836 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 12, 1803. 
A CALL AT SAWBRIDGEWORTH. 
A VISIT to the famed fruit nursery of Messrs, T. Rivers & Son is at 
all times interesting, but at none more so than in the autumn. At this 
period the trees are laden vvith luscious fruit until the end of September, 
and once seen the sight is not readily forgotten. October finds the bulk 
of the crops gathered and safely housed, but the trees, although deprived 
of their rich appearance, are by no means devoid of interest from a 
planter’s point of view. Now is the time when persons contemplating 
planting should make their selections, and a visit to the nursery in 
question, amongst others, could be made with advantage. This is the 
conclusion the writer came to whilst taking a hasty run through the 
extensive grounds devoted to fruit growing. Although harassing in 
many respects, the past summer has been a grand one for fruit taken as 
a whole, and the trees are now in prime condition, auguring well for the 
future. For many years trees of various kinds have been raised in 
immense numbers at Sawbridgeworth, and it would appear that the 
impetus given to fruit cultivation throughout the country is being felt 
there. The demand for trees suitable for planting orchards is now 
enormous, but fortunately the supply has grown correspondingly. In 
the neighbourhood referred to the soil, being a deep loam full of stamina, 
is peculiarly adapted for the production of good trees, and as the 
plantations are situated on sunny slopes the wood becomes well ripened, 
which, as all fruit growers know, is of the greatest importance. 
Apples and Peaks. 
All kinds of fruit trees are grown at Sawbridgeworth, upwards of 
160 acres of land being devoted to this purpose. Apples and Pears, as 
may be expected, come in for their share of attention, these being well 
represented. Of the former no less than nearly 600 varieties are 
grown, but Mr. T. P. Rivers is of the opinion that fifty of these would 
be sufficient, and in many cases the list might be further condensed. 
Still there are persons who will grow both Apples and Pears of a 
common character, and so long as a demand exists for such varieties the 
supply will be furnished. Notwithstanding, as before remarked, Mr. 
Rivers considers that too many varieties are planted, and when such is 
done the results are not always of a satisfactory nature. “Upright 
growing trees of choice reliable sorts should be planted,” observed our 
guide, and to illustrate his remark he pointed out a plantation of 
Cox’s Orange Pippin. The trees in this case are planted in rows 12 feet 
asunder and 6 feet apart in the rows, but will eventually be thinned 
out to double that distance. All are half-standards, with well trained 
heads, and the ground beneath is planted with Strawberries. An orchard 
of this kind cannot be other than profitable, and it is worthy of 
imitation. The foregoing is but a case in point, for many similar instances 
are to be seen bere. In addition to these, however, there are acres of 
young trees, two, three, and four years old, all now in excellent con¬ 
dition for planting. The Apples are represented by bushes, pyramids, 
and standards, on the Nonesuch, Paradise, and Crab stocks, and all are 
characterised by remarkably fine growth. The young shoots are long, 
and in many cases as thick as a man’s finger, and, as may be expected 
after a prolonged period of sunshine, have ripened wonderfully well. 
They are, moreover, bristling with fruit buds in a manner that one does 
not always find. Bismarck is largely grown, and so are Bramley’s 
Seedling, Duchess of Oldenburg, Cox’s Pomona, Betty Geeson, Lane’s 
Prince Albert, Blenheim Orange, Nancy Jackson, King of the Tomkins 
County, and many other choice varieties. Enormous brightly coloured 
samples of the above mentioned Apples were displayed in the fruit 
room, but Mr. Rivers is not a believer in huge Apples. Firm, well 
coloured, medium-sized fruits are preferred by the Sawbridgeworth 
principal. 
What has been said in regard to Apples applies with equal force to 
Pears. Of these there are plenty to select from, and intending planters 
will find trained trees for walls and espaliers as abundant as cordon?, 
and bushes as numerous as pyramids. These are worked on the Quince 
and Pear stock, and in certain cases are double grafted, which in some 
varieties is a gieat advantage. All the select kinds are grown, and the 
trees being dwarf and well trained are under control. They have, not¬ 
withstanding the drought, made fine growth this season, and the wood 
is so well covered with fruit buds that trees transplanted now would, if 
allowed, carry a good crop of fruit next season. Like the Apples, large 
Pears are not appreciated here, and although some wonderfully fine 
samples are grown, Mr. Rivera, for private use, pins his faith on a 
seedling Bergamot of his own raising. This is rather a small Pear, sweet 
and juicy, and of a delicious flavour. Conference is a new seedling Pear 
that is likely to prove a valuable market variety, the tree being most 
prolific. The fruit is large, flesh melting, juicy, and rich. It is doubtless 
a Pear of the future. 
Plums and Cherries. 
Plums form a special feature, and thanks to the efforts of the Saw¬ 
bridgeworth firm in raising new varieties some delicious fruits are now 
forthcoming. Thousands of standard, pyramid, dwarf, and trained 
trees are grown in a similar manner to the other fruits, and by making 
a choice selection it is possible to have ripe Plums from open-air trees 
from early in July till October. All the leading varieties are represented, 
but a large breadth of Rivers’ Early Prolific arrests attention. This is 
a grand culinary variety, and one that should be found in every orchard 
or garden. Although but medium in size, it is one of the heaviest 
Plums in cultivation, and is a prodigious cropper. For making pre¬ 
serves this is a valuable fruit, and for that purpose it is being extensively 
cultivated. As an early dessert Plum The Czar is very popular, and 
consequently the supply is maintained according to the demand. As 
is generally well known, the fruit is large, rich, and good flavoured, 
usually ripening the end of July. Another valuable market Plum 
raised at Sawbridgeworth is the Monarch, and anticipating a brilliant 
future for this variety Mr. Rivers has grown it extensively. Trees of 
various sizes, suitable for orchard and garden planting, have been pro¬ 
duced, and those three years from the graft have this year borne heavy 
crops of fruit. It is a late variety, ripening in ordinary seasons at the 
end of September, although this year the fruit was fit to gather several 
weeks earlier. The fruit is very large, of excellent quality, and the 
tree is an abundant bearer. Grand Duke is another splendid late Plum 
that might be individualised out of the many grown here, this variety 
being sometimes in prime condition as late as October. 
Regarding Cherries a few words will suffice, for the firm has long 
since gained a reputation for these. Visitors to the summer shows in 
and around the metropolis have often been charmed with the delicious 
looking fruits sent by Messrs. Rivers, and no doubt will be again. 
Trained trees on the Mahaleb are a feature here, cordons also receiving 
special attention. The Morello is now grafted on this stock, and has 
been found useful to be grown as pyramids in gardens. Apricots are 
likewise looking well, the trees being vigorous in growth, which has 
become exceptionally well ripened. 
Fruit Trees in Pots. 
This perhaps is the most interesting phase of fruit culture, and to see 
it well carried out a visit to Sawbridgeworth is desirable. Here we 
find Apricots, Apples, Cherries, Pears, Plums, Peaches, Nectarines, Figs, 
Oranges and other fruit trees in pots grown very extensively. Numerous 
houses are devoted to their culture and apparently with great success. 
Last week trees of the Apple Bijou from 2 to 3 feet high and in 8 and 
9-inch pots were carrying two or three dozen fruits of excellent quality. 
Other choice kinds are similarly cultivated, and the same may be said of 
Pears. The latter are very fine, and it is surprising that they are not 
more generally grown in pots. Trees about 4 feet in height and 
bearing from one to two dozen fruits of a large size are very plentiful. 
The following varieties are recommended by Mr. Rivers as being suitable 
for growing in pots.—August; Jargonelle, Beurr6 Giffard and Clapp’s 
Favourite ; September: Williams’ Bon Chretien, Beurr6 d’Amanlis, 
Madame Treyve, Beurr6 Superfin and Souvenir du Congr^s ; October : 
Louise Bonne of Jersey, Fondante d’Automne, Beurr4 Hardy, Gansel’s 
Bergamot, Marie Louise, Mar^chal de Cour, Glou Morgeau and 
Pitmaston Duchess; November: Durondeau, Beurr6 Bachelier and 
Beurr4 Diel ; December : Winter Nelis, Josephine de Malines and Berga- 
motte d’Esperen ; January : Nouvelle Fulvie. After fruiting, the trees 
are stood outdoors in sunny positions to ripen the wood properly. 
Peaches and Nectarines too are exceedingly good, and the trees are now 
being repotted. They vary in height from 3 to 12 feet, many of the latter 
being remarkable specimens of cultural skill. Trees of this kind in suitable 
size pots bear five dozen fruits of superior quality and could be induced 
to carry more. They are grown in a compost of loam, decayed manure 
and chalk, and during the season are top-dressed with a mixture of horse 
droppings, night soil, and kiln dust. In this the roots ramify, and by the 
autumn form a matted mass. Trees of a smaller size are plentiful, and 
these produce one to two dozen fruits. Such trees as these might 
advantageously be given a place in every garden where a suitable glass 
house exists for their reception. Plums in pots are likewise given special 
attention, and the same can be said of Figs and other fruits, 
although the majority of the trees are now maturing their wood in the 
open air. 
Grape Vines and Oranges. 
A brief reference must be made to the pot Vines. A close inspection 
of these was not made, but it could be easily seen in passing that they 
bear the impress of good cultivation. There are hundreds of well 
ripened stout canes that will produce good fruit next year if properly 
treated. These are for the most part under glass, but where an 
abundance of ventilation is given. The orangery is an interesting 
feature here, inasmuch as about fifty varieties of Oranges, Lemons, and 
Citrons are grown. The trees are in pots, ready for transit, and most of 
them are now carrying a good crop of fruit, which is commencing to 
ripen. Generally home-grown Oranges as seen in private gardens are 
not of an excellent quality, but matters are entirely different at Saw¬ 
bridgeworth. An opportunity of tasting a fruit convinced the writer 
that, given a good variety and grown under proper conditions, Oranges 
cultivated at home are superior to the majority of those imported from 
abroad. The chief essentials in the successful cultivation of Oranges 
are obviously moderate heat and a well ventilated house, so as to main¬ 
tain rather a dry atmosphere, which imparts flavour to the fruit. There 
are many other features at this nursery, but pressure on our space 
forbids further details. It may be mentioned that despite the extreme 
drought the young grafted trees of all kinds of fruit are looking remark¬ 
ably well, the scions having taken well, this being partly the result of 
deep and judicious cultivation, which assisted much in reserving moisture 
in the soil. 
Although the fruit trees above referred to are so largely grown by 
Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, it must not be thought that they constitute 
the whole of the Sawbridgeworth stock. Raspberries are well repre¬ 
sented, there being thousands of canes of such standard sorts as Hornet, 
Fillbasket, Baumforth Seedling, and Lord Beaconsfield, the last named a 
comparatively new variety of great excellence. The autumnal Rasp¬ 
berries are also extensively cultivated, the best of these being the 
October Red and October Yellow, both reliable varieties. All the most 
popular Strawberries are likewise grown, the young plants being strong 
