870 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Ootobar 27, 1892. 
excellent variety might with advantage be more generally grown. One 
of the best Pears in the house was Princess, a seedling from Louise 
Bonne of Jersey, raised by Mr. Rivers. It is remarkable for its fine 
constitution, free growth, and abundant crop of attractive fruit, which is 
coloured, like that of Louise Bonne, on the sun side. Princess is a valuable 
November Pear, and may be highly recommended. An older Pear that 
is doing well and is worth more extended culture is Zephirin Gr6goire, 
It is ripe in February, is hardy, prolific, a heavy cropper, and of good 
flavour, admirable as a bush, as a cordon, and in fact in all forms. These 
are but a few of the varieties. The trees are in splendid health, as 
also are those out of doors; indeed, cordon culture at Crawley is a 
feature of the greatest interest. The trees are trained upon all manner 
of supports—walls, fences, arches, and others—and the routine of 
management is of the simplest character. This form of fruit tree is 
growing in popularity, as affording means of cultivating a considerable 
number of varieties in a comparatively limited space. 
Bismarcks for Germany. 
Leaving the Pears and coming to the Apples, we have more proof of 
the growing popularity of Bismarck. It may be of interest to note that 
large orders are being received for it from Germany, where it is in great 
demand. This may perhaps be taken as another indication that the 
once all-powerful German Chancellor has not yet lost his hold upon the 
people, for doubtless the name of the Apple has much to do with the 
demand for it in the “ Vaterland.” When they get it they will find that 
there is more than a name in it, however, and it will not be surprising if 
some of the German market growers become a little divided in their 
affection for the variety, one leaning to it being brought about by 
patriotism and the other by profit. It is to be feared that the latter will 
eventually triumph, for the Apple will live long after the man of blood 
and iron is no more. Bismarck is a grand Apple for all-round merit 
without a doubt, and the high praise of Messrs. Cheal’s foreman that it 
is in every respect as fine an Apple as Lane’s Prince Albert, vrhile likely 
to form a better standard, is significant. 
The Professor. 
The Professor is an Apple that Messrs. Cheal grow remarkably well, 
and as it is comparatively little known an illustration is given of it 
(fig. 50). It is handsome, and the tree is a free bearer. The fruit is 
medium sized, round, and a little depressed; 3£ inches wide and 2| 
inches high ; bluntly angular. Skin smooth and unctuous to the touch, 
lemon yellow, and without any trace of colour. Eye with divergent 
segments, rather large, and set in a considerable depression, somew 1 at 
angular ; tube funnel-shaped, stamens median. Stalk quite short, in¬ 
serted all its length in a close cavity. Flesh quite white, unusually 
tender, juicy, and with a pleasant rather tart flavour. Cells obovate 
axile. A remarkably fine early cooking Apple in use in September. 
A Triumph in Fruit Growing. 
The Crawley firm’s success in fruit growing, and it will be conceded 
that they have forced their way into the front rank, is a record of 
triumph over difficulties which would have deterred many even from a 
trial. A great part of their soil is heavy and tenacious clay. I believe 
the land was originally a common, but good cultivation has worked 
wonders with it. There are scores of acres furnished with healthy, 
thriving trees, not with the soft, succulent appearance of luxuriance and 
immaturity, but stiff, hard, and firm. They have had to fight their way, 
and considering everything their progress has been remarkable. There 
would be no fear of retrogression with such trees ; indeed, if placed in 
better soil, their hardy constitution and strong foundation would insure 
a bright and useful career. Of the quality of the fruit they produce 
Messrs. Cheal have given many striking proofs of late. For a time they 
failed to get such large, clean, and well-coloured examples as those in 
more favoured spots, but the sheltering hedges have now got up to a 
sufficient altitude to serve their purpose, the soil has been improved, and 
so we find the Crawley fruit earlier, finer, cleaner, and richer than before, 
and well able to contend with that from other localities. It is an 
achievement to be proud of, and the reputation of the firm will grow as 
it becomes better known how hard they have had to strive for it. 
Apples are grown on an enormous scale. The Queen, worked on the 
English Paradise, grows freely, aud gives handsome fruit. American 
Mother, with its soft, tender flesh of delicious flavour, and its free- 
growing character, is conspicuously good. It is a splendid dessert Apple. 
Golden Spire does extremely well, bearing very freely, and holding its 
fruit for several weeks. The Forge, a well-known Sussex Apple, is 
fruiting abundantly. It has hardly any stalk, the fruit appearing to 
push directly from the spur, and consequently rough winds are powerless 
to affect it. Beauty of Kent has been cropping heavily, and has developed 
fine colour. Lady Henniker has proved its usefulness by carrying a 
heavy burden of fruit. Baumann’s Red Winter Reinette, a good Apple, 
with far too long a name, has proved to be hardy and useful in every 
way, giving satisfactory yields of its attractive fruit. Landsberger 
Reinette is an Apple not very often met with, but it has proved very 
good indeed at Crawley, being an immense bearer, and suitable for 
either dessert or cooking. It will probably be found to make an 
excellent cordon. The sweet and attractive little Apple Jefferson, 
with its neat striped fruit, is worthy of a note. Of all the Apples at 
Crawley none gives greater promise than Newton Wonder, which is 
making its mark as a fine late variety. It bears heavily in a young 
state. The fruit has the open eye of Wellington. The texture is firm, 
and it is an excellent keeper. Now that planting-time is at hand the 
merits of this really good Late Apple should have due consideration. It 
would be impossible to mention every variety that has carried a good 
crop in the Lowfield Nurseries this year, but besides those mentioned 
Betty Geeson, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Annie Elizabeth may be noted. 
The character of Betty Geeson there and elsewhere makes one wonder 
that it is not more frequently met with. There is a faint reminder of 
Bramley’s Seedling in the fruit, although the two are quite distinct, but 
Betty is superior in bearing well in a young state on the Paradise. On 
the heavy soil at Crawley Bramley’s, grand Apple though it is, will not 
do that. 
General Features. 
Messrs. Cheal & Sons deal so largely in trees and shrubs that a 
passing reference ought to be made to this feature of their large and 
extending business. All the popular kinds and varieties are to be 
observed in the same excellent condition as the fruit trees, being strong, 
clean, and healthy. Seeing the Crabs as they are grown at Crawley a 
good lesson is learned of their great value as ornamental trees. The 
Dartmouth, with its load of rich deep red fruits, was particularly effec¬ 
tive. Fairy, red and yellow, also presented a charming appearance, as 
did the red and yellow Siberians, John Downie, and Transcendent. 
These trees are well worth growing for autumn effect. The Dahlias had, 
unfortunately, just been blackened by a sharp frost or two. The Tom 
Thumbs, with their compact growth and abundant flowers, must have 
been very beautiful. They have given a striking proof of the extent to 
which improvement may take place in plants after recovering from the 
effects of early hard propagation, and now form an extremely useful class. 
Some plants towards the front of a shrubbery border in a small garden 
this autumn have been as beautiful as any Begonias. It would be 
worth the while of anyone who may have been a little disappointed with 
them at first to try them again now that time has given them more 
stamina. Under glass everything was in good order. Time will not 
permit of details, but the large stock of Climbing Niphetos Rose was 
very noticeable. The demand for this valuable variety grows rapidly, 
and it looks like becoming as popular as its beautiful and valued parent. 
Messrs. Cheal have abundance of healthy plants. Rhododendrons in 
course of grafting also made a brave show, the number propagated being 
enormous. Doubtless they are utilised largely in an important feature 
of the firm’s business—namely, garden-making and landscape gardening. 
Many beautiful places in Surrey, Sussex, and other counties owe their 
effectiveness to the plans and material supplied by the Crawley firm. 
That ad branches of their business should grow is but the just reward 
of labour, for they have striven unceasingly for excellence, and have 
played no unimportant part in advancing British horticulture.— 
W. P. W. 
Trichosma suavis. 
When Dr. Lindley first saw this plant he considered it to be a 
Coelogyne, but after further examination he placed it in a new 
genus, of which it is at present the only species. T. suavis was 
discovered and sent home by Mr. Gibson, a collector for the Duke 
of Devonshire, in 1840. It was found growing on the trees in the 
dense forests which prevail at considerable elevations on the 
Khasia Hills. The stems are slender, from 6 to 10 inches high, 
bearing a pair of bright green ovate lanceolate leaves ; the racemes 
rise from between the leaves and bear six or more flowers each 
over an inch across ; the sepals and petals are creamy white, the 
three-lobed lip has white lateral lobes striped with crimson, centre 
lobe recurved, yellow and brown with crimson edge, disc crisped. 
This plant deserves to be more widely cultivated than is at 
present the case, and the beautifully scented flowers add to its 
value; it blooms during October and November. Trichosma suavis 
ought to be potted in peat and sphagnum, and requires a free 
drainage, as it should have plenty of water while growing, and 
when growth has ceased it must not be allowed to become dry. 
It is admirably adapted for cool house cultivation, although 
imported or weak plants should be placed in an intermediate 
temperature until well established.—C. K. 
Orchids in Bloom at Chelsea. 
For Orchids the present is perhaps the worst time of the year 
for seeing flowers, especially in London, where the smoke unfor¬ 
tunately plays early havoc with these chaste and lovely blooms. 
But it would, I imagine, be a most difficult matter to walk through 
the magnificent range of Orchid houses at Chelsea without finding 
a gr<-at number of the plants bearing flowers. The Cypripediums 
are very fine, the most striking varieties noted in a rapid walk 
through the houses being Arthurianum, Spicerianum, albo- 
purpureum, Cleola, a magnificent almost pure white flower ; 
Chamberlainianum, and T. B. Haywood. The latter is one of the 
most effective now in bloom. A grand piece of Dendrobium 
