1S2 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August i 9 , 1989. 
east and west is somewhat of a curiosity, as it is formed of a series of 
segments of circles, and thus presents various aspects ; though no 
difference is apparent in the trees, the Morello Cherries on what may 
termed the north side are equally good whether they face due north or 
occupy the “ curls ” to the east cr the west. 
On the south side of another wall I found what I did not know 
before, and what I suspect many other persons do not know—namely, 
that the Alexander and Waterloo Peaches are, if not positively identical, 
so nearly alike that in no one character of the leaf or fruit is the difference 
descernible. The trees were planted on the same day, and fruits of both 
ripened on the same day, of the same size, same shape, same colour, 
same quality. The trees came from Sawbridgeworth, therefore it may 
be assumed both were true to name, as Mr. Rivers was the introducer of 
these early American Peaches, and the Ketton experience is commended 
to his distinguished consideration. 
Mr. Divers has the park, farm, stock, and everything outdoors under 
his charge. The crops are excellent, and he has proved the value of the 
chemical manures advocated in the Home Farm department of this 
Journal, and estimates that an investment of £12 in grass manure 
yielded a profit of £30 in the increased yield of hay. No one can visit 
Ketton without admiring Mrs. Hopwood’s splendid herd of Jerseys, 
some of which have won the highest honours at the Royal and other great 
shows. The working of machinery for various purposes by water power 
and turbines arrests notice; and if the visitor is privileged to enter the 
mansion he will find such an organ room and such an organ as he will have 
a difficulty in finding the equal in a family home ; and further, if he is 
taken behind the scenes to “ see the bellows blow ” he will not forget 
it. The magnitude and mechanism of the whole arrangement cannot 
but surprise the outsider who for the first time gets inside the chamber, 
where the voice of the great instrument is supplied by hydraulic power, 
set in motion by touching a button in the room near the organ. Mr. 
Hopwood is a lover of music as well as of fruit, and an expert in both. 
Not satisfied with growing Peaches in England, he has “ gone in ” for 
Orange growing in Florida, and judging by his splendid photographs, 
for in this art he is skilled also, his mansion at Winter Park, Orange 
County, with the plantations surrounding, his estate must be very 
delightful. Of this Mr. Wm. Downs, Mr. Gilbert’s foreman at Burghley, 
has been appointed manager, and goes out to “ boss the niggers ” in the 
autumn. He has no doubt received lessons from his “ great chief ” that 
will be of service, for Mr. Gilbert is not a better cultivator than he is a 
“ manager,” and an admirable trait in his character is his real friendli¬ 
ness to worthy young men, and his readiness to help them on in life. 
But I must stop, or my great chief will be after tomahawking me for 
taking up so much space in his Journal 
Ketton, I may add, is on the midland line between Leicester and 
Peterborough, and the station is within ten minutes’ walk of the gardens. 
Mr. Divers’ house is opposite the entrance gates, and the presiding genius 
there makes his visitors desirous of staying a little longer.—W. 
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS. 
Although there has been no editorial invite for communications on 
this subject, as was the case last year, I have ventured on penning a 
brief report on the crops here. Taking fruit first, I have chronicled a 
total failure here of that important winter fruit, the Apple ; the cater¬ 
pillars never so much as allowed the trees to flower, so under these 
circumstances we could not reasonably expect Apples. The trees are, 
however, making good and clean growth, we therefore look forward to 
compensation next year. Strawberries were a good crop, as were Rasp¬ 
berries, Red and White Currants, while Black Currants were very light. 
Gooseberries were a remarkably heavy crop ; after thinning for pre¬ 
serving, tarts, &c., many branches broke with the weight of fruit, and 
pleasant to relate, not a caterpillar was visible among the bushes the 
whole season. We have one Fig, at least there was one yesterday ; it 
is only fair to add we have but three trees. Two Peach trees between 
them contrived to contribute three Peaches to the dessert in season on 
the 21st inst. Of Plums we have a good crop of Magnum Bonums ; no 
other variety is bearing this year. We had a fine crop of Chisel Pears, 
there are a few of Doyennd d’Ete, all the other trees are resting this year 
from fruit-bearing. Cherries of all kinds were a good crop. Apricots 
are here represented by only one tree ; it may be that it objects to 
being isolated, at all events it has been five years planted and never 
yet borne a fruit I have come to the conclusion that that portion of 
the wall might be more profitably employed. Nuts of all kinds are a 
very light crop. Thus ends my record of the fruit crops for 1889. 
Flowers of all kinds have, until latterly, done remarkably well. 
Roses were never so good as this year. During the last few weeks we 
have rain more or less (most frequently the former) every day, anil, 
with the exception of Begonias, all summer bedding plants are terribly 
washed out. I have never seen the land so wet or the ponds so full as 
during this week. The rainfall on Monday 19th last, day and night, 
was 1'2 of an inch. A good deal of hay is washed away in the low- 
lying meadows. 
Vegetables, taken on the whole, are very satisfactory. The only crop 
unsatisfactory is Beet. I made two sowings of this, and obtained the 
seed from one of the leading English firms, and the best house in the 
south of Ireland, and now there is not half a crop. Onions are a 
splendid crop, the best I have had yet, and this year I have succeeded 
in getting a decent crop of Carrots for the first time free from maggots. 
Potatoes are badly diseased, but the tubers are a good size, while the 
baality is excellent when cooked. Tomatoes on outside walls are carry¬ 
ing a fine lot of fruit and just commencing to ripen. I have tried ridge 
Cucumbers this year here for the first time, and they have proved a 
decided success.— R. Weller, Glenstal Castle Gardens, Limerick. 
[We are always glad to receive reports of this nature, and we thought 
this was understood by our readers.] 
THE VIOLET, ITS CULTIVATION AND DISEASE. 
[A paper read by Mr. M. A. Hunt before the Society of Indiana Florists.] 
In relation to soils most suitable for the Violet, having tried several 
with varying results, am satisfied that a heavy loam is the best ; by this 
I mean one which will not break or crack though the admixture of sand 
be very slight. As to the method of growing, I do not believe that far 
north it is advisable to grow them in frames, either with or without fire 
heat, the uncertainty of the weather rendering it difficult to clean the 
plants properly, or gather the flowers with any degree of regularity. 
Give them bench room near the glass in a house by themselves, where 
the temperature can be kept under perfect control. I have found them 
to thrive best when kept about 10° above freezing at night, and 
on sunny days maintaining as low a temperature as possible without 
chilling the plants. The small grower who requires but a few each day 
for his own work, would in my opinion save money by buying of a 
brother florist who raises them in large quantity, or of some commission 
house, rather than undertake to grow a few under sash or in a house with 
other plants. 
Of the disease to which the Violet is subject much has been written 
during the past year, but I have failed to see any cause assigned that- 
was not disproved by the practice of other growers in different localities ; 
methods which in the one case resulted in failure, in the other proved 
successful. So serious has this disease become that many large growers 
have entirely abandoned their cultivation, and it will be remembered 
Mr. Siebrecht, of New York, offered a reward of 100 dols. to anyone 
who would solve the problem, and notwithstanding many writers have 
given their experience with the pest, as well as advanced theories and 
surmises as to its cause, I still have to learn that any of them have drawn 
on friend Siebrecht for the reward. 
The true solution may be as far in the future as ever, but in a visit 
not long since to Mr. John Cook, of Baltimore, Md , he was able to show 
results, the fruit as he believes of careful thought, observation, and 
experiment, which it seemed to me would be of interest to Violet 
growers to know. It will be remembered that Mr. Cook was the 
originator of that charming variety, Marie Louise, which was first- 
placed on the market in 1872, and he now has two new varieties, the 
rose-coloured Mme. Millet offered last spring, and another, a sport from 
Swanley White, which he calls Robt. Garret, not yet distributed. In 
colour this resembles Neapolitan, but its promise of supremacy is in the 
great size of the flowers. The original stool as seen in January a year 
ago literally bristled with buds, while one fully expanded flower was- 
1‘ inch in diameter by actual measurement. Mr. Cook grows 
about 120 sashes of Violets annually, and a varied experience of forty 
years in their care, coupled with the magnificent appearance of his 
plants at the time I saw them, would seem to show that, whether his 
theory is correct or not, his practice brings success. 
He stated that the disease appeared with him abrut ten years ago, 
Marie Louise, which he had then been cultivating about eight years, 
being so much affected as to become practically valueless. The plants 
of this so badly affected that season were grown on his lowest bottom 
land, the disease showing itself about August 1st, previous to which the 
stools had been very large and fine. The following season, having some 
planted in frames for summer growth on his highest land, he noticed 
early in September thac the stools under the sash rests, or bars of the 
frame, were clean and healthy, while those exposed to the full rays of 
the sun were badly affected with the disease. At first he thought this 
was the result of shade, observation in another line tending to confirm 
him in this conclusion, and this was the Pear blight. Among his fruit- 
trees was a row of Pears, west of which ran a row of large evergreens. 
Both rows were at such an angle as to cause a complete shade to cover 
the Pears from eleven o’clock through the day. Every tree so shaded 
was free from blight, while trees at either end of the row in the full 
sunlight were much diseased. But to return to the Violet. Careful and 
patient watching convinced him that it was not the shade that prevented, 
but the dew that caused the mischief, and his theory is this : —The same 
fever-producing agency—be it what it may—which will bring a strong 
man down when exposed for any length of time to the dews and mias¬ 
matic influences of the night air, is the producing agent of the disease 
in the Violet. The drop of dew on the leaf exposed to an August sun 
evaporates, leaving whatever there may be of poison in a concentrated 
form on the leaf. Acting on this theory he plants all his Violets for 
summer growing in narrow beds, and as soon as there are any signs of 
dew covers them by stretching waterproof fibre cloth on frames so 
prepared as to keep the cloth well above the plants, thus securing a 
circulation of air. The covering is carefully removed in the morning, 
and the same process gone through with each day until they are housed 
in winter quarters. 
Whatever may be thought of the theory as to the cause, the cure- 
with him seems to be effectual, as plants grown near the others and 
given the same treatment in every way, save in the matter of night 
covering, are badly diseased. We are apt to look upon long continued, 
intelligent and successful methods as proofs of the system followed, and 
if any of our Violet growers desire to test this method for themselves, 
and should it prove as effectual with others who have been troubled 
