenheim 
Pippin. It is good either for cooking or dessert. Emperor Alex¬ 
ander.—This is a very vigorous tree, and is a shy bearer in its 
youth, but I have had old trees of it that bore fruit freely enough. 
The fruit is useful, being large, tender-fleshed, juicy and sweet. 
It kept good well into January this winter. Early Harvest has 
disappointed me. It has a close unsightly habit of growth, and is 
a very shy fruiter.— Edward Luckhurst. 
(To be continued.) 
THE CRAIGLEITH NURSERIES, EDINBURGH. 
.Your correspondent “A Northern Amateur,” completed 
his round of visits to the homes of florists’ flowers at Edinburgh, 
the nurseries of Messrs. Downie & Laird giving him ample scope 
for his pen. To those who are fond of the above class of flowers 
there is at all times from June till autumn abundance to admire 
at Pinkhill. Recently I had business which called me to the 
northern metropolis, and I took the opportunity of calling at one 1 
of the numerous nurseries for which this city is famous, and ; 
which, though one of the latest established, has already taken a 
foremost place in the trade. The one I refer to is that of Messrs. 
Ireland and Thomson at Comely Bank. Though this firm does 
not make a speciality of florists’ flowers, it was interesting to find 
that they are by no means neglected. A full collection of Phloxes 
is grown, also Carnations and Hollyhocks, the latter apparently II 
free from disease. In a warmer house Dahlias were laid-in to 
propagate from, and included the best exhibition varieties. Mr. 
Thomson finds a good demand for these and other hardy florists’ 
flowers, while herbaceous plants pay so badly that he talked of 
throwing the whole collection away. 
The most attractive feature at this season, however, is the col¬ 
lection of Crotons. One good-sized span-roofed house is filled 
with these, and a most effective display they produce. Down the 
middle of the broad centre stage is a row of specimen plants, and 
notwithstanding the numerous forms that have been added of 
late years none look more attractive than the old C. angustifolius. 
Amongst dark-coloured sorts Etna is the most noteworthy. The 
remaining portion of the house is filled with fine vigorous plants 
in all sizes from half-specimens to those in 4-inch pots. I ex¬ 
pressed some surprise at so many of these plants being grown, 
and especially large specimens. My attention was at once drawn ’ 
to a number of half-specimens with a piece of matting tied to 
each, which were all sold. j 
In the propagating houses were more Crotons, and amongst 
them some new varieties which are to be distributed this spring. 
These comprise C. Thomsonii and a beautiful broad-leaved sort, 
the leaf being of a soft yellow colour ; C. Archibaldi, an improve¬ 
ment on the well-known C. Weismanni; C. Lord Chelmsford, a 
narrow-leaved red-and-yellow-coloured sort; and C. Whittoni. 
These have all received certificates. 
Dracaenas are almost as numerously represented as Crotons. 
Amongst them are some seedlings, which promise well. A col¬ 
lection of Orchids is being formed. The cool house contains all 
the best of this section, some fine examples of OJontoglossum 
Rossi majus being in flower, as also some Masdevallias, Cypri- 
pedium Boxalli, and C. insigne Maulei. The old C. insigne was 
represented by large specimens, and Coelogyne cristata with 
hundreds of pseudo-bulbs in each pan. In the warmer house were 
numerous healthy plants of Cypripedium Yeitchi, C. Lawrencianum, 
C. Argus, &c.; Phalsenopsids ; Dendrobiums in many kinds ; Cat- 
tleyas, such as C. Trianae, C. Mendelli, C. Warneri, C. labiata 
speciosissima, a beautiful summer-flowering variety, abundance 
of C. Eldorado splendens, and a fine batch of Laslia purpurata 
just starting into growth. A good collection of Saccolabiums and 
Aerides is grosvn ; amongst these young plants of A. Lehmanni 
were producing spikes freely. In this house are two plants of 
Anthurium Andreanum, which Mr. Thomson claims to be the 
largest specimens in the country. 
In one of the cool houses are some very strong plants of Lapa- 
geria alba. A cold house contains hundreds of Vines in pots. 
This structure is to be filled by-and-by with Pears in pots. One 
of the cool houses is devoted to Heaths and other hardwooded 
plants. These are of all sizes, and, like the other plants in the 
nursery, are in perfect health.—B. 
AMARYLLISES AT CHELSEA. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, it is generally known, have in 
recent years given much careful attention to the improvement of 
those handsome and brilliant plants the Amaryllises, or, more 
correctly, the Hippeastrums. From time to time visitors to the 
chief meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society during the 
early months of the year have witnessed some of the results of 
these efforts in the hybrids shown and certificated. Occasionally, 
too, a large group of the best forms has given an idea both of the 
range of variation and the great advance which has been made 
in obtaining rich and diverse shades of crimson and scarlet, with 
considerable improvement in the form and substance of the 
flowers. Such, however, would convey but a very imperfect idea 
of the display now provided in Messrs. Veitch’s Chelsea nursery, 
and where for several weeks the Amaryllises will form the chief 
attraction. Upwards of seven hundred scapes are developing 
and bearing fully expanded flowers, some hundreds of which are 
already open, although it is yet rather early for the majority. 
These are arranged in a fine span-roofed house entirely devoted 
to them, 70 feet long by 20 feet wide, in two divisions, the centre 
being occupied with a broad flat stage on which most of the 
plants in flower are placed, the side stages bearing those not yet 
