THE COTTAGE GAEDENEE AND COTTNTEY GENTLEMAN, Febettaey 9, 1858. 
! with creepers. Such creepers dangling from the roof 
j are one of its fine features. Bustic ornamental baskets 
suspended, are another. There is a pretty ornamental 
fountain at the west-end, in view of the doorway from 
the room. There are several narrow beds, with 
! narrow stone paths between, edged with sweet- 
scented Oak-leaved Geraniums. The plants used for 
decoration, with the exception of a few standard 
residents, range from a foot to four feet or so in height, 
so as to be seen from the room doorway. Mr. Watson 
is extra successful among other things, with Primulas, 
Tree Carnations, Salvia splendens, and Gesnerceflora. 
The plants of the two latter, are managed much the 
same, as stated at page 186. Mr. Watson plants them 
out, waters carefully, trains and opens carefully, raises 
them about September, pots them, plunges in a bed of 
leaves in a house still retaining a little heat, syringes 
and shades until the plants are fully established ; and 
such a combination of strong long flower stalks, 
abundance of them, and fine large healthy foliage down 
to the surface of the pot, I have never seen excelled. 
The flower garden at the end of tlie lake is a pleasant 
retreat, and is graced with a romantic fountain in its 
centre. Bound the verge of the basin, Agapanthus 
umbellatus, in large pots, and placed so that a part of 
the pot stands in water, bloomed profusely. Calla, 
and Mimulus, also thrive well under such treatment. 
The place, altogether, is rather shaded for flowers. The 
row of trees on the south side, had branches bending 
to and sweeping the ground, and yet permitting here 
and there, peeps into the paddock, at the cows grazing. 
The uniqueness of the place depended on its seclusion, 
and a background to the flowers from every position. 
A clever gardener cleared away, to the height of five or 
six feet or so, these lower depending branches of this 
row of trees ; and taking me down to see the great im¬ 
provement, I have no doubt set me down as a very 
Visigoth, because I did not join in notes of admiration. 
The meadow is opened up for the whole of that side of 
the garden; the seclusion and striking uniqueness are 
gone; and but little advantage is gained as respects free¬ 
dom from shade. A few of the trees, shortened, or 
removed altogether, and the places filled up with some¬ 
thing higher than the eye, permitting peeps into the 
paddock, and still continuing the background outline, 
would have admitted abundance of light, and still pre¬ 
served the distinctive feature of the garden. 
I have dwelt so much on these matters, that I must 
skip the kitchen garden by saying it is large, fertile, 
and fruitful. Stone fruit, as Blums, Apricots, and 
Beaches, against walls, generally produce abundantly ; 
and notwithstanding its low sheltered position, or 
partly owing to that fact, often are loaded with fruit, 
when other places can boast of few. Most of the 
vineries, want thorough renewing, the plants having 
been twisted and layered, and next thing to worn out. 
A Beach house, like the walls, produces abundantly ; 
and Figs, both inside and outside, are cultivated with 
great success. A portion enclosed by walls, with a 
range of glass at the back, the centre being a green¬ 
house, is devoted to flowers ; and here, the beds were 
full to overflowing. The worthy proprietor was very 
proud of some double Canterbury Bells, and other im¬ 
provements on old fashioned plants. I never see a garden 
bounded by walls so devoted to flowers, without think- 
i iug how admirably Mr. Crockett has managed this at 
; Baith, as detailed in a previous volume, by placing a 
background of Bhododendrons against the walls. 
Outside the garden, and in the village contiguous, are 
large orchards, which in general bear abundantly, when 
i trees on higher grounds for many miles round, are 
: nearly barren, from frost and other causes. We have 
I seen samples of the Kerry Pippin , Orange Pippin, 
: Blenheim Orange, Count of JVick, Russets, Margills, 
and Ribstones, &c., which would be difficult to surpass. 
This season, on account of the extra heat, many of the 
Ribstones, were apt to crack, and to be bored by a small 
insect, and therefore did not keep so long. But, this 
has been a common complaint. A commencement has 
lately been made with French Bears ; and I have no 
doubt they will answer equally well as to fertility and 
quality. 
The orchard is bounded next the road by a wall, 
formed with a foundation, and a few courses above the 
ground, of brick, and finished with a wide coping of 
brick ; but, the main bulk of the wall, formed of 
symmetrical blocks of chalk. Though it has stood a 
number of years, it is apt to throw off pieces, when a 
period of clamp weather is followed by sharp frosts. 
The picturesque school premises are built with the 
same material; but, owing to the wide projecting eaves, 
in something of the Swiss cottage style, the walls have 
escaped uninjured. In addition to a garden for the 
school superintendent, and a playground, a good 
piece of ground has been divided into allotments for 
the children; so that, while their little heads are 
informed, and their hearts made better, their hands 
and feet may be early inured to industry. May the 
kind-hearted proprietor see many proofs, that her 
generosity in this direction has been suitably ap¬ 
preciated. B. Fish, 
MEETING OF THE BBITISII POMOLOGICAL 
SOCIETY. 
A meeting- of the Beitisii Pomological Society, was 
held on Thursday last, at the rooms in St. Martin’s Hall, 
Long Acre. Eobert Hogg, Esq., V.P., in the chair. 
The following gentlemen were elected Honorary Members : 
William Sanday, Esq., Holme Pierrepoint, near Notting¬ 
ham. 
John Burgess, Esq., Holme Pierrepoint, near Nottingham. 
In addition to the premiums offered at last Meeting, it was 
announced, that Mr. Turner, of Slough, would give one of 
One Pound, for the best six specimens of Salivay Peach ; and 
Ten Shillings for the best ten specimens of Cox’s Orange 
Pippin. 
This was the day appointed for the award of Mr. Scrutton’s 
prize of Two Pounds, for the best six dishes of Pears, and 
One Pound for the second-best; but, there was only one com¬ 
petitor. It was stated at the Meeting, that the want of 
competition on this occasion had arisen from a supposition on 
the part of growers, that dealers were not excluded from ex¬ 
hibiting, and that they declined sending their fruit on that 
account. The question then arose whether, there being no 
competition, the prize would be awarded; and it was decided, 
that the exhibitor having complied with the terms of the 
schedule, was entitled to the award, provided his fruit was 
considered worthy. The exhibitor was Mr. J. Allport, 
gardener to H. Akroyd, Esq., Doddington Park, Nantwicli, 
Cheshire; and the kinds exhibited were, Beurre deRanee, Glout 
Morceau, Paster Beurre, Passe Colmar , Ne Plus Meuris , and 
one unknown. The members present having carefully examined 
all the varieties, it was unanimously r.esolved, that the collec¬ 
tion wa3 not worthy of the prize. Paster Beurre was quite 
passed ; Ne Plus Meuris was decayed at the core ; Passe 
Colmar was perfectly hard, and appeared as if it never would 
ripen; Beurre de liance was also hard, coarse-fleshcd, and 
insipid; and Glout Morceau was the only variety that pos¬ 
sessed any degree of merit at all. It must, however, be stated, 
that they were all beautifully-grown specimens of the varieties ; 
and had their qualities been equal to their appearance, nothing 
more could have been desired. This being the case, it was 
resolved that the prize be again offered ; that the Meeting for 
competition bo held on the 4th of March next; and that it be 
clearly understood that growers only shall be allowed to compete. 
Me. Bivers, of Sawbridgeworth, sent a collection of Pears, 
that had been well kept, but wliich were very inferior in 
quality, with the exception of Knight's Monarch. This was 
the finest Pear exhibited at the Meeting, and, indeed, was the 
