COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 23, 1858. 
117 
the Black Grapes were finely coloured; in the other end, 
the berries, though equally well swelled, were not so high 
coloured, which I thought might he partly owing to large, 
lofty specimens of Magnolia, at no great distance from the 
front of the houses there. 
Plunged in one of these pits, in the middle of the house, 
was a large pot, containing the roots of a bush Stanwick 
Nectarine tree, the wood in beautiful condition, the 
foliage healthy, large, and green as Leeks ; and having 
several dozen (I forget now how many) beautiful fruit, 
large, and swelling freely, and not one showing the 
least disposition to crack. Mr. Hood had previously been 
equally successful. He told us, that so far as his experience 
went, the Stanwick would not stand much forcing in 
the earlier part of its growth; but that, after it commenced 
swelling freely, it liked a greater and a more uniform tem¬ 
perature than it generally could receive, either on a wall, 
or under an unheated glass-case. I have had no chance 
of proving this myself; but this example would tend to 
show, that a little extra and regular heat was necessary 
to swell the epidermis of the fruit, to give free room for 
the swelling inside ; and that when a sudden check was 
given to the outside swelling, the expanding juices inside 
found a vent for themselves, by cracking the outside. 
Without the presence of some such conditions, I do not 
recollect seeing this fine fruit free altogether from the 
tendency to cracking, or splitting; not but that many 
fine fruit might be got from a tree,—though some were 
thus disfigured. Here, every fruit seemed perfect. 
As already hinted, in front of these houses, on a grass 
plat, was a row of old Magnolia grandiflora, and the 
Exoniensis variety, more than twenty feet in height, and 
both varieties blooming profusely. Anywhere but in 
these southern counties, these would be worth going some 
days journey to see. Their old gnarled stems demon¬ 
strated that they had outlived many a generation of 
gardeners. Were it not for the ability to think, and the 
power to express and act upon thought, man would be a 
very pigmy beside specimens of trees and shrubs. This 
terrace is bounded by a wall, the coping being on a level 
with the wall bounding the grass plat ; and this wall 
was occupied with Peach trees, chiefly in a very healthy, 
fruitful condition. I presume they would be covered in 
spring, as, getting so far down the slope, they must be 
more subject to fogs and hoar frosts, than if placed higher 
on the slope. I understood it was in contemplation to 
cover at least a portion of this wall with glass. 
Here we nearly missed what, to us Northmen, was one 
of the finest horticultural treats we had seen. On the 
top of the slope opposite the houses, noticing a long row 
of something covered with netting, we were delighted to 
find bush-tree Figs, producing abundance of large, ex¬ 
cellent fruit. Many had been gathered, many were ready 
to gather at the end of August, the rich juice hanging 
from the cracks in amber-like beads, and many were 
swelling freely. The wood was kept thin,—was strong, 
but firm, and very short jointed. The plants looked as if 
they had stood there many years, and would stand for 
generations more. There were kinds I had not before 
seen. Perhaps the Brown Turkey was as good as any, for 
free bearing and excellence of flavour. Many specimens 
of this and other kinds were exceedingly fine. The plants 
receive no protection whatever. The netting was used to 
keep the birds at a distance, or not a single fruit would 
be got for the table. If some daring, cunning marauders : 
found their way in, they were hastily driven to either end 
of the net, where, getting into a bag, they were easily 
captured. A gardener feels as much, about the melody 
and the poetry of the feathered songsters, as any class of 
men, or women either. But let them encroach too much 
on his fruit, and he begins to find that his organ of 
destructiveness swells to bursting point. A gardener 
once asked his lady employer, “ if he might not shoot and 
destroy the vermin ? ”—“ O yes, Mr. B.; but what are 
the vermin ? ”—“The birds, Madam ! the birds ! “Oh ! 
the birds, Mr. B.! the birds ! the beautiful birds! the 
sweet birds ! No—no! How could you think of being 
so cruel, Mr. B. P Net, if you like ; frighten, if you like ; 
but don’t shoot the sweet birds.” 1 question if any 
gardener, just at the time, would see much beauty in the 
prettiest yellow-billed blackbird, when feasting on his 
best Elton Cherries, or the largest of his Queen Straw¬ 
berries, destroying and pecking twenty times more than 
he was able to devour. We fear that, like Mr. Hood 
with his Figs, he would be too apt to give a short shrift 
to the invading thief. 
We shall Over look back to the few hours we spent at 
Mamhead as bright spots in our recollections. 
R. Fish. 
EOSES BLOOMING LATE IN AUTUMN. 
Some remarks having appeared in a late number about Roses 
then in bloom, I took pains to go to-day (Nov. 16) round the Rose 
quarters in Mr. Epps’ nursery, at Maidstone, and found the 
following fully in bloom. I would remark, however, that the 
ground is considerably elevated, and the subsoil limestone, 
covered with a strong, friable loam. These circumstances are, no 
doubt, favourable to late blooms of every kind, as well as of the 
Rose. On the contrary, in Mr. Epps’ nursery, at Ashford, which 
is in a level country, the Roses are all quite out of flower. 
Whoever, then, has a rosery on an elevated situation, may plant 
the same sorts of Roses, and expect blooms late in the autumn. 
Roses in Bloom, Novembeb 16th. 
Gloire de Dijon Devoniensis 
Comte de Paris Bourbon Queen 
Souvenir de Malmaison Aimee Yibert 
Dupetit Thouars Solfaterre 
La Biche Safrano 
Comte de Nanteuil Mrs. Bosanquet 
Armosa Abricot 
Duchesse d’Orleans Sir J. Paxton 
And several others in bud.—T. A. 
THE COTTAGER’S KALE—HARDINESS OF 
LIBOCEDRITS CHILENSIS. 
Some five or six weeks ago, Mr. Charles Tinner, of Slough, 
was advertising, in the Gardeners' Chronicle (with the Editor’s 
opinion and recommer dation), seed of “ the Cottager’s Kale.” Last 
spring, I purchased from Mr. Turner a packet of this seed, so 
highly commended. It was sown and tended with due care, but 
it has turned out a parcel of the greatest rubbish that ever man 
put in his garden. Had I been singular, I would have thought 
some accident had occurred, whereby the seed had become mixed; 
but I know of several cases as bad as my own, both in North¬ 
umberland, Durham, and Yorkshire. There are no two plants 
from the seed alike : some are like the old Rag Jacks, others a bad 
cross between Curled Greens and Brussels Sprouts, others appear 
to be a cross between the Purple Cabbage and Curled Greens; 
but the whole are worthless. Now, thinking there might have 
been some mistake in the seed sent, I wrote to the Editor, giving 
a similar description to that above, stating that I was surprised 
such an advertisement should go before the public, from a trades¬ 
man in Mr. Turner’s position ; but, seeing that he was puffing it 
off again, I considered it time to ask for an explanation, or warn 
the public against the imposition. The Editor of the Gardeners' 
Chronicle took no notice of my communication, although I 
appended my name and address in full; so that I havo been com¬ 
pelled to have recourse to your good self, and beg that you will 
insert this letter as early as possible, either to elicit explanation, 
or to warn tlie public. If tradesmen in Mr. Turner’s position, and 
men of Dr. Liudlcy’s high standing, persist in such proceedings, 
where are we to look for protection ? I am satisfied that both 
these gentlemen could endorse what I have written, had they only 
the manliness to come forward. 
Tell your correspondent “ Fbank Grant,” that I have had 
the Libocedrus Chilensis standing unharmed by frost for the last 
two winters, although the Cupressus Lambertiana has been cut 
down to the ground. My residence is at Gateshead Fell, three 
miles from Newcastle, with west aspect open to the north, but 
well sheltered from the east. Soil a strong loam, over yellow clay 
and sandy shale.— Jos. Swan. 
