142 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ August 16,188S- 
be imagined, jet in the fenced garden Peas are growing as luxuriantly 
in this bed of sand as if they were in turfy loam trenched 2 feet deep. 
And it is the same with Cauliflowers, Cabbages, and allied crops, while 
roots of all kinds—Carrots, Turnips, Beet, Potatoes, are of exhibition 
quality. Yet no manure of any kind is applied to the land or sand. 
Individual roots of Parsley exceed 2 feet in diameter, and a beautifully 
curled and crested leaf plucked off was 10 inches long, not measuring 
the bare stalk, and 9 inches across. All kinds of flowers that have been 
planted grow in the same remarkable manner. A respectable armful of 
Sweet William Powers could be cut from a root, a last year’s seedling. 
It is long since I saw such a display of these good old border plants. 
The colours of many were extremely rich and the trusses enormous. 
Stocks and Asters luxuriate, and even Boses grow well in this sterile 
looking sand. Visitors to the hotel are loud in praising the beauty of 
the flowers and the quality of the vegetables, the latter they say 
excelling any had elsewhere. It is certain there must be something 
good in this sand, or so much that is excellent could not come out of it. 
I have seen no parallel to this culture except in a field of sand at 
Knowle Hill, Chertsey, in which Mr. Thomas Sharpe grew splendid 
crops of the finest of Strawberries year after year without any manure. 
He probably grows them still unless he has made his fortune and retired 
from business. Strawberries will yet be seen growing in the old sea bed 
at Brading, but Mr. Orchard says he must have the bare places covered 
first, or the sand blowing from them, as it does at times in clouds, would 
make the fruit gritty ; yet it is in the same kind of sand that the crops 
above named luxuriate. Trees have been planted, forming copses, and 
have grown with equal satisfaction, but they do not root deeply. 
There appears something below too strong for them, and the roots, of 
Poplars especially, run along the surface, some of them scarcely buried, 
like tightly stretched waggon ropes ; and there is one of the finest of 
fences running across the head of the harbour. It is of Furze or Gorse 
(Ulex) from seed sown by Mr. Coldwells three or four years ago. and the 
plants allowed to grow undisturbed ; it is a perfect hedge for an 
exposed position. 
The gardening experience of the manager in chief of this great 
undertaking has doubtless been of immense service, and his strong common 
sense and knowledge, acquired by practice in ground work, has enabled 
him to overcome engineering difficulties of no mean order, and to 
combat the waves successfully, and make a tranquil harbour in which 
craft of various sizes ride safely. Mr. Coldwells is his own engineer, 
and has a practical man to carry out his plans, just as Mr. Orchard 
carries out all other details on the estate relative to land improvement, 
and cultivation. It will be of interest to give a brief outline of the 
career of one of the most successful men of the day who has risen from 
the gardening ranks. Let it be said at once that Mr. Coldwells is not 
a good gardener spoiled. Prosperity, I sometimes think, has made men 
uncomfortable when in the presence of their once fellow labourers. 
They seem scarcely to know what to do with them. To ask them into 
the dining room would perhaps bo making too “ free,” yet to send them 
to the kitchen would appear “cold.” I have had some curious receptions 
in my time. It was evident my “ hosts’ scarcely knew what to do with 
me. I suppose I always was a little difficult to deal with; but servants’ 
hall or dining room or some sort of a compromise between the two is 
all the same, though what I least like is the troublesome compromise. 
There was no nonsense of this kind at Brading. “ Come along,” says 
Mr. Coldwells, “ we must cross the harbour to my house, and then I am 
going to run to Byde in the yacht. Will you go?” “ Go, yes ; the sea 
is a little rough, but if it is safe for you it will be safe for me.” A boat 
was hailed for a ferry over ; but before we were half across the harbour 
the water rushed in, rising higher and higher. “ The cork’s out,” shouted 
the man, but it could not be found. “ Pull, or we’re in for it,” shouted 
the captain. A third gentleman in the boat turned white, and I felt so, 
but said nothing. “'Pull, pull, your best,” was the next shout, “ or in 
we go ; can you swim?” I began to think I had done writing, but a 
few more frantic strokes and we were safe. “ The man must be a fool 
to put oil in a boat like that,” was the first and not unnatural remark ; 
but we were soon calm again and commenced botanising. 
Mr. Coldwells’ marine residence is situated on what is called the 
St. Helens Duver, a large extent of sand hills and hollows clothed 
with grass, with clumps of Furze here and there, also many wild flowers, 
all having sprung up after the waves were driven back and further 
encroachments defied by the strong sea wall. The Duver forms the 
links, said to be the best in the kingdom, of the Boyal Isle of Wight 
Golf Club. The large hotel is the great rendezvouz of the Golfers, and 
they have a pavilion on the ground. Growing out of the bare sand the 
Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimnm) was conspicuous by its blue spiny 
crowns, the Great Sea Bindweed (Calystegia soldanella) was attractive 
by its large barred flowers, the Evening Primrose (CEnothera biennis) 
has established itself, and banks and braes are carpeted with the 
golden and white Stonecrop (Sedum acre and S. album). The Sea 
Pi-nlc (Armeria maritima) forms part of the turf, which in the autumn 
is studded with the Autumn Squill, Scilla autumnalis. It is curious 
that all these plants, and many others, should have sprung up in such 
numbers in the old sea bed, which is now as dry as a rabbit warren. 
Such are the surroundings of Mr. Caldwell’s residence ; his other home 
is at Croydon. 
He served as head gardener in situations in Essex, Middlesex, and 
Surrey, and speaks interestingly of his early career. When a lad he 
joined the Stoke Newington Gardeners’ Society, which held fortnightly 
meetings, at which essays were read and discussion on them encouraged. 
The late Mr. McElroy was a member, and Mr. Taylor, who wrote a 
treatise on the Chrysanthemum. At one of the meetings a Mr. Lamb* 
exhibited Chrysanthemum blooms in a Dahlia stand, cut from plants 
secured to. a wall and protected from frost and wet by an overhanging 
board. They were the first blooms so staged and caused a sensation. 
The only named flower Mr. Coldwells remembers was Annie Salter, and 
this for a very good, if somewhat old-fashioned reason—he u knew a. 
pretty girl of that name.” From this stand of blooms sprung the Stoke-. 
Newington Chrysanthemum Society. Mr. Coldwells has been an exhi¬ 
bitor at and judge of flower shows, and he established a branch nursery 
for Messrs. Pridham & Sanders of Croydon, he subsequently became 
manager of the Croydon Irrigation farm, and eventually bought a part¬ 
nership in a large outfitting business, which he greatly developed.. 
Having an active mind he took part in public affairs, and for years has 
been an eloquent advocate in the cause of temperance. He has taken* 
great interest and worked successfully in the preservation of footpaths, 
open spaces, and commons. He has sought by long endeavour to- 
improve the habits and elevate the minds of the working classes. He- 
was an active member of the Croydon Local Board of Health and largely 
instrumental in obtaining a charter for the town, of which he became- 
one of its first aldermen and a magistrate. I once had the pleasure of 
hearing Mr. Coldwells speak at a dinner after one of the Kingston 
Chrysanthemum shows, and can understand his power in debate. I did 
not know who he was then, but there was no mistaking his being a. 
gardener. Finding him in the Isle of Wight was a surprise. He is a-, 
magnate of land and sea there, the man for a great enterprise, and who- 
succeeds in everything he undertakes. But perhaps his greatest trial is- 
before him, in a Parliamentary contest. Though a political nondescript 
I hope I am loyal to my craft, and if I had the casting vote in two- 
constituencies and could put genuine gardeners, a Whig and Tory, in, I 
would do so, then ask them to dance the Tullochgorum. Thinking 
some readers might like to see the portrait of a gardener who has made 
such an advance in life, I ask for the insertion of that of Mr. Alderman). 
Coldwells.—A Wandebee. 
EE3ULTS OF BAIN. 
I do not know whether others have noticed it, but it is worth observ¬ 
ing in respect of Bose plants the wonderful amount of wood they have- 
been and are making. Notwithstanding, or rather in consequence of,, 
the constant rainfall, I have had and am having, now in the middle of 
August, such blooms as I can never remember at this season. Many are 
coming truer than ever before, and for clearness of colour quite exceed' 
the July Boses. I doubt not other people are recognising the same. If 
the wood can only ripen it can hardly be doubted but that there will be 
excellent material for next season. As a compensation to other and 
disastrous results, it would seem as if this summer soaking has a 
valuable effect upon the growth of trees and bushes. I observe a 
second blooming upon Beine Marie Henriette and others of. very 
unusual excellence.—A. C. 
BOSE HEE MAJESTY. 
I WILL excuse Mr. W. B. Baillem making any apology to me in behalf 
of Her Majesty. I think it must have been some other friend whom he- 
bantered in his pleasant way on the occasion of Mr. Bennett winning 
the gold medal with Her Majesty. That was the first time I saw the- 
vavietv, and then and there took a dislike to the Bose individually and 
collectively, much to the surprise of my friend Mr. Curtis of Chatteris, 
who went into ecstacies over it. But to show how I respect the opinions- 
of others whom I deem wiser than myself, when the Bose came into- 
commerce at last I bought six extra sized plants in pots of Mr. G. Paul, 
and turned them out into the open ground in May. They did not 
bloom that season, 1886. I budded from them, and have now about a 
dozen plants, but have not had more than three or four blooms this 
year. I have plenty of mildew on them. The habit of the Bose, though, 
vigorous, is ugly, and no Bose in cultivation as an exhibition Bose has 
so many or such thick thorns. Would the most gushing young man 
(I am elderly) venture to present a bloom of Her Majesty to his tender 
rosy-fingered Aurora ? He would be a barbarian. No, I do not like Her 
Majesty, but just tolerate her for the chance now and then of getting a 
bloom such as Mr. E. B. Lindsell showed at Darlington. Alas ! I was- 
not there.—F. H. G. 
P.S.—I think the Bose I so praised was Queen of Queens, but that 
Bose too has quite disappointed me. 
BOSES IN WINTER. 
The production of Bose blooms from the time they fail outside up to- 
Christmas had only passing notice on page 429, last vol. The declining 
months of the year may safely be regarded as the most difficult in which 
to maintain a supply of blooms. But this may be accomplished if free- 
flowering, good growing varieties, such as Safrano and Isabella Sprunt, 
are chiefly relied upon, and plants prepared for yielding blooms at that 
period. I cannot say that blooms could be profitably grown from a 
market point of view, because it is next to an impossibility to produce* 
