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4 32 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. L November 9 , m 2 
and most elegant Conifers in cultivation. From here the walk 
curves and passes an old vinery—the Vines sixty years old and 
bearing good Grapes, a rosery in front, splendid Conifers and 
handsome standard Portugal Laurels with heads 20 to 30 feet in 
circumference—and enters the kitchen garden on the left of the 
engraving through the Cypress screen previously mentioned, and 
the end of which is seen near the flower garden. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
This is ornamental as well as useful. The central walk is 
bounded by hedges of Cupressus Lawsoniana, with borders about 
5 feet wide in front of them attractively planted. At the back 
next the hedge the Cactus and Paragon Dahlias were planted 
alternately a few yards apart, with Golden Marguerites between 
them. A splendid row in front of Sedum spectabile very rich in 
colour, the front of them being carpeted with Herniaria, in which 
were small round and oblong panels a yard apart, containing 
alternately neat examples of Cupressus Lawsoniana erecta viridis 
and Retinospora plumosa aurea in the oblongs, and Chamaspuce 
diacantha in the round beds, the latter having a groundwork of 
Alternantheras, and the former of Silver Thyme and Sedum 
glaucum. The cross walk is arched over with Pears at intervals 
of 4 or 5 feet, and every arch was wreathed with fine fruit, the 
whole viewed from the end resembling a tunnel of Pears. The 
pyramids and bushes in the borders were equally laden, as also 
were the cordon, fan, and horizontally trained trees on the walls. 
My gardening tours have extended over some two thousand miles 
this year, but I saw more Pears at Heckfield than in all other 
gardens put together that I had the pleasure of visiting. One 
large tree of Pitmaston Duchess on a wall was the pride of the 
garden, the huge clear fruits hanging in the greatest regularity 
about a foot apart, indicating first that the fruit had been carefully 
thinned and then well supported. The crops of Peaches and 
Apricots on walls were similarly good, and the trees in the most 
healthy condition. Great attention is evidently paid to hardy 
fruits, and to this in conjunction with climatic advantages must 
be attributed the remarkable crops referred to. 
The soil, as before mentioned, being light, and district dry, deep 
trenching after every crop is resorted to in the vegetable depart¬ 
ment. A fine breadth of the Reading Exhibition Brussels Sprouts, 
unquestionably one of the best strains of modern selection, showed 
the efficacy of the practice, as equally did the large handsome 
Onions, a selection from the Improved Reading ; Mr. Wildsmith 
having thus undertaken the high task of improving the “im¬ 
proved.” In fact he seems to be animated with the desire to 
improve everything, and has had quite a fair share of success. 
GLASS DEPARTMENT. 
Apart from a range of vineries and Peach houses of consider¬ 
able dimensions the glass structures are not large, but they are 
numerous. Small span-roof houses, half-spans, and lean-to pits 
have been packed together wherever there was a little space to 
be covered in the enclosure—useful structures turned to excellent 
account. There are pineries filled with sturdy, healthy, vigorous 
plants, Melon and Cucumber houses, a Fig house, Strawberry 
home, forcing and plant pits, one containing Gardenias in pots 
plunged oyer their rims in leaves and growing like Laurels. The 
Strawberries in pots were excellent, Vicomtesse Hericart ae Thury 
and President chiefly—the former for ripening in February, the 
latter for succession. But space diminishes, and we must pass much 
that is worthy of note ; but cannot pass the Vines in silence. 
There are eight vineries. Mr. Wildsmith has a fancy for having 
the roots of Vines either wholly in inside or entirely in outside 
borders. That the plan answers well the results testify ; but it is 
not improbable that equally good crops of Grapes would be had 
under what may be termed the mixed border system. No one will 
be surprised to hear that Muscat Vines in an inside border were 
in every way superior—full heavy well-shaped bunches, and large 
and highly finished berries. But it is not everywhere that first- 
class Black Hamburghs can be ripened in April with the roots of 
the Vines entirely outside and no fermenting materials placed on 
the border. But such Grapes are produced under these conditions 
here. In a mixed house Mrs. Pearson and Golden Queen were 
admirably represented by large bunches and fine clear berries, 
while Gros Colman and Alicante were of exhibition quality. In a 
house of young Vines, inside border, Alnwick Seedling is succeed¬ 
ing so well that the Vine 13 being managed on the extension 
system. The crop is extremely heavy, the large fully set bunches 
being numerous, and berries fine in size and finish. 
The Vines in two other houses demand special notice—in one 
case because they have been raised in a manner that is not usual, 
and in the other because they are, mountebank fashion, “ standing 
on their heads.” First as to the young Vines. The eyes were in¬ 
serted in turves in the spring of the present year, started, placed 
in the borders (inside) at once, and covered with bellglasses. The 
canes are now in the most satisfactory condition, stout, strong, 
well-matured, and ready for bearing an excellent crop next season. 
In fact, some of them have produced bunches already, one or two 
of which were allowed to remain. This is certainly not a common 
occurrence, and must be taken as a satisfactory index of the state 
of Vines only about nine months after the eyes were inserted, and 
good augury of future work. 
And now we come to the topsy-turvy, or mountebank Vines. 
A lean-to house facing south was planted in 1869 with Lady 
Downe’s and Mrs. Piuce alternately. The latter, as being least 
satisfactory, were eventually removed, and an additional rod taken 
from the former. The crops were excellent, and the lean-to was 
converted into a span-roof, the rods being trained down the new 
roof facing north. When they reached the ba-e of the rafters it 
occurred to the cultivator to take them a little lower, even to the 
earth. There they rooted freely, so that each Vine had three 
sets of roots, and in that state the Vines produced splendid crops 
for some years. “ But in that form they cannot be said to be wrong 
end upwards,” some may observe. True, but the case is proveable. 
During the past winter it was determined to clear half of the roof 
of one side of the house, make a new border, and plant young 
Vines. The south side was naturally preferred, but it was on this 
side that the original Vines were planted ; yet notwithstanding, 
the rods were sawn asunder under the apex of the roof, and the 
old Vines cleared out, leaving the rods on the other side that had 
rooted at their extremities to take their chance. This proved a 
very good one, for the crop of Grapes on them, curious as they 
look with their thick ends at the top of the house, is excellent, 
quite as good as those at the other end that have yet each three 
sets of roots. It is a regular, useful, and good crop, such as 
hundreds of persons would be glad to possess. On the side cleared 
eyes were inserted in the border as above described, and now the 
roof is covered with fine young canes. There is no doubt whatever 
that the topsy-turvy Vines are precisely as stated, and they have 
not declined in vigour in the slightest degree by the ruthless treat- 
meant to which they have been subjected. 
And now we leave Heckfield. I have seen many beautiful 
scenes on the fair face of Nature, but this is certainly one of the 
fairest and the brightest. It is cherished, too, by its noble owner, 
who has spent nearly ninety summers in its shady woods and ver¬ 
dant slopes. His eye still bright, taste keen, and mind as clear as 
ever, be is the trusted adviser of the great, while he lives in the 
hearts of those by whom he is surrounded. His kindness to his 
gardener during the long illness following his sad accident of a 
year ago, and from which he has not yet recovered, it is pleasant 
to record, and pleasant also to note the devoted attachment of the 
gardener towards his excellent master. Here is the secret of the 
high condition of the place—mutual trust. Good taste in arrange¬ 
ment, economy in management, excellence of culture, and extreme 
neatness are here found. Long may they remain, and may he 
who has worked to such good purpose have as a reward the great 
blessing of restored health.— J. Weight. 
THE DURDHAM DOWNS NURSERY, BRISTOL. 
For many years Messrs. J. Garraway & Co.’s establishment at 
Bristol has held a deservedly high position amongst the nurseries 
of the west of England, and under judicious management its prestige 
is not only being satisfactorily maintained but also considerably 
increased. The Durdham Downs Nursery may claim a position 
amongst the historic trade establishments of this country, for during 
the greater portion of the present century it has been devoted to the 
cultivation of plants, and in its earlier days to the extensive growth 
of indoor fruits. Like many others in the suburbs of populous towns, 
it is now, however, being fast surrounded by houses, and in the course 
of a few years little except the ground occupied by the glass erections 
will remain of the original nursery, which is even now much less in 
dimensions than it was in its youth. This is chiefly due to the site 
being one of the finest in the immediate neighbourhood of Bristol, 
greatly elevated above the busy, smoky, and uninviting town ; more¬ 
over, in proximity to a fine expanse of common-like land, and the 
picturesque Clifton district, the salubrity of which has attracted all 
the wealthy Bristolians. In consequence, Messrs. Garraway & Co. 
have found it necessary to take another nursery at a greater distance 1 
from the town, and the traveller cannot now fail to notice near the 
railway, about half way between Bristol and beautiful Bath, a con¬ 
siderable extent of land occupied with fruit trees, Roses, with abun¬ 
dance of hardy evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees, all appearing 
exceedingly healthy and vigorous, as they shoul be in so fine a 
climate. Thence are drawn the supplies for executing the firm’s 
numerous large orders for hardy plants and trees, and more satis¬ 
factory samples could scarcely be desired, particularly the fruit trees 
