76 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I annary 24, 1882. 
John Grigor, nurseryman, Forres, was not only very famous and 
successful as a nurseryman, but was also an extensive contract planter ; 
and his book on arboriculture is probably the best on the subject yet 
written, and which all foresters should read and study. Born at the 
Haugh, Elgin, 26th March, 1806, and died at Forres, 14th May, 1881. 
He was several times in Belgium, and also in France and Germany. 
Mr. Grigor was both an enthusiast on trees and a very talented gentle¬ 
man. 
John Hill, M.D., a great writer on trees, shrubs, and other rural 
subjects. He was born about 1716, and died 22nd November, 1775. A 
detailed account of him is given in Loudon’s “ Encyclopedia.” 
John Gerarde, a London surgeon, had the first botanic garden in 
England. He wrote on herbs as well as trees and shrubs ; was born in 
Cheshire, 1545, and died about 1607. 
John Parkinson, a herbalist and botanist in London of great 
celebrity, was born in 1567, and died about 1640. He was herbalist and 
botanist to James I and Charles I. Professor Martyn says his “ Para- 
disus ” is the first book on gardening worth mentioning. 
*John Tradescant, a Dutchman who came to England. He travelled 
as far as Russia, collecting plants in Barbary and the Mediterranean. 
About 1629 he obtained the title of gardener to Charles I. He founded 
his garden at Lambeth at a date unknown, made a collection of natural 
history, and formed a splendid museum called Tradescant’s Ark. In 
what year he died is unknown, but he was an old man when he pub¬ 
lished his book. 
Dr. John Beal, a Hereford gentleman and ingenious divine. He was 
born in Herefordshire 1603, and died 1683. He is the author of 
several works, embracing experiments on the running of sap, the con¬ 
nection of certain parts of the tree with those of the fruit, &c. 
John Rose, gardener to Charles II. at St. James’s, wrote a book on 
the vineyard and how to make wine. First printed with Evelyn’s 
“French Gardener” in 1690. 
John Worledge published a book called “ System® Agriculture : the 
Mystery of Husbandry Discovered.” London, 1668. 
John Mortimer, author of a book titled, “ The whole Art of Hus¬ 
bandry in the way of Managing and Improving Land.” His works 
were translated into Swedish, and published in Stockholm 1727. 
John Thompson, a commercial gardener at Newcastle-on-Tyne, 
author of several books on horticulture, published 175S. 
John Abercrombie, author of sixteen different books on gardening, 
shrubs, trees, &c. He was probably born near Edinburgh in 1726. He 
went to London, where he lived an active and useful life, and died on 
15th April, 1806. His book of greatest merit, “ Every Man his own 
Gardener,” was written by him in prison ; but why he was in prison one 
would like to know. 
John Locke, one of the greatest philosophers this country has ever 
produced. He was born in Somersetshire, 1632, and died at his fine 
seat in Norbury Park, in Surrey, 1704. He wrote extensively on many 
subjects, amongst others on the “ Rise and Progress of the Taste of 
Planting Pleasure Grounds, Park Trees,” &c. 
John Coakley Lettsom, M.D., F.R.S., was born on a small island 
called Little Vandyke, near Tortola, in 1774, and died 1815. He wrote 
several books, including “ Hortus Uptonensis,” 1781 ; “A Rural and 
Horticultural Sketch,” 1804 ; “ On the Beta Cicla, or Root of Scarcity 
“ Thoughts on Building and Planting,” &c. 
John Groeffer, a native of Germany, who came to England about the 
middle of the eighteenth century ; was some time under Mr. Millar, 
gardener to James Vere, Esq., of Kensington ; afterwards with Mr. 
Thomson, seedsman, Milend. He afterwards received from Sir Joseph 
Banks the appointment of gardener to the King of Naples at Caserta. 
He was employed by Admiral Nelson to look after his estate at Bronte, 
and by various noblemen to lay out their grounds. He was killed by 
falling from his gig, within a mile of his own house, in 1816. 
John Giles, gardener, Lewisham, Kent, died in 1797, in his seventy- 
second year. He wrote several books on gardening, and is described by 
Loudon as a clear, practical, and explicit writer. 
John Gibson, M.D., a native of Scotland, author of several books on 
horticulture and other subjects. 
John Dicks, gardener to His Grace the Duke of Kingston. He wrote 
a Dictionary on the art of gardening, containing the most approved 
methods of cultivating all kinds of trees, plants, and flowers. 
John Duncombe, author of some works on antiquity ; but best known 
as the inventor of the dendrometer—“ A Treatise on the Dendrometer, 
a new invented Instrument for the Measurement of standing trees,” &c. 
John Ellis, Esq., a native of Ireland, and distinguished naturalist, 
who died 1771. He wrote numerous tracts and papers to the transac¬ 
tions of the Royal Society, including Directions to Voyageurs for bring¬ 
ing home Plants ; on the Methods of Preserving Seeds ; Historical 
Account of the Coffee Plant, its Culture, &c. 
John Winch Nathaniel, F.L.S., an able practical botanist, and who 
wrote an essay on the “ Geographical Distribution of Plants throughout 
the Counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Durham,” New¬ 
castle, 8vo. 
John Cowell, gardener at Hoxton, writes an account of the Olive in 
blossom, Torch, Thistle, and Glastonbury Thorn ; Newest Methods of 
Improving Land by Grain or Seed ; Description of the Great Aloe, &c. 
John Lawrence, M.A., an eminent naturalist, admitted of Clare Hall, 
Cambridge, B.A., 1688, He was fond of gardening, and considered it a 
* Mr. Micliie in statins: that Tradescant was a Dutchman has probably followed what 
is the common opinion of historians, but it was >hown long ago in this Journal that he 
was an Englishman and a native of Worcestershire. 
recreation. He wrote “ The Clergyman’s Recreation,” showing it to be 
pleasant and profitable. He died 1732. 
John Bonfeil wrote several books on Vine Dressing, Drying Fruits, 
the Art of Making Silk, &c., London, 4to. 
John Sadler, F.R.G.S., lecturer and assistant to the Professor of 
Botany in the University of Edinburgh. 
John Anderson, nurseryman, Perth, one of the originators and 
founders of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society. 
We add a few other names to the list of the diligent compiler, 
and correct a popular error respecting the nationality of John 
Tradescant. 
John Smith, first curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ivew. 
John Smith, second curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 
John Smith, gardener Hopetoun House, after whom Abies Smithiana 
was named. 
John Aiton, gardener to His Majesty at Kensington, and brother of 
W. T. Aiton of Kew. 
John Braddick, a cultivator of fruit trees, after whom Braddick’s 
Nonpareil was named. 
John Williams of Pitmaston, near Worcester, who raised numerous 
fruits of all kinds, ar.d notably the Pitmaston Orange Nectarine, 
Pitmaston Duchess Pear. 
1 
WORK fopjhe W E EK,. Oi 
Wf\/umL 
vM Incst 
iPnllla'lr 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Cucumbers. — Seedlings. — Those from the sowing made at the 
beginning of the month should be earthed over their roots in preference > 
to potting, about which there must not be any hurry, and keep them 
near the glass, so »s to have short stems, maintaining the temperature at 
70° to 75°. If the seeds were sown in frames linings to the beds will be 
necessary, with mats over the lights at night. 
Raising Plants in Fermenting Beds. —Seed not having been sown at 
the beginning of the year, the material for making the bed for the seed¬ 
lings being only now in a fit state, choose a site for a bed with a southern 
aspect, having shelter from the north, as that of a hedge or wall. If the 
ground be rather higher than the surrounding level it will be an advan¬ 
tage, and if not place some Pea sticks so as to keep the materials from 
being saturated by the wet of the hollows. Beat the dung and leaves 
well down with a fork as the work proceeds, making the bed about 5 feet 
high at the back and 4 feet 6 inches in front, which will allow for settling, 
as it will do about a third. A few Pea sticks placed across and along the 
bed at intervals not only p'-event overheating, but admit of the heat 
from the lining being conveyed to the interior of the bed. For early 
work we have found frames with the double sides most suitable ; this 
is effected by placing inside a lining of half-inch boards, less in depth by 
9 inches at the back and 6 inches in front than the frame, kept an inch, 
from the box by nailing narrow strips of board upright on the inside 
of the box, so as to form an inch cavity ail round the inside, and thus 
top heat is furnished by means of linings against the sides of the box. 
The bed may be but a few inches larger than the box, so as to admit of 
linings from the bottom of the bed ; place on the frame, which will 
raise the heat in about a week. Level the surface of the bed, replace 
the frame, and put in sufficient manure to raise the inside to within 
4 inches of the top of the inner frame or cavity, placing sawdust, dry 
leaf soil, or spent tan on the dung for plunging the pots in. For raising 
the plants 3-inch pots are half filled with soil—light, rich, and moist, 
placing one seed in the centre of each pot, and covering lightly about 
half an inch with fine soil. Space is left by this plan for top-dressing the 
plants, which is preferable to potting them. A square of glass may be 
placed on each, which will hasten the germination ; but it must be 
removed as soon as the plants appear. The plants from a sowing made 
early in February in the manner described will be ready for planting in 
March, and will afford a supply of fruit nearly as early as those from 
seed sown early in January. 
Fruiting Plants in Beds. —Seed having been sown early the plants- 
will be fit to place out soon, and the fruiting bed should be prepared for 
their reception. E’orm it as above described for the seedlings, only using 
manure for levelling the surface, and forming a ridge or hillock of soil 
in the centre of each light about 10 inches deep, with a flattened top of 
about that width across, the surface of the bed being covered lightly 
with soil. The best soil for Cucumbers is undoubtedly fibrous loam, 
inclined to be light rather than heavy, to which is added a fourth in 
equal proportions of old mortar rubbish and charcoal thoroughly incorpo¬ 
rated. The loam must be laid up to the extent of killing the grass, but 
we find it better to use the turf fresh, and subject it to a temperature of 
212°, or a little more, which not only kills the roots of the grass and! 
weeds, but destroys worms, and is one of the best preventives of disease. 
Manure is prefeiabl.y given as a mulch and in liquid form. 
Peaches and Nectarines.— Earliest House.—Disbudding. —The 
reduction of the young growths iequires to be done cautiously, especially 
with early forced trees. Commence by taking a few forerights first 
then proceed in a similar manner with the others. Care must be taken 
to leave a shoot at the base of the present bearing shoot to supply it 
