September 7. 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
217 
the Serpentine, where a winding stream meandering between Ivy- 
covered banks to a rocky head lined by tall Tree Ferns and lofty Musas 
is well worth seeing. From here to Hyde Park Corner, as well as along 
the Lady’s Mile, there are several attractive beds and borders to be 
found ; but probably enough has been described to serve the purpose 
of indicating the beauty of the great park under the masterly super¬ 
intendence of Mr. W. Brown.— Wandeeer. 
FRUIT GATHERING TIME AT CHEALS’. 
Between the end of budding time and the commencement of the 
lifting season there is a little lull in the fruit nurseries, not a com¬ 
plete one by any means, for there is plenty of work still on hand, 
but just a trifling relaxation of the pressure which seems almost a 
chronic condition in rising places. It is then that the wise man will 
pay his visit if he can. In early September many trees have been 
relieved of their golden or crimson load, gatherings having been made 
in order to secure fruit for the shows, but the majority remain with 
the greater part of their crop, and so their bearing qualities may be 
perceived. The season of 1893, so harrassing and even deadly to 
numerous light-land cultivators, has dealt kindly with those great 
growers Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons of Crawley. No hungry, thirsty soil is 
theirs, but heavy, tenacious loam, and while in thousands of places trees 
have languished and dropped their fruit, Conifers wilted, and shrubs 
shrivelled, at Lowfield their growth has been steady, substantial, and 
healthy. I have more than once inspected the famous nurseries, but 
have never seen them in such condition as they are this season. The 
weather has given such an opportunity for weed extermination as we 
have not had for many a year, and it has been taken advantage of to 
the full. Acre after acre may be traversed without one weed being seen. 
In order, cleanliness, and neatness the nurseries are perfect, while above 
and beyond all there are the thousands of healthy, vigorous trees which 
are to go forth and bring fresh credit to the name of Cheal when the 
season comes round. 
The Old Order and the New. 
It is impossible to help contrasting the present with the past. A 
quarter of a century ago this fruit and shrub nursery of about 100 acres, 
employing its scores of hands, was under farm cultivation, and for every 
man who then found occupation there is now work for a dozen. The 
value of the land has grown enormously, the prosperity of its culti¬ 
vators has increased, and the condition of the workers has correspond¬ 
ingly improved. These are gratifying facts. Development was steady 
and gradual until ten or fifteen years ago, since when it has gone on 
with accelerated speed, good material and good workmanship securing 
the general recognition which has now placed the once small local firm 
in the front rank of British nurserymen. Though the Crawley soil is 
holding and stubborn, like John Bull’s own character, it has sterling 
qualities, building up strong and seasoned growth well calculated to 
fight its way into matured health, strength, and fruitfulness. There is 
something fresh and invigorating, too, in the Crawley air, alike to 
vegetation and mankind, for in addition to splendid trees and brilliant 
flowers, Lowfield possesses in the nonagenarian parent of the well- 
known brothers, a wonderful specimen of humanity. Mr. Cheal, senior, 
now in his ninety-fourth year, still gazes on the scenes which have been 
familiar to him for nearly a century with faculties undimmed, enjoys 
life, and astonishes the doctors, who long ago dubbed him “ the ever¬ 
green,” and left him to his own marvellous vital resources as requiring 
no help from them. To hear him speak with fatherly pride of the 
energetic and enterprising brothers who have lifted the business up by 
hard work and sound methods, and have grown grey in the work, as 
“ my boys,” and then to glance out over the acres of fruit and mentally 
contrast them with the old corn-growing order of things, brings home 
the contrast of the generations. In the hurry of progress let us not 
forget the firm foundations of the past. 
A House of Cordon Pears. 
But the present is too pressing to afford much time for retrospect. I 
went to Cheal’s to report their work and progress up to date, and I must 
set about my task. First, a few words may be devoted to the house of 
cordon Pears, which is now one of the great features of the nursery. It 
is 50 feet long, 20 wide, and 12 high, the rafters going down to within a 
foot of the ground, where there is a continuous shutter at each side, 
raised in genial weather to admit a flow of pure air amongst the trees. 
The structure, it will be understood, is a very light one. Bush trees are 
planted in a central bed, and all round the house are trained cordon 
Pears. They have been planted out in the border and allowed to go 
right up the roof, which permits a run of about 15 feet. They are now 
in their third year, and are a very striking and instructive sight, being 
laden with magnificent fruit. A good deal has been cleared off, but 
there is still a crop hanging which speaks with eloquent voice of the 
benefits of the system. Here, with the trees under easy control and the 
blossom protected, an annual crop is insured. They not only bear 
splendid fruit now, but exhibit in the bold buds with which they are 
bristling the promise of an equal crop next season. Amongst them are 
new and old varieties, Duchesse de Nemours is a January Pear 
resembling Doyennd Boussoch in appearance, and of excellent quality. 
Belle de Bruxelles and Duchesse de Mouchy are both bearing well, but 
neither is much known generally. The latter keeps till March, Then 
there are Charles Cognde, a useful February Pear; Beurrd Alexandre 
Liicas, Princess, in grand condition; Epine Dumas and Abb6 Fetel, 
which has grand clusters of large fruit. Amongst the older varieties 
Beurrd Superfin, Beurrd Hardy, Uvedale’s St. Germain’s, Doyennd 
Boussoch (very fine), Mardchal de Cour, Louise Bonne of Jersey, 
Durondeau, Jersey Gratioli, Clapp’s Favourite, Triomphe de Jodoigne, 
Beurr6 d’ Amanlis, and General Toddleben are carrying splendid crops, 
the last-named being one of the best. There is one notable disappoint¬ 
ment, however, and that is the delicious Doyenn^ du Comice, which so 
far does badly, the fruit being brown and scabbed. The cordon house is 
undoubtedly a great success, and attracts the attention of all visitors. 
In due time similar structures will doubtless be found in many private 
places. 
Cordons Out of Doors, 
Although the drought has been so prolonged and insects so trouble¬ 
some the trees, as I have said, are in admirable condition. The insect 
plague would have developed into a very serious matter but for being 
dealt with in a firm manner. For many weeks two hands were con¬ 
stantly employed in the application of insecticides, and as labour means 
expense the task was a costly one, but the result was that the mischief 
to the trees was arrested, and they have gone on well ever since. The 
Crawley cordons are famous, and in few previous seasons have they been 
seen in such splendid order. Apart from the walls, espaliers, and arches, 
each with its ripening burden, there are excellent crops both of Apples 
and Pears in the open quarters. The latter are surprisingly full, the 
blossom escaping injury from the spring frosts as it rarely does. A good 
deal was destroyed, but plenty escaped. Beurr^ d’Amanlis, Williams’ 
Bon ChrfStien, Williams’ Victoria, a later variety than the last named ; 
Passe Colmar, Marie Louise d’Uccle, Fondante d’Antomne, Doyenn6 du 
Comice (exceptionally good), Durondeau (ditto), and Beurr4 de 
I’Assomption may be named as a few that are bearing heavily. These 
trees are not topped, but the side shoots are shortened to encourage the 
formation of fnrit spurs, with which they are thickly studded. They 
are clean, vigorous, healthy, and fruitful, and no one inspecting them 
would hesitate to entrust his fortunes to them if he were desirous of 
planting. It is not in vain that Messrs. Cheal & Sons have devoted 
special attention to this popular and rising class. 
Notes on Various Apples. 
“ Why,” said Mr. A., “ don’t people grow more of Hormead Pear- 
main ?” and then he looked at Mr. J., and the latter responded, ‘'Ah ! 
Why?” It is one of the best Apples grown at Crawley, being a fine 
and constant cropper, a good grower, and bearing beautiful fruit. It 
is an excellent kitchen sort, and may also be used for dessert. The 
neglect of this variety apparently rankled in Mr. A.’s mind, for an hour 
or so after he returned to it, and this time clinched the matter by 
saying emphatically that if he were going to grow six varieties this 
would be one of them. Will not some growers try it on the strength 
of this, and report results? Then there is the Forge, a small local 
Apple, wonderfully heavy for its size, growing freely in almost any 
soil, never cankering, bearing every year, hardy, healthy, and an admir¬ 
able cooker. It has exceptional colour this year, but is always attrac¬ 
tive, though hardly large enough for market. Waltham Abbey Seedling 
and The Queen are yielding grand fruit on young bushes. Jefferson 
is a small and attractive dessert variety, the skin striped and fl.aked, 
the fruit somewhat flattened, borne freely, and of very agreeable flavour. 
It does well as a cordon. Landsberger Reinette is bearing fine crops 
both as a bush and a cordon. Sussex Nanney, a mid-Sussex dessert 
Apple with soft flesh, ready now, ia not widely known, but merits 
recognition. 
An Apple which is puzzling not a few experts is one had under the 
name of Ringer. It is not that, for although the yellow fruit bears a 
strong resemblance to it, it is much heavier and the stalk shorter ; the 
tree crops better than Ringer too. Several have thought it to be Jolly 
Beggar, but the foliage is quite distinct from that and the stalk shorter. 
If it could be pronounced a distinct variety it would be well worthy of 
a name, for the fruit is wonderfully solid and heavy, keeping well, and 
the tree is a great cropper. Sandringham, Lady Henniker, Maltster, 
Frogmore Prolific, Margil, and Lord Lennox are all observed to be bear¬ 
ing well. Young trees of Lane’s Prince Albert, open, clean, healthy 
bushes, are almost breaking down with their load of splendid fruit. The 
colour that many varieties possess this season is altogether exceptional. 
With the warm air and soil they have assumed the richest imaginable 
tints, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Beauty of Kent, Cellini, Barchard’s Seedling, 
Bismarck, Gascoyne’s Seedling and Wealthy being particularly brilliant. 
The season has brought about noticeable changes in some varieties. 
Peasgood’s Nonesuch is not so large as usual, and Ecklinyille far from 
being so good as it generally is ; on the other hand Cellini, usually one 
of the worst at Crawley, is grand both in crop and colour this season, and 
Lord Suffield, another of the troublesome ones, is also excellent in every 
way. A splendid stock of Bismarck arrests special attention and orders 
are beginning to flow in for it rapidly, Cospatrick, Newton Wonder 
(an improved Wellington), King of the Pippins, Betty Geeson, Claygate 
Pearmain, Mannington, Dutch Mignonne, and Domino successively 
arrest attention for their healthy growth and enormous crops. Newton 
Wonder, Betty Geeson, and Domino all stand very high in Messrs. 
Cheal’s estimation, and all must grow in popular esteem from their 
intrinsic excellence. 
The Dahlias. 
It would be useless to attempt an exhaustive reference to every 
object of interest in the fruit way at Lowfield, so I^ give in at once, 
and pass on to say a few words about the Dahlias, which constitute the 
other great speciality of the firm. There are several large quarters of 
