580 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ December 29, 1881, 
new varieties worthy of admission swelling the already enormous 
aggregate. It seemed to me that Mr. Fowler had a special love 
for these, and he seemed to know most of them, as we say, by 
beadmark. Interspersed were Fuchsias of great size in flower. 
“ Come and see us when the Rhododendrons are in bloom.” No 
greater treat could be more frankly offered, and no thanks more 
sincerely given. Before I mention a few things more within my 
humble ken, I may say that the arrangement I have tried to indi¬ 
cate, of walks of great breadth between trees of such sorts as I 
have mentioned, remains in my memory as a characteristic feature 
of the grounds. 
In the short time I had at command I had to hurry past much 
well worth observing. But I saw, of course, the well-cropped 
Vines which had made Sir. Fowler so famous as a grower of 
Grapes. He has for some years, so far as I have observed—cer¬ 
tainly not without ample means to further victories—left to others 
the field where his laurels were so nobly won. On entering the 
garden my eye was arrested by two long lines of a yellow Viola 
that I have not seen surpassed. The lines were of considerable 
breadth, and the dwarf compact foliage was surmounted by a 
dense uniform mass of bloom. I found Ageratums a speciality, 
and was astonished at the number of seedling varieties and the 
charming effect of their various shades when grouped and blended 
as they were. The favourite variety Cupid was raised here. One 
bed, in the flower garden at the castle, of a lilac bordered by one 
almost white, was extremely chaste and attractive. A slightly 
greyish tint is to be eliminated from the latter to secure a pure 
white, and a step is secured towards a crimson or scarlet. But 
many of the numerous seedlings would please all but a taste so 
fastidious as to colour and habit. Two plants of Yucca gloriosa 
in flower were striking objects on one of the terraces. One of 
these I found to be nearly 9 feet in height. From this plant a 
limb had accidentally been severed. This had been inserted in 
the adjoining shrubbery, and was also far advanced in flower. 
I was much struck with the beauty of the Chrysanthemums in 
bloom in the garden, and was surprised to learn that these stood 
out all the year, the severest winters seldom necessitating the 
filling-up of a gap ; but, as Mr. Fowler observed, Castle Kennedy 
enjoys a climate scarcely to be found elsewhere in Scotland. 
But my time—evidently not the patience or the courtesy of 
my conductor—was rapidly becoming exhausted. As I walked 
on I turned frequently to glance up those beautiful vistas, and 
felt that I was leaving a scene such as I fancy Scotland at least 
has little to match. I have seen much of her beauty and her 
grandeur—something, too, of her sisters, and a little beyond ; but 
Castle Kennedy is unique in the combination of natural advantage 
and artificial adornment, and the beauty must be seen to be 
realised. An apology should almost be offered for giving so 
meagre a notice ; it cannot be called a description. To the visitor 
of an after generation it may well be said of Mr. Fowler, who 
has spent thirty-five years at Castle Kennedy, “Si mommentum 
queer is, c ircumsj) ice." 
At the station, which is just beyond the gates, I found a number 
of beautiful Roses kindly forwarded by Mr. Smith of Stranraer. 
A friendly wave from the obliging station-master, and I sped on 
with these towards Glasgow, where on more than one of the tables 
of one of the public institutions they would be, as my own flowers 
had frequently been, the objects of an admiration—if covetous¬ 
ness entered who will call it sin ?—such as those who have the 
love for flowers but are denied our opportunities for gratifying 
it, alone can know.—A Northern Amateur. 
(To be continued.) 
Notes on Potatoes.— I see that some of your correspondents, in 
giving their experiences of Potatoes, speak well of certain varieties 
while others do not, therefore I should like to give the result of my 
observations. Early Sandringham is the best cropper of early kinds. 
I grew Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf three or four years ago, when the 
disease cut down the early ones. More than half the Rivers’ were 
diseased, but the Sandringham was quite free from disease. It is a 
good cropper, good in quality, and very dwarf in growth. Beauty of 
Hebron is a great cropper of good quality, quite free from disease, 
far better than Early Rose, for the tubers of the latter are red all 
through while the others are not. International is good for exhibition, 
but has poor flavour and rather close substance. Magnum Bonum 
about here is better in quality than it used to be ; the tubers do not 
grow so large as they did when the variety was first brought here, 
that is why I think they are better. Snowflake I am puzzled about. 
Is it a kidney or a round ? However, it is a good Potato, though 
sometimes it is diseased more than others. Of King Noble and 
Porter’s Excelsior I have only grown a few this year for the first 
time ; they turned out well and free from disease. Schoolmaster, Mr. 
Abbey says, is poor and waxy; with me it is not only excellent in 
quality but a good cropper and quite free from disease, indeed one of 
the best. Johnston’s Downshire is light-coloured, and of a Yictoria 
type. I planted 3 lbs. and dug 50 tbs. good sound tubers, only three 
or four diseased, also of good quality. Yictoria is an excellent variety 
and good in quality. Champion I do not like, because when cooked 
it is hard inside. I know many people who will not plant this variety 
on that account. The following is my selection—Sandringham, 
Hammersmith, Beauty of Hebron, Snowflake, Schoolmaster, John¬ 
ston’s Downshire, and Victoria. Can anv reader tell me what are the 
best varieties for light poor soils ?— F. Walker, 7. of IF. 
DINNER-TABLE DECORATION. 
This is a matter which many take great interest in, and to 
which they devote much attention. Like all other fashions it 
needs to be changed to retain admirers. When the numbers at 
dinner vary and the tables are changed in size accordingly, plants 
of different size can be worked in, and a change of the plate or 
chief centrepieces affords the same chance. Alterations of the 
kind are always favourable to those who decorate, as none of us 
like to have the table the same night after night before the same 
company. 
As a rule lightness is always appreciated. Plenty of green with 
a few bright colours is generally most effective. Small glasses 
are, to our mind, much more pleasing than spreading the deco¬ 
rations on the cloth, and the main pieces should always be 
done well. Of these we have arranged many, but one of the best 
we had recently. The stand has a massive silver base some 
2 feet wide, and on this stands for figures holding a flower 
basket over their heads. This basket is about 18 inches across, 
and is sometimes filled with plants and sometimes with flowers. 
On the occasion we refer to there, was a good plant of Cocos 
Weddelliana in the centre. A quantity of a small green Sela- 
ginella covered the pot of this and filled the basket. As a fringe 
Adiantum farleyense was used, and white Chinese Primula and 
Roman Hyacinth spikes were cut and placed, not too closely, 
over the surface of the green. The effect of this was more 
pleasing than any centre we have made. The Primroses and 
Hyacinths looked as if they were growing on the little green 
mound, and the graceful Palm spreading over the whole made the 
combination complete.—M. W. 
ADNITT’S PEA PROTECTORS. 
Mr. Adnitt, The Gardens, Sylvia House, Caterham Valley, has 
submitted to us a cheap, simple, and useful protector. As some 
such appliance as this cannot fail to be of great service in all 
gardens, we submit a greatly reduced figure of the article in ques¬ 
tion (fig. 91), showing the protector, and (fig. 92) a section. These 
with the following instructions will enable anyone to make these 
protectors at a trifling cost. “I make them,” writes Mr. Adnitt, 
“ of three-quarter-inch boards 4 inches wide and G feet long ; make 
the groove, A A (fig. 92), for the glass to slide in, chamfer the top 
edges of the boards, and nail pieces of sheet iron on the ends, cut 
the exact width of the frame, with two nails on each side. I nail a 
Fig. 91. 
piece of wood 1 inch by 2 across the middle of the inside where the 
dotted lines are. This is feather-edged at the bottom, and pre¬ 
vents the sides from warping. The top of this cross stay is made 
flush with the underneath side of the glass. A hoop-iron handle 
three-quarters of an inch wide is secured with half-inch flat¬ 
headed nails. One nail an inch long is driven through the top, 
where it is bent over the wood. I paint the wood with anti-cor¬ 
rosive white paint and black the handles. These protectors have 
been in use all the year round for four years, and appear as if they 
will last four more years without painting. I nail a piece of zinc 
across the ends of some of them to prevent mice from getting in. 
The glass is cut so as to work freely in the groove, the two end 
pieces to fit tightly. 
“ I have found them of the greatest use in protecting and for¬ 
warding early Peas. For the last twenty-five years I have tried 
raising early Peas out of doors, but as yet I have found no plan 
approaching this. The protectors are very easily moved from one 
place to another. A man can carry two in each hand (a length of 
24 feet). They are easily stowed away if not in use, which is very 
seldom, and they are very cheaply made. 
“ The plan I adopt with these protectors is this : I prepare the 
ground as is usual for Peas ; draw straight drills, sprinkle a little 
fresh lime and soot in them to destroy any slugs that may be 
