198 
THE COTTAGE GABDENEK AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 29, 1858. 
borough, in the time of King Stephen, is said expressly, 
in the Saxon Chronicle, to have planted a vineyard, 
and it was a large one. Madox, in his History of the 
Exchequer, writes, that the sheriffs of Northampton¬ 
shire and Leicestershire were allowed in their account 
for the livery of the King’s vine-dresser, at llocking- 
ham, and for necessaries for the vineyard. 
There are evidences of vineyards still farther north, 
as at Darley Abbey, in the county of Derby. 
In the reign of Henry III., the neglect of vineyards 
in England is attributed by Twynne in part to that 
fondness for French wine which then came upon us. 
In this King’s time, about the year 1260, a dolium 
(thirty-six gallons) of the best wine could be bought 
for forty shillings, sometimes for two marks, and some¬ 
times for twenty shillings. 
This neglect and decrease of vineyards may be 
| traced to the time of Henry II., who had acquired 
| possession of G-uienne, in right of his consort, Eleanor 
| of Aquitaine; and the encouragement and protection 
! given to the wines of Guienne and its neighbouring 
parts, which were all known as Gascony wine, was 
j soon evidenced by our statutes. Thus, by 27 Edward 
i III., cap. 5, it was made felony to forestall or engross 
1 this wine, or even to have an agent in Gascoyn, 
i before “the common time of vintage passage;” so, 
according to the mistaken policy of the period, pri¬ 
vate energy and enterprise might not have any ad¬ 
vantage in purchasing that which was so generally in 
request. 
From the circumstance of the Vine being so much 
more cultivated at that period than it is now, it has 
I been argued that the climate of this country must at 
that time have been warmer than now; but a little 
consideracion of the taste and habits of the people will 
tend to dispel that which has now become a popular 
error. Verjuice was then used to a large extent, in the 
soups, sauces, and other dishes ; and, while in some 
seasons wine of ordinary quality might be made, in 
those seasons that the Grapes did not ripen they at 
least furnished verjuice, if they did not wine. That 
the wine made at that time was of inferior quality, is 
evident from the fact that, as soon as Henry II. ac¬ 
quired possession of Guienne, in right of his consort, 
Eleanor of Aquitaine, vineyards in this country began 
to decrease, and wine making to be relinquished, 
in favour of the superior produce imported from Bor¬ 
deaux. 
We now come to the earliest English author we 
j know of, who has treated on the subject of gardening, 
j Alexander Neciiam, master of the grammar school of 
St. Albans, at the end of the twelfth century, and after¬ 
wards abbot of Cirencester. He was born about the 
year 1157, and died in 1217. His work, “ De Naturis 
Rerum ,” of which there are two manuscript copies in 
the library of the British Museum, is a collection of 
treatises, both secular and theological, many of which 
i relate to gardening subjects ; but the work bears 
every appearance of being, to a great extent, a compi¬ 
lation from the Homan agricultural writers ; for he 
treats of many plants that are only to be found in 
southern latitudes, and which could not have existed 
in this country even for one year. He seems to have had 
some practical knowledge of the subject, inasmuch as 
he notices varieties of fruit which were then culti¬ 
vated,—as the St. Regie Pear ; and he also enumerates 
Apples, Chestnuts, Peaches, Almonds, and Figs; but 
when he goes on to mention Citrons, Golden Apples, 
Oranges, and Pomegranates, our faith fails us, and 
we are compelled to accept his narration with caution. 
From him we learn that the process of grafting was 
then, as now, generally practised ; but he makes little 
mention of the Vine. 
(To he continued.') 
THE HOUSEHOLD. 
Stewed Chicken.— Prepare and cut up the fowls, in proper 
pieces for the table; put into the stew-pan or kettle, with 
plenty of salt and pepper, to season; add what butter you wish, 
and a small quantity of saleratus (not enough to discolor) to 
assist in making it tender, and prevent its rising on the 
stomach; add only water enough to cook it, cover close, and 
stew moderately. Turn occasionally, that it may cook and 
season evenly ; when nearly done, remove the cover, that the 
water may mostly evaporate. If you choose, dredge and 
boil in some flour. Turn on some sweet cream, boil up and 
serve. Squirrels are good cooked like the above, omitting the 
cream. 
Brown Gravy eor Eoast Fowl.— Chop the heart, liver, 
and lights of the fowl; put into the spider with butter, pepper, 
salt, and a little water. When boiling well, add some sweet 
cream and boil. Stir it, or it will burn. 
Baked Chicken. —Ilress the chicken ; then make a dress¬ 
ing, with which to fill it, of light bread crumbled fine, a lump 
oi butter the size of a hen’s egg, and some pepper and salt: 
moisten with water. Place the fowl in a pan, with a pint and 
a half of water, sprinkle a little salt over it, and bake half an 
hour. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Pears for a South Wall in Tyrone (An Amateur ).—Your south j 
wall, thirty yards long, will take six trees, and we would recommend j 
the following sorts:— Glout Morcedu, Winter Nells, Beurre Biel, . 
Ne Plus Meuris, Paster Beurre, and Beurre Ranee. 
Mr. W. Turner, Neepsend (G.F. P.). —See what we said to another 
correspondent at page 153. 
Joining Swarms—Fumigation not Injurious to Honey (A Con¬ 
stant Reader). —Small swarms may often be joined two or three to¬ 
gether, if they come pretty nearly at the same time ; recollecting that 
the one first hived should receive the others, and the junction be made 
at night. Otherwise fumigation, or driving, if preferred, may be re¬ 
sorted to in the autumn, the honey taken, and the bees added to a 
stock requiring numbers. Your plan of a “ very small hive,” to re¬ 
ceive the brood, with another afterwards to be added, for the honey, 
would end in disappointment, and is contrary to the requirements of 
bees. The laying of eggs,^ and the collection of stores, are simul¬ 
taneous operations. Moderate fumigation has no injurious effect 
upon honey, but brimstone often leaves an unpleasant odour and 
flavour. 
Miniature Cacti (S. JV. A. P. W.). —We know' of no work giving 
directions for their culture in such a dwarf form. 
Errata. —At page 164, in the list of plants blooming at the Royal 
Gardens, Kew, the following corrections are required :—Cruciferte— 
Lunaria. Rosaceie—Potentilla Wrangeliana. Solanacese — Physo- 
chena. Amaryilidaceae— Pancratium. 
Oxalis cernua.— Mr. Beaton returns many thanks to “ B. H. H. H.” 
lor a large packet of Oxalis cernua. They seem to be quite true, al¬ 
though the kind is seldom seen true to name in collections. 
Names of Insects (F. W. S.). —The grubs which attack the young 
shoots of the Firms insignis, are the larvae of Tortrix (Orthotaenia) 
Turionana. As they are now in the jmpa state, every diseased shoot 
should be picked off and burnt, to prevent the moths being developed. 
In October all the patches of resinous secretion caused by the larvae 
should also be collected and burnt. The brown and green beetles have i 
been particularly numerous this summer. They are Melolontha hor- \ 
ticola, and their habits are similar to those of the cockchafer. Nu- | 
mel ons illustrated articles on obnoxious insects will be found in our 1 
earlier volumes. Kollar’s treatise, translated by Miss Loudon, is also 
very useful. Also Kir by and Silence’s introduction, small 5s. edition, 
recently published.—J. W. 
Names of Plants (Granite). — No. 1. We cannot make out your 
bulb from the hit of the flowering scape sent. Can you send us a bulb 
that we may bloom it, and see its habit. No. 2. Ozothamnus thyr- 
soides. We fear it is not hardy. No. 3. Ruscus androgynus, or Green¬ 
house Butcher’s Broom. (B. II. II. II.). —The name of the plant, 
Pcheveria coccinea. The Habranthus flowering before the leaves 
appear is no uncommon occurrence, particularly when such plants have 
been sent from a distance, and have had a good rest by such means ; 
hut here the plant is making its leaves, and, therefore, must be watered, 
and its growth encouraged, as in most cases in this country the plants 
are evergreen. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
J une 28th, 29th, and 30th, and July 1st. Sheffield. Sec., Wm. Henry 
Dawson, Sheffield. 
July 8th. Prescot. Sec., Mr. James Beeslcy. Entries close June 26. 
J uly 16th. York. Sec., Mr. R. Smith, cutler, 10, High Ousegate, York 
Entries close July 8th. 
