372 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 23, 1884. 
for this wonderful colour, or is it due to atmospheric causes ? Perhaps 
both exert an influence ; certain it is the fruit fully exposed to the sun 
was the darkest, but that on the shaded sides of the trees is of a rieher 
rosy red than it is often produced in the sun. The heavily laden trees 
of this free-bearing variety were very handsome. Particularly striking, 
too, were sturdy examples of Lord Derby, bearing huge fruit bountifully. 
This is evidently a most abundant early-bearing Apple in a dwarf state, 
and is thus admirably adapted for bushes, from which the heavy fruit is 
less likely to be blown than off more exposed standards. Lady Henniker, 
Stirling Castle, and Ecklinville Seedling are amongst the free-bearers in 
a small state. The Melon Apple bears heavily its handsome well- 
formed fruit, which was brilliantly coloured; and Annie Elizabeth is 
increasing in repute, the tree being a good grower and bearer of fine 
solid Apples. The useful Apple, Pott’s Seedling, is notable ; the New 
Hawthornden, heavily laden with splendid fruit, as also are the handsome 
and productive Loddington Seedling and Grenadier, both grand culinary 
varieties. A Russian Apple, Rambourd d’Hiver, is a strong, sturdy 
grower, and the fruit very large and fine ; and very beautiful are fruits 
of The Queen, for which Messrs. Saltmarsh had a certificate two or three 
years ago. Warner’s King ranks among the best of the late Apples, 
bearing noble fruit. 
Amongst dessert kinds, Cox’s Orange Pippin is fine in size and colour 
on healthy fruitful trees, and the Ross Nonpareil is particularly attractive, 
while the profitable and popular King of the Pippins commands attention. 
Those are a few of the many good varieties bearing superior fruit. 
Particular attention is given in establishing the different varieties on 
stocks that experience proves to be the most suitable. Some are worked 
on the Nonesuch, others on the Doucin, some on the Broad-leaved 
Paradise, and a few even for dwarf work on the free stock—a Crab, but 
not the wild Crab of the hedgerows. The French Paradise stock is very 
sparingly employed, if at all, as it restricts the growth of the trees too 
much for Mr. Bunyard’s practical and discriminating clients, who grow 
fruit in the moderately fertile soil in fields rather than in rich and deep 
ground in gardens. 
Budding is the method of propagation usually adopted, and by no 
other process is it possible to effect better unions. Trees intended for 
standards are also budded not far abore the ground, the stem being 
formed of the variety added, not of the stock, and the lateral growths are 
not trimmed off smoothly the first year as if trimming walking sticks, as 
the growths feed and strengthen the stems. The growths from the bud 
this season vary from 5 to 7 feet, many of the Plums exceeding that 
height, and strong in proportion. 
Standard trees are not standards in name merely, but have stems of 
6 feet and upwards, so that when the trees are planted the ground can be 
cropped between them, and horses and cattle pass under the heads if 
required. Of these standard trees there are miniature forests of Apples, 
Pears, Plums, Cherries, and Damsons, one flat of the latter, Crittendens, 
numbering some 10,000 trees ready for planting ; and this is just an 
example of the different kinds of fruit. It is surprising to see the 
number of Pears grown as standards, the varieties consisting mainly of the 
Hessle, Caillot Rosat, and Lammas Pears for orchards, and many choice 
sorts for gardens, as indicated in the catalogue. Of Plums the number 
is surprising, showing that the demand must be great; it is perhaps 
greatest of all for Victoria and The Czar, while Rivers’ Prolific, Belgian 
Purple, Pond’s Seedling, and Grand Duke are evidently popular favourites ; 
and it is not surprising this should he so when their great productiveness 
and useful fruit are borne in mind. 
Peaches and Nectarines are well grown, trained, and ripened, the 
season having been favourable for them ; but the most remarkable are 
standard trees under glass trained to wires in a huge orchard house. 
These trees have been budded low, with the object of obviating the 
bulging of the stems where bent to the wires, as too often results when 
the union is effected there ; or in other words, the trunks of the trees 
are not Plums but Peaches ; and finer stems and heads for the age of the 
trees—two seasons’ growth from the bud—were never seen. They are 
capable of bearing excellent crops on the long yet strong and well- 
ripened shoots. 
Among the small fruits all the most famous of the Lancashire prize 
Gooseberries are grown ; but for field and market culture, such as Early 
Sulphur, Velvet White, Warrington, Crown Bob, Lancashire Lad, and 
Rifleman are mainly relied on and provided in thousands. Of Currants, 
the favourite red is Victoria, and of Blacks, Baldwin’s and Lee’s Prolific; 
Carter’s New Champion being also represented. The favourite Raspberry 
for growing by the acre in fields is Carter’s Prolific, being sturdy and 
fruitful, but for quality and culture in gardens Prince of Wales is not 
perhaps surpassed, and for late bearing Belle de Fontenay. Nuts are of 
course represented, suckerless young trees just as they ought to he and 
must be to satisfy experienced cultivators, all the leading varieties 
being represented ; and here, too, we find amongst other things a true 
stock of the excellent Hawkes’ Champagne Rhubarb, whieh has had the 
honour of being eertificated by the Royal Horticultural Society. 
Then there are Roses in thousands on all sorts of stocks, also on their 
own roots, with Rhododendrons, American plants, ornamental trees and 
shrubs ; in fact, something of everything to make a nursery complete. 
For forest trees and Conifers of all the useful kinds we must go to the 
eastern nursery, known as the Chiltern Hundreds, and we find them in 
plenty, as, for example, 40,000 Ash trees in one batch, and so on, these 
being grown for walking sticks ; but if we go on enumerating there is 
no knowing when the end will come, therefore much must be passed that 
might be noted ; but this must in justice be said, that for excellence of 
stock, both as to variety and quality, with the order and neatness that 
prevail, also the evidences of care and good management everywhere, 
these nurseries of seventy or eighty acres are a credit to Mr. Bunyard, 
and to the^reat fruit-growing county of Kent, in which he is so honour¬ 
ably knownN«nd widely esteemed. Although absent when the stock was 
inspected the^ttentiveness of his courteous representative, Mr. A. 
Robinson must ^t be overlooked by—A Casual Visitor. 
NOTES ON LATE GRAPES. 
Late Grapes should be fairly well coloured now; in fact. Lady Downe’s 
should be perhaps the best of all in this respect on account of the fruit of 
this variety being eut for bottling early, in my case before Christmas. 
Gros Maroc is still the earlier of the two in colouring, though far from 
being ripe. Alicante is always good in colour, yet it has been hinted to 
me that, strange as it may appear at first sight, this very useful Grape 
has not generally the dense bloom usual to this variety, owing to the very 
hot season. I can see a more reddish tint than usual in the Grapes here, 
and in one house I have just seen Grapes which have been ripe some 
time and are fast losing their freshness. How many growers of Gros 
Colman, those especially who grow for market, can say their Grapes are 
coloured ? Mine certainly are not, yet I do not fear ; a striking pecu¬ 
liarity of this variety being that it will colour even up to November, and 
then will keep. Of course we have plenty of Gros Colman bunches in 
good condition, but quite half the crop has yet to finish. 
The past warm season has not been very favourable to the production 
of foliage unless kept clean, which in many cases owing to scarcity of 
water was hardly possible. Few, I expect, will have such a superabund¬ 
ance of foliage on Gros Colman as to dispense with a leaf, much less a 
lateral, for owing to the natural curl of the leaf plenty of sun and light is 
readily obtained to finish and keep the fruit. 
With regard to Lady Downe’s, if rods 3 feet apart and laterals at the 
usual distanee were stopped regularly during the season the foliage 
should be none too heavy for Grape-keeping purposes. I find that my wire 
is 15 inches from the glass, leaving 6 inches between the foliage and the 
glass. I might, speaking advisedly, say that for this month at least every 
leaf in well-trained Vines will be better growing. Nothing spoils the 
colour of black Grapes so much as direct sun or too much light. True, 
Grapes hang and keep after the foliage has fallen, but then this is in 
the dull days of autumn. The first damp foggy days of November 
necessitate great attention for Grapes. 
Removing laterals now to my mind shows a mistake in the summer 
culture. I cut Grapes, then shorten the laterals or sub-laterals as the 
case may be, believing that by so doing I am keeping the sap nearer 
home to the bud for next season. I have proved that the earlier the 
laterals are shortened the sooner the remaining foliage dies or loses 
colour, and to do this, if Grapes are to hang, is decidedly wrong. I 
should not suppose late Vines gain much by having fruit cleared off 
before Christmas, but I would then have all Vines cleared ready for 
pruning. Heavy cropping should he avoided if possible; but heavy 
cropping with plenty of foliage is better than light foliage or scanty 
laterals. 
Gros Colman. —The more I study the peculiarities of this Grape the 
more I am convinced that to have it in perfection now or even by the 
end of October the crop must be cut at the latest by New Year’s day, so 
as to give the Vines two months’ rest. I consider March 1st a good time to 
begin forcing this variety. The Grapes themselves do not prevent Vines 
resting, but the fire necessary to keep the fruits does the mischief. The 
date I give for clearing is decidedly too early for making the best market 
priee and bottling is necessary to prolong the season through February. 
Not having tried this system of keeping, I would thank any of your 
correspondents or readers who have bottled this variety to give the 
results. First, is it necessary to maintain a higher temperature than for 
Lady Downe’s ? and, secondly, will they keep so that they travel safely ? 
I can keep Lady Downe’s till April, and am anxious to try Gros Colman 
rather largely. Keeping fruit hanging a month too late and starting a 
month late are two very grievous errors. We learn as we go, and often¬ 
times by accident, yet I cannot fail to notice the superiority of Vines of 
Lady Downe’s of which the fruit was cut at Christmas, and of Alicante 
which was cut a week later, to what they were in the previous season 
when I left the Grapes hanging much later. Bottling will lessen early 
forcing, for who will force when Grapes can be kept good until April and 
May at a tithe of the cost ? and certainly Lady Downe’s in April is 
superior in flavour to new Black Hamburghs. Of course, my remarks in 
the latter sentence refer more particularly to growers for market.— 
Stephen Castle, West Lynn, Norfolk. 
YEARLING ROSES. 
Three or four sentences of my last week’s letter on this subject 
having disappeared under editorial supervision, I fear my argument was 
not very clear. The gist of it was simply this :—That the meaning of 
the word “ maiden ” (for which, if necessary, see a dictionary)—in which 
meaning it is strictly used, both in the stud farm and the cricket field— 
has nothing to do with a first year or first appearance, and is, therefore, 
unsuitable for yearling Roses, or, as I said, for public discussion. That 
the kernel of my argument should be considered undesirable to print, 
though indeed I thought it was harmless, is surely a stronger proof than 
I could bring of the unfitness of the term.—A. F. M. 
[We have not heard that the argument of our correspondent was 
otherwise than clear. The words accidentally omitted were “ a maiden 
over at cricket is uoi fertile of a run.” If that sentence is read with the 
