134 
the Gardening world 
October 31, 1885. 
variety with very large fruits. C. Princess of Wales is 
another very pretty yellow variety. 
E ivina humilis.— This pretty little berried plant 
should find a place in every stove. If a few plants are 
propagated from time to time, it may had in good 
condition throughout the year. Although it may he 
easily grown from seed, we prefer to propagate from 
cuttings, as these come into fruit much sooner, and 
make dwarfer and more compact plants than seedlings ; 
it should be grown in light sandy compost. There is 
also a yellow-berried variety, E. flavescens, which is very 
pretty, but it is not so compact, and does not produce 
berries quite so freely as B. humilis.— H. 
--- 
WINTERING BULBS AND 
TUBERS. 
With the autumn season so generally full of work 
setting things right under glass, we must not over¬ 
look the few tender subjects among bulbous and allied 
plants, which are not safe in the open ground during 
the winter months ; the effect generally produced by 
many valuable autumn-flowering plants, has this 
season been one of short duration, consequent upon the 
severe frosts which were somewhat generally felt a few 
weeks ago, and which had made many flowers scarce, 
but which have made many late-flowering hardy 
perennials all the more conspicuous. With bedding 
plants all blackened and dead, and not a vestige of 
flower remaining on the Dahlias, the presence of such 
things as Michaelmas Daisies, Helianthus decapetalus, 
Pyrethrum serotinum, Tritoma, and others, still in 
excellent condition render them valuable ornaments in 
the flower garden, wherein now so little remains, even 
Tagetes signata pumila is noteworthy of having come 
out scatheless when most annuals have been killed out¬ 
right. 
This same frost also quickly ended such flowering 
bulbous and tuberous-rooted plants as Tigridias, 
Gladioli, Begonias, and the like which have played 
their part in making gay the flower garden during the 
past three or four months ; these will now require 
attention, and the lifting and storing of them away 
safely for the winter season is a matter for consideration 
at this time. 
The process of lifting and wintering the Gladiolus 
and Tigridias is so very simple that they may be in¬ 
cluded under one head as simEar treatment will do for 
each. The first thing then is to lift them carefully 
from the open ground, shaking them free of soil and 
place them in any dry shed or outhouse where they 
will dry gradually. That the drying process should 
be gradual is the most important part, and upon 
this depends a good deal of the ensuing seasons 
bloom. 
The next and most important point, is, that under no 
pretence should either of these two groups be lifted 
from the ground and divested of their foliage and 
stems at the same time, for it will be seen that in both 
cases the base of the stems, indeed, the whole plant is 
yet quite green and consequently full of sap, aud to 
remove these would end in a serious injury to the 
bulbs ; spread them on a dry floor where they may 
remain for some days, or if some large round baskets 
are at hand they may be jilaced in them, and be hoisted 
overhead out of the way. It will do them good if they 
remain here a month, by that time they will have 
become fairly dry and ready for final cleaning and 
setting aside for the winter. 
Dahlias of all sections may be similarly treated, 
though these may be cut down when lifted, and pro¬ 
vided they are placed in a dry airy shed for some days 
they will need but little further attention. The most 
critical point in connection with the Dahlia is that of 
having them thoroughly dry about the collar of the 
plants, which is the point where the stem ceases and 
where the tubers are formed, here it is, if the soil is not 
all removed, and they are not well dried before storing 
away, that many rot off, and as this is the point where 
the breaks are formed for the ensuing year, they should 
be carefully examined before finally placing them away; 
some prefer placing them in charcoal dust or dry ashes 
to absorb any superfluous moisture, this, however, is not 
necessary or essential, provided they are properly pre¬ 
pared beforehand. During the winter they should be 
looked over once or twice, and in the event of any damp 
existing the affected part may be sprinkled with char¬ 
coal dust.— E. J. 
Scottish Gardening. 
Garden Memoranda (concluded from p. 118/— 
The structure next to the Peach-house, at Parkhall, 
with which I concluded last week, is a vinery, 65 ft. long 
and 18 ft. wide. In this house we spent a long time, 
here being so much to discuss. A mixed collection of 
Grapes were hanging in capital condition. Golden 
Champion was well represented by bunches of general good 
quality, and quite free from spot ; it is much valued 
on the table, and that is the true test of a good fruit of 
any kind. Golden Queen was bronzy and yellow, of 
capital appearance. I have never grown this kind, and il I 
did grow it unsuccessfully I should expect to be strongly 
censured if I denounced it because of my inability. I 
have grown the Golden Champion fine in the berry, 
bright golden in colour, and of fine flavour ; but to class 
them with the splendid examples which Mr. Finlay 
(late of Wroxton Abbey) grew and exhibited once at 
Banbury is out of the question. His bunches weie 
three in number, and the aggregate weight was 16|lbs. 
White Grapes attain perfection of ripeness and flavour 
often when their yellow tinge is not present. The 
latter quality is brought out by abundance of light. 
Some examples of Duke of Buccleuch were nearly 
perfect in colour here, having been exposed to the full sun 
from their earliest stages. Trebbiano was here of better 
quality than is generally met with. I never advocate 
the growing of hard Grapes. Of this class there are 
numbers, but all more or less indigestible, and better 
fitted for sale to the classes whose only idea of fine fruit 
are handsome bunches and large berries. Tokay was 
among this mixed lot, a kind which, when well grown 
and afforded plenty of time to ripen, is very pleasant 
to eat, and fills up a house well, but takes a long time 
to come to perfection. Muscats were also in this house 
and very good. 
Passing to some other structures less imposing (but 
teeming with interest) than those we have inspected, 
the first we enter is 85 ft. long by 15 ft. wide. Though 
of less width than some of the other houses, they are 
not at all insignificant, but well adapted for the purpose 
for which they are used. We are in the midst of the 
Pears, and a great success they are. Many of the kinds 
with which we are acquainted are well represented, and 
Pears grown under glass are such as would tempt anyone 
to go in for such culture. In pots and planted out, 
Williams’s Bon Chretien and Louise Bonne of Jersey 
were extra good and in fine condition for use. Beurre 
Diel on the Pear stock was also of much excellence, not 
the gritty substance one sometimes meets even in some 
of the best districts of England. Pitmaston Duchess 
and Brown Beurre were in close proximity to each 
other, showing their distinctive features well. The 
Pitmaston Duchess is often pronounced to be of second- 
rate quality ; but grown under free exposure to sun 
and air, it is equal to a fair quality of Marie Louise ; 
this old favourite was well represented among the 
general collection. General Todtleben was good, and 
Doyenne du Comice is a great favourite, its flavour I 
have long considered as about the best grown in this 
country. Beurre Eance, one I know little of, stands 
high with Mr. Murray, and it looks well ; Glou Morceau, 
a great favourite of ours, seemed perfectly at home in 
this structure ; Beurre d’Amanlis, which I have seen 
do remarkably well in some parts of central Scotland, 
both on walls and standards, was in fine condition in 
this structure ; Passe Colmar was good ; and Easter 
Beurre, and many others, were very creditable indeed. 
Whether grown in pots, trained crosswise, or planted 
out as bushes seemed to make no difference to the kinds, 
all were succeeding admirably. Watering, especially 
in such a season as the past, has had special attention, 
and the “surface dribblet,” which is the ruin of so 
many plants of every description, is carefully avoided ; 
but when a soaking is given it means abundance to the 
base of the roots. Mulching is an agent much valued, 
and does its own part among these trees and bushes 
admirably. 
The next house we enter is a bona fide orchard under 
glass—not one of the puny apologies which we some¬ 
times see dubbed an “ orchard-house ”—the contents of 
which, notwithstanding the praise they often receive, 
would scarcely give dessert to a moderate fruit consumer. 
This orchard-house at Parkhall is 155 ft. long, and 15 
ft. wide. Most of the crops were gathered at the time 
of our visit, and from Mr. Murray’s report of them I 
have every reason to believe they were all I predicted 
they would be when I saw them early in the season. 
Passing from the Pear-house to this erection I noticed 
a tree well clothed with remarkably fine Plums on the 
wall, and of such a colour as I had never seen on the kind 
before. It was the old Magnum Bonurn, white, but 
the deep yellow skins and large fruit had been secured 
by no ordinary treatment. I was informed that the 
roots were kept near the surface, and doses of Thom¬ 
son’s Yine Manure applied. The same was given to 
many of the fine Pears. 
It is astonishing what amount of fruit a tree will 
carry and perfect in the highest state of excellence, 
with roots comparatively few, and confined like a ball 
of network in pots, or it may be in other vessels such 
as I once had to deal with, iron pans, in which the 
tree roots had been confined for some years. The dwarf 
bushes were hard in the wood but well clustered with 
fruit buds. A good surfacing of rich material was given 
and a man (who did not know a Peach from a Nectarine) 
was put in charge of the house, which contained Plums, 
Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots. "When theseasonwas 
well advanced, and sunshine getting powerful, our man 
was instructed to soak the trees well from the rain water 
tank, with a pinch of guano (it was guano then, we can 
get a mixture under that name now, but no such article 
as that was) sufficient to colour the water at each time 
of watering. Airing was done under the same rule of 
thumb system, and when the fruit was set, which was 
about ten to one more than necessary, a sprinkling of 
clean water was given overhead, all surfaces being well 
moistened by syringe or hose. This was continued till 
the colour was on the change, when water was less profusely 
administered, andtheguano bagstied up. Afterrepeated 
thinning the fruit hung on the Plum bushes, thick 
like Gooseberries, and of the finest quality I had ever 
seen. The other kinds of fruit were fair in size, and of 
fine quality, but I had never seen such Gages of sorts 
before. All the other kinds were removed from their 
ordinary character, and the mechanical manipulation of 
the inexperienced workman did wonders in keeping the 
tree healthy and in fine fruiting condition ; little growth 
was made, but the leaves were of great size and very 
stiff. The same success for several seasons attended 
ultimately this operation, with daily supplies of guano 
homcepathic doses ; the house was changed for other 
purposes, and thus overcrowding and watering came to 
an end. 
In the long house, to which I have referred, at Parkhal 1, 
many trees with roots in small compass have done 
wonderfully well, no doubt having been well fed. Eeine 
Claude de Bavey, Jefferson’s and Greengages 
were good and a fine crop. An Apple, which was a 
stranger to me, Lord Grosvenor, was in fine condition, 
and very suitable for culture under glass. Some Apples 
in orchard-houses can be brought to a high state of 
perfection in colour. I have a distinct recollection of a 
collection of fruit brought from Welbeck Abbey, to the 
first International exhibition held at Edinburgh, and 
the dish of fruit which attracted most attention in that 
collection, was a remarkable lot of Apples, brought from 
the orchard-houses there; such colour and almost 
transparent quality, probably had never been seen in 
the north, and I never saw any approach to them in 
the south. To grow Apples under glass, of course, would 
only be allowed by those who wished their fruit to 
attain the highest excellence. The Cherries in the 
orchard house at Parkhall, are studded with a mass of 
fruit buds, and they make next to no coarse growth ; 
Cherries when well-fed at the roots, do well under such 
conditions, and their culture is very interesting. 
Passing to the outside of this gigantic range of glass, 
we turn to the left to inspect some houses on the south 
wall of the garden, as well as some low span-roofed 
structures in close proximity to them. A lean-to, 45 
ft. long, and 15 ft. wide, had splendid crops of large 
Tomatos along the back wall, and young vines were 
planted in the front to occupy the whole roof. Some 
kinds were here for trial—any one kind worthy of a 
chance gets a trial at Parkhall — and really were it not 
for such places in the charge of enterprising men, the 
value of many things would never be known. An 
amateur or a gardener with limited accommodation could 
not risk the chance of proving kinds of fruit which might 
have to be rooted out. The next house we enter is a 
lean-to of the same dimensions as the one just referred 
to, this is a vinery with Hamburghs well done, large 
in bunch, and berries of a fine colour ; we counted 
thirteen large handsome bunches on a vine. Gros 
Maroc was here in capital form, berries and bunches 
