November 22 , 1S88. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
469 
Lilac is mentioned as a novelty. Fruit trees were numerous. The 
i^ ve ^ een amongst them, as it was brought over about 
x> t l° 0 ^’ gardener to Henry, or as some say, by Mascal. 
Probably the Nectarine belongs to the same date, but it is not 
distinguished from varieties of the Peach. Evidently that fruit 
was freely grown m London gardens before the middle of the 
century. Mascal is said to have brought over the first Pippins 
n ° r? 63,1 ? ^ a ^ er > planting them at Plumpton on the north side of 
the South Downs. The Golden Pippin, it is supposed, was first 
reared at Parham Park, also on those downs. Henry’s fruiterer, 
one Richard Haines, is stated to have obtained the Cherry from 
Flanders and planted them at Sittingbourne, Kent, but we have 
abundant proof that Cherries were an abundant fruit in England 
before his time, and in 1540 we read of a Cherry orchard of thirty- 
two acres, the value of the fruit that year being £1000. But it is likely 
Haines was introducer of the red Flemish Cherry, as Tusser mentions 
a red kind as novel, the old English one being black. Though the 
Quince is attributed to this reign, it had been cultivated before, as 
one author mentions having seen it planted as a hedge to gardens 
and vineyards not many years after, which would imply it had been 
known long enough to become common. The Musk Melon, a native 
of Tartary, but which came to England through Italy about 1520, 
Gerard tells us he saw at St. James’s Palace and in Lord Sussex’s 
garden near Bermondsey. Next century this was a very favourite 
fruit, and much cultivated along the banks of the Thames in 
Surrey. 
Turner published a curious book on “ Herbes ” in 1548 which 
marks an era in horticultural progress, and records, amongst species 
of less note, the Sweet Bay, the Spruce Fir, the Cypress, the Pome¬ 
granate, the Oriental Plane, the Fig, the Black Mulberry, the 
Almond, the Stone Pine, Rosemary, Rue, Savine, and Jessamine. 
To the Almond the attention of gardeners was specially drawn by 
its habits of early flowering and late fruiting. The latter, they 
thought, arose from the oily moisture of the species. It is supposed 
that the original Mulberries were those which Phillips saw at Sion 
House in 1820 and reported upon. All the timber had crumbled 
owing to their great age, but the trees were sustained by means of 
the bark, and they produced both flowers and fruit. Probably 
there were in England Fig trees, descendants of those which the 
Romans introduced, though Turner seems to have regarded the 
species as a novelty, and the White Marseilles variety, certainly 
planted by Cardinal Pole in 1525, at Lambeth, is commonly said to 
have started the culture of the Fig once more. A later edition of 
Turner adds the Walnut, a tree which came slowly into popularity, 
Rue, Lavender, as arrivals before 1570, and L’Obel at that date 
mentions doubtful species of Pistacia, Genista, and Cistus. We do 
not hear of any nursery till after the middle of the sixteenth 
century, when that of Corbet is mentioned, also called Poynter, at 
Twickenham. Ben Jonson knew him, and Gerard says he was a 
most cunning and curious grafter of all manner of rare plants. 
And the time of trouble that came upon the monasteries put an 
effectual stop to the monks’ quiet pursuits of gardening and illumi¬ 
nating. One of the last notable gardeners of that class was Prior 
Bolton of Canonbury, at the north of London, who planted many 
trees in the garden ground there, part of which yet remains open, 
but the trees have gone, though some were in existence fifty years 
ago. The worthy old Prior died in 1532.—J. R. S. C. 
THE NATIONAL AURICULA AND THE NATIONAL 
CARNATION AND PICOTEE SOCIETIES. 
(Southern Sections.) 
It is related of Sir Walter Raleigh that when he was writing 
his History of England in the Tower, one day looking out of his 
window he saw an accident. Two of his friends who had also 
witnessed it came to see him, and related it ; their accounts were so 
opposite that he threw down his pen in despair, saying how was it 
possible to write history when even he could get no correct account of 
a matter that happened under his own eyes? With some such feeling 
have I read Mr. R. Dean’s statement with regard to the annual meeting 
of the above Societies. I rubbed my eyes, wiped my spectacles, and 
thought I must be dreaming, but I suppose it’s all right, only it’s very 
odd. As Chairman of the meeting I wish simply to state the following 
facts:— 
1, That not only was the proposition of holding the Shows in 1889 
in connection with the R.H.S. mooted, but I was told there need be 
no hurry in approaching the Crystal Palace Company until after the 
next meeting of the Council, when the matter would be settled. 
2, That I, foolishly I suppose, imagined that Mr. R. Dean was strongly in 
favour of our so doing. The Drill Hall is, indeed, spoken of as unde¬ 
sirable if it could be avoided, but he promised if held at Chiswick that 
he would provide a conveyance at Ealing to take the boxes from Read¬ 
ing, &c., to Chiswick by road. 3, The general feeling of the Committee 
was in favour of holding the shows in connection with the R.H.S. 
Mr. Dean fears that if the reports of meetings was to be left to the 
officials very incorrect reports would be the the result; his is, at any 
rate, a proof that it would not be remedied by leaving it in unofficial 
hands. The personalities which close Mr. Dean’s letter may well bo 
left alone, and I do not think they will injure the person against whom 
they are directed.—H. IIonywood D’Ombrain, Chairman. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT PERRY HTLL. 
There is a fine display of these beautiful autumn flowers at Messrs. 
Carter’s nurseries just now. Three newly erected houses are devoted to 
the collection, which is a very large one, and includes many of the novel 
varieties that Messrs. Carter have imported direct from Japan from time 
to time. Among the leading varieties very fine are the following :— 
Mrs. Beale, a very large pure white Japanese, the guard florets in some 
instances being over an inch in width. James Carter, a charming 
decorative reflexed variety, the beautiful amber bronze flower being 
most evenly formed. Mrs. Dunnett, an enormous flower of a rosy 
blush colour, the points of the petals are quilled and prettily tipped 
with white. This is a very distinct Japanese. Holborn Beauty, a 
charming variety in the way of Bend Or, colour bronze. Bronze Queen 
of England, this variety is now found in all prize groups, it is a grand 
acquisition. Martha Harding, a rich golden yellow, changing to brown, 
immense flowers. Prominent amongst older favourites are Baron Beust, 
Empress of India, Gloria Mundi, Lady Hardinge, Lord Alcester, Mr. 
Bunn, Mr. George Glenny, Mrs. George Rundle, Princess of Wales,. 
Queen of England, and Venus. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM THUNBERG. 
I HAVE taken the liberty of sending a small bloom of Thunberg for 
your inspection. This has been quite the belle of the season with me, 
and is a beautiful contrast to the two you have latety given us in the 
Journal. The enclosed bloom is from a terminal bud, and although I 
have seen the variety exhibited at several shows this season, for refined 
beauty the bloom I send surpasses any that I have seen. 
With your permission I -will shortly say a few words on the damping 
of Chrysanthemum blooms.— Frank Hopkins, Walton-on-Thames. 
[The bloom received is a handsome one of excellent colour, and well 
merits our correspondent’s high opinion of it. We shall also be glad to 
receive his notes on the damping of blooms, as the subject is one of much 
importance to growers.] 
NARROW VINE BORDERS. 
A great quantity of the soil used in the formation of many Vine 
borders is destitute of roots, and good for nothing but keeping moisture. 
As I am in favour of the roots of Vines being restricted, perhaps you 
will allow me to give a description of a vinery in its fifth year under 
what I call root-restriction, and partly on the narrow-border principle. 
The Vines -were planted inside in the usual way in 3 feet of good loamy 
soil ; the outside had the same as the inside, but the roots took to the 
outside border quicker than to the inside. At the end of the first year’s 
growth, which was splendid, I examined how far the roots had gone into 
the new soil. They had crossed the new soil and into the old for a 
considerable distance. Instead of taking care of them I cut off all the 
ends as they were long and qui'l-like into the new soil, and did not 
stop until I found them pretty thickly matted. I gave new soil to the 
border every year and cut back in the same way as the first year. I 
have been in places where new soil had to be placed in front of the 
longest root to make it go faster, but these I consider long under¬ 
ground branches and should be cut back. The Vines are always 
increasing in strength and fruitfulness. I may say one of the Black 
Hamburgh bunches weighed over 10 lbs., there were five other bunches 
on the rod. This is merely stated to show the vigour of the Vine, 
which I attribute entirely to the above system of root management and 
not to any particular composition of the soil used, as all if has is a little 
lime rubbish and wood ashes.— Bon Accord. 
FORCING LILY OF THE VALLEY. 
AS stated by “ M. M.” at page 418, these are often very unsatis¬ 
factory as seen in many private gardens at Christmas time, but I fear 
he takes a rather too gloomy view. We generally have our first in by 
about the second week in January, and I daresay the same means 
would obtain them by Christmas if we felt so disposed. Many gar¬ 
deners no doubt purchase the roots too soon from the nurseryman, but 
when ordering ours I always stipulate that they arc to be only sent 
when they can warrant them well ripened. Another mistake is not 
supplying sufficient moisture. After receiving ours they are imme¬ 
diately potted; if it is not convenient to do so at once they are covered 
with damp cocoa fibre refuse in the open air. V e place eighteen 
crowns in a 5-inch pot, and after potting they are plunged in cocoa 
fibre refuse in the open air, and there remain until brought in for 
forcing. They are taken into the house and supplied with tepid 
