472 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 26, 1885. 
Algeria. The village of Grindelwald was destroyed, and in the Austrian 
Tyrol the damage caused by floods reached at least two millions sterling. 
Passing through France and the Netherlands the disturbance showed signs 
of exhaustion, and on November 1st, in the Baltic, it quietly dispersed, 
after accomplishing a journey of over 16,000 in thirty-six days. This is 
the first storm which has been followed day by day from the Pacific to 
Europe. 
3. “Notes as to the Principle and Working of Jordan’s PhotograpVc 
Sunshine Recorder,” by J. B. Jordan and F. Gaster, F.R.Met.Soc. This 
instrument consists of a cylindrical dark chamber, on the inside of which is 
placed a prepared slip of photographic paper. The direct ray of sunlight 
being admitted into this chamber by small apertures in the side, is received 
on the sensitised paper, and travelling over it by reason of the earth’s rotation, 
leaves a distinct trace of chemical action whenever the light is of sufficient 
intensity to show a definite shadow on a sundial. The cylinder is mounted 
on a stand with adjustments for latitude, &c. The record is fixed by simply 
immersing it in water for a few minutes. As this instrument records the 
actinic or chemical rays it usually shows more sunshine than is obtained by 
the ordinary burning sunshine recorder. 
GRAFTING OR INARCHING VINES. 
In a recent number of our Journal I read with great interest the 
remarks on the influence of the stock on the flavour of scion Grapes. I 
have Madresfield Court worked on Gros Colman, and the fruit from the 
former has no flavour, being worse than Gros Colman. This is interesting, 
because if stock is to alter flavour for either worse or better all we 
have to do is to choose a good stock. I also put Madresfield Court on 
Gros Colman to test its cracking, the only weakness with me ; but this 
season neither on its own roots nor grafted has it cracked. Gros Colman 
on Muscat of Alexandria is a decided improvement, with an increase of 
vigour in growth. I have this summer grafted both Alicante and Gros 
Maroc on Black Hamburgh, also on Buckland Sweetwater, and I am 
looking forward with interest to the result in fruiting. Nothing puts new 
life into old Vines like inarching or grafting. I intend putting Gros 
Colman on a strong Gros Guillaume.— Stephen Castle, West Lynn. 
TUBEROSES. 
Were I asked to name a trio of the most popular white flowering 
plants in cultivation, I should select the Stephanotis, Gardenia, and 
Tuberose. At all seasons their sweet-scented and beautiful flowers are 
highly appreciated and in great demand. The two former, alas ! are so 
much subject to mealy bug and other pests as to make their culture a 
matter of great difficulty, especially when grown in a mixed collection of 
plants. Where they can have a house to themselves, and measures ap¬ 
plied to keep their enemies from getting a hold, they can be grown to the 
admiration of everyone who beholds them. The Tuberoses, as far as I 
know, are free from the many disadvantages which attend the culture of 
the others ; indeed, so easy are they of cultivation, that it is a great pity 
they are not more generally grown. Many are deterred from growing 
them by the thought of their requiring a heated house to bring them to 
perfection, but although a little heat is necessary if they have to be forced 
into flower for any set time, yet if they are grown and flowered in a cool 
house they will be much dwarfer in the flower-stem and last longer. 
The Tuberose may be started at any time from January till May f< r 
those who have not the advantage of a heated structure. About the 
month of April, is the best time to pot the bulbs. I offer the following 
remarks on their culture, which I have followed myself with a fair degree 
of success. About the second week of April the buibs are potted singly 
into 4£-inch pots, using a compost of two parts good turfy loam, one part 
leaf mould, one part peat, a handful or two of bonemeal, a little charcoal, 
and sand to make the whole porous. They are then stood in a cold 
frame, and no water is given for a few days, and then only enough to 
keep them moist, as anything approaching stagnation is sure to end 
disastrously for the bulbs. They take a good time before showing much 
signs of vitality, but roots are forming, and therefore the young growths 
get the benefit over those started (which are generally well advanced 
before any roots are formed for their support), and although they make 
slow progress the foliage is of firmer texture. As the season advances 
plenty of air is given morning and night, shading them from the bright 
rays of the sun. By the end of June they will he growing freely, when 
a more abundant supply of water is given, as they soon become dry in 
these small pots. About the beginning of September they are placed in 
a cool house, with a temperature ranging from 45° to 50°, where they 
shortly commence to throw up their flower-stems. Wben wanted in 
flower about the middle of September the desired number are placed into 
a house with a temperature of 60° by day and 58° by night. Those in 
the cool house come in towards the end of October, and the flower-stems 
will not average more than 2 feet. Coming in at that dull season they 
are most acceptable.— Wm, Marshall, Ayr. 
BRYN GLAS, 
The seat of T. Cordes, Esq., is pleasantly situated on the right bank 
of the river Usk, and lies about a mile to the north of the flourishing town 
of Newport, Monmouthshire. The house, which is a modern erection of 
two storeys, stands on the ridge of a projecting hill near the summit, which 
rises to the height of 300 feet above the bed of the river, and commands an 
extensive panoramic view of great beauty on the east, north, and south 
sides as far as the eye can reach. The view on the west side is hemmed 
in by rising ground and large trees. The situation for fine landscape of 
hill and dale, of wood and water, is well chosen, and could scarcely be 
surpassed anywhere in this country. Looking in a northerly direction r 
the view embraces the lofty Sugar Loaf, and a series of high mountains 
beyond Abergavenny, while nearer hand glimpses of the dark-brown 
river in its lower reaches are seen for miles, confined by its deep banks, 
wending its way along through rich meadows, cornfields, and orchards. 
Facing the east the ground rises gradually from the left bank of the river 
for a great distance till the view is closed in by a ridge of high hilts 
running north and south. Turning to the left, you see peeping out from' 
amongst the trees “ Old Caerleon on the Usk,” where the mythic Arthur 
held his court. On the south you have an extensive view of the Bristol 
Channel, with its towns and villages along the Somerset coast, and beyond 
them the undulating hills away in the distance, while the town of Newport,, 
with its shipping in the docks and river, seems to lie at your feet. 
The pleasure grounds, flower garden, and shrubberies surrounding the 
house contain between nine and ten acres. A great portion of this has 
been taken in lately, and the whole of it has been renovated and much 
improved by the skilful management of the present gardener, Mr. Wat tie r 
wno has had charge of the place for the last fourteen years. The lawn 
immediately in front of the house has been carried out level for some- 
distance and terraced. From the terraces the ground suddenly slopes in 
front towards the river, and in a less degree to the right and left of the 
ridge, far beyond the enclosed portion. 
The grounds at the lower extremity are joined by an old plantation 
named the “ Wilderness,” which affords a pleasant shady retreat in hot 
weather. It is six acres in extent, and contains a great many monster 
Oaks, Elms, Sweet Chestnuts, and other trees. Beautiful winding walks 
run all through it, and these are bordered in places with large clumps of 
the ponticum Rhododendron, which grows luxuriantly in the natural soil 
here, and flowers freely during the early summer months. The grounds 
around the house have been laid out with good taste, and much consideration 
has been given, both to beauty and utility, in planting and in laying off 
the walks. The principal walks lead from the house to the kitchen garden 
on the north side, and through the grounds on the south side to the 
“ Wilderness,” which is entered at the extreme end. From these, other 
walks diverging at different points encircle the grounds and lead to places 
of interest. As I have mentioned, Rhododendrons grow well in the 
natural soil here, and numbers of large clumps of the best named varieties 
are planted about the grounds. Each of these is planted wholly of one 
kind, which has a fine effect, the clump appearing as if it was one large 
Rhododendron during the time it is in flower. Besides these, there are 
many beds of evergreen and deciduous flowering shrubs and large 
shrubberies bordering walks and the outer portions of the grounds. Tbo 
shrubberies in the outer portion are planted next the lawn with herbaceous 
and other flowering plants. Standard Rhododendrons, and a choice col¬ 
lection of the best Conifera and other trees and shrubs are planted singly 
in suitable places on Ihe lawn, giving the whole a rich and furnished 
appearance. The trees and shrubs grow well, and seem to like the soil and 
situation of Bryn Glas. 
Close to the house, on the lawn below the terrace, is a large geometrical 
design planted iu the carpet style of bedding. Though I was never a 
great admirer of that formal style (might I say of sculptured vegetation?) 
I must confess that it looked remarkably well at the time of my visit, and 
Mr. Wattie informed me it looked bright and cheerful in the month of 
October, when all the bedding plants were gone. 
All the forcing and plant houses are in the kitchen garden, except the 
conservatory, which is attached to the mansion, aDd a small house at the 
north end of the grounds for growing Tea Roses, &c. The conservatory 
is a large span-roofed structure with an ornamental lantern on top. It is 
50 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 26 feet high. The sides are 13 feet high, 
and the front and ends are of wood and glass, and at the back a wall, 
which is filled with pockets or crevices for growing plants. Amongst 
those planted on the walls were some remarkably fine Seaforthia elegans 
and other Palms and Ferns, and Lycopodiums growing luxuriantly up to 
the top of it. The bed in the centre of the house was filled with large 
Palms, Tree Ferns, Crotons, &c., amongst which were fine plants of 
Dicksonia antarctica, Cibotium princeps, Areca lutescens, Cycas revoluta, 
and others. The space round the sides was filled with a miscellaneous 
collection of stove and greenhouse plants, both flowering and fine- 
foliaged. The pillars supporting the lantern-roof were covered with 
plants of Rhyncospermum jasminoides, Plumbago capensis, Hoya camosa, 
Euphorbia jacquiniasflora, and part of the roof and the wall next the 
mansion were covered with Bougainvillea glabra, B. speciosa, Stephanotis 
floribunda, and Luculia gratissima, which flower freely and produce a 
pleasing effect at all times. 
The kitchen garden lies on the north side of the house, and in close 
proximity to it. It is screened from the pleasure grounds by a belt of 
trees, with a shrubbery and an herbaceous border in front of it. The 
garden is laid out in quarters, which are divided by gravel walks, and the 
borders by the side of the walks are planted with pyramidal Apple and 
Pear trees of the best sorts, which are neatly trained and pruned, and iu 
fine bearing condition. Most of them were yielding good crops when I 
saw them, the quarters inside were well cropped with excellent vegetables, 
even thing in the garden looking neat and orderly. 
The frame ground adjoins the garden on the west side. It is enclosed 
by high walls, which completely shut it in and protect it from all quarters. 
Besides the ordinary cool frames and pits, potting shed, store and seed 
rooms, and compost heap, it contains several ranges of usefnl span-roofed 
houses for growing plants and fruits. The first of these contained a good 
stock of fruiting Pine plants. The varieties consisted mostly of Queens 
and Smooth Cayennes. They were clean and healthy, and promised well 
