THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, March 1, 1859. 
339 
FRENCH VARIETIES. 
These are in great esteem for decorative purposes ; their bright 
attractive colours and profusion of bloom render them especial 
favourites. I have seen the following in flower, and have selected 
them out of a great number as being the best of the class. 
BelleEsquermoise Modele Pescatorie 
Charles Turner Madame Boueharlet Roi des Ecus 
Comte de Morny Madame Rendatler Paul et Virginie 
L’lmmortelle Madame Pescatore Virginie Meillez 
Louise Miellez Medaille d’Or Vulcan 
William Bull T. Applebv. 
BRITISH POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
{Continued from page 327.) 
Grapes. —Mr. Thompson (gardener to the Duke of 
Buecleugh), Dalkeith Palace, Edinburgh, sent a dish of 
Lada: Downe’s Seedling, a variety not much known, but 
considered by the Meeting to be worthy of more extended 
cultivation. It is evidently of the St. Peter’s section. 
Bunch about eight inches long, shouldered; appears to 
be a very fine setter, and to require much thinning ; berry 
medium-sized, nearly round; skin moderately thick; 
ilesk very juicy, sweet, and vinous. Mr. Thompson re¬ 
ported, that the hunch sent, which did not exhibit the 
slightest appearance of long keeping, by loss of bloom, 
or shrivelling in either berry or stalk, “ was ripe in 
August last,” and adds, that “ he finds no Grape hang so 
long and combino so many good qualities.” 
Messrs. Webber and Co., of Covcnt Garden, exhibited 
good examples of retarded Black Hamburgh, which 
had been ripe since September last; the berries of which 
were still plump, although their stalks gave evidence of 
the long time they had been kept. 
Seedling Apples. —Mr. G. Wolsey, of St. Andrew’s, 
Guernsey, again sent specimens of his Seedling, regret¬ 
ting that, as the last of the crop, they were poor examples. 
Though past its best, it was considered to have maintained 
the opinion formerly expressed regarding it; its general 
character approaching that of the Golden Harvey. Mr. 
Wolsey reports, that the original tree is twenty years 
old, moderate in habit of growth, shape of head rather 
globose, and thinks it will prove a good dwarf prolific 
kind for small gardens. 
John Eekme, Esq., of Haddington, N.B., sent a Seed¬ 
ling, somewhat resembling the above, said to have been 
first noticed thirty years ago, when it had sprung up 
between a Nonpareil and Golden Pippin; its blossoms, 
leaves, and wood are said to resemble the former ; and the 
fruit also gives greater evidence of this than of the latter 
affinity. It was not deemed in a fit state for opinion to 
be passed on it, being much shrivelled, probably from 
having been gathered prematurely. 
Mr. Thomas Oxley (gardener to Miss Sitwell), Spon- 
don, near Derby, sent a Seedling, called Pretty Apple, 
apparently possessing the properties of a good late 
Kitchen Apple, being large, small cored, and acid. Re¬ 
ported also to be a great bearer, of healthy constitution, 
and compact habit. (On being baked without sugar, they 
were found to be pale brown in colour; tender, but not 
breaking into pulp ; not syrupy ; sweetish subacid in taste. 
The fruit, however, had been gathered before they were 
ripe, as stated by the sender, and were not in condition. 
— Sec.) It is requested that the kind be sent again next 
season. 
Dr. Davies, of Pcrshore, brought again his Seedling, 
Taliessin (reported on last year); and promised again to 
send a bundle of scions for distribution. 
Mr. Dowling, of Southampton, sent a single specimen 
of a Seedling, said to be raised from London Pippin, 
which, it is requested, may be sent again next year, in 
large quantity, that its merits may be fairly tested. 
Mr.RoBERT Annandale (gardener to J. R. S. Carnegie, 
Esq., Seaton House, Forfar, sent a Seedling, raised by 
I Mr. John Gowans, market-gardener, Arbroath. This 
was considered a very fine and promising late Kitchen 
j Apple. Sound, acid, and heavy, much resembling Min - 
I chall Crab. Mr. Annandale is requested to send it again 
to the next Meeting, and, if possible, with the variety 
referred to from the same district. 
Apples. —Dr. Davies brought, Flanders Pippin, or 
Mere de Menage, considered in Worcestershire the best 
of all Apples for culinary purposes. Also, a sort very 
nearly resembling it in appearance, but more rubicund 
and solid, and reported to be more upright in habit, called 
Scarlet Flanders. Dr. Davies has promised to send, 
for distribution, scions of both these kinds. De Neige, 
under the name of Porter, by which he received it from 
America. 
Mr. Henry Curtis, of Ashburton, Devon, sent Grise, 
or Pomme Grise, under the name of Cinnamon Russet. 
Mr. G. Wolsey again sent Pomme de Cire, still ap¬ 
parently in excellent condition (but when boiled, found 
to have lost much of its briskness of flavour, tending to 
prove that its season is past.— Sec.) —Gnos Limon, or 
Gras Limon (when baked, pale-fleshed, not pulpy, but 
tender, sweet, and very syrupy.— Sf.c.) and Maigre 
Limon, recognised as one ot the most favourite varieties 
for roasting, or using as a Beavfin, in Worcestershire, 
where it is known as Oaken Peg. 
CULTURE OF THE YEW. 
I SAW and read with much pleasure your opinion on the invi- 
goration of old Yew trees: what you said of those that are 
growing in the nursery of Mr. Cutbush was very gratifying 
even to me, and I think that a few more remarks on the Yew 
tree would not he altogether disagreeable to most of the readers 
of The Cottage Gardener. 
If we look back, we find it amongst the very earliest evergreen 
trees that were used cither as ornamental trees or for any other 
purpose. Wo are always in want of it at our greatest holiday in 
the year, to intermingle with other evergreens, to decorate our 
cottages as well as noble halls ; public places of worship, as well 
as public places of amusement. It also bears many company 
after that, when they arc planted beneath its shade. But now it 
is considered, by a very great number of practical gardeners, not 
to be a good ornamental tree or shrub, fitted for a shrubbery. 
They say it will do very well for churchyards, or to plant at the 
back of the shrubbery, to hide those buildings which are at a dis¬ 
tance that ai-e disagreeable to (lie eye. But I must say Yews 
deserve a prominent place in all shrubberies, as well as being 
planted out a3 single specimen trees. If Mr. Appleby had seen 
some good-grown specimens, they would not have been excluded 
from his new and scientific arrangement of hardy shrubs. 
To grow good specimens of the Yew, they must be attended to 
when young, and not allowed to grow on in their wild state for 
years ; and then, with a large pair of si tears or a renping-liook, to be 
shaved or cut into all those fantastical shapes that generations 
long gone by used to admire and delight in. 
In the first place, yon must never allow more than one leader. 
When quite young, you must take all the side branches in close 
to the stem, and continue to do so t ill they are four feet high ; 
which height they will not he very long in attaining. Then is 
the time to let them go on to any desired shape. At about the 
time they are from sixteen to twenty years of age, and on to 
double that period, if managed judiciously, they appear almost as 
ornamental as any of our Conifcrse, and having the advantage 
over those through bearing the knife so well. You can have 
their fine cone shapes or pyramids just to your own fancy without 
the use of the shears or clipping-scissors, which destroys that 
gracefulness which Nature has imparted to them in its own 
unerring way. 
If inserted in shrubberies grown in this way, they will appear 
bold, majestic specimens of a much-neglected—I might say, 
almost-castaside ornamental tree or shrub. 
It is a tree, also, that is so easily propagated, that they ought 
to be found in every shrubbery where thero are from ten to 
twenty shrubs used. There is no trouble for gardeners in the 
propagation of this tree ; for if there is an old one near when the 
seed is ripe, those little warblers that seem to enchant us to tht} 
