176 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
l February 28, 1889k 
effected with the best possible results, the work extending over a period 
of three or four years for obvious reasons. The Vines showed conclu¬ 
sively by their vigorous and healthy condition, and the immense crop 
of first-class Grapes which the individual rods carried that they are 
growing in soil congenial to their requirements, and that the treatment 
which they have been subjected to from start to finish is sound and 
practical. Nowhere, except at Messrs. Thomson & Sons’ wonderful 
Grape-growing establishment, near Galashiels, have I seen Vines so 
heavily cropped, ripening such large and well-proportioned bunches of 
excellent Grapes as those in the vineries at Knightshayes, every bunch 
being pretty well fit for the exhibition table, especially good being the 
bunches in the early Muscat house. The rods, 16 feet long, were carry¬ 
ing an average of sixteen well-filled bunches, ranging from lj lb. to 
3 lbs. each, the berries being large and taking on a beautiful amber 
colour at the time of my visit, the end of June. A night temperature 
of from 70° to 76°, and 10° higher by day, with a little air admitted, is 
aimed at in tfye Muscat house while the bunches ai'e in flower, the rods 
being tapped once or twice a day while in that state to distribute the 
pollen. All the Vines are kept well supplied with water at the roots 
from the time they push into growth until the crop is ripe, giving 
liberal supplies of liquid manure every ten days or a fortnight while 
the Grapes are swelling. Other varieties grown at Knightshayes are 
Alicante, Mrs. Pince’s Black Muscat, solid bunches from 2 lbs., 3J lbs. 
each; Lady Downe’s, Black Hamburgh, Madresfield Court, Golden 
Queen, Buckland Sweetwater, compact bunches ; and Trebbiano. 
The trees in both Peach houses are planted in the centre of the 
border and trained to a substantial wire trellis running from the path¬ 
way at the back of the house to the front. There being four trees thus 
trained at about 8 feet apart in each house, thereby allowing plenty of 
light to _reach these trained in the ordinary way on the back wall. 
The varieties grown are (in the first house, which, by the way, is not 
forced), Pine Apple and Elruge Nectarines, Barrington and Noblesse 
Peaches, trained to cross trellis (running north and south), with Late 
Admirable and Gros Mignonne Peaches on back wall ; while Sea 
Eagle, Dr. Hogg, Koyal George, Gros Mignonne (2), Prince of Wales, 
and Hale’s Early (2) occupy similar positions in the second house. I 
may mention, as showing what may be done even with fruit trees in full 
growth when the operation is carefully and skilfully carried out, that a 
young tree of Noblesse Peach which was lifted out of doors a week 
before my visit, and transplanted against the back wall in the Peach 
house, looked as healthy and flourishing as though it had been planted 
there the. previous autumn. Of course the tree was transplanted 
with a nice ball of soil adhering to the roots, watered, shaded from 
bright sunshine for a few days, and syringed in the afternoon. The 
Peach trees, like the Vines, were very vigorous, healthy, and heavily 
cropped with promising fruit, which, with liberal feeding at the roots 
with top-dressings of Beeson’s manure and diluted liquid manure, have 
attained to large dimensions, notwithstanding the weight of the crop. 
The Fig trees, too, were ripening a heavy crop of remarkably fine fruits 
of Brown Turkey and Negro Largo. 
Melons and Cucumbers are grown on the single-stem system—that 
is, the plants are not stopped until they have nearly reached the top of 
the trellis, which is fixed about 16 inches from the glass, the plants 
pushing forth shoots at every joint freely and regularly as well-ripened 
and properly treated young Vines do, being trained right and left at 
proper distances from one another. The Melon plants had from five to 
seven lame well netted and highly coloured fruits on each plant. 
Munro’s Little Heath and that excellent variety, Blenheim Orange, 
being the varieties finding most favour at the Court. 
Cucumbers of Kollisson’s Telegraph (true to name) hanging straight 
and handsome within a few inches of one another all over the trellis 
was a sight not to be easily forgotten. It is surprising to the uninitiated 
the great weight of Cucumbers that can be taken off plants growing 
in a suitable house and judiciously treated in the way of manipulating 
the shoots, atmospheric temperatures, and liberal feeding at the roots, 
within a few months from the time of planting, and the long period 
that the plants can be kept in a free bearing condition afterwards. 
The stove contained, among other well grown plants, remarkably fine 
specimens of Davallia fijiensis, 9 feet across, and in fine condition ; 
Allamanrla Hendersoni, grandly flowered and covering a large trellis 
8 feet high ; Lygodium scandens and Asparagus plumosus nanus of 
similar dimensions, the latter growing in a pot 18 inches in diameter. 
A narrow passage leading out of the plant stove into the potting shed 
about 10 feet high, and covered with glass, has been converted into an 
interesting spot by clothing the walls from bottom to top with Sela- 
ginellas, ornamental leaved Begonias, and Ferns. The soil and the 
plants are kept in position by pieces of strong wire netting secured to 
the walls, this being completely hidden from view by the moss, foliage, 
and flowers of the plants indicated. Some fine Coleuses, selected from 
seedlings raised in this and two previous years, are deserving of special 
notice by reason of their rich and distinct markings and decorative 
usefulness. The following, among others, have been selected as quite 
distinct from any other varieties—viz., Lady H. H. Amory, Miss Jane 
Thomson, and Majesticus, the latter having leaves 6 inches broad and 
proportionately long. While on the subject I may say that Tropfeolum 
Mrs. Peebles, producing orange red flowers very freely and well above its 
foliage, and Mrs. Ellis, another free flowering and excellent bedding 
variety, were both raised at Invergarry, Invernesshire, a few years 
since. 
Large quantities of Marie Louise and other Violets, Mignonette, 
Heliotrope, Lemon-scented Verbena (Aloysia citriodora), Carnations, 
&c., are grown in the hot-water pits referred to above, for cutting from 
during the winter and spring months for using in glasses in the Court,, 
and for the same purpose there are about 600 plants of the Chrysan¬ 
themum of approved varieties grown, as well as a goodly number of 
healthy Orange trees, umbrella-shaped Genistas, and a good batch of 
exceptionally well grown plants of Deutzia gracilis. In conclusion,, 
we may say that the Court and gardens are well supplied with water 
from a reservoir situate on the brow of the hill at the rear of Mr. Peeble’s 
excellent house, and that the general condition of these extensive: 
gardens and grounds is most satisfactory.—H. W. WARD. 
FLOWERING PLANTS RAISED FROM SEEDS. 
Flowering plants which may he raised from seeds are nume¬ 
rous, some of them being of slight if any value, while others, on 
account of their intrinsic merit, deserve a place in all gardens. A 
large section are those of merely annual duration, which are not 
so much cultivated as they might be, and too often are represented 
by the less worthy where a place is given them. Beside these there 
are many perennial plants that are most easily replaced by seed¬ 
lings, which are, as a rule, much more vigorous in growth than 
plants propagated by other methods. 
There are some points in seed raising which, though they have 
been repeatedly noted, do not seem to have been thoroughly mastered 
by the gardening community—such, for instance, is the most objec¬ 
tionable practice of thick sowing. If the soil in which seeds are 
sown to flower be in anything like good condition at least 1 square 
foot may be left to one plant, while strong-growing plants may with 
advantage have three times that amount of space. Seeds sown toe 
thickly, even when the seedlings are thinned, can hardiy have the 
same chances as in cases where only a few seeds are sown, and for 
this reason—overcrowding of the young growths is bad, but that 
evil is accentuated, and especially in hot dry weather, by an under¬ 
ground condition of overcrowding as well, more roots being pro¬ 
duced in a given space than there is food for ; or, to speak more 
exactly, the roots are so abundant as to quickly utilise all food 
within reach, and starvation follows. Another point worth con¬ 
sideration is the time seeds should be sown ; this will range some¬ 
what according to locality. I find that spring-sown hardy annuals 
do best if sown within a few days of a certain date ; earlier or later 
the plants never do so well. If a plant is allowed plenty of room 
it may be expected to continue flowering for long without any 
check ; but should there be an apparent falling off in the production 
of flowers, the removal of seed pods is sure to start them again. 
We grow some annuals in beds and borders in quantity ; others 
of less value may generally be found a place in mixed borders, as 
in most of these the plants are much too thinly planted to cover all 
bare spaces ; and, indeed, wherever a bare space is seen, it is a cheap 
method of making it more beautiful to drop a few seeds of some 
good annual into it. A selection of some of the best hardy annuals 
is here given. 
Bartonia aurea, showy and useful as a plant here and there in 
the mixed border. Candytuft (Iberis) when once sown and allowed 
to shed its seed this old-fashioned plant requires no attention. We 
always have it in the white and crimson, flowering under larger 
plants, which fill the ground in autumn, before which time the 
Candytuft is past. Annual Chrysanthemums are pretty and useful,, 
and none more so than the old varieties indigenous to Great Britain, 
both of which should find a place somewhere about the grounds or 
in borders. The varieties of C. tricolor are most useful. Each 
plant should have plenty of room to develope, and the more they 
are cut the greater the number of flowers there will be produced. 
Rich soil suits them best. 
Clarkias are neat-growing plants with very pretty flowers, and 
are useful for dotting in bare places. They like good soil. Collinsia. 
bicolor is a free and continuously flowering plant. Convolvulus 
major (Ipomoea purpurea) everybody should know. The plants 
are useful for filling gaps in hedges or covering unsightly spots. 
Convolvulus minor (Calystegia tricolor) varieties may also be 
grown. 
The Cornflower requires a note only to point out the benefit of 
allowing it plenty of room. One plant in good soil will form a. 
large bush, and flower in a way that must be seen to be appreciated. 
Eschscholtzia crocea, or the Californian Poppy, is well worth a place 
in the mixed border. It is a beautiful shade of colour. Mandarin, 
a buff colour, I do not like so well. The Godetias have been 
wonderfully improved within the past dozen years. They are 
capital for borders, and any or all may be grown. Gypsophila 
elegans has most graceful panicles. Where cut flowers are wanted 
a small bed is useful. Ionopsidium acaule is most suitable for 
carpeting the rock garden. It is quite small, growing 2 or 3 inches 
high, with lilac flowers. Senecio Jacobasa is liked by some people, but 
I do not recommend the plants as select. Annual Larkspurs include 
some valuable plants for border and for cutting. Each plant must 
