I 
10 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 2 . 
finding out at the end Umtyou have been nursing rubbish. 
Ahy not luirchase maiden-trees, warranted from trees true 
I to tlieir names? and stopped in the way Mr. Beaton recom- 
j mends, M hich trees, if properly treated, and potted, say the 
; middle of October, and then the pots plunged in a little 
bottom-heat, with a mat, or, what is equally good, a few 
branches placed over them, just to keep the sun, not the air, 
from them, till their roots get established; and, as soon as 
this was the case, you cannot let their tops have too much 
exposure. If the above is attended to, I am certain you 
will have better trees than those kept in pots that I have 
seen this season, more like mops than bearing trees, jmce 
a crow)i {which a Scotch echo 7vhispc7's, too 7Huch), and 
will, with ordinary treatment, have a good crop the first 
season. 
I enclose a sketch of four trees; the stocks of the Peach- 
trees are now, at least, fifty years of age. A look will be 
sufficient to show that the union betwixt them is just as 
unhappy as the complainers about proper stocks couhl wish ; 
but to show, that however hard their struggles have been to 
keep togetber, there are shoots on No. 4, of this season, four 
to six feet in length; and the other three are quite as strong I 
as I want them ; and I will back these four veterans against ' 
any four of the same age, on their own roots, growing in | 
one place, to produce, say a do^^en or more fruit, at the first : 
Society’s Show in July, or the Regent’s Park; to be judged 
by quality and size, according to those varieties, the loser to 
pay a reasonable sura to the Benevolent Institution for 
Destitute Gardeners. (The following is a i'air example of the 
sketches sent by Mr. Fergusson.) 
I was much amused on reading. In the leading article of 
the Chronicle of the 15th, the amozinj and wonderful doings 
of my old acquaintance, Mr. Gordon, at the Horticultural 
Society’s Gardens. It reminds me of an old master I had, 
who, the autumn before I went to the place, had had two 
Vineries erected, which were quite a new affair for him ; and, 
without romancing, I fully believe that half of his time, in 
June and July following, was taking up measuring and re¬ 
measuring the growth of the Vines planted in them. Now, 
I suspect Mr. Gordon is equally as enthusiastic after this 
new toy, and that if he was to give us an exact account of his 
valuable time bestowed on the principal crop, which I see 
does not reach two hundred Peaches and Nectarines, and will 
not realize, if sent to-morrow to a salesman in Covent 
Garden, £5 ; it would not, therefore, I fancy, be equivalent to 
Mr. Gordon’s time. Peaches in pots are like Afines in pots, 
—useful in their place, but will never equal established trees 
for general cultivation, will require double extra attention, 
and fall below them either for size and quantity of fruit; 
and, if care is not taken, in equality also. 
In 1850,1 sent 900, in August, to London at one time, but 
I found it too many Peaches for Covent Garden; ;but I have 
frequently, since, sent double what is mentioned in the 
Chronicle, and have 501 Peaches, within six feet of where I 
am, that will be sent off to-morrow. I find, by my book, that 
I sent Peaches, ripened without fire-heat, to London, in 
1851, on the 17th July; 1852, :30th July; 185:3, 1st August; 
1854, 1st August; 1855, 21st August; but I generally have 
gathered a few at least a week before those I sent to 
London, Besides, this is a very late place ; and no Peaches 
will ripen out-of-doors, at least, such as the Itoyul George, in 
a season like this. 
I wish it to be understood that my object in sending the 
above is not to condemn the pot system, but to show that 
it is only suitable under circumstances ; and for gentlemen 
to bear in mind that it requii'es knowledge and care, even 
to grow them—and, after all, it reflects much credit on Mr. 
Gordon for taking such a lively interest in helpmg to bring 
out what will be really very useful and interesting to many. 
In fact, carrying out the views of the founder of the Society. 
S. Fergussor, Stowe, Buckingham. 
TROPCEOLUM MACROPHYLLUM. 
I AM rather surprised that Mr. Beaton, or some other of 
your indefatigable coadjutors, have not before this recom¬ 
mended this delightful plant for flower-garden decoration. 
As a centrical plant in geometrical flower-beds, I know of 
nothing to equal it, as it far surpasses standard Roses, 
Fuchsias, or Geraniums, which we frequently see used for 
such purposes. 
This Tropocolum can, with the greatest facility, be trained 
into any form that may be desired, and will. cover, with 
great rapidity, a wire trellis of considerable dimensions ; 
and at the same time produce its curiously-pretty scarlet 
flowers tipped with green. I have it, at this moment, one 
mass of bloom, with every appearance of continuing so 
until the latest period when the flow'er-garden can be ex¬ 
pected to be attractive. 
It also forms a strikingly beautiful object as a single plant 
on the lawn, tr.ained, of course, to a wire stand or trellis. 
But, as variety is evidently essential in flower-gardening, 
can any of your correspondents kindly inform me if they 
are acquainted with any other 'I'ropceolum, or other plant. 
I 
