220 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 6,1894. 
garden. A fine mass of this form, beautifully grown, is to be seen 
in the rock garden at Kew labelled “ G. F. Wilson.” If it would 
grow as well everywhere we would hear no complaints of the 
delicacy of this yellow-leaved form. This plant has been sold as 
0. Raineri vera, which is quite a different plant, with erect and 
almost stemless flowers. 
I hope this note may be of service to some readers. I have to 
acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Lindsay, Curator of the 
Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, for information regarding the origin 
of the Campanula, and also upon other points.—S. Arnott. 
FRUIT AT SAWBRIDGEWORTH. 
The fruit crops of this year in some parts of the country are by no 
means equal to those of 1893, but there are exceptions to the rule. 
To corroborate this one need go no further afield than to the nurseries 
of Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth, where ample evidence of 
successtul fruit cultivation is forthcoming. Last year when referring 
to this well known establishment a writer remarked that the “ trees 
were in excellent condition, auguring well for the future.” If such was 
the case then, and there is sufficient proof of it, it is equally so at 
present, for notwithstanding the rather unfavourable season the trees 
are bearing enormous crops of fruit. 
Plums and Pears. 
The severe frosts experienced in May last, and which devastated so 
many fruit gardens, did not apparently do serious damage at Sawbridge¬ 
worth, or assuredly the trees would not be so heavily laden as they 
are this year. This applies more particularly to Plums and Pears, the 
former being literally breaking down under their burden. The gather¬ 
ing of the Plum crop involves considerable labour, a large number of 
men, women, and children being employed for the purpose, and the 
work is actively carried on. It is six weeks since the Plum harvest 
commenced, and nearly as many will elapse before it is completed, 
Mr. Rivers having hundreds of trees of his noted Monarch, which comes 
in so useful when the glut is passed. This is obviously a Plum of the 
future, and persons who are contemplating fruit culture on an extensive 
scale will do well to plant several hundred trees of this variety. It was 
raised at Sawbridgeworth, and like other seedlings of merit which have 
originated at the same place, is there grown in preference to other kinds. 
The Monarch is a valuable market Plum the fruit being large and 
handsome, bluish purple in colour, of excellent quality as a culinary 
variety, usually ripening towards the end of September. Rivers’ Early 
Prolific is another excellent variety. A large plantation of this kind 
has produced many tons of fruit this year, the same applying to The 
Czar, a valuable dessert Plum for commercial purposes. For flavour 
but few varieties can be compared with Late Transparent. This is a 
purplish Plum of medium size but deliciously sweet and juicy, and an 
honour to Sawbridgeworth where it was raised. Everyone who has 
tasted this delicious fruit will concur with Mr. Rivers in his opinion 
that it is especially adapted for drying and using as a “ sweetmeat.” 
This is an industry as yet hardly in its infancy even, so far as this 
country is concerned, but we shall, doubtless, hear and see more about 
it in due course. 
Pears are as well represented as Plums. Of fruiting trees Fertility 
and Conference are most in evidence. The trees of the former variety 
arc bearing prodigious crops—bushes, pyramids, and standards being 
equally fruitful. In many cases the branches are covered with fruit in 
a similar manner to the proverbial ” ropes of Onions.” Those who 
desire a Pear that is practically certain to produce a crop of fruit 
annually should bear this variety in mind, for bushes but 3 or 4 feet in 
height yield an enormous number of fruits, to say nothing of the larger 
pyramidal and other trees. Conference, too, has proved itself worthy of 
its “ birthplace,” and is probably destined to become one of the most 
popular Pears. This variety is very prolific, bearing heavy crops of 
large handsome fruit of excellent flavour. Beacon is another Pear 
possessing extraordinary cropping properties, while the same may be 
said of other varieties. Apart from the trees now in a fruiting condition, 
there are, of course, thousands of others of all sizes, and suitable for 
forming fruit plantations during the ensuing autumn. They are all 
noteworthy for their remarkably healthy appearance, many of the 
maiden Pear trees having made 4 and 5 feet of growth, and this on the 
Quince stock too. Other kinds of fruit trees are in the same condition, 
and the wood now promises to be as well ripened as last year. 
Apples, Cherries, and Vines. 
Questioned as to what fruits were the most profitable to grow Mr. 
Rivers unhesitatingly replied, “Apples and Plums.” Many persons, 
this year, may not be in accordance with this view, seeing that the Apple 
crop in some localities is a sparse one, but it is not so at Sawbridgeworth. 
Here may be seen the “ king of fruits ” in abundance, some of the trees 
being loaded with large handsome Apples. All the best varieties in 
existence are grown, but were it possible Mr. Rivers would make a con¬ 
siderable reduction in this matter, retaining for commercial purposes a 
limited number of kinds. Duchess of Oldenburg is a favourite Apple 
for profit, and Bismarck Is extensively grown. A fine plantation of 
Cox’s Orange Pippin is also deserving of mention, as are Lane’s Prince 
Albert, Bramley’s Seedling, and other popular varieties. In view of the 
controversy now appearing in these pages re the importance of 
“ Ripened Wood,” the writer inquired of Mr. T. F. Rivers his opinion on 
the question. Smiling, the Sawbridgeworth expert said, “ If not the 
frost in May it was probably the winter moth that caused a failure in 
the crop, and not the well-ripened wood 1 ” Like many other, indeed 
one might say all practical fruit growers, Mr. Rivers lays the greatest 
importance on well-ripened wood, and to this having been so well 
accomplished last year attributes his enormous crops this season. 
Cherries, with a few exceptions, are, of course, over, but the young 
trees appear to be wonderfully healthy. The trained specimens are a 
feature here, many thousands of them being grown. Vines in pots, too, 
are looking at their best, and many large houses are devoted to their 
culture. From a cursory glance it could be seen that the rods were 
from 8 to 10 feet in length, nearly as thick as a man’s finger, and 
commencing to put on that rich brown tint so much admired, and with 
“eyes” as prominent as Hazel Nuts. Other Vines of various kinds 
are bearing heavy crops of Grapes this year, the large handsome 
bunches consisting of fine well-coloured berries densely covered with 
“bloom.” In the vineries examples of growing Grapes in miniature 
borders may be seen. A Vine of the comparatively little known 
Trentham Black variety is grown in a 10 or 12-inch pot. This is 
plunged in a border perhaps 2 or 3 feet square, in which space the roots 
that come through the hole in the pot are confined. In this position 
the Vine, some twelve years old, grows remarkably well, and at the time 
of my visit was carrying a dozen or more large bunches of richly 
coloured Grapes of rich flavour. This is a method that might 
suggest itself to and be advantageously adopted by those who at present 
have to grow Vines in heavy, cold, and retentive soils. 
Fruit Trees in Pots. 
As interesting, however, as are the thousands of admirably trained 
fruit trees in the open quarters at Sawbridgeworth, in some respects 
they bear no comparison to those cultivated in pots. These alone are 
worth a visit, and they afford an excellent lesson in judicious manage¬ 
ment, the value of which cannot be over-estimated. The system of 
culture is not confined to one kind of fruit, such as perhaps some 
readers may imagine, but Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Pears, Plums, 
Peaches, Nectarines, and Oranges are extensively and most successfully 
grown in pots. It is indeed a pleasant sight to see perfectly formed 
pyramids of Peaches and Nectarines from 4 to 14 feet in height laden 
with their luscious fruit. These trees are in pots, ranging from 12 to 
perhaps 24 inches in diameter, a compost of loam, decayed manure, and 
chalk being used. During the season they are top-dressed with manure 
and kiln dust, rising in the form of a basin an inch or two above the 
rim of the pot. Dwarf standard Peaches are also grown, these being 
very profitable, as are Apricots and Apples. Many of the latter are 
now bearing unusually fine fruit, which can compare favourably with 
any produced on trees in the open air. 
The Pears in pots form a particularly interesting sight, and those who 
desire a good crop of fine fruit annually and wish to avoid the risks and 
dangers from frost should follow Mr. Rivers’ example; this is to culti¬ 
vate a number of suitable varieties in pots, thereby forming a Pear 
garden with the certainty of obtaining fruit despite unfavourable 
climatic influences. This is a hint of which northern growers may with 
advantage take notice. At the establishment alluded to there are 
hundreds of Pear trees in pots, each bearing from one to two dozen 
handsome fruits. The trees are kept under glass until all danger of 
frost is past, and are then plunged in ashes in a sunny though sheltered 
position outdoors, where they remained to ripen their fruit and subse¬ 
quently the wood. This year the birds are troublesome, and this “ Pear 
garden ” is consequently enclosed in nets to protect the fruit. Plums, 
too, are beautiful and useful objects when grown in pots, and it is 
surprising that this method of fruit culture is not more generally 
adopted in private gardens. 
The foregoing are but a few of the leading features at Sawbridge¬ 
worth, there being much more of interest to relate did space permit. As 
is well known Raspberries and Strawberries, indeed all kinds of fruit, 
receive attention here, as the soil and situation are admirably adapted 
for the purpose. With fertile land on a south and south-west aspect 
Mr. Rivers can produce excellent trees, and so great is his faith in 
fruit culture in the future that he is anticipating making additions to 
the already extensive nurseries.—C. 
DECORATIVE BRITISH FERNS. 
{Concluded fiorn p. 492, last Vol.) 
In the various articles under their specific headings I have given an 
idea of the habitats affected by the several species, from which may be 
deduced their individual tastes and needs as regards soil and general 
treatment. To those readers whose available space embraces similar 
congenial nooks and dewy dells as Nature affords in her untutored 
wildness, it is obviously possible for them to accommodate a fine 
collection with the minimum of expense and trouble, since they have 
only to remove the luxuriant growth of normal forms and replace them 
by their kindred varieties, and the latter will take care of themselves in 
ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. 
To many persons, however, the pro’olem will present itself of how to 
arrive at the desired result under very different and often adverse 
conditions, and here it is that some advice* may be welcome. As we 
shall have seen, the three main essentials of Fern life are shade, pro¬ 
tection from w’ind, and a congenial soil of open leafy material. We 
must furthermore bear in mind that the delicate nature of many of 
