October 17, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTWULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
337 
showing his interest in education by endowing a school at Amesbury 
in Wiltshire. 
The Lettuce, a name found in old gardening books as “ lactuse ” 
or “ lectuce,’’ pointing evidently to its derivation from lactuca , 
was not much grown till after the restoration. An increased 
demand for this vegetable may have been caused by its repute as 
a remover of the effects of deep potations. Our gardeners had first 
some varieties of the Cabbage Lettuce from Holland, and these 
were succeeded by the Cos and Cicilian kinds, brought from the 
Levant or Italy. We should be surprised at the space allotted in 
the seventeenth century kitchen garden to the now neglected 
Rocambole, to the Leek, Onion, Chive, Shallot, and Garlic. The 
latter was much favoured, especially in the spring. And during 
the terror caused by the plague, milk in which Garlic had been 
boiled was freely used as a supposed preventive. Owing to the 
fancy our ancestors had for winter salads several plants were 
grown for this purpose, which have ceased to be in requisition. 
Our native species, the Burnet, wa3 cultivated for winter cutting, 
as was also the Tarragon and other plants of the Cress tribe which 
could be forced by slight heat, such as the Rocket. The white 
Beet had been grown for some years, the leaves being put into 
soups. Though a native of Spain, it seems to have come to England 
by way of France. Tradeseaut the younger brought the red Beet 
from France or Italy, and planted it in his garden at Lambeth. 
It was eaten with bread like the Radish. Neither Turnips nor 
Carrots had as yet obtained any popularity, but the Parsnip re¬ 
cently introduced from Holland was in request, the roots being 
sometimes mixed in flour to make bread, and a decoction of the 
seeds given in fevers ; this plant was also oddly called “ Mypes.” 
The additions to our list of exotics during this reign were not 
very numerous. The Tulip continued to be a favourite flower 
owing to the influence of the Tulip mania on the Continent. 
We find the varieties arranged in three groups as “early 
blowers,” “ late blowers,” and “ doubtful blowers.” Of the 
Ranunculus twenty varieties were reckoned in 1665. The Auricula, 
which few would recognise by its name of “ Mountain Cowslip,” 
was only grown by a few gardeners. The showy Pasony was a 
favourite adornment of the flower beds near windows, and the 
pyramidal Bellflower or Campanula. A conspicuous flower brought 
from Virginia, Lobelia cardinalis, was occasionally to be seen beside 
the little ponds so common in gardens and the water-loving Mesem- 
byanthemum. Not much heed seems to have been taken of the 
Rose ; several of the noted Rose gardens about the metropolis 
were destroyed during the Civil war.—J. R. S. C. 
TREE CARNATIONS. 
Mr. Dunkin has recently spoken very favourably of the variety 
Valencia, an opinion which I am fully able to endorse. I had 
always thought it a fitting companion for that popular sort Miss 
Jolliffe in point of habit and floriferousness, but it possesses 
greater vigour, and bears larger blooms. Mr. Dunkin says some of 
the most beautiful of the varieties bloom but little until the spring 
months, a point I do not quite agree with him in, as I believe this 
failing might be overcome by early propagation and good treat¬ 
ment. I have for several years grown these plants for producing 
flowers through the winter months, and out of the several varieties 
cultivated I know of none that failed to bloom until spring, and I 
find that not only are they appreciated from now onwards till 
Christmas, but if procurable all the year round for buttonhole 
purposes. 
The secret lies in early propagation, as Mr. Dunkin advises, 
selecting strong side shoots if possible during February. If the 
plants are grown in a light and airy structure the cuttings root 
readily at this period, while on the other hand, if they are crowded 
thickly and shaded by other plants, the growths are weak, long 
jointed, and soft, and are sure to collapse under the confined treat¬ 
ment required for striking. This fact at once creates necessity for 
a later “ strike,” and thus valuable time is lost. We have plants 
which are now blooming treated as above that have been standing 
outdoors since the beginning of July in a sunny position, and from 
some old plants we have gathered blooms daily for several months, 
and yet they bid fair to continue throughout the winter. 
Unfortunately many of the strong-growing sorts produce 
■“ grass ” so very sparingly that unless numbers of plants are 
grown propagation is of necessity slow, and a few older plants may 
well be retained for stock purposes, and it may be said that although 
the individual blooms are smaller they are given with greater free¬ 
dom than from younger plants. I have had from two to three 
dozen blooms expanded at one time from plants in 6-inch and 
7-inch pots, proving that large pots are unnecessary if the plants 
are liberally treated with manure in liquid form. Jensen’s fish 
manures appear to suit them admirably, either as a top-dressing or 
in a diluted state, as I have noticed when these manures were 
exclusively applied the plants assumed an unusual vigour. The 
following are among the best I have grown—viz., Col. Cox, bright 
scarlet, large bloom ; Coronet, deep scarlet ; Mrs. Oldacre, bright 
rose ; Bright Phoebus, a great favourite, the blooms large, of good 
shape, and the colour intense, vigorous, but of dwarf habit ; Gipsy, 
dark crimson, good ; Laura, pink, a pretty fringed flower ; Worth¬ 
ington Smith, scarlet ; Brunette, maroon, distinct ; Sir Charles 
Wilson, rose large fringed bloom ; Incomparable, a magnificent 
flower, but the habit of the plant too stiff, and grows very tall ; 
Belle Rose, an old yet valuable sort, and beautifully scented. 
—W. S., Frome. 
IN THE GARDEN OF ENGLAND. 
By common consent and general acceptation this term applies to the 
fertile and fruitful county of Kent. If there is one part of Kent more 
famed than another for the production of fruit trees it is Allington, 
near Maidstone ; and if there is one Kentish name more familiar than 
another to fruit growers, it is that of Bunyard. The “ Old Nurseries,” 
Maidstone, the head-quarters of the firm of Messrs. George Bunyard and 
Co., were established upwards of ninety years ago, and for three 
generations the trade was general and local. It is general and local 
yet, but far larger “ round home ” than ever it was before ; and in 
addition to that, one particular branch has become in the widest sense 
of the term national—the trade in fruit trees. This great extension 
is the direct result of the technical skill, energy, and enterprise of the 
present chief of the establishment—or it might, perhaps, be said proprie¬ 
tor, for it does not seem easy to trace the “ Co.” beyond the experienced 
co-workers, or heads of departments, in the different branches of the 
business. Mr. George Bunyard has done a great work in the course of 
twenty years to have acquired such an extent of land, stocked as it 
is stocked to-day, and won for himself a name that is so widely known 
in the domain of horticulture. How he has done it none but himself 
can tell, but it could not have been accomplished if he had not been a 
devoted lover of fruit, a good judge of procedure, and a pertinacious 
worker in that which he set himself to do. 
The home nursery is in the town, near the South-Eastern Railway 
station. The site has been acquired by purchase and handsome premises 
built. There are other places of business in the town, and adjacent 
thereto a considerable extent of land devoted to general stock, but the 
great manufactory of fruit trees is one or two miles in the opposite 
direction—Allington. Now if anyone wishes to go direct to the fruit 
trees by rail from London he must not “ book ” to Allington, because 
there is no station of that name, nor to Maidstone, as there is the road 
journey indicated, but to Barming. Another thing, if an intending 
visitor wishes to ascertain by telegraph a convenient day and time to 
arrive, he must not think the address of “Bunyard, Maidstone,” will 
suffice, for a message so addressed will not be delivered. This the 
writer learned from experience, then a few days afterwards found a 
notification in the very last corner of the catalogue, stating the fact, 
and informing those who turn over the pages to the end that telegrams 
must be addressed “ George ” Bunyard ; there is no “ Co.” there, but 
presumably more Bunyards at Maidstone. If I were “ George ” I should 
have the very useful information to visitors on the first or second pages 
of the work, for a “ work ” it is, and not a mere list of names and prices, 
but for some occult reason he does not commence “ paging ” till he 
reaches “ 5,” and with that figure he begins, though most persons begin 
with “ 1.” In the examination of a witness in a trial case on the stage 
he is asked his age by the judge. “ Thirty-five, my lord” is the reply, 
quickly adding, “ I should be thirty-seven, but I have been laid up for 
two years.” Mr. Bunyard has not been “ laid up,” or he would not have 
done what he has, but his printers have been giving the first four 
numerals a rest. The reader, however, loses nothing, but may obtain 
much information for 6d., and as many trees as he likes, or as his 
purse allows, up to 400,000. The Allington Nursery alone comprises 
7G acres. 
Arriving at Barming station, on the London, Chatham and Dover rail¬ 
way, the visitor may be among the trees in two minutes, for he has only to 
ascend half a dozen steps and he will be in the nursery. To the right and 
the left he will see a forest of trees, and as he passes along to higher ground 
still another forest ahead of him. From the vantage ground he will also 
see a beautiful and breezy country, open to all the winds that blow, 
with a stiff keen rush now and then between the hills from the German 
Ocean. The conditions then are present for ripening the growth that is 
produced by the not “ fat” but fertile soil. It is fruit tree soil beyond 
a doubt, and the best is made of it by free working. The scuffle is 
always at work in favourable weather between the rows, horse and man 
moving briskly, as if they enjoyed the whisking of the branches. The 
man is not muzzled, so it seems he can be trusted among the fruit, for 
there is no lack of this on some of the young trees ; but the horse has to 
submit to the same treatment as the London dogs, and if not muzzled 
he would probably do more pruning than the master approved. Mr. 
Bunyard does not believe in weeds, and though it must be costly keep¬ 
ing them in subjection, it is more costly still leaving them alone to eat 
the virtues out of the soil that the trees require. The growth they 
make would satisfy the most exacting, and it is largely due to the 
surface-stirring, though not wholly. The land no doubt contains 
potash, and that is what fruit trees like. If this mineral did not 
