270 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 56, 1889. 
The species was found in Western Africa in the Gaboon region 
by M. du Chaillu, and a plant sent by him to Kew first flowered in 
May, 1866. It is of comparatively small growth, with slender 
stems rarely exceeding a foot in height, the leaves 4 to 6 inches 
long and half an inch broad. The flowers are white, with long, 
tapering, acute, recurving sepals and petals, and the yellowish 
spurs are 4 or 5 inches long. The racemes are loose and drooping. 
This Angrcecum requires the temperature of the East Indian or 
Cattleya house, and succeeds either in a basket or pot.—L. C. 
THE LOWFIELD NURSERIES. 
Crawley was a famous place in the old coaching days—a busy 
Sussex town, the stabling and courtyards of the old inns being five 
times more extensive than required by present day demands. It was 
one of the chief resting places—the half-way house, so to say, on the 
turnpike road between London and Brighton. Like many other towns 
to which coaching once gave life, Crawley steadily collapsed into sleepi¬ 
ness as the coaches gave up the contest with railways. Little or nothing 
was heard about the place for years beyond the immediate neighbour¬ 
hood, but there appears to be some revival of ancient habits amongst 
persons of leisure, and coaches are now on the road again between the 
metropolis and the queen of southern seaside resorts. Crawley, with its 
slow-sounding name, may once more resume activity, and if it had many 
such enterprising inhabitants as the Brothers Cheal it certainly would 
do so, whether coaches ran or not. These active, diligent men belong to 
the railway age, and in a veiy few years have made the name of their 
native place familiar in the horticultural world. 
The Lowfield Nurseries are about two miles from the town, and the 
railway station is in it. It looks like the main street siding, and would 
be open to it but for the level crossing gates. Most persons, however, 
travelling from London find the Three Bridges Station, on the main 
Brighton line, more convenient. It is three miles from the nurseries, 
but if Mr. Joseph Cheal happen to meet a friend at the station he will 
run him over the ground at the rate of seventeen miles an hour with his 
favourite home-raised and home-trained trotter. The animal is like 
its master, very quiet, yet very much alive when business has to be 
done. 
It sounds almost incredible when we are told that the ground 
occupied by the nurseries and comfortable homestead was a ploughed 
field nineteen years ago ; but the Cheals are not boasting men, and 
would not say what is not true. The land on which the buildings 
stand and several acres surrounding was bought by Mr. Cheal, senior, 
the parent of the thrifty sons, who was a well-to-do farmer, and had a 
good local seed business. The “ old man is yet alive,” hale and active, 
in his ninetieth year. He has built himself a span-roofed house for 
growing Cucumbers and Tomatoes in future, for he must have some¬ 
thing to do—some source of enjoyment and pleasure, some “ work,” and 
the good crop of the present year is the work of his own hands. 
Diligence in business with temperance in habits have made him what he 
is and the business what it is to-day. The nursery grew out of the 
seed trade, and its extent is now, after a recent addition, eighty-five 
acres. Probably sixty and possibly more are occupied with fruit trees, 
Roses, Dahlias, Conifers, evergreens, ornamental trees, and herbaceous 
plants ; indeed, whatever is found to be required in the way of trade. 
The time appears to have been well chosen for establishing this 
business in Sussex, for several small nurseries in different towns were 
waning, the trade simply dwindling away through the old habit of 
waiting for customers. Messrs. Cheal, no doubt observing the results 
of lethargy of that nature, determined to adopt a different course—lay a 
good foundation, provide articles on which they could pledge their name, 
then let the world know they had them by the same fair business 
methods that other successful men have adopted. They first then 
secured a good home trade, and for this the district was favourable. It 
is salubrious, in some parts highly picturesque, and being within easy 
reach of the metropolis attracted rich London merchants and others to 
acquire residences and add thereto parks and gardens. Then the 
business was extended and made general, the proprietors entering fully 
and fairly in the competition of the world. 
The time for commencing when they did appears also to have been 
favourable in another important respect, for it just enabled them to get 
well established, and_ their grounds well stocked with saleable goods 
when a revival set in on the subject of fruit growing, and a greatly 
increased demand arose for trees. The importance of fruit as food 
became to a larger extent recognised, and the desirability of growing 
much more at home, instead of purchasing from abroad, at length was 
admitted. This extra demand gave the opportunity for the firm to step 
to the front as caterers, and it is no doubt a fact that the trade of the 
older firms has increased with the advance of the new. The increase of 
some is known to be considerable, and if there should be a decrease in 
any the reason is not far to seek. 
The soil of the Lowfield Nurseries may be described as a good hold¬ 
ing loam, not easy to work when wet, while it bakes when dry, but 
catch it right and it falls like powder. It seems to suit everything, or 
is made to do so, with such additions as experience has found the most 
suitable. Rhododendrons grow as well and compactly, setting their 
buds as freely as in the best of sandy peat, and a great deal better than 
in much soil that is so described. It is the same with all kinds of 
American plants and Conifers, which, whether green or variegated, are 
in the best of colour, while fruit trees, Roses, and Dahlias evidently find 
what is requisite for their healthful growth. Early in the month the 
last named flowers made an imposing display, as may be imagined when 
it is stated they are grown by the acre. There were really several 
acres, the singles being kept distant from the others, and thousands of 
varieties of these were flowering for the first time ; but so good are the 
named varieties now that only few can be selected as likely to win 
certificates or awards of merit, for being distinct from and superior to 
others in cultivation. Still, such awards are obtained, as has been the case 
this year both at the National Dahlia Show and the Royal Horticultural 
Society. Messrs. Cheal took the single Dahlias in hand in their early 
days, and by care in cross-fertilisation became the originators of many 
beautiful varieties. All the other types are extensively grown also, and 
a few good new forms have been raised. One, a pleasure ground and 
border variety, was, as such, chosen for further trial, and appropriately 
named Profusion. It is nearly as free as Glare of the Garden, but of 
more rounded bush-like habit, with medium-sized purplish magenta- 
flow ers. It is highly effective, admirably adapted for the purpose in¬ 
dicated, and for affording flowers for cutting by the armful. 
By far the greater extent of the nursery is devoted to fruit trees of 
various forms and sizes, trained and untrained, and in all the leading 
varieties. There are 250,000 of them, and 45,000 just budded for suc¬ 
cession. From the commencement a speciality was made of cordon trees, 
and of these there are thousands studded with fruit buds of the varieties 
that are the most likely to give satisfaction to planters. They are 
adapted to small gardens and large, and the large sales prove their popu¬ 
larity. Walls and fences can be covered by them more quickly than any 
others, and they are the easiest of trees to manage. There are acres 
of vacant fences and buildings yet to be covered in various parts of the 
country, and where these do not exist it is easy to stretch a few wires for 
supporting the trees. There are examples of fences in the nurseries, and 
of arches over walks covered with fruit-bearing trees, and photographic 
representations appear in the catalogue of the firm. 
Standard, half-standard, dwarf and trained trees of the different- 
kinds and in great, perhaps too great, variety, are grown in “ drifts,’' 
the number of each variety being in proportion to the demand, but the 
desire is to reduce the varieties, and “ work ” a greater number of those 
selected as the most certain bearers and serviceable. That is a change 
that most or all nurserymen would be glad to see effected, and pur¬ 
chasers of trees are gradually finding out they will equally benefit by it. 
But it is the same in buying trees as with anything else, most purchasers 
like to be choosers, and to obtain what they order; therefore, as long as 
certain varieties are asked for they will be grown, though others in¬ 
trinsically better could be supplied at the same price. 
Several of the small Apple trees were bearing handsome fruit, and 
the fruit room contained an interesting assortment. Of the newer 
varieties Bismarck is one of the largest and richest in colour, the trees 
bearing freely, and will be wanted in many gardens. Hormead’s Pear- 
main was laden with well-shaped medium to large fruit, and is regarded 
by the firm as one of the most reliable and good for both culinary and 
dessert purposes. Professor is distinct among the early Codlin type. 
In shape it is not unlike Manks Codlin, but larger, and instead of being 
pale is golden yellow, which gives it a very rich appearance. The 
Queen is bearing heavily on small trees, the fruit being large and 
handsome, and regarded by Messrs. Cheal as one of the most profitable 
to grow. Pott’s Seedling, Lane’s Prince Albert, Ecklinville, Frogmore 
Prolific, Domino, Bramley’s Seedling, and Wellington are in great demand 
for their usefulness as culinary sorts, with Red Astrachan and Duchess 
of Oldenburg for both cooking and dessert. As dessert sorts there is a 
run on Claygate Pearmain, Cox’s Orange Pippin, King of the Pippins, 
Mannington’s Pearmain, and Worcester Pearmain for general utility, 
and it is expected that Lady Sudeley, or Jacob’s Strawberry, will be in 
equally great demand when its merits are better known. Large stocks 
have to be maintained of Blenheim Orange if it is slow in bearing. 
New Hawthornden, Lords Grosvenor and Suffield, Yorkshire Beauty 
(Greenup’s Pippin or Councillor), Peasgood’s Nonesuch and Ribston 
Pippin ; and it will be conceded that those who plant the varieties 
named are not bad judges of Apples. It would not do, however, to go 
into Sussex and omit mention of what may be termed the Apple of the 
county, the Forge. It is the heaviest and most constant bearer of all, 
every tree being laden with orange red fruit, only medium sized, 
however, and probably too small for market purposes generally. Messrs. 
Cheal do not “ push ” it, but simply state its merits in Sussex, leaving: 
others to try it elsewhere if they wish to do so. It needs no recom¬ 
mending in the county where it is known so well. 
Of Pears, Plums, Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots it can 
only be said they are fully represented, and like the others in as clean 
and healthy a state as could be desired. A new orchard house has been 
erected, and it is intended to cover the roof mainly with cordon Pears. 
At present there are besides those planted out Pears and Apples in pots 
bearing very large fruit, and a house is devoted to Vines in pots. 
There are well appointed offices, and in them admirably executed 
landscape plans by Mr. J. Cheal, who has a talent in that line, and as 
a consequence is entrusted with the laying out and remodelling of 
parks and gardens in various parts of the country, and being as well 
skilled in photography he can show specimens of his work. He is also 
able to show four splendid and costly volumes of the “ History of 
Surrey,” with an inscription from the gentleman who presented them 
as testimony of his appreciation of the manner in which the recipient 
had completed the work of laying out and planting a large garden 
with which he was entrusted. 
Messrs. J. & A. Cheal are straightforward men of business, and it 
