356 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 10, 1894. 
What, for instance, have we more delightful than Carnations ? 
These are now being extensively used for the purpose, and with 
satisfactory results. Beds of pink and crimson Carnations asso¬ 
ciated with blue and white Violas respectively were amongst the 
most admired arrangements in one of the parks in London las 
year. China Roses and Carnations harmonise well, and are by no 
means to be despised ; while some of the dwarf growing Cam¬ 
panulas, Phlox, and Pinks are most elfective when employed in 
this manner. In one garden of my acquaintance two large beds of 
Gloire de Dijon Roses and Clematis Jackmanni, edged with Dactylis 
glomerata variegata, make a fine effect all through the summer and 
autumn, and are much admired by all who see them. 
Another interesting phase of flower gardening is that of making 
selections of sweet-scented flowers. This is well practised in some 
gardens, notably at Cadland Park, near Southampton. At this 
place beds are devoted to scented-leaved Pelargoniums, Musk, 
Aloysia citriodora, and other plants of a similar nature, the whole 
forming a pleasant feature. With these, Clove Ca nations. Stocks, 
and other “ old fashioned ” fragrant flowers might advantageously 
bo associated, and this method of flower gardening, if less showy, 
will in most cases give more satisfaction than the formal “ carpet 
beds,” which still figure so conspicuously in many public am 
private gardens.—C. 
THE FRUIT SUPPLY. 
I AM of opinion that no greater mistake in fruit culture can 
be made than that of purchasing a number of cheap trees for no 
other reason than that of being inexpensive. Two years since I 
saw in one newly formed fruit garden an example’ of this 
injudicious action. No less than 35,000 trees of various kinds 
were purchased for a very small sum. What was regarded as bush 
Apple trees were specimens 7 feet high ; each of these had one 
straight stem, the result of allowing the trees to go unpruned from 
the first. Every tree had produced a few short side spur-like 
branches at irregular intervals from the base. Taken as a whole 
they presented a poor appearance, and nothing short of severe 
pruning could ever hope to render them presentable. My experi¬ 
ence is that such trees do not “ break back " with sufficient vigour 
when they have been allowed to grow for three or four years at 
will. Not only were a great number of the Apple trees in this 
undesirable state, but the Plum and Pear trees were represented 
also by such specimens. What was really worse than the result of 
non-pruning the trees was the fact that the bulk of them were 
infested with American blight. Not only is this insect pest difficult 
to eradicate, but its presence checks the progress of the trees. 
Fortunately, however, the majority of nurserymen do not manage 
their trees on the lines indicated. 
Mr. Chinnery writing some time since in the Journal of Horti¬ 
culture may be right in his assertion “ that the greater amount of 
inferior fruit sent to the markets is grown on trees which have 
been purchased in open markets.” My experience is that in the 
neighbourhood where I reside, the inferior fruit which, last year, 
could hardly be sold for 2s. per bushel was produced from trees 
locally raised and increased in the same way. Take for instance 
the great favourite Apple in the south of Hampshire, amongst 
cottagers and small holders, Hambledon Deux Ans. This Apple 
was raised at Hambledon, a village eight miles from Swanmore. 
In those parts it would be difficult indeed to find a garden that 
does not contain at least a good sized tree of this variety. In 
many instances this sort alone is answerable for the inferior fruit 
that finds its way to the markets at exceedingly low prices. Some 
persons say that there are two types of this Apple, one being 
exceptionally good. Be this as it may, I have never seen a single 
instance of the meritorious variety. As a long kteper, Hambledon 
Deux Ans is remarkable, but when kept it is useless for culinary 
purposes. 
There is one aspect that I regard as being favourable, however ; 
that is the almost total suspension of the planting of this variety. 
There is nothing like bad prices for making persons consider 
whether they are acting contrary to their personal interest or 
not. Fruit growers in this neighbourhood are becoming aware 
that while Ss. per bushel is considered a good price for “ Deux Ans ” 
well grown and honestly selected samples of Warner’s King, 
Worcester Pearmain, or Cox’s Orange Pippin realise double that 
amount, and in the case of the latter variety almost treble. It is 
all very well for some persons to say Apple growing will soon be 
overdone, but good fruit of desirable kinds will always find a quick 
sale. A well known fruit dealer last year said to me in the midst 
of what some would have called a plentiful supply of Apples, 
“ I am a buyer of 200 bushels to-day if I can obtain what I want 
—the best fruit of approved kinds.” 
In November of last year I took particular note of the orchards 
while travelling from Plymouth to Birmingham by way of Exeter, 
Bristol, Gloucester, and Worcester, and the year previous through 
Hereford and on to Shrewsbury through counties noted for fruit 
culture. In not one single instance did I observe that the old 
orchards were being replanted or new ones mai e. Devonshire is 
famed for its orchards I know, but my txpenfrteof them (and 
this is not a little) does not lead me to say they are patterns of 
good management. Certainly if a crop of lichen is a criterion 
Devonshire orchards can well bold thew own, for nowhere have I 
seen trees so heavilv laden with this undesirable accompaniment.— 
E. M., Stvanmore Park. 
IMPRESSIONS OF GUERNSEY. 
On pag? 338 of the Journal of Horticulture I dea’t chiefly with 
the flora of this irturesquei land, but mention should be made of the 
greAt variety that t le Ivy assumes. It flourishes in the crevices of 
the volcanic rocks, and on the thick, earth-topped stone walls on 
the road sides. I noted entire, palmate, trifid, lobate, and other 
intermediate forms, very elegant and distinct from our British 
types. 
The birds noted were (on land) the cuckoo, sparrow-hawk (?), 
wryneck, called here the mackerel bird, because it comes about a 
week before these fish appear on the coast, chiffchaff, blackbirds 
far more numerous than thrushes, and the sand martins had just 
arrived. Of rooks there were a few, magpies more abundant than 
in Britain, marsh tit, large tit, stonechat, and the ubiquitous 
chaffinch. Robins and linnets were plentiful on the Furze 
downs and cliffs, and they take on the reddish colour more defined 
than we have seen them elsewhere, being more like Java sparrows. 
I saw several washing in a stream, and should not have known 
them from our British grey linnet but for their cheerful twitter. 
The butcher bird or shrike was in fine plumage, and, of course, the 
house and tree sparrows were in evidence The sea birds are 
naturally numerous, the cormorants and gulls nesting on the 
precipitous rocks on the coast ; while flocks of oyster catchers were 
very brilliant on the wing, following their leader just over the 
waves in a zigzag flight, and turning about in the same way as star¬ 
lings do, showing their conspicuous white breasts and bodies. Other 
sea birds were difficult to make out, but the local museum has a 
very good collection of those which visit the island. 
It was early for Lepidoptera, but I observed on Sark some of 
the green hairstreak, and in Guernsey the wall butterfly, the 
ringlet, the holly blue, alexis blue, but not any of the Vanessidas, 
probably they come later on, and very few of the Cabbage 
butterfly, one of the brilliant day-flying moths, Euchilia Jacobea. 
It is said that there are many more butterflies in Sark, which one 
would naturally expect, as that island is much less under culture, 
as the inacessible crags leading up from the bay would give an 
undisturbed feeding ground for the larvae. 
In fruit culture the Island of Guernsey is not so advanced as 
one would expect. The trees in private gardens are well and 
perhaps a little over-pruned (in the open) as bushes and pyramids. 
The wall trees are well done in private gardens, and there are 
Pears on many cottage walls and farmhouses. The trees seem well 
set with fruit, but they are very thickly wooded, and one wonders 
how they can produce fruit worthy of sending to the English 
markets, but they may form more rapidly in this warm and damp 
climate than with us. The orchards are sadly neglected, generally 
too much shut in by timber trees, with an over-abundance of 
twiggy wood in the centres of the trees, but I understand they 
are more grown for cider than for dessert or culinary use. At the 
time of my visit they were looking very beautiful with their wealth 
of flower. Plums are very scarce. 
The most interesting culture is that given to the Figs, which are 
supported by a scaffold of scantling, and they are then trained 
flatly on the top, and notwithstanding the frost (alluded to last 
week) the trees were showing some very forward fruit. As the 
leaves were not unfolded the kind could not be determined, but 
they appear to be most prolific, and many of them were 100 years 
old, and covered a space of 20 to 30 feet square, forming by their 
shade a cosy summer seat in the hot weather. Those persons who 
had expended capital by covering them with glass were reaping a 
good return for their enterprise ; where heat is applied the Figs 
are marketed the middle of April, and present a luxuriant appear¬ 
ance such as one seldom sees. 
Apples for markets are quite neglected, the natives being 
supplied from France, and the IStrawberry, Gooseberry, Currant 
