JUNE. 
173 
BICTON, DEVON, 
THE SEAT OF THE HON. LADY ROLLE. 
[Concluded from p. 147.) 
For the cultivation of Grapes and Peaches there are several houses; 
about four years ago an excellent range, 244 feet by 20, was erected in 
the kitchen garden, which is in three divisions, the end ones being 
occupied respectively by Vines and Peach trees. The Peaches—which 
have already nearly covered the space allotted to them—are looking 
exceedingly promising. Mr. Barnes’ system of managing these trees, 
we think, deserves notice. As soon as the fruit is gathered, the trees 
are carefully examined, and any superfluous wood removed at once; 
where the trees have made too strong growth, they receive a severe 
root-pruning; if this growth has been less luxuriant, a smaller portion 
of the roots is removed ;—by this operation, growth is effectively 
checked, and however strong is always well-matured. The consequence 
is that the trees are furnished with excellent bearing wood, without the 
least symptom of gum or canker, which are the results of over-growth, 
and the precursor of premature decay. The middle division of this 
range is occupied by Fig trees, which previous to the erection of the 
house were trained to the garden wall. A strong iron trellis was placed 
and the trees liberated from the wall and trained towards the front of 
the house; they are not, however, trained in regular order, but are 
allowed to branch out irregularly, the trellis merely serving the purpose 
of keeping them sufficiently near the light. The only artificial heat 
applied to this house is obtained from a couple of small stoves ; never¬ 
theless, ripe fruit was gathered in May, and from that time there had 
been an abundant succession of fruit. At the time we saw them (in 
August), the trees were still full of fruit in every stage. Where an 
abundance of Figs is required, we should say that the system adopted 
by Mr. Barnes is the most profitable. I may here state that there is 
no artificial heat applied to this range, further than the stoves above 
mentioned; I should state, however, that in any other locality than 
that of Bicton, a hot water apparatus would be of great service, and 
amply repay the outlay. The kitchen garden is replete with fruit trees 
and vegetables of the best quality. The walls are furnished with well 
trained trees of nearly all the most approved varieties of Peaches, Pears, 
Plums, &c. The walks are also flanked by Pear trees, either as espalier 
or on circular trainers; this latter system of training Pear trees, of 
which the fruit keeps only a short time when ripe, is perhaps the 
most profitable that can be adopted, for by this means a greater 
number of trees can be grown in a given space; by making a judicious 
selection, a better supply of fruit can be obtained than would be from 
larger trees. Mr. Barnes’ system of working the kitchen garden, is 
peculiar, and for many crops undoubtedly very advantageous. Nearly 
the whole surface is thrown into ridges of about twelve feet in width, 
the crown of the ridge being about three feet above the common level 
of the garden. For crops of Lettuce, Spinach, Onions, &c., that are 
expected to withstand the severity of the winter, the situation is much 
more favourable than the level surface would be; while the great depth 
