236 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 9, 1886. 
policy was not rigidly adhered to at the moment. And now we leave the 
fine old grounds of Bedford Hill House ; it may be for the last time, for 
the builders have pushed up to the gates, and Mr. Brand has determined 
to remain no longer near them, but has secured another estate well beyond 
the outposts of the invading army of speculative builders, that appear to 
lay siege to every open space or pleasure ground in the environs of the 
metropolis. 
At last we start, and sure enough the very firct gentleman’s park we 
see, after skirting Tooting Common, is “ in the market.” This is 
Furzedown Park, Mr. Seely’s fine property. It is natural to suppose 
that the owner will hold out against the builders, and prefer not to have 
the desmene “ cut up.” But they will have it sooner or later, and 
by-and-by it will be quite a long “ drive ” to get out of London. We 
are, however, out at last and nearing Mitcham, which we can smell before 
we can well see, for it is famous for herb culture, notably Lavender. 
This is the great crop of the district. Field after field is occupied with 
it ; stacks are made of it, and barns filled with the fragrant spikes. The soil 
is warm, rather light, and resting on gravel. The plants are grown for a time 
about 18 inches apart, and eventually thinned to twice that distance, the 
ground being inter-cropped with Lettuces and Cabbages till the Lavender 
spreads and requires the whole space. Mr. Rapley thinks Mitcham 
must be a healthy place, as he sees so many old people in it, and wonders 
if the herbs and Lavender act as an antiseptic. As is well known moths 
do not like Lavender, so it may possibly be that “ microbes ” do not 
relish it either ; and as time goes on it will, perhaps, be found that these 
are the origin of half the diseases that attack mankind. Mitcham is a 
curious straggling old village, many of the cottages being made of wood 
—or at least the “ walls ” are formed of overlapping boards. It is a 
cheap method of building, no doubt, but some of the domiciles look cosy 
and comfortable, with bright garden plots in front of them and climbers 
trained round the windows. On the whole, Mitcham is not a place to 
fascinate ; it suggests a village trying to be a town, but just failing in 
the attempt, and is, therefore, “ neither one thing nor the other.” I once 
invested in a b ttle of Lavender water “ fresh from the still,” so the man 
said, “ and would last twice as long as the adulterated stuff sold at the 
shops.” He was quite right as to the lasting, for I have had it ten years 
and it is not done yet. He was taking a load of it to London—at least, 
so he said—and it was the custom to give the carters three or four bottles 
which they could dispose of for refreshment. I was fresh from the 
country then, and thought myself fortunate in my bargain. The cork 
neatly sealed and the bottle properly labelled suggested something good. 
It proved, at least, “ pure,” and was, no doubt, “ fresh from the still 
of Nature.” It was clear spring water, collected, it may be, miles 
from where Lavender grows ; but it cost me 9J. It is preserved as a 
standing monitor, and I have not invested in a London “ bargain ” of 
unkuown value since, and thereby have been the gainer. That man, no 
doubt, made a trade of carting about boxes and bottles of his “ pure ” 
(Lavender) water, and I was only one of his many “ supporters.” The 
moral of this is, Let no honest countryman visiting London think that 
everybody there is as honest as he is, as he will assuredly be “ taken in,” 
and, it may be, purchase experience at a greater cost than “ 9d.” 
On we go to Sutton, which is famed, among other things, for its Rose 
shows. Sutton is a beautiful town, and there are not wanting signs of 
at least a good number of its inhabitants being a flower-loving people. 
The town occupies much space, and there appears to be quite as many 
trees as houses. These ornaments of Nature abound even in the main 
thoroughfare, and, emerging into the suburbs, beautiful groves extend on 
each side like boulevards, and have a particularly cool and agreeable 
appearance. It is very pleasant to see this evidence that trees are really 
cherished in one town in England, and that is Sutton in Surrey. Beyond 
the town are the Metropolitan Schools (I think that is the name) from 
whence so many good vegetables have come, as grown by Mr. Ooman, 
and successfully exhibited at the Crystal Palace and other shows. The 
land surrounding the great building is evidently well cultivated, and if 
the whole of the fields of Britain were similarly managed we should hear 
less about depression. 
We travel onwards and upwards to Banstead Downs, the great empo¬ 
rium of loam for London gardeners. It is a yellow turfy loam of good 
body, and carts are constantly at work carrying the coveted turves away. 
One load of really good loam is worth half a dozen of the worthless stuff 
that many gardeners have to use, as not only are better results obtaine . 
by the former, but it can be used, and is used, twice over in many gardens, 
first for Chrysanthemums and various kinds of plants, then for Cucumters 
and Melons, and then again often for Potatoes in frames and Tomatoes. 
There is nothing much dearer than cheap soil, and nothing much more 
unreasonable than to expect gardeners to produce the best results from 
bad mate) ial. 
Over the Downs is Kingswood Warren. It is approached through 
Heather and Bracken. It is a beautiful estate splendidly timbered, and 
fortunately owned by a gentleman who has not only the means, but the 
disposition to improve it. The mansion is a fine castellated building that 
has been restored and enlarged by its present owner. New lawns have 
been made, and terrace walls with flights of steps leading to the panels. 
One part of the forest comprising several acres is now being transformed 
into a pleasure ground by Mr. Thomas, the eminent landscape gardener, 
and when completed will have a beautiful effect from the mansion. The 
park is being enlarged to bring into prominence several fine trees ; glades 
are opened out and vistas formed, one with the church in the distance, 
and seen from the front door, being a striking feature. Grass rides 
traversing the wood, or home preserves, quite near to the mansion, 
are alive with pheasants. There must be thousands of them ; and the 
splendid groups of Scotch F.rs here and there are extremely ornamental; 
but perhaps the most interesting trees, to gardeners, are two famous 
Cedars of Lebanon. They may be octogenarians, or even centenarians, 
but whatever their age, they were removed to their present pcs.tion only 
a very few years ago by Mr. Barron of Elvaston, and appear as healthy 
as if they had not been disturbed. Mr. Barron was engaged by Sir John 
Haitopp, Bart., a former owner of Kingswood Warren, to move tbe.e 
trees, and they are monuments of the transplanter’s skill. 
There are two gardens on the estate, which have been for some years 
under the management of Mr. Charles Blurtcn—a “ Rangemore man,” 
and undoubtedly competent. One of these gardens is devoted wholly to 
the culture of vegetables and hardy fruit, the other including also 
herbaceous and other flowers for cutting, with houses and pits for the 
production of plants, Peaches, and Grapes. In the former garden the 
rows of Peas were remarkably fine. A bountiful supply had been main¬ 
tained, and, judging from the successional rows of Ne Plus Ultra, will 
be continued till frost occurs. This is simply the result of the Celery 
trench system. Trenches are dug out and manure dug in them, and the 
rows being wide apart, the growth of the Peas is characterised by a 
vigour and productiveness that could not be approached by the orthodox 
close sowing on the level, and earthing up so as to throw off the rain 
from the roots. By this latter plan Peas are starved in many Soils, by 
the former supported ; a short and fitful supply resulting in one case, and 
a bountiful and prolonged yield in the other. It would be well if culti¬ 
vators generally chose the better way. The pyramid fruit trees were 
bearing sparsely, an 1 consequently making vigorous growth. It was a 
matter of regret to the gardener that they had to be “ restricted ” to the 
position, as he knows quite well if they had room to grow they would 
soon bear thrice the weight of fruit that is possible under the present 
circumstances. 
Potatoes were being lifted, and many of the unwieldy tubers of the 
International Kidney were diseased. Covent Garden Perfection was 
yielding well and pronounced of good quality ; Vicar of Laleham better, 
and the yield remarkable, but perhaps the finest crop of all was Reading 
Russett—a Potato of high quality, handsome shape, and no waste in 
peeling. This variety is probably destined to be very extensively grown 
for second early and mid-season use. 
The glass structures at Coombe Warren are old and ill-placed. They 
were right enough once, no doubt, but the garden appears to have 
extended beyond them. When the time for remodelling this part of the 
establishment comes round—and everything cannot be done at once—it is 
not difficult to see that a very great improvement can be effected. But 
the old houses produce good. Peaches, excellent Black Hamburgh Grapes, 
and serviceable table Muscats ; but the Vines are evidently worked hard. 
At one end of the Muscat house a Vine of Madresfield Court was carrying 
a heavy crop, and the cracking of the fruit can only be prevented by 
heating the pipes and maintaining a dry atmosphere—so dry that it is 
inimical to the Gros Guillaume near it, and in consequence of the dif¬ 
ferent treatment required by theee two Vines one of them will have to be 
removed. Several letters have appeared as to the splitting of the fine 
Grape in question, and the experiment noted is at least suggestive. 
The mention of a good collection of herbaceous plants and a magnifi¬ 
cent bed of German quilled Asters must bring to a close these random 
jottings, and it only remains to add that the courtesy of Mr. Blurton, 
as extended to his visitors, was such as to induce them, if they should 
ever be on wheels again, to turn the horse’s head towards Kingswood 
Warren.—A City Man. 
BARLOW WELL-DRESSING. 
A short distance from the town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire is 
situated the picturesque village of Barlow, surrounded by hills and dales 
and magnificent scenery. Like some other parts of the county, the village 
has for many years past been noted for the ancient custom of well-dressing. 
Thinking it may interest many readers of this widespread Journal who 
take great interest in floral work, and as the custom of well-dressing is 
almost unknown in some counties of England, I give a brief description 
of the decorations of the present year. 
The annual festival was held in the feast week which commences on 
the nearest Sunday to St. Lawrence. Two large wells were splendidly 
decorated with flowers, Ferns, &c. The chief one, which is situated on 
the main road near the church, consists of a large pump surrounded by a 
well-built stone wall open at the front, and was erected in the year 1840, 
over which is placed a large Gothic arch; on each side the arch on the 
front is a large spire, the whole having the appearance of a church porch. 
The chief designs of the decorations, which were splendidly drawn out by 
the Rev. C. Dyson, vicar of the parish, beiug the represent .tions of Child¬ 
hood, Youth, Old Age, and Death, all being handsomely ma ; e in various 
colours of flowers, the groundwork throughout the structure being of a 
rich green moss. The first design, which was the representation of 
Childhood, consisted of a boy and girl about the age of six years. The 
boy, who was taking ho'd of the girl’s hand with his left, was bu-ily 
engaged in catching a butterfly with his hat in his light hand. The girl, 
who had just lost one of her boots, was looking behind to pick it up ; 
both attired in a rich blue dress made of blue Cornflowers, black boots 
made of a small wild black flower ; the boy wearing a scarlet tie made 
of Geraniums, yellow stockings made of annual Chrysanthemums, black 
hat trimmed with red made of a small wild flower and red Stocks; the 
girl wearing a white apron and white stockings made of double white 
Feverfew, and dark bonnet made of dark French Marigolds. On the 
top, in large white, letters made of double white Feverfew, surrounded 
by a beautiful border of yellow annual Chrysanthemums, were the words, 
11 Happy Chilahcod.” 
