June 15, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
483 
Kainford Hall, St. Heleh’s. 
Here the fruit is looking fairly well. Gooseberries, Currants, 
Cherries, Plums, and Apples are all carrying heavy crops. Pears are 
very fair, and Strawberries first-rate. They have had to be watered or 
they would not have been so good. All kinds of crops are very early, 
but badly vranting rain, 
Christleton Rectory, near Chester. 
This is a notable garden for outdoor fruit culture, and where the 
Rev. L. Garnett exhibits he is always in the first rank. I was informed 
that Apples generally are good and promising well. Pears are only 
moderate. Stone fruits generally are very good. Peaches and Apricots 
are excellent ; Cherries, Damsons, and Plums a full crop, the latter 
being, however, much infested with insects. Strawberries are suffering 
a little from drought, but form a good crop. Plenty Raspberries and 
Gooseberries are good, but the latter have been troubled with the 
caterpillar. Currants thin, though at first there was a good promise. 
On the whole the prospect is considerably above the average. 
Hooton Hall. 
Mr. Hanagan has what he considers the best all-round crop of fruit 
that he has had for the last twenty years. Apples, heavy crops ; Pears, 
most varieties plentiful; Plums, moderate ; Apricots, good ; Cherries, 
heavy ; Strawberries, very good. Peaches and Nectarines not much 
grown here. Gooseberries, Currants all heavily laden. Of Cob and Fil¬ 
bert Nuts very few. Here as elsewhere all fruit trees and bushes are 
badly in want of rain.—R. P. R. 
ABOUT HULL. 
Tranby Croft. 
Hull, city of docks and dockers; huge artery of commerce of which 
the corpuscles assume all shapes and forms, from Norway fir to Dutch 
margarine, from thrashing engines to crockery, is remarkable for many 
things, but not for flowers. Where in this huge conglomeration of 
docks and streets, in which towering spars and lofty chimneys vie with 
each other for superiority of altitude, one can taste the pleasures of a 
shower bath in the superfluous water from an overhead window sill, I 
cannot, despite assiduous search, proclaim. There is water enough to be 
sure, fresh and salt, clean and dirty ; but of plants to enjoy it there are 
too few to redeem the character of the old town for dulness. Taking 
the place as a whole, one looks in vain for trim front gardens, creeper- 
covered walls, or flower-furnished windows. Perhaps the tastes of the 
average inhabitant are somewhat too robust for such delicacies ; but if 
we wander forth a few miles from the city, in the gardens attached to 
the homes of the great men of Hull, we find much of the material 
which goes to build up the fine shows held in the dock town in 
autumn. 
It is easy to arrange a pleasant round. My own limited knowledge of 
the locality was expanded by some acceptable hints from one who is 
held in high esteem at Hull, horticulturally and otherwise—Mr. R. 
Falconer Jameson, but whose energetic spirit was then tamed, unfor¬ 
tunately, by a severe illness. Those who have no such guide will be 
likely enough to find their thoughts passing from such of the eighty-six 
magnificent Wilson steamers as are to be found in the docks to the 
Wilson residences, and so by a natural transition it will not be surprising 
if the next objects of admiration are the houses and gardens of Tranby 
Croft. This beautiful demesne, the property of Arthur Wilson, Esq., is 
about five miles from Hull, and as two or more out of the five may be 
covered by tram, and the remainder is a very pleasant highway, it is by 
no means unwise to go by road. But Hessle station is only two miles 
away, and an agreeable day may be spent by visiting Hesslewood and 
Swanland Manor as well as Tranby Croft. The three places, about all 
of which I propose to say a little, are within comfortable walking dis¬ 
tance of each other, and all are thoroughly worthy of a call. 
The white walls and square towers of Tranby form an admirable 
guide, seen as they are through the trees. They serve the same purpose 
as the lofty Wilberforce monument in Hull town, which focuses the 
ends of the principal thoroughfares in itself, so to say, and is therefore 
a good landmark. A handsome lodge and a long avenue of Conifers 
interspersed with shrubs mark the entrance to the Croft. Near the lodge 
some flower beds were being filled, and superintending the work stood an 
upright, keen-looking man whom I rightly took for the head gardener, 
Mr. J. P. Leadbetter. The fact of our not having previously met did not 
detract from the warmth of his welcome. One may almost say that 
Yorkshire is pleasant if only for its welcomes. A stranger is not greeted 
with finicking hesitation, but with quite an abandonment of heartiness. 
If there are two or three to do the welcoming each seems as though he 
would like to carry off a slice if he cannot have all the spoil. In this 
case there was only one, and embarrassment was saved. I am not going 
to attempt any description of Tranby Croft from an architectural point 
of view, for, sooth to say, its beautiful setting of Conifers, shrubs, and 
flowers proved so attractive as to monopolise all notice. The pleasure 
grounds are indeed delightful. The beds in front of the house were just 
filled. One of scarlet Begonias, with Gnaphalium lanatum to cover the 
ground, will be beautiful when completely furnished, and so will others 
composed of Pelargonium Chelsea Gem and Iresine, Pelargonium 
Manglesi and Ageratum, Begonias and variegated Dactylis respectively. 
Near them there were two magnificent banks of Rhododendrons, and the 
lawns are broken by many objects of interest, such as fine plants of 
Abies Parryana glauca, of splendid habit and colour ; a grand Cedrus 
Deodara robusta, a fine Taxodium sempervirens, Abies concolor, and 
beautiful arches of Honeysuckles and Roses. 
Most visitors are likely to feel special admiration for a Conifer-lined 
walk that is a favourite promenade of Mr. Wilson. Some perfect plants 
of Cupressus Lawsoniana, 30 feet high ; C. L. erecta viridia, 10 feet high 
and of faultless shape ; Cryptomeria elegans. Thuja borealis, and Abies 
Douglasi will be particularly noted. Huge shrubs of white Broom laden 
with blossom were amongst them. But a glimpse of the Palm house 
should be taken before seeking other parts of the grounds. The amount 
of furnishing carried on is enormous, and superb plants of Kentia 
Belmoreana (16 feet high), K. Fosteriana, and K. Canterburyana do 
good service. There is also a gigantic specimen of Phormium tenax 
variegata 12 feet high, a fine Cycas revoluta, and other good plants. 
The fernery contains some beautiful objects. There is a grand plant of 
Acrophorus emersis, 5 to 6 feet through ; a splendid Adiantum concinnum 
latum, 4 feet through ; Microlepia hirta cristata, nearly 7 feet across ; 
and noteworthy specimens of Davallia Mooreana. Some of these Fern 
giants have worthily represented Tranby Croft at many exhibitions, 
and are likely to make their quality felt in the future. Asparagus 
deflexus is excellently grown, and proves very valuable. There are many 
admirable Crotons, angustifolius and Weismanni being two of the best 
of a clean and healthy collection, in which Anectumensis, Warreni, 
Aigburth Gem, Mrs. Dorman, Superba, and Flambeau are also conspicuous 
for quality. 
Two houses planted with young Vines four years ago are the fore¬ 
taste of the fruit department, which is as well managed as the others. 
One contains Muscat of Alexandria, Madresfield Court, Mis. Pince, 
Alnwick Seedling, and Duke of Buccleuch; the other. Lady Downe’s, 
Alnwick Seedling, Mrs. Pince, Gros Maroc, Gros Colman, and Black 
Alicante. These have made first-rate rods, and carry excellent crops. 
Between this and the other range, in which Black Hamburgh is just 
ready with plenty of 2 and 2|-lb. bunches, is a corridor of Pigs growing 
like Willows, and now swelling up their second crop. Two thousand 
Strawberries are forced. Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, Auguste 
Nicaise (which does exceedingly well), La Grosse Sucrde, and Helena 
Gloede being the four standard varieties. The Peaches and Nectarines 
are models of good management. Lord Napier, Grosse Mignonne, and 
Violette Hative are finishing splendid crops. Alexander is now cleared, 
the first fruit having been gathered on April 15th. This valuable but 
eccentric Peach gives no trouble in the way of bud dropping or non¬ 
stoning at Tranby. The supply of Peaches is carried on to the second 
week in September. Mr. Leadbetter is a strong believer in summer 
pruning, and the trees speak eloquently of skilful treatment. 
Violets are very extensively grown, and so are Roses in pots, and 
planted out under glass. Bushels of the latter are cut, the varieties 
comprising Safrano, Souvenir de Gabriel Drevet, Etoile de Lyon, Sunset, 
The Bride, Climbing Niphetos, Jardin des Plantes, Madame Lambard, 
Jean Pernet, Catherine Mermet, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Souvenir d’un 
Ami, Grace Darling, and Rubens—by no means a bad selection. Early 
Gladioli are largely grown in pots, and so are Begonias, tree Carnations, 
and Tuberoses. Amongst Orchids Cymbidium Mastersi and Aerides 
Lobbi are well represented ; Disas grow like weeds, while Cattleyas, 
Coelogynes, and Calanthes are extensively and well cultivated. The 
herbaceous borders are a beautiful feature of the place. One long 
border has been glorious with huge masses of Doronicums, and is now 
brilliant with large clumps of Hemerocallis flava. Inula glandulosa, 
Lupins, and Pmonies. It would be easy to enlarge upon them, as also 
upon the well-managed kitchen garden, wherein Peas were gathered at 
the middle of May, and Cabbages from July sowings cut in the early 
part of April, neither a bad result for a northern garden ; but one can 
only touch lightly on a few features of the place, leaving its true 
pleasures to be learned by a visit. 
The recollections of Tranby Croft will be of a beautiful estate 
of which the resources are developed to the utmost by thought 
and skill. It is not a Sleepy Hollow, where matters go at a 
comfortable jog trot, but a noble home where hospitality reigns supreme, 
making heavy demands on the supply of fruits and flowers. Alert and 
energetic, Mr. Leadbetter is the sort of man to see that his department 
is not found wanting, indeed an impression is gathered that the lively 
atmosphere which prevails is more congenial to him than one of a soporific 
character would be. The gardens and grounds may be expected to grow 
in interest and beauty as the Conifers which enrich them develop 
further. With the judicious thinning that their number may perhaps be 
thought to demand some of them should growinto magnificent specimens, 
otherwise they may suffer from an embarrassment of riches. There can 
be few visitors to Tranby who will not desire to make another call in 
the fulness of time, and when the opportunity arises for doing so the 
visit will be paid with the fullest confidence that an already beautiful 
place has grown in distinction and charm.—W. P. W. 
“THE SCOUNDREL SPARROW.” 
In defending the sparrow it was certainly not my intention to be 
discourteous to “ W. R. Raillem” (page 444), and I regret to:have given 
him any reasons to think so. As I truly believe that the sparrow is 
not an enemy, but man’s close companion and friend, the same as 
are our feathered songsters generally, I perhaps do write with some¬ 
what strong feelings, the more so believing that through man’s regret- 
able negligence, if not even unpardonable ignorance, birds are grievously 
wronged. As also were my parents, I, too, depending on garden produce 
