672 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ December 25, 1884. 
information is to rake and sweep up all the Rose leaves possible and burn 
them, at least all those that fall from plants infested with mildew. 
Messrs. Babdney, Divers, and others have shown the great im¬ 
portance of free and healthy root-action with adequate support for the 
plants, as offering decided advantages against the attacks of the enemy. 
I have found that strong, free, and weU-grown Roses with their growths 
thinly disposed, and the foliage consequently fully exposed to the sun, to 
be far less liable to become infested than weaker plants crowded with 
clusters of smaller shoots and flimsy leaves. The question of the texture 
of leaves in connection with this subject ought not, I think, to be quite 
overlooked. Not long ago I inspected some thousands of Roses in a 
nursery more or less white with mildew, but a few rows of Madame 
Clemence Joigneaux in the middle of the bed were spotless, except at the 
tips. The leaves of this strong-growing variety were quite leathery in 
texture, and I suspect on that account their resisting power was too great 
for the penetration of the fungus, just as the resisting power of thick and 
hard Vine leaves is too great for the red spider, which at the same time 
can and does feast on the young and tender laterals. Our object, there¬ 
fore, it seems to me, should be to produce well-nurtured growths so thinly 
arranged that the leaves can develops the stoutest possible texture; then 
when mildew attacks the soft young leaves near the tips of the shoots 
towards autumn, we should shorten the shoots and remove the vulnerable 
parts. This I have done with advantage, and the wood has ripened the 
better and produced bolder lower buds. 
Then undoubtedly mildew is much more at home in some localities 
than in others. This is due to atmospheric influences not easily definable. 
Where the air is damp and still there the pest shows itself, and spreads 
with rapidity, but where the position is higher or breezy, Roses, if healthy, 
are comparatively little affected. I have seen some thousands of plants 
in a high and exposed position in the north of England with not a speck 
of mildew on them ; but in a dell not a mile distant some Roses were 
white as a miller’s hat. A full and free circulation of air is, in my ex- 
erience, good for Roses and bad for mildew. If the plants are confined 
y close screens of any kind, or air is excluded by the overcrowding of 
their own growths, then the attacks of the enemy are the most successful, 
and we should act accordingly. Those are my thoughts on the mysterious 
mildew. 
Before closing my cogitations for the year, or entirely, I have two 
postcards to deal with that have reached me through the Editor. I ask 
that they be printed. They are slightly different in tone, and both, no 
doubt, creditable to the intelligence of the writers of them. Which is 
the more creditable is not for me to judge. That is a question for the 
jury. What I will call the Derby card, because posted there, says—“ Stir 
up your correspondent for some more ‘ thoughts,’ we like them here, 
for they set us a-thinking too.” The Oxford card says—“ Why can’t your 
contributor leave out three parts of his twaddle in a column and a half, 
and go straight to the point as other writers, instead of going round 
Robin Hood’s barn.” I rather like this last one, but which is really the 
'* correct card ” cannot be determined by — A Thinker. 
TRENCHING LAND. 
I CONSIDER that Mr. Igguldeu’s advice upon trenching (page 521), is 
calculated to mislead young men. I have practised deep trenching during 
forty-five years, and my father did the same before me on the same old 
garden, the subsoil of which is good clay. Since 1850 it has been my prac¬ 
tice to trench a portion two spits deep every year to plant with Strawberries, 
and to dig up the same after three years’ crop of fruit. I have been over all 
the old garden with this crop, and some parts the second time. My method 
of planting is to have rows 2 feet 6 inches apart, and the plants 1 foot 
6 inches apart, and just before the fruits ripen they are tied to stakes, clean 
straw being placed between to keep the fruit free from dirt, and I have had 
them by bushels. Fruit trees should certainly not be deep-rooted, but those 
who would grow Roses without deep trenching should pay Mr. B. R. Cant of 
Colchester a visit, and they will there see the result of trenching. 
I have been a reader of this Journal since 1849, and have all the volumes 
bound. I have read with much interest particulars of the writings of Mr. 
D. Beaton and Mr. R. Fish. I am practical with the spade, and am never 
afraid to put it in deeply unless roots are to be spared. I do not approve 
of bringing all subsoil up, but a portion of it will sweeten old garden soil 
that has been liberally manured for years. Mulching is beneficial for many 
crops, and I have proved its value.— Samuel Chinery, Boxford. 
AUTUMN-FRUITING RASPBERRIES. 
So many people have expressed surprise at our crop of autumn 
Raspberries this season that I am induced to offer a few remarks con¬ 
cerning them, not that I can say anything of their cultivation that is not 
already well known to most of your readers ; but with the view of 
bringing to notice a most useful fruit that those who have not yet grown 
it may be induced to give it a place in their gardens. I feel sure they 
will be amply repaid for the space and attention required. The variety I 
grow is Belle de Fontenay, having found this the best of several tried. 
It is a strong grower, but most prolific, the fruit being large, of good 
colour and flavour. 
_ Now is a good time to form a plantation, a west border being a 
suitable position, or a row may be planted across a quarter of the garden. 
It is not advisable to manure the ground too heavily for planting, or the 
growth will be too strong and less fruitful than canes of moderate size. 
Plant the canes 4 feet apart each way, and cut them down to within 
3 inches of the soil. When growth commences, select two of the 
strongest suckers, which will be enough for the first year, and train them 
to stakes or trellises. They will commence flowering in August. The 
present is the time to apply the manure in the shape of a good surface 
mulching; it will assist the fruit to swell and the canes to keep on 
bearing until cut off by frost. 
As soon as the fruit commences colouring protect it well fram birds 
with netting; if a temporary framework is erected for this purpose it 
will also be found useful to stretch some canvas or hexagon netting 
across on the first appearance of frost, as, if the few first autumn froste 
are warded off, the canes will continue fruiting a considerable time. Wc 
commenced gathering this year in the early part of September, and 
through October had daily gatherings both for dessert and tart«, and 
they were much appreciated. The last di-h we gathered on the 23rd of 
November, when a sharp frost put an end to any further supplies. When 
the leaves have fallen cut the canes off close to the ground ; next year 
the suckers will he abundant, but only three should be allowed to grow 
from each stool, all the others should be forked out, but do not dig 
between them or give any manure until the time above mentioned.— 
A. Barker, Hindlij), 
IN SCOTLAND. 
In most districts of Scotland the gardens of note are rather widely 
separated, and this is also the case at Crieff, for though there are three 
first-class establishments in its immediate vicinity—viz,, Drummond 
Castle, Abercairny, and Ochtertyre, they are each three to four miles 
from the town and in nearly opposite directions. Thus upon leaving 
Drummond a drive of about seven miles was necessitated to enable me to 
reach Abercairny, though this estate is little more than three miles east 
of Crieff, but the traveller by road is compelled to return to the town 
first, proceeding thence to this ancient and beautiful property. The 
journey on a fine day, is, however, a most enjoyable one, for in passing 
through the valley, which is really the outskirts of the extensive and 
charming Strathmore, we are surrounded by the most delightful scenery. 
The Vale of Strathmore is a fine tract of country extending from near 
Callendar to Forfarshire, bounded on the south by the Sidlaw and Ochil 
ranges of hills, and on the north by the Grampians and their offshoots. 
A large portion of this magnificent vale is very fertile and well cultivated 
in its more open portions, and elsewhere is densely wooded. So it is that 
the journey named as unavoidable proved a rather agreeable necessity, 
and brought into view some of the most characteristic of the Perthshire 
scenery. We were forcibly reminded of Sir Walter Scott’s description 
of the district in which he observes, “ The rivers find their way out of 
the mountainous region by the wildest leaps, and through the most 
romantic passes connecting the Highlands with the Lowlands. Above, 
the vegetation of a happier climate and soil is mingled with the magnifi¬ 
cent characteristics of mountain scenery and woods ; groves, and thickets 
in profusion clothe the base of the hills, ascend up the ravines, and 
mingle with the precipices. It is in such favoured regions that the 
traveller finds what the poet Gray, or someone else, has termed Beauty 
lying in the lap of Terror.” 
ABERCAIRNY, 
The first impression produced by the appearance of this estate upon 
a visitor familiar with southern parks and gardens is its English-like 
character, which is the more remarkable when entering the policies from 
the lower road. Here we see an extensive dense bright green turf, with 
scattered but numerous old and well-developed trees, majestic adornments 
for a most noble and beautiful park, while on a nearer approach to the 
mansion some fine lakes impart that light and life which are so essential 
in a finished landscape. There is a gentle undulation of the general 
surface of the park sufficient to give all the charms of variety without 
any obtrusive boldness, and it is probably owing to this, combined with 
the richness of the vegetation, which reminded me so strongly of some 
estates in the south and west of England, and it was difficult to realise 
that the one under my notice was over 400 miles north of those with 
which I mentally compared it. Abercairny indeed well deserves high 
rank among the most handsome of Bonnie Scotland’s estates ; nor does its 
fame rest upon its beauty alone, for there is a long and interesting 
history connected with it that would require a volume to give in detail. 
From the earliest records it appears that an estate bearing this name was 
in existence in the twelth century, being mentioned with the Earl of 
Strathearn’s possessions, the Abbey of Inchaffray, and of which a few 
crumbling ruins are still to be seen in the district. From this ancient 
family the present owner, Charles Stirling Home Drummond Moray, Esq.> 
is descended, and he can also claim relationship with some of the most 
noble families in Scotland, amongst whom may be named the Dukes of 
Athole and Buccleuch, Earl Bothwell, and others. Many members of 
the family have taken a prominent part in military affairs during their 
long occupation of the property, and in the seventeenth century the 
Morays gave their favour and assistance to the Stuarts. Of one of the 
lairds Dean Ramsay has related the following anecdote. “ One of the 
lairds of Abercairny proposed to go out in ’15 or ’45, This was not with 
the will of his old serving man, who, when Abercairny was putting on 
his boots, overturned a kettle of boiling water upon his legs, so as to 
disable him from joining his friends, saying—‘ Tak’ that; let them fecht 
wha like, stay ye at hame and be laird o’ Abercairny.’ ” 
Approaching the mansion from the south we obtain a similar view to 
that shown in the engraving (fig. 95), with a portion of the lake in the 
foreground and some of the fine Conifers and deciduous trees to the right 
