434 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November n, im 
on a south border, but they come up earlier than those planted in 
spring, and have to be covered with soil or other material to 
keep the frost from them, while they are not ready for digging a 
day earlier. 
I can fully endorse all that Mr. Luckhurst says about spreading 
the seed tubers out thinly to be exposed to the light and air. 
They cannot be kept too cold provided they are safe from frost. 
I am surprised that so very few practise this method of keeping 
their seed Potatoes. I have all my early and second early seed 
tubers placed in propagating boxes. The kidneys are put on their 
ends with the eyes uppermost. It is surprising to see how many 
can be stored in a small space. It may appear too much labour to 
place them so carefully ; but a man will place many bushels in the 
boxes in a day, and sometimes we have wet days in the autumn. 
The tubers are now showing their stout shoots, which will never 
be broken off. They will not require to be handled until they are 
carried in the boxes to the ground where they will be planted. 
The tubers do not produce growths so thick as my finger, but that 
is perhaps owing to my planting them earlier than Mr. Luckhurst 
does, as I begin by the middle of March, and have them all 
planted as quickly as possible if the soil is sufficiently dry to work 
upon. 
In the autumn I ridge up all the Potato ground, the ridges 
being the width of the space between the intended rows. If any 
manure is required on the ground it is dug in at the time of 
ridging. At the planting time the ground between the ridges is 
levelled, leaving sufficient soil on the top of the ridge to cover 
the sets the required depth. I never in any case earth up early 
Potatoes, as it only places them farther away from the heat of the 
sun, and they are not ripe so early. I keep the hoe frequently at 
work until the haulm spreads, so as to prevent the growth of 
weeds, and the loose surface prevents evaporation of moisture 
from the roots. With regard to late Potatoes, if they are bursting 
the ground open I then fill up the cracks to prevent the tubers 
becoming green.— D. Walkek, Gardener to 13. H. Collins , Esq. 
WINTERING FUCHSIAS. 
Since Fuchsias have taken such a prominent position among 
bedding plants, keeping them in winter has become an important 
matter. Left in the ground as “ VV. J. M.” advises, the roots and 
crowns remain alive, but stems and branches are lost. I well re¬ 
member one spring seeing a considerable number of old plants 
exhumed from a heap of leaves in which they had passed the 
winter with roots and branches all alive ; but where pi's or frames 
can be had it is better to plunge them therein and protect them 
fro^ frost. I had six beautiful beds of Fuchsias this year, and the 
plants now fill two old three-lighted wooden frames, in which 
they were crowded as closely together as possible when lifted 
from the beds. A bank of soil is made around the outside to the 
top of each frame ; this, with some litter thrown over the lights 
when necessary, served admirably to exclude frost during the 
last two severe winters. Inside the soil is excavated deep enough 
to admit the tallest plants : care has, however, to be taken to do 
this on a position sufficiently elevated to be safe from flooding, 
which would prove fatal to the plants. By this rough and ready 
means I have in spring a large batch of most valuable bedding 
plants, which are planted out early and quickly become orna¬ 
mental, retaining their freshness and beauty till the first severe 
frost of autumn warns us to take them into winter quarters once 
more. Not only do I value beds of mixed Fuchsias for their 
beauty, but also for the admirable manner in which the monotony 
of the too common flat surfaces of ordinary beds are relieved by 
them.— Edward Luckhurst. 
A WEEK IN YORKSHIRE.—No. 4. 
FERNIEHURST. 
After visiting Mr. Holden’s remarkable garden at Oakworth, 
an agreeable hour was spent at Ferniehurst, the pleasantly situated 
residence of Edward Salt, Esq. Mr. Salt’s mansion is situated 
on a woody eminence, overlooking the town of Shipley and that 
monument of the success and liberality of the late Sir Titus Salt, 
Bart.—Saltaire. The approach to Ferniehurst is by walks and 
drives along the side of the hills, arranged so as to diminish the 
gradients and make the ascent as easy as possible. There is a 
great deal of the grandeur of Nature flanking these drives, abrupt 
banks and deep dells, with an undergrowth of Ferns and a wealth 
of forest trees. There are also some touches of art, appropriately 
gentle, for evergreens have been planted to give warmth in 
winter, and as the house is approached we pass through an avenue 
of Rhododendrons recently formed—fine shrubs thriving well of 
excellent varieties, as the names attached to them indicate. The 
walks and drives are highly suitable for the undulated nature of 
the ground. They are of asphalte, but very different from asphalte 
walks as ordinarily made and understood. When the tar was hot 
the surface was closely covered with finely broken granite and 
well rolled : no tar is apparent, and the granite though quite level 
affords good foothold for man and horse. Anything more suitable 
for hilly ground than this mode of making roads and walks 
cannot well be imagined. They are firm, dry, level, and agreeable 
in appearance, comfortable to walk upon, and free from weeds. 
A striking feature of the place is the grass and the asphalte tennis 
grounds situated in a romantic dell—the grass for dry weather, and 
the asphalte for use when the lawn is damp. The asphalte is 
enclosed with wire fencing 12 feet high, and the surroundings 
are very beautiful—massive rocks and Ferns with a well-arranged 
rustic bridge used as a walk from which the lawn tennis ground 
is seen with great advantage. 
The gardens are not extensive, but the results of attentive care 
and good culture are apparent throughout. Orchids are admir¬ 
ably grown at Ferniehurst, but the collection is not so extensive 
as formerly, or at least the specimens are not so large. No plants 
could be cleaner nor in better health than the Cattleyas, Den- 
drobiums, &c., in the principal house, while in the cool house the 
plants were in the same satisfactory condition. Among the 
Masdevallias were excellent examples of M. bella, M. Davisi, a 
foot across ; M. tovarensis, growing vigorously; while several forms 
of M. Harryana and M. Yeitchiana were very fine. Epidendrum 
vitellinum majus was healthy and brilliant, and three plants of 
Oncidium zebrinum had a spike each 12 feet long, bearing hun¬ 
dreds of richly marked flowers. Odontoglossums were numerous. 
Of 0. Uro- Skinneri there was a grand variety flowering with 
glowing crimson sepals and a rosy purple lip ; a finer variety is 
seldom seen. 0. macranthum contributed to the beauty of the 
house by its large and richly coloured flowers. 0. Alexandra, 
0 . Pescatorei, and 0. cirrhosum were numerous and excellent, but 
as regards variety and condition, the pseudo-bulbs being of un¬ 
usual size, and of that warm coppery brown colour indicative 
of good health and maturity of growth ; while Mesospinidium 
vulcanicum attracted attention by its richly coloured flowers. 
Coelogyne cristata is admirably grown, some of the plants exceed¬ 
ing a yard in diameter. 
In other houses Lapagerias were growing in wild luxuriance. 
These plants are evidently at home at Ferniehurst, and Mr. Culley 
appears able to “ do anything ” with them. Planted out and in 
pots they grow alike freely, and they are increased both by layers 
and cuttings with the greatest readiness. A spongy turfy soil, 
with charcoal and abundance of water, appear the chief means 
employed of growing them so well. The young shoots breaking 
through the soil resembled heads of Asparagus, and were pro¬ 
tected from slugs by half-circular earthenware troughs containing 
water, two of which placed together encircle a shoot, and they can 
be removed at any time. Overhead the flowers were numerous 
and grand. A fine plant of L. alba was sent from Ferniehurst to 
Milner Field, Mr. Titus Salt’s residence, where the splendid 
flowers were produced that Mr. Anderson, the gardener, sent to 
South Kensington on August the 10th. One of Mr. Titus Salt’s 
plants, I was credibly informed, covers the roof of a house about 
40 feet long, and as many as four thousand flowers were expanded 
at one time this season. I regret I was unable to see this splendid 
sight, and what is believed to be the best plant of the white 
Lapageria in the kingdom. Eucharis and Pancratiums are ad¬ 
mirably grown at Ferniehurst—huge plants in vigorous health. 
Equally fine are several specimens of Anthurium Scherzerianum, 
which produce between two and three hundred spathes each. 
Tuberous Begonias were extremely large and fine ; the variety 
Queen of the Whites being found particularly useful, and some 
seedlings of it have proved as pure white as the parent. Small 
pots for the size of the plants and abundant supplies of water con¬ 
tribute to such good results. 
In a small grotto-like fernery were some remarkable examples 
of Lilium auratum, the dwarfest plants with the largest flowers 
I have ever seen, and I have seen many thousands. The bulbs 
were imported last year and grown in very small ornamental glazed 
Japanese pots. The effect of these Liliums associated with the 
Ferns was excellent. 
The Peach house is worthy of notice alike for its construction 
and the admirable condition of the trees. It is a span-roofed 
structure, and instead of the trees being planted close to the sides 
of the house they are planted 3 or 4 feet from it, and room is 
afforded for a flat stage close to the glass, and where Tomatoes 
and plants can be well grown, as they receive abundance of light. 
There is room also for a narrow path for attending to the plants. 
The house is lofty, and the trees are standards ; they bear fruit 
of the first size and quality, and no red spider. In this house 
