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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ March 9, 1893. 
Peaches can be grown without the aid of glass houses; but this remark 
only applies to places where the soil and situation are favourable to the 
growths of the trees. In some localities it is impossible to grow Peaches 
out of doors ; therefore, it is absolutely necessary that in such places 
they should have the protection of a glass house. One of the best 
examples of outdoor Peach culture I have seen is at Cardiff Castle, and 
there, with a combination of cultural skill and a good situation, the trees 
produce some splendid fruit ; there also is some of the hnest specimen 
trees indoors that I have ever seen. Trees that are growing too strong 
or rooting deeply into bad soil would be better lifted and have their roots 
placed nearer the surface in a good compost. The work could be done 
any time between now and the third week in March, as Peach trees 
will respond to late planting better than any other fruit trees.— 
R. Morse. 
Peaches at The Briars, Eeigate. 
Exceedingly interesting to all concerned in Peach culture is the 
house at this place which is devoted to these fruits and Nectarines. It 
is a span, fairly high, well ventilated, and standing, as everything about 
the place is, on the top of a sharp slope to the east. The remarkable 
thing about the trees is the enormous development of stem. The trees 
were planted about fifteen years ago. On one side there is a very fine 
Rivers’ Early York Peach that has close to the ground a massive stem 
fully 3 feet in circumference, and from it breaks out three large 
branches from 6 inches to 8 inches through. The entire tree covers an 
area 24 feet by 12 feet, is trained on a trellis 3 feet from the glass, and 
carries enormous crops. All the other trained trees have relatively 
the same huge stems and robust growth. They comprise Princess of 
Wales and Noblesse Peaches, Lord Napier and Humboldt Nectarines. 
Mr. Bailey remarks that heavy cropping is absolutely needful to 
keep the trees somewhat in check. The borders are about 4 feet in 
width, but it is evident the roots have gone away into the natural soil, 
which is a very good dark loam on stone brash, with a chalk strata 
below. In the centre of the house are several very fine, but still 
clump-headed, standards having most massive stems. These are about 
12 feet in height, and comprise Stanwick Elruge and Lord Napier 
Nectarines, and Early York and Princess of Wales Peaches. There is 
at one end on the side border standing a huge standard of Early York 
in a large pot, the roots of which have gone through into the border. 
Altogether it is a very remarkable Peach house, and when in fruit 
must present a beautiful sight. The borders are now mulched with 
manure, a combination from the stable, cowshed, and pig-stye, well mixed 
and prepared. This gives some food for surface roots, and emits a little 
welcome ammonia.—A, D. 
Alexander and Waterloo Peaches—Buds Dropping. 
1 DO not know what may be the experience of other gardeners this 
season with the culture of Alexander Peach, but once again has it been 
my misfortune to see all the best and most promising buds drop just at 
the time when one naturally expects them to expand into bloom. The 
only flower buds which have not dropped were the terminal and spur 
buds, of which there is a good set. I enclose samples for your inspection. 
Knowing from practical experience the fault of this Peach to cast its 
buds, I w’as tempted when again taking charge of these gardens last 
October to replace Alexander by a tree of Waterloo, but deferred doing 
£0 for the sake of one more experiment. 
Gardeners assign various causes which help towards the dropping of 
Peach buds, but in my case none of the usual alleged faults will apply. 
The wood was perfectly matured and broke regularly into growth, water 
had been early applied in sufficient quantity to the borders, no insecti¬ 
cide was used, as the trees were perfectly clean and healthy, yet the buds 
dropped except those mentioned. This in my opinion shows that there 
is some constitutional weakness in the Alexander Peach, either from 
over-propagation or from climatic causes, as it is a well known fact that 
buds drop less from this American variety later on than they do in early 
houses. In the same border and house, which is an early one, trees of 
Noblesse and Lord Palmerston Peaches, with Lord Napier Nectarine, 
have not cast a bud, but have an abundance of fruit set and swelling, 
I have come to the conclusion after careful experiment and obser¬ 
vation during several years, that this variety requires different 
treatment to other Peaches. Instead of disbudding the growth it 
should be allowed to extend and be pinched so as to form spurs; I 
fully believe that therein lies the secret of success with this Peach in 
this country. The buds do not drop from spurs and terminal growth, 
but appear in clusters, and with careful fertilisation every one of such 
buds expands and sets its fruits. I intend to try Alexander as a 
cordon and hope in due course to be able to report progress. 
^ I have grown Waterloo as well as Alexander, and after trial 
think the former is a far better Peach for early work than is the 
latter. Waterloo is of a better constitution and dees not drop its buds 
like Alexander, The fruit, moreover, is larger, of a better colour, and 
quite as early. I cannot understand why Waterloo is not more grown 
than it is in early houses in preference to Alexander, as Peaches which 
ripen good fruit a month earlier than other varieties are certainly 
valuable, and it is of no use depending upon Alexander until its culture 
is thoroughly mastered when we have at hand so excellent a Peach as 
is Waterloo for early work. These who have the opportunity should 
plant the two varieties, and they will not be long in giving the most 
room to Waterloo.— John Chinnery, Doivnton Castle Gardens. 
[The three flowers on the terminal immediately below the central 
growth bud have set perfectly, as have the two on the small spur. We 
shall be glad to hear what other growers of the Alexander and Waterloo 
Peach have to say about them.] 
Events op the Week. —The ensuing week will be rather a busy 
one in horticultural circles. On Monday evening, March 13th, the 
annual meeting of the United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society will take place at the Caledonian Hotel, Strand. The Com¬ 
mittees of the Royal Horticultural Society meet on the following day 
Slarch 14th, at the Drill Hall, an! Professor G. Henslow will give a 
lecture at the afternoon meeting. The Committee of the National Rose 
Society and the Horticultural Club also meet on the same day at the 
Hotel Windsor. The first spring Show of the Manchester Royal 
Botanical Society will be held at Manchester on Tuesday next. The 
customary auction sales will take place, including the second portion 
of the Fernside collection of Orchids, which will be sold on the 11th by 
Messrs. Protheroe & Morris at their rooms. 
- The Weather in London. — Bright spring-like weather i& 
rapidly bringing forward the fruit blossoms in the south, and already 
numerous trees and shrubs are showing signs of bursting into leaf» 
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were fine and mild, and at the time 
of going to press there are indications of similar weather continuing. 
- The Weather in the North. —Since the opening days of 
March, on which much snow and sleet fell, there has been an 
improvement in the weather. Occasional showers day and night have 
occurred. Sunday was a fine day throughout, Monday also fair bub 
colder, and this morning (Tuesday) promises well though somewhat 
dull. Crocuses have pushed rapidly into bloom.—B. D,, S. Ferthshire. 
- Royal Horticultural Society. —The Society will hold its 
next display of fruits, flowers, and vegetables in the Drill Hall, West¬ 
minster, on Tuesday, March 14th. At 3 p.m. the Rev. Prof. Henslow 
will lecture on “ Some Effects of Growing Plants under Glass of Various 
Colours,” which ought to prove interesting to gardeners. All persons 
whether Fellows of the Society or not, may exhibit at the Society’s 
meetings. 
-United Horticultural Benefit and Provident Society. 
—The annual meeting of this Society will take place on Monday 
evening, March 13th, at the Caledonian Hotel, Strand. The chair wil) 
be taken at eight o’clock by Geo. J. Ingram, Esq. 
- Electro-Horticulture. —This was the title of a paper read 
by Mr, G. E. Bonney before the members of the National Amateur 
Gardeners’ Association at the Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, E.C., 
on Tuesday evening last. Mr. T. W. Sanders presided, and there was a 
large attendance. Mr. Bonney dealt with his subject in an able 
manner, and detailed methods by which electricity could be brought to 
bear upon plant culture, remarking that in some instances beneficial 
results might accrue from its use. 
- Gardening at the Gordon Boys’ Home. — Lieutenant- 
Colonel J. B. Walker, Commandant of the Gordon Boys’ Home, says 
material for the sixty-two boy amateur gardeners of the institution will 
be thankfully received. Their plots of ground have been dug, manured, 
and prepared, but plants to stock them are sadly wanting, and it is 
suggested that roots of herbaceous and perennial hardy plants, such 
as are thrown away every year by hundreds in large gardens, might 
instead be packed in hampers and forwarded to Woking Station. 
- We have to acknowledge the receipt of the Rev. D. R. William¬ 
son’s “Poems op Nature and Life,” from the press of Messrs. 
Blackwood & Sons. This small volume is a model of tastefulness, both 
in binding and typography, as becomes a work emanating from so 
distinguished a firm. The author seems to possess a keen sense of the 
beautiful in music and in scenery, and to have been a busy bee in the 
garden of the English poets, his sweets having everywhere a familiar 
and eclectic flavour. We cannot instance his poems to flowers, to wit, the 
Snowdrop and the Primrose, as being among his happiest efforts, though 
here as elsewhere his muse moves mellifluously enough. His best work 
is contained in the twenty-two sonnets of which those “ To a Great 
Singer” “To the Sun” “To a Musician” (1) are the best. There is 
also a very pretty “ Poem of the Sea,” and a most meritorious apostrophe 
to the village of Killin on Loch Tay. 
