February 21,1855. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
171 
glut of cne variety and then a scarcity. Tastes vary ; some people 
like a soft spicy fleshed Apple, whilst others will prefer a brisk, crisp 
Apple. The cook for one purpose wants an Apple which cocks white 
and flaky, and for another one with highly coloured flesh which goes 
to a jelly when cooked. These requirements must be met. There 
is also the grower who likes to have an extra fine dish for exhibition, to 
show to his friends, or place on his table, and who takes a pride in 
growing extra fine fruit, He does not care so much about the cost of this 
fruit, so that he has something better than his neighbours; he wants 
large handsome fruit, new varieties of high reputation, or well-known 
sorts of high quality to be successful on the exhibition table, and, as I 
said before, some of the most suitable for his purpose are not the best 
for others. _ 
I now come to the gentleman who makes a hobby of fruit growing. 
I believe there is such a thing as finding a pleasure in fruit growing 
independent of profit. Does the grower of flowers (Chrysanthemums, 
Roses, Dahlias, Carnations, and others) think of profit altogether ? 
Such a grower takes a pleasure in testing the different varieties, noting 
their behaviour in different seasons and on different soils, watching 
their various colours and different styles of growth, and likes to test the 
new varieties or those unknown to him, I say to such a grower, who 
has his heart in the work, a trial fruit plantation is a fount of pleasure, 
where he will probably grow a large number of varieties, and I do not 
think he should be blamed, for, on the contrary, he may greatly benefit 
the neighbourhood, as he it is who usually introduces or brings into 
notice new or little known fruits of high merit, and his plantations are 
in a great degree educational. These growers are necessarily subdivided 
into those who grow collections of fruit in various parts of the United 
Kingdom. One particular variety may be popular in the north, but of 
little value in the south ; one thought highly of in the midlands hardly 
heard of in the west, _ 
To show how even the opinions of our best authorities can differ, one 
of our greatest fruit experts in the south (Mr. George Bunyard) lately 
read a paper on “ New versus Old Apples,” and amongst the old sorts 
he mentions which should be discarded is “ Tom Putt ” and “ Catshead 
Codlin.” We, with other growers in the west, consider “Tom Putt” 
one of the most useful and most popular of farmers’ Apples ; and as 
regards the old “ Catshead,” I know old standard trees of this variety 
which pay the growers better than any others they possess, and I have 
had more people ask for the fruit of this variety than any late Apple I 
grow except “ Dumelow’s Seedling.” The value of Apples also varies 
greatly in different markets ; for instance, the “ Wyken Pippin ” is one 
of the most popular and best selling Apples in Birmingham, but it 
would hardly be looked at in most other markets. Again, our best 
dessert Apple, “ Cox’s Orange Pippin,’’ if sent to the Manchester and 
north of England markets (where it is not yet sufficiently known) 
would make a very much lower price than it does in Covent Garden 
Market, where its good qualities have become appreciated. . Then, 
again, highly coloured Apples sell best in some markets ; larger green 
Apples sell better in others._ 
The Americans have often been quoted as sending us a few sorts, and 
the general impression seems to be that they cultivate very few 
varieties, but this is a mistake. One of the chief fruit tree nurserv 
firms in the United States, whose catalogue I have, enumerates over 130 
varieties of Apples. I have also had a list sent me of the names of the 
varieties cultivated by a gentleman in the States who has established an 
experimental orchard, chiefly for educational purposes; he grows 
upwards of 900 varieties of Apples, and the greater part of these are 
not known in England. The Americans cultivate as many sorts as we 
do, but they send us only a few of them which they know suit our 
markets. 
I will say a few words in reference to new varieties of fruits. We 
can in fruit growing improve our varieties, as well as the farmer can 
improve his breeds of live stock or his varieties of corn, and we are 
always looking out for the best. There is no doubt that some of the 
fruits lately introduced will prove of high merit and take a leading 
position in our lists. On the other hand, w'e as nurserymen cannot be 
too careful in introducing varieties which are not better for any purpose 
or are inferior to existing varieties. A new fruit as a rule does as well 
or better in the district of its origin than it does in any other district. 
Most nurserymen would welcome a reduction in the number of 
varieties they have to grow, with the attendant reduction of trouble and 
expense in keeping all these varieties separate and true to name, but as 
long as the growers ask for particular varieties we are bound to supply 
them. To the nurseryman who only does a local trade the answer is 
easy as to how many sorts he shall grow, for if he knows his business he 
knows those which are most in demand in his district; but a nursery¬ 
man who caters for a trade over a wide area and amongst all classes of 
growers is bound to cultivate a large number of varieties. A customer 
who cannot get the variety he wants at one nursery, will not only go 
to another nursery for this variety but will probably take more of his 
trade there also. I cultivate as many varieties as most nurserymen, but 
out of the large number I grow I am sometimes asked for one now and then 
whichidonot possess. Nurserymen, then, must not be blamed forthelarge 
number of varieties they offer ; when the growers stop asking for them 
the nurserymen will soon stop growing them. In conclusion, I will offer 
my own opinion as a nurseryman, as a grower for market, and as one who 
perhaps makes a hobby of fruit growing. It is this : I think there are 
many varieties, superseded, of little value and which can be dispensed 
with, and I think our lists would be better cut down to a great extent, 
the limit of w'hich rests with the growers, but I do not think the 
varieties of Apples and Pears grown will ever be reduced to the narrow 
limits which some people think they ought to be.— John Watkins, 
Pomoyia Farm Nurseries, Herefordshire.—{Fruit Cortference Paper.') 
THE SEVERE WEATHER. 
Many reports have been recently sent to us from all parts of the 
country relating to the arctic weather by which we have been visited. 
In almost every shire the thermometer has fallen below zero. The 
disastrous results of this we have yet to learn, but former experience 
tells U8 that in many respects it must prove serious. For the interest of 
our readers we herewith insert a few of the reports that have reached 
us, by which it will be seen how general and severe the weather has 
been. _ 
StJCH is the effect of the frost that several large Elm trees of 
100 years’ growth have split, the cleft in each case being from the 
ground to the height of from 10 to 15 feet, and fully 6 inches into the 
side of the tree.— John J. Emerson, Easly Hall, Great Aytoun. 
We have now had about seven weeks of severe weather, and the 
temperature on the 8th and 9th inst. fell 40° below freezing point ; 
10th, 37° ; 11th, 32° ; 12th, 20° ; and 13th, 32°. In each case the ther¬ 
mometer was placed 18 inches from the ground, and the readings were 
taken from 8 to 9 A.M. — John Brown, Delgaty Castle Gardens. 
Only on six nights since the new year has the thermometer stood 
above freezing point, and only on one occasion since the 1st February 
has the night temperature been higher than 30°, or 2° of frost. On the 
7th the mercury was down to zero, and on the 8th 2° below zero ; on 
the 9th and 10th, 28° ; and on the 11th, 17°. There has been an average 
depth of 3 inches of snow for several days, and the ice on the lake is 
8 inches thick.—G. E. Allis, Old Warden Parh, Biggleswade, Beds. 
We have experienced an unusually cold week, the temperature being 
as follows :—February 6th, 24° of frost; 6th, 30°; 7th, 29°; 8th, 27°; 
9th, 25°; or a total of 135° on five nights.—W. Stanton, Caddington 
Hall Gardens, Bedford. _ 
The greatest amount of frost registered in our gardens during the 
present month has been as follows :—6th, 27°; 7th, 32°; 8th, 34°; 
9th, 30°; 12th, 23°; 13th, 26°.— Robert Jordan, Lianaway Gardens, 
Godahning, Surrey. _ 
The frost here for the seven consecutive days, from February 7th to 
February 14th inclusive, was 257°, or within a fraction of 37° of frost 
for each day, the lowest being 40°, and the highest 25° below freezing. 
Do any of your correspondents know of any previous week that has 
given more frost in this country ?—D. Thomson, Drumlanrig Gardens. 
The reading of the thermometer here has been—February 5th, 11° ; 
6th, 18° ; 7th, 13° ; 8th, 34° ; 9th, 27° ; 10th, 34° ; 11th, 30°.— Wm. Fell 
AND Co., Wentworth Nurseries, Hexham. 
The thermometer registered here on the 8th inst. 10° below zero, or 
42° of frost. The glass is 2 feet from the ground, and is placed 10 feet 
to the south of a brick wall.—E d. Keith, Wallington Gardens, Cambs, 
Northumberland. _ 
A FEW notes respecting the weather and the temperature taken here 
from the 6th inst. up to 13th :—6th, 24° ; 7th, 22° ; 8th, 45° ; 9th, 32° ; 
10th, 40°; 11th, 28°; 12th, 20° ; 13th, 31°. These temperatures have 
been taken in an exposed position, with the thermometer on a board 
close to the snow line. In two other positions wide apart from each 
other and very much sheltered, the thermometers at 4 feet from the 
ground, the readings have been just 5° above tbes'e figures, all taken 
from Negretti & Zambra’s minimum thermometers. It is now rather 
more than six weeks from the 31st of December that the ground here 
has been quite covered with snow. At present it is about 7 inches deep, 
though none has fallen for a week.— H. E. Gribble, Wyneyard Park 
Gardens, Stockton-on-Tees. _ 
On the 7th inst. the thermometer registered 28° of frost, falling on 
Friday morning to 8° below zero. A great number of Oak trees are 
split with the intense frost from the ground upwards, rhe splits being all 
on the north and north-east side of the trees.—A. Bentley, Eshwood 
Hall Gardens, Burham, _ 
The amount of frost registered on February 2nd was 13° ; 3rd, 22° ; 
4th, 17° ; 5th, 24° ; 6th, 27° ; 7th, 23° ; 8th, 22° ; 9ch, 20°.-R. Bassil, 
King's Ride, Ascot. _ 
The weather here, as well as at other places more distant from 
London, has been exceptionally severe. On February 6th there were 
19° of frost; 7th, 27°; 8tb, 32°; 9th and lOch, 24°. Since 1889 we 
have only registered more than 20° of frost four times.— J AS, CARTER 
AND Co,, Nurseries, Perry Hill, S.E. 
