Jnne 19, 1890. J 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
507 
certain length, which must not touch anything in the shape of a 
blade of grass, twig, or branch of a tree from the centre of the road. 
Owing to this system some beautifuVavenues and shady lanes are kept, 
the roads being narrow, and the hedges cut straight up to a certain 
height, and allowed to grow over till they nc.arly meet in the centre of 
the road. I noticed that where the land was cultivated all trees are cut 
well in, and do not hang over much. Our ne.vt halting place w.as 
Prince’s Tower, hidden by trees and shrubs, and on balconies. See., 
were arranged numbers of Pelargoniums of various colours, which gave 
the place a bright and cheerful appearance, and just the place to enjoy 
a light refreshment on a hot day. Continuing our journey we were 
struck with the quantity of tall Jersey Cabbages from 3 to G feet high. 
They were planted in large breadths, and in any out of the way places, 
and even close by the hedges. They do not form a heart at the top. 
They are sown in August, and planted out during October, and begin 
growing at once. They are much used by the farmers for feeding pigs ; 
in fact many pigs are fed with nothing else. As the plants grow the 
leaves are pulled off, only the small leaves at the top being left at each 
gathering, and in a few days fresh leaves are grown and keep up a 
supply all the year round, the plants lasting quite a year. On good 
ground they often grow 10 to 15 feet high, and on one occasion when 
a prize was offered for the longest Cabbage stalk, that whieh won the 
prize was over 20 feet tong. The leavgs are also used to make soup 
with. The Cabbage soup is a great dish in Jersey, and made in the 
same way as soup in England, with this differenee, that whereas in 
England beef is put into the soup, in Jersey they put in Cabbage 
leaves, and the Frenchmen and Jerseymen enjoy it thoroughly after 
a hard day’s work. Also the stems make good walking sticks, and 
many people gain a living by making walking sticks, and few people 
come to Jersey without taking one away. They are also used for Bean 
sticks, fishing rods, and other purposes, and very good picture frames 
can be made with them. 
There is only one class of cattle on the island, the Jerseys, and it was 
rather amusing to see the natives leading them about with a rope- 
They are not allowed to roam about the field at will, but are tethered 
and have to clear all up before being shifted. All cattle landed on the 
island for food for man are slaughtered within two or three days in 
shambles built for the purpose close to the quays. Our next halt w.as 
at Bouley Bay Hotel; here there is a fine view across the bay, and this 
reminded us of Bournemouth, as there is a quantity of Pine trees about. 
I also saw a fine Fuchsia hedge here about 10 feet high. After a short 
drive my friend and myself left the carriage, which goes on with the 
rest of our party, and we agree to meet at Grove de Lecq for dinner. 
After a walk of about a mile we land at La Maison de Cidre. Here are 
some good vineries all unheated. There was a fine house of Black 
Hamburgh, just about ripe, and splendid examples of Gros Colman and 
Lady Downe’s Grapes. This place belongs to a farmer who has taken 
to Grape growing in addition to his farming, he has also a good orchard 
of cider Apple trees and a good butt or two of cider. I will now read to 
you what my friend has to say about these vineries. “ As you inquire 
about these Vines I think as I have had a little to do with them during 
the last three years I had better give you their history, as it will give 
you another view of Jersey Grape growing, as in this case the Vines 
were planted one year before the vinery was built, it being decided 
what size the vinery should be and also the shape span-roofed. The 
ground was marked out 90 feet by 21 feet, the ground being very rich 
and strong, in fact some of the best in Jersey. It was simply well 
trenched 3 feet deep, and the young Vines two years old from cuttings 
were planted the first week in Alarch : each Vine was staked and the 
side growths pinched at the first leaf, but beyond this they had no 
attention. The following winter the vinery was built over the Vines 
and the canes cut hard back. The first year the vinery w.as up it w.as 
made good use of for Tomatoes, .and the crop realised £50, the Vines 
making fine strong canes up to the top of the house. At pruning time 
they were left 4 feet long, and the next year more attention was given to 
the Vines, but still a few Tomatoes were grown and realised £15, and 
each Vine was allowed to carry one bunch of Grapes, that made £8. 
This brings us to the time when you saw them, carrying from GOO to 
700 lbs. of Grapes, that m.ade £G5. The fruit finished well and the 
berries being as large and as good in colour and flavour as Gros Colman 
generally is in England, and far better than it is often seen, but owing 
to there being no fire heat the crop had to be sold at a time when 
Grapes were very cheap. If the house had been heated the crop would 
have made 25 per cent, more in a few weeks, but as it is the vinery h.as 
•nly been built three years, and with the exception of a little mulching 
and a few waterings with liquid manure nothing has been put into the 
borders, yet it realised £138. The house is planted with sixty Vines, 
thirty on each side.” It was at this place I was shown a large house of 
Grapes that was thinned ’oy one man in two and a quarter d.ays. 
{To be continued.) 
Events of the Week. — The Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Fruit, Floral, and Orchid Committees will meet in the Drill Hall, James 
Street, Westminster, at 12 noon, on Tuesd.ay, June 24th. On Wednes¬ 
day, June 25th, the Richmond (Surrey) Horticultural Society’s summer 
Show will take place as usual in the Old Deer P.ark, and an extensive 
display is expected. As announced in another paragraph, a Strawberry 
Conference will be held on Friday, June 27th, by the British Fruit 
Growers’ Association, in the Royal Aquarium, on the occasion of the Ro.se 
Show and the National Pink Society’s Show on the same day. 
-British Fruit Growers’ Association—Strawberry 
Conference. —The following papers will be read at the Strawberry 
Conference to be held by the British Fruit Growers’ Association in the 
library at the Roy.al Aquarium, Westminster, on Friday, June 27th 
next at 5 P.M., T. Francis Rivers, Esq., in the chair :—“The Origin of 
the Cultivated Strawberry,” by Mr. Shirley Hibberd ; “The Culture of 
Garden Strawberries,” by Mr. John Wright; “ The Culture of Straw¬ 
berries for Market,” by Mr. G. Bunyard ; and “ Seedling Strawberries,” 
by Mr. Thomas Laxton. Exhibits of Strawberries are invited, and 
notice of the space required should be sent .as early as possible to the 
Hon. Sec., Mr. Lewis Castle, Hotham House, Merton, Surrey. 
- The Weather in the South has not been remark.able for 
its warmth during the past week, and rain has fallen heavily on 
several days. Strawberries now need more sun, and brighter weather 
generally would be advantageous. 
- Horticultural Club. — The usual monthly dinner and 
conversazione took place at the rooms of the Club, Hotel Windsor, 
Victoria Street, Westminster. Mr. John Lee occupied the chair ; there 
were also present the Rev. W. Wilks, E. Handley, and Messrs. Girdle- 
stone, Bunyard, H. Pearson, Walker, Rivers, Barron, and Turner. The 
subject for discussion was “Early Strawberries,” opened by Mr. Geo, 
Bunyard, who in a short but instructive paper gave his experience on 
the several kinds most used. An interesting discussion took place, and 
considerable divergence of opinion was manifested as to the excellence 
or otherwise of such kinds as Noble, Pauline, Vicomtesse Hericart de 
Thury, King of the Earlies, &c., and the conclusion arrived at was that 
a great deal depended on soil, and that it would be well for those who 
plant Strawberries to ascertain what kinds are suitable for cert.ain soils. 
The necessity of treating them as biennials for early work was strongly 
insisted on. 
- Strawberries and Iron.—I have an impression that some 
sorts of Strawberries produce finer fruit and more vigorous pLants in 
soils impregnated with iron than where it is absent, notably those of 
which the British Queen is the chief. Some of your readers who grow 
Strawberries in the ferruginous soils of Sussex may be able to give in- 
form<ation on this point.—T. Francis Rivers, SawVridgeivorth. 
- Birds and Caterpillars. —Before our district became 
crowded with colliers we had many hedge-sparrows and other insect¬ 
eating birds which fully prevented any plague of caterpillars, but now 
not a nest escapes the v<andals, and cats are so numerous that the old 
birds are also destroyed. For a time after that change I managed by 
hand-picking to keep the caterpillars under, and so secured large crops 
of fruit, but new plantations were being made, whose owners would 
gladly welcome and gather the fruit, but neither insects nor weeds are 
destroyed, and I am compelled to submit. I very often think that an .Vet 
of Parliament against this carelessness would be a benefit to all con¬ 
cerned. Both sparrows and the blue tomtits are busy at the caterpillars, 
and an idea has come into my head that to prevent these last named 
from injuring fruit buds, they might be trapped at the beginning of 
November, the time they commence their destruction, and kept alive, 
then let loose after the buds began to expand.—\V. T, 
