November 8, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
403 
way, under tbe impression that a single payment of ten guineas is 
equivalent to a yearly subscription. Such was my opinion, but since 
the above case occurred I feel rather doubtful on the subject, especially 
since I have carefully read the rules again, and can find nothing there, 
as far as my judgment goes, which would enable my friend to claim 
his pension. I also notice all the so-called life subscriptions are entered 
as donations.—W. H. Divers, Burghley Gardens , Stamford. 
Tour correspondent, “A Sussex Gardener,” seems to have placed 
his hand on the one blot in the otherwise excellent system of manage¬ 
ment of the Society to which he refers—viz., its failure to let the great 
body of gardeners know of its existence. Peculiar circumstances have 
brought it to the front. Let it step into the position rightly assigned to it 
as the real gardeners’ society, and not hide its light under a bushel, but 
give a wide publicity to its worthy aims ; for as we have been well told, 
advertising is to business what steam is to machinery, the grand pro¬ 
pelling power. In this connection will you kindly allow me through 
the medium of your columns to venture to offer a suggestion to the 
Executive ? It is this—that your excellent article on the Gardeners’ 
Society, which appeared a fortnight ago, be reprinted, and a copy sent 
to every gardener in the United Kingdom, with a circular from the 
Committee drawing attention to it. The materials for carrying this 
into effect are contained in the useful and indispensable “ Horticultural 
Directory.” Unless I am greatly mistaken the result of this would be a 
considerable accession to the muster roll of this deserving Society. 
Events seem to be conspiring for the benefit of the “United,” and 
with the advent of a new year it seems a fitting time to turn over 
a new leaf and take a new departure.—J. B. 
SHRUBBY CALCEOLARIAS. 
Having seen a reference to the “ uncertain yellow Calceolaria,” and 
as I think nothing is better as a yellow bedding plant when it does well, 
I submit my experience to your readers. 1 took charge of a foreman’s 
place some time since, and was told by the man in charge of the flower 
garden that Calceolarias would not grow there, so I took extra trouble 
to make them. I struck the cuttings in an ordinary box on a spent 
hotbed. The box was shallow, and when the soil was in 6 inches space 
was left for the cuttings. The soil consisted of one-half sifted red sand 
or gravel and half soil from a Cucumber frame, covered with half an 
inch of the sand. The cuttings were inserted thickly early in October, 
and had a good watering ; they were syringed lightly and shaded on 
bright days while necessary, and had plenty of air through the winter. 
As soon as growth commenced in February I pinched out the points, and 
the first week in March the young Calceolarias were planted in the 
garden, the soil being well dressed with the manure of an old Mushroom 
bed, and protection afforded. The plants were watered sufficiently, and all 
flowering shoots pinched out. Although in consequence of the spring 
bedding it was June when they were bedded out, they came up with 
balls as large as a man’s head, and so never experienced any check. 
They were soon masses of yellow, and remained so the whole summer in 
spite of a shallow sandy soil, and they were never watered except once 
when they were planted. I was in that situation over three years, and 
they did equally well each year. I entered on my present charge in 
June, and found nearly all the Calceolarias dead. I was told they 
“ wunt du here.” On inquiry I found they had stood in the cutting- 
pit till bedding time. Whether I shall succeed in making them “du” 
remains to be proved. I shall try, the soil being heavy. I shall dig gritty 
matter in the beds, and will in due time record the result. I may men¬ 
tion that I protect the plants with mats till the first or second week in 
May.—A. L. G. 
GARDENS ABOUT BRISTOL. 
{Continued from page 361.) 
SNEYD PARK. 
The gardens attached to the picturesque residence of J. Derham, Esq., 
are more remarkable for their completeness than for their extent. No 
expense appears to have been spared either in the construction of the 
mansion, the terraces, pleasure grounds, or the fruit and plant houses. 
The same remarks, perhaps, apply to innumerable other places, but it 
cannot be said of very many such that everything has been subsequently 
maintained in such good order as at Sneyd Park, this being alike credit¬ 
able to the owner as well as the gardener, Mr. W. Rye. A small con¬ 
servatory adjoins the residence, and this at the time of my visit was gay 
with the usual autumn occupants of such buildings. The flower beds 
would look better if grouped farther away from the front of the house, 
and if fewer in number and much larger might be much more effectively 
planted. As it is, the best is done with them. There are great numbers 
of Conifer® and shrubs in the pleasure grounds, but not having been 
many years planted they are not of noteworthy size. 
The kitchen garden and plant and fruit houses are situated at the 
bottom of the pleasure grounds. The principal range of houses is about 
200 feet in length, and presents a particular noble appearance from 
whatever quarter viewed. Appearance, however, was too much studied 
by the architect, and the range might well have been less expensive and 
better adapted for the various purposes to which it is applied. The 
central house has a high-domed roof, and if, instead of an ugly fountain, 
the centre had been planted with a few stately Palms, the effect, must 
have been grand and striking. There are a considerable number of 
well-grown flowering and other plants in this house, and many still 
better in the plant houses to the right and left of it, one being devoted 
to tropical plants, the other to plants requiring a greenhouse temperature. 
In the former are several grand well-coloured specimen Crotons, such 
as C. undulatus, C. Weismannii, C. irregularis, C. majesticus, and C. 
variegatus, and there are besides very fine specimens of Cycas revoluta 
and Dmmonorops palembanicus, Dracaenas in variety, tbe curiously 
flowered Ceropegia Sandersoniana, Marantas, &c. In other compart¬ 
ments Gardenias, Dipladenias, Allamandas, Begonias, Ferns in great 
variety, Paneratiums, Eucharises, Orchids in variety, Poinsettias, and 
many other heat-loving plants are all to be seen in excellent condition 
and in goodly quantities. In one of the cool plant houses Fisher Holmes, 
fine variety of Lapageria, is extensively grown, and several Ericas, 
Genetyllis, Azaleas, and other bardwooded plants are well represented. 
Bouvardias are particularly well grown, and most serviceable they must 
prove. During the summer and early autumn months they are planted 
in cool pits, and were recently potted up for their long flowering period. 
Cinerarias, Solanums, and Primulas are also well grown. Crowding is 
avoided in all the plant houses, and cleanliness rules everywhere. 
In addition to being a good plant-grower Mr. Rye is also noted for 
the excellence of the fruit grown under his management. The Grape 
Vines generally are in a very satisfactory condition, the Black Ham- 
burghs being especially well finished. The crop was fairly heavy, and a 
rod of Black Alicante—the result of inarching on the Hamburgh—was 
also carrying a heavy crop of well-finished bunches. This variety under 
cool treatment, however, is generally inferior in quality, and well repays 
for a little extra fire heat. In another house the Vines of Muscat of 
Alexandria, Gros Colman, Syrian, and Madresfield Court were all well 
cropped with fair-sized bunches, and the foliage in every case was clean 
and good. The Peach house standing in the upper part of the kitchen 
garden is fully 100 feet in length and 30 feet wide, with a high circular 
span roof, both this and the above-mentioned range of houses being 
built with iron and glazed without putty. The centre bed is filled with 
two rows of standard Peach and Nectarine trees, all of which are in 
excellent condition, and annually perfect heavy crops of fine fruit. 
Unfortunately the fruits as a rule are of poor colour and somewhat sour. 
The fronts and ends are all covered with trained trees, and these again 
fruit heavily, while each of the circular iron girders are utilised for Rose¬ 
growing. The varieties preferred are Adam, Safrauo, Devoniensis, Celine 
Forestier, and Gloire de Dijon, and all are budded on the Briar. They 
are grown on the single-rod system—that is to say, the leading growth was 
gradually taken up, and all side shoots have since been annually spurred 
in at the winter pruning. In this manner large quantities of superior 
blooms are cut during the spring, summer, and autumn months. A wing 
has recently been added to this fine house, and here were growing 
remarkably fine crops of Tomatoes, the favourite varieties being 
Hathaway’s Excelsior and Vick’s Criterion. I ought, perhaps, to add 
that the varieties of Peaches preferred are Rivers’ Early York, Early 
Grosse Mignonne, Grosse Mignonne, Royal George, Noblesse, and 
Barrington ; and Nectarines Lord Napier, Pitmaston Orange, Pine Apple, 
and Elruge. 
The Pear trees trained to the walls are exceptionally healthy and 
fruitful, and the same may be said of the large number of closely planted 
pyramidal Pear and Apple trees that fringe the whole of the walks in the 
kitchen garden. Neither the position nor the soil can be considered 
particularly favourable to the production of such crops of fine clear¬ 
skinned fruits, and the success is due to the frequent liftings and root- 
prunings the trees receive. About one-third of the pyramids are 
completely lifted and turned half round every season, each tree in this- 
manner having its turn every third or fourth year. By season in this 
case 1 mean any favourable time from November to March. By no other 
means could exuberant growth be checked and the trees prevented from 
becoming unduly crowded ; and as the trees are thus prevented forming 
large rambling roots, but on the contrary have abundance of close growing 
fibres, no great check is given, and it is very rarely the trees fail to bloom 
abundantly and strongly. From these pyramidal trees many dishes of 
fruit have been exhibited at the Bristol and Bath Shows, and these have 
been awarded first prizes both in large and small classes. The Pears 
most preferred as being good bearers and superior in quality are Beurre 
d’Amanlis, Souvenir du Congrds, Beurre de l’Assomption, a less sure 
bearer than the preceding variety, Marie Louise d’Uccle, Beurre Superfin, 
Duchesse d’Angouleme, Beurre Hardy, this bearing every other year, 
Beurrd Die!, always good, Easter Beurrd, Marie Louise, Louise Bonne of 
Jersey, Marie Louise, Nouvelle, Bergamotte Esperen, Conseilleir de la 
Cour, Tyson, and Jersey Gratioli. In addition to the pyramids, Apples 
are also trained over a long archway, and for this purpose Cox’s Pomona 
would appear particularly well adapted. Other profitable sorts, especially 
as pyramids, are Cox’s Orange Pippin, Mother Apple, Ribston Pippin, 
Golden Pippin, Braddick’s Nonpareil, Court of Wick, Golden Reinette, 
Irish Peach, Pearson’s Plate, Sam Young, Sturmer Pippin, and Reinette 
de Canada. In concluding these brief notes it is a pleasure to add that 
Mr. Derham takes great interest in every department of his garden, and 
that in Mr. Rye he has a painstaking gardener in every way equal to the 
place.—W. Iggulden. 
SINGLE FLOWERS. 
AMONG the first communications you honoured me by publishing was 
one advocating the cultivation of single flowers, and directing attention to 
the fact that not a few natives are possessed of a beauty and an elegance 
