12 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 6, 1893. 
young and tender twigs [we have seen with a certain result—death to 
the parts] as well as upon the sheathing scales or embryonic leaves of 
the buds, it is believed that they live upon these, if not upon the leaves 
also until the buds are again formed.” This is partly true, for they 
cannot and do not live on the leaves and young shoots, nor are the 
yellow pustules in any sense galls, but mere blisters, poisoning and killing 
the young leaves and young wood. 
The Hazel-bud gall mite has already (May 30th) possession of the 
newly formed buds of the Hazel, the leaves corresponding to the buds 
having a large purple blotch in the centre of the leaf, and the Brineum 
is being produced abundantly by the scales, but there is not a mite to be 
seen (except in the buds galled), nor are the central or embryonic 
blossom or wood buds yet touched, but soon will be when the mites 
emerge, for their “ buds ” penetrate the leaf buds at the base of the 
scales, and they, dropping their poison on the growing parts, produce 
the gall, and Brineum hairs spring forth bounteously inside, upon which 
they live and pass the winter in safety, feasting and fattening, and 
reproducing on what would otherwise be the young shoots, and leaves, 
and nuts of the succeeding year. It is the same with the Currant-bud 
gall mite. The question. Where are the mites now ? I am unable to 
find any on the shoots and leaves sent by Mr. Lane. I have shown 
what they have done, and it is questionable if they can or do enter the 
embryonic buds in any form than that completing the cycle of their 
existence.— G. Abbey. 
NOTES ON TOMATOES. 
Tomato Sutton’s Dessert. 
This appears to be an excellent variety where large fruit are not 
favoured. In a Peach house at Kooksbury Park many plants of it are 
now growing, they all have set a wonderful crop of fruit. This is borne 
in long racemes, ranging from 1 foot to 2 feet long, and carrying as 
many as nineteen fruit on one raceme. The fruit is about the size of 
a large walnut, quite smooth in the skin, bright red in colour, and 
of excellent flavour, just the right kind to eat in a raw state.—B. M. 
Tomato Disease. 
The new disease to which Tomatoes are subject, so ably described by 
Mr. Abbey (page 471, June 15th), made its appearance at Ivy Lodge, 
Bridge of Allan, four years ago, the flrst year the late Mr. M'Tavish 
grew Tomatoes there. The water used is a natural supply, which enters 
the garden at the highest point from the grounds above, and is collected 
into a tank from which it is led by pipes to wherever wanted. Whether 
it is contaminated with sewage or any other deleterious matter from 
the houses on the higher ground I cannot say ; but there is a contamina¬ 
tion somewhere, for the tank, cisterns in the houses, and a pond are 
continually covered with a green confervoid. Once, when talking with 
Mr. M‘Tavish about the sudden collapse of his plants, he said Mr. 
Thomson of Clovenfords,, who was calling a few days previous, 
attributed it to the attack of wireworm. As I could not observe any 
of the usual signs of a wireworm attack I misdoubted the statement 
without any farther evidence than the sudden dying of the plants ; 
therefore several of them were examined, but neither wireworm nor 
any appearance of their work could be found. 
“ J. F. D.,” at page 505, says, “ Seeds should be purchased from one 
of the best houses in the trade.” Bven although we do so it does not 
always turn out as we wish. I enclose several seeds which are discoloured. 
Is it the nidus of some species of disease ? Fully a third of the seed 
from a healthy fruit had the same discolouration as those sent. If it is 
the seat of a form of disease it will account greatly for the spread of 
such diseases. Would any of your readers who may have grown “ Sharpe’s 
First Little Beauty ” give their opinion of it ?—G. M‘Douga"ll, 
Stirling. 
[We have examined the seeds and fail to find any spores of bacterium 
attached to them. The seeds, however, are not only discoloured, but 
very weak, and not likely to produce sturdy, healthy seedlings. Seed 
should be saved from the finest and best ripened fruit, selecting the 
largest and most plump clean seeds, rejecting those which are small 
discoloured, and manifestly not well developed.] 
Tomatoes at West Hill House. 
The description of successful Tomato growing is of interest to all 
those—and they are many—who, either commercially or for family use, 
are trying to make their crops as good as they can with whatever means 
they may have at command. A very successful system of culture is 
pursued by Mr. Hawtin, gardener to Mr. Samuel Herrick Sands, late 
Mayor of Nottingham, at West Hill House, on the Lenton side of the 
borough. He devotes one of his houses, through the summer season, 
entirely to Tomatoes. It is some 30 feet long, by 18 or 20 feet wide; 
span-roofed, and curvilinear, thus having plenty of light. In the centre, 
on the stone bench which covers a water cistern, he has them growing 
in 13 or 14-inch pots, well drained, but standing in pans to retain the 
waterings, and keep the plants always cool and moist at their roots. On 
the side benches he puts boxes made the whole length and width, 2 feet 
wide and 6 inches deep, holding say 4J or 5 inches of soil. In these 
boxes the plants are placed in a double row on the outer and inner sides ; 
they stand about 18 inches apart, and grow straight up, fastened to 
stakes until they reach the wires of the roof, to which they are afterwards 
tied. 
From this it will be seen that the plants are rather close together, 
but being grown on the single-stem principle, and daily attended to, there 
is no crowding. In all there are about eighty plants in the house, and 
Mr. Hawtin told me that since he commenced cutting he had cut some 
150 lbs. of fruit, and when we saw them, June 26th, there would be 
about 50 lbs. of fruit quite ready. The majority of his plants area 
sort selected by him, a few years ago, from a very fruitful plant 
out of a packet of seed of Hopper’s Goliath, though, in most years, he 
adds a few plants of the other varieties which are said to be excellent 
by other growers. He has tried all the forms of Perfection, Conference, 
and others ; but as he does not grow for show but for use, he finds none 
to fill his basket like his variety of Hepper’s Goliath, Hopper’s, though 
a corrugated fruit, and much like Sutton’s Barliest of all in habit, fruit, 
and prolificacy, grows with him to an excellent size, and a very high 
colour. He is trying Sutton’s Maincrop this year, and in some things 
it suits him, but does not give him such satisfactory results as his own 
variety does. The compost used is a mixture of half and half turf and 
decayed cow manure. This is found to hold out the longest, besides 
giving firmness and short-jointed growth to the plants. The plants are 
top-dressed every now and then through their fruiting stage with guano, 
and are occasionally watered with liquor from the garden tank, into which 
all the house sewage goes. 
Mr. Hawtin uses the syringe very slightly, if at all, he believing 
that trying to grow Tomatoes on the lines of Cucumbers has been the 
cause very largely with those who do so of the dreaded Tomato disease. 
With him he has never had the least sign of it, and he attributes it 
partly to his non-use of the syringe, a soil not too rich nor in too great 
quantity, and good feeding by top-dressings of soil and guano, and 
occasional rich waterings, and his light and airy house. We agree with 
him, and his results show that he is right. There may be a point or two 
in these notes which will be of advantage to some Tomato grower or 
other, and every little helps.—P. H, N. 
ABOUT HULL. —III. 
Welton House. 
Two friends from the north took a pair of northern appetites with 
them into a southern restaurant some time ago, and one whispered to 
the other to “ give him a bit of broad Yorkshire ” as the waiter 
approached to solicit their orders. No. 2, not being too hungry to 
appreciate a joke, complied, and the confusion of the waiter was as 
complete as though he had been asked to bring Solanum tuberosum 
or Brassica oleracea. No. 2, when on his native heath, is Mr. Charles 
Lawton, head gardener to Colonel Harrison Broadley, Welton House, 
near Brough, but he spared me a Yorkshire accent in the hearty York¬ 
shire welcome extended to me when I made my call. But there is 
breadth about Mr. Lawton apart from the speech in which it sometimes 
pleases him to indulge. He is broad in person to begin with, and 
broader still in mind, one of those gardeners who combine practical 
knowledge with scientific culture, keen intelligence, and a sturdy 
independence of thought. 
Welton House stands in beautiful grounds close to the far-famed 
Welton Dale, which is a part of the vast estate, and to which troop 
numbers of excursionists from Hull, for Colonel Broadley throws it open 
to them, and thousands are glad to avail themselves of the privilege. 
Bills are frequently on view in Hull town inviting would-be visitors to 
part with eighteen pence, and in return to be transported per waggonette 
to and from Welton. The vehicles are not, to speak frankly, models of 
luxury, but they are comfortable, so that anyone who feels inclined to go 
by road has a fair opportunity of gratifying his desires. If the rail is chosen 
I am doubtful whether Ferriby or Brough is the nearer station. Being 
independent of both waggonette and train it was not a special poin 
with me, but it would be a pleasant and not very long walk from either. 
Welton village and the surrounding country has an interest for lovers of 
the “ good old times ” in its connection with the exploits of Dick Turpin, 
Scarborough, Snowden Dunning (or Dunhill), and other notorious 
persons. Mr. Lawton pointed out an old hostelry there in which the 
lamented Eichard was incarcerated pending his transmission to York 
under other conditions than prevailed on his famous ride. I was 
fortunate in seeing Welton under the favourable conditions of glorious 
summer weather, and the fine views from the head of the Dale were at 
their best. 
The gardens and grounds around the mansion possess the immense 
advantage of abundant leafage. Beeches and Blms flourish wonder¬ 
fully well, particularly the Copper . Beeches, which excel their 
brethren in vigour and luxuriance, and make a fine feature. One 
tree near the house has attained to enormous dimensions, and the 
branches, having spread across the drive, have been raised on a frame¬ 
work of stout poles, forming a natural arch of great beauty. An 
extraordinary instance of vitality in a tree is afforded by an enormous 
Sycamore, the branches having a spread 33 yards in diameter. At a 
height of about 5 feet the trunk split in a heavy wind, and one portion 
was dragged to the ground. It was resolved to raise it and bolt the two 
together. Failure was the universal prognostication, being voted as 
certain as that a ship must come to grief if an attempt were made to 
drive it by steam; but the ship went and the tree grew. A bolt was 
driven right through the pith, and a large plate was affixed. The plate 
is now covered with bark, the wounded parts healed, and the tree is in 
perfect health. 
There is a great deal to interest old timers in the houses at Welton 
for hardwooded plants are well represented there. Some are “ speci¬ 
mens ” of quite an aldermanic corpulence. For instance, there is 
