Atl’uH 20, 1301. ]’ 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
155 
ample return for the labour and expense they have required. But 
it is not only hardy fruits that are grown well at Cardiff Castle, 
Melons under glass are equally surprising in their way, the crops 
of fruits obtained from individual plants far exceeding the con¬ 
ventional numbers. A dozen or more fine specimens on one plant 
are frequently secured. Grapes, too, are admirably grown, and 
with Peaches and miscellaneous useful plants fill numerous houses, 
good order and the best culture prevailing throughout. It is in 
fact a grand school for young gardeners. 
The Castle Coch Vineyards. 
A delightful drive of some five miles to the Castle Coch Vine¬ 
yard concluded my horticultural experiences of Cardiff, and with 
a few words respecting it I must close these notes. The weather 
was warm, and we could appreciate the wisdom of the choice 
made when the elevated slope was reached, above which stands 
Castle Coch itself, looking across a beautiful panorama, with the 
Bristol Channel gleaming in the distance. It was like a sub¬ 
tropical climate, the soil was quite perceptibly warm, and a 
few weeks clear weather will effect a great change in the 
abundant Grapes which are now developing. The Vines 
ai’e planted in rows 3 feet apart, are cut back annually, and the 
shoots are tied to stout stakes in the continental fashion. The 
Vines have fine well developed leathery deep green foliage, and 
evidently have a soil that suits them, for the growth is stout and 
strong. The yield of Grapes and the quality of the fruit neces¬ 
sarily vary according to the season, but that excellent wine is 
produced I had the opportunity of testing. Many varieties have 
been tried, but a large proportion of the ten thousand Vines now 
consist of one variety, Gamai Noir, with small black berries, which 
is grown in the French wine districts, but is not cultivated in 
gardens here. This vineyard is extremely interesting, and though 
it may be regarded as an experiment conducted under favourable 
circumstances yet there are no doubt many similar sites where equal 
success could be achieved. 
Reluctantly several kindly invitations had to be declined, in¬ 
cluding one from Mr. Muir at Margam, and with an invigorating 
little sea trip from Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare our homeward 
journey was commenced in preparation for a longer trip in other 
lands.— Lewis Castle. 
Events of the Week.— The Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Committees 
of the Royal Horticultural Society will meet at the Drill Hall, James 
Street, Victoria Street, S.W., on Tuesday, August 25th, when there will 
be an exhibition of Gladioli, Orchids, Fruit, &e., and a lecture at 
3 P.M. by the Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain, M.A., on “ Gladioli.” The 
Newcastle-on-Tyne Autumn Show will take place on August 20th, 27th, 
and 28th. On Monday and Thursday next, August 21th and 27th, 
Messrs. Protheroe & Morris will hold sales of bulbs at Cheapside. A 
sale of Orchids from Mr. F. Sander will also take place in the same 
rooms on August 21st. 
- Mr D. T. Fish.—W e are informed on good authority that 
Mr. D. T. Fish, who has been gardener at Hardwicke House, Bury 
J3t. Edmunds, for upwards of thirty years, will relinquish h : s charge 
.during the ensuing autumn. T. M. Gibson Cullum, Esq., is the present 
owner of Hardwbke, and Mr. Fish is a member of the Town Council 
of Bury St. Edmunds, the only instance, so far as we know, of a 
gardener in service being elected to a position of that nature. He is a 
brother of the late Mr. Robert Fish, who was for some years a shining 
light on the stafE of the Journal of Horticulture. Mr. D. T. Fisli will 
mot, we understand, seek another situation as a private gardener. 
- The Weather in the Metropolitan District has been 
somewhat finer for the greater part of the past week, and this has been 
general in the northern and western counties, where harvesting is pro¬ 
ceeding rapidly. Rain has, however, fallen heavily on several days, and 
clear sunny weather would help fruit and other crops greatly. 
-Gardening Appointment.— Mr. Eldon Quantrill, late fore¬ 
man at Porters Park, Shenley, has been appointed head gardener to 
Mrs. Holt, Waratah, Chislehurst. 
- Shrewsbury Show. — The Exhibition which opened at 
Shrewsbury on Wednesday is larger than ever. The entries numbere I 
2500, from cottagers 1500. The schedule comprised 189 classes. Good 
and in several cases generous prizes were provided, the aggregate amount 
in group class being no less than £62. The conditions were a group of 
miscellaneous plants, in or out of bloom, arranged in a space of 300 
square feet. In this class the prizes are won by Mr. Peter Blai~, 
Trentham Gardens ; Mr. A. Webb, gardener to J. H. Sutton, Esq , Newaik ; 
Mr. Currey, gardener to Col. Pepper, Salisbury; and Mr. Roberts, 
gardener to C. H. Wright, Esq., Oswestry, in the order named. For 
sixteen stove and greenhouse plants, not less than four in flower, the 
prizes of £20, £15, and £10 are won by Mr. Finch, gardener to 
J. Marriott, Esq., Coventry, and Mr. J. Cypher of Cheltenham, 
who are equal firsts, Mr. Currey being third. In the cut flower 
section the principal class is for a collection of Dahlias, a silver 
medal and £5 as the first prize being awarded to Messrs. Jone3 anl 
Sons, Shrewsbury. A silver medal and a similar money prize for 
a collection of Gladioli are also secured by Messrs. Kelway & S n j , 
Langport. With a collection of fruit (twelve dishes) Mr. J. H. Good- 
acre, Elvaston Castle Gardens, Derby, wins the £10 first prize, followed 
by Mr. R. Dawes, The Gardens, Temple Newsam, Leeds, and Mr. Bailey, 
gardener to W. Martin, Esq., Ledbury. The first prize for six bunches 
of Grapes (£10) i3 secured by Mr. T. Bannerman, gardener to Lor i 
Bagot, Blithfield, Rugeley ; the other prizewinners being Mr. J. Barber, 
gardener to W. Raynes, Esq., Rockferry, and Mr. W. Iggulden, Marston 
Gardens, Frome. The Show is a grand one all round. 
-The Conference of the British Fruit Growers’ Associa¬ 
tion at Cardiff on August 12th was held in conjunction with the 
local horticultural society’s exhibition in the Sophia Gardens. A large 
tent was devoted to the Conference, which was largely attended, the 
Marquess of Bute presiding, and being supported by the Rev. G. A. 
Jones, Alderman Lewis (Deputy Mayor), Mr. T. F. Rivers, Mr. E. J. 
Baillie, F.L.S., of Chester, Mr. Blackmore (Secretary of the Cardiff 
Horticultural Society), Mr. G. Gordon, and Mr. Lewis Castle (Hon. 
Sec.). After a few words from the Chairman, Mr. Gordon gave a 
review of the work of the Association and the extension of fru t 
culture. Mr. A. Pettigrew then read an excellent paper on “Hardy 
Fruits for South Wales,” and by Mr. E. J. Baillie with an address 
on “Fruit Culture as an Industry.” Some discussion followed, in 
which several prominent local horticulturists took part, including 
Mr. W. J. Grant, anl the business of a very successful meeting 
concluded with a hearty vote of thanks to the Marquess of Bute for 
presiding, proposed by Mr. Rivers and seconded by Alderman Lewis. 
- Mr. C. M. Major of Croydon sends us an example of a 
Curious Freak in an Opuntia. The ovary of a previous flower has 
produced two other flowers near rs apex, the ovaries of which are also 
developing. Instances of a similar character are occasionally seen 
in members of this family where leaves are absent, both flower and 
growth buds springing from the fascicles of spines all over the 
plant. 
- Saxifraga muscoides purpurea is excellent for the 
rockery. The growth is compact, the flowers are freely produced, and 
last so long that it deserves a place in the smallest collection of 
rockery plants. The flowers when first open are a bright rose, which 
pale considerably with age. The best time to increase the stock is af er 
flowering, by division, planting in sandy soil, in a partly shaded situation 
it succeeds better than in the full sun.—M. 
- At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Brighton and 
Sussex New Horticultural and Mutual Improvement So¬ 
ciety, held at the Imperial Hotel, on Taursday evening the 13th inst , 
twelve new members were proposed and admitted. The Sab- 
Committee appointed at a previous meeting submitted a schedule for 
a spring show next year, which was approved, and the dates fixed for 
the 5th and 6th April. Mr. J. Cheal then delivered a most interesting 
lecture on Conifers, referring to their history, the period of their 
introduction to tin's country, their value as timber trees or for the 
embellishment of our pleasure grounds, their comparative hardiness m 
this country, and other valuable information. A large number of 
specimens—sprays of many of the trees referred to—were exhibited in 
the room, and by the aid of two large maps the speaker succeeded in 
interesting his hearers for over an hour. Mr. Balchin, who presided, 
in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Cheal, congratulated the members of 
the society on having amongst themselves one capable of handling a 
subject with such ability. 
