THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND CO UN THY GENTLEMAN, January 10, 1860. 
227 
I gave of them could convey but a very faint idea of them and i 
their uses. Hut it is only bare justice to say that the principle 
of the “Houses for the Million” is just as applicable to orchard- 
houses as it is to any others ; and there is no house now in 
use in the three kingdoms, or a shape of house, from that of the 
Crystal Palace to the last Cucumber-box, to which that principle 
may or might not be applied. It has this advantage over the 
whole of them, that, no matter how large they may be, they are 
as portable as bedsteads ; aucl the man who spends his money on 
them is the owner of them at all times—not the man on whose 
ground they happen to be erected. If it were really from what I 
said that Mr. Rivers was led to think so of Sir Joseph Paxton’s 
new style of portable hothouse, w r e are now as square as Christ¬ 
mas accounts. 
Now allow me to congratulate Mr. Rivers on his new mode of 
ventilation. That is the true way of ventilation for the vegetable 
kingdom; it is the avay my own three minimum conservatories 
are on, and seven years’ experience of them convinces me of the 
fact. It was also the very way by which so many stove and 
half-stove climbers were flowered in the large conservatory of Sir 
W. Middleton, Bart., from 1811 to 1851. At the beginning of 
1852 the plan was altered to the old top-roof ventilation, and 
away went Beaumontias and all the rest of them—proving as 
much as coidd be that Mr. Rivers’ is the right way of ventilating j 
the roof of all kinds of plant-houses; and the larger they are, I 
believe, it will be found the better that system answers. 
Strange it is that the best system of ventilation, and the best 
system of atmospheric moisture in hothouses by Mr. Eish, should 
appear in the same number of The Cottage Gardener, unless 
they did it by concert.—D. Beaton - . 
MONSTROUS MUSHROOM. 
j 
The Mushrooms here represented were gathered on the morn* 
ing of December 26th from a prolific bed, and being a very 
singular production 1 send it for your inspection. We have had 
them before growing one on the other, but not bottom upwards. 
This appeared somewhat deformed in its early growth, but as it 
increased in size the top became a perfect Mushroom as well as the 
bottom.—W. Hill, Keele Hall. 
[This Siamese mode of growth is rare, though not unique. We j 
remember to have seen a drawing of a similar combination not 
long since, but we cannot recollect in what publication. In 
Loudon’s “ Gardeners’ Magazine ” for 1831, p. 102, mention 
is made of this phenomenon, and Mr. J. Morrison, of Brompton, 
there says, “ It is easily accounted for by supposing the Mush¬ 
rooms growing close together on an irregular surface, or pushed j 
out irregularly from irregular surfaces.”— Eds. C. G.j 
PINE GROWING. 
I beg to make a few remarks in favour of the old system of 
Pine-growing, together with a short account of some good fruit 
I have had the pleasure of seeing produced; but it is not my 
intention to enter into full detail of the culture and n nnngcmcnt 
of the Pine at present. I perfectly agree with Mr. Hamilton, 
that much time and labour have been lost by the erroneous 
practices as pointed out in former treatises on this subject; but 
do not let him suppose for a moment that he is the only person 
who has deviated from the old rules, and that all other Pine 
growers adhere to them still; for most gardeners have a system 
peculiar to themselves. Neither let him imagine that lie has gained 
the ascendancy over all other gardeners, because he can produce 
fruit sooner, with less trouble and expense, and more abundantly, 
upon the “stool” system. I find Mr. Hamilton states that a 
friend ol his had a Montserrat Pine, with seven suckers all in 
fruit at one time, and their united weight was 16 lbs. All practical 
gardeners know that most Pines are very prolific, and will throw 
up almost any quantity of suckers, and will run into fruit almost 
at any time; but what, I would ask, is the worth of such fiuit? 
Let me ask the question, if one good Pine of 8 lbs. weight would 
not be a nobler ornament upon any gentleman’s table, and of far 
more value than those weighing together 16 lbs., and produced 
from the seven suckers P 1 should say that it is not quantity, 
but size and quality which constitute the excellency of a good 
Pine. The Hamiltonian system may be more adapted to the con¬ 
veniences of market-gardeners, to whom economy and quick 
return are desirable ; but where noble fruit is the object in view, 
it is, in my opinion, out of common reason to suppose that 
perfect fruit can be produced from suckers ; for it is a well-known 
fact that the finest, noblest, and most delicious fruit have been 
produced by the old system. 
Having heard that a friend of mine had some excellent Pines, 
about a month ago I went over to the scat of L. G. Starkie, Esq., 
of Hunfroyd Hall, near Padiham, Lancashire ; when, to my in¬ 
expressible joy and surprise, I found some of the most splendid 
fruit of Foden's Blade Prince , King Alfred , and Montserrat 
Pines I have seen for a great length of time. I received a letter 
from Mr. Taylor, gardener, on the 23rd of this month, stating 
that he had cut a Pine off' the Black Prince since I w as there, 
which w eighed Gi-lbs. It measured seventeen inches round, 
and twelve inches deep. Ho has more excellent fruit growing, 
but it will not be ripe for a month yet. Fruit like this is highly 
creditable to Mr. Taylor, as well as an honour to his master’s 
table. In my opinion, the above-named products would be good 
specimens for Mr. Hamilton or any other gardener to take a 
pattern from at this seasonof the year. 
The best Pines ever produced in this locality, were grown at 
the seat of J. P. Entwistle, Esq., Foxholes, near Rochdale, Lanca¬ 
shire, in 1843, by the late Mr. Joseph Foden, which comprised 
a pit of sixty fine plants, and consisted of the Few While 
Providences , Fnvilles, and Montserrats, together with his two 
favourite seedlings, the Black Prince and King Alfred. The 
whole of the sixty plants were cut from one pit the same season, 
and averaged in weight, one with another, 8 lbs. Now, these are 
facts, and facts are stubborn things to overthrow; but Pines like 
Mr. Foden’s and Mr. Taylor’s stand as a sufficient proof of what 
the old system has done, and also of wliat it is capable of doing 
still. Mr. Taylor has been in the gardens of his employer during 
the last forty years, and has been head-gardener during twenty- 
four years. He is an efficient gardener and a most excellent 
Pine-grower.— James Foden, Gardener, Laund , near Accrington. 
FRUITS ADAPTED TO THE VARIOUS 
LOCALITIES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
(Continued from page 213.) 
PEARS. 
Welbeck Bergamot. — Fruit above medium size, 
roundish, uneven in its outline, and bossed about the 
stalk. Skin smooth and shining, of a lemon-yellow 
colour, thickly sprinkled with large russet specks and 
with a blush of light crimson on the side next the sun. 
Eye small and open, set in a shallow depression. Stalk 
three quarters of an inch long, inserted in an uneven 
cavity. Flesh -white, rather coarse-grained,- half-melting, 
very juicy, sweet, and sugary, but without any flavour. 
End of October and November. 
