278 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 1, 1887. 
they are worked on the Black Hamburgh, and Mr. 
Ives believes that this stock will bring out the merits 
of this Grape much better than its own roots. There 
are several span-roofed houses contiguous to this, which 
we passed by, and entered one 58 ft. long by 23 ft. wide, 
devoted to Madresfield Court. Conversing on the 
cracking propensities of this variety, Mr. Ives said, 
“we seldom see a cracked berry, but if we suspect 
anything wrong, we know what to do, withhold water 
from the roots and keep the atmosphere tolerably dry.” 
The main essential, however, appeared to be to keep 
the roots as near the surface as possible, consistent 
with their being covered ; this was verified, for a com¬ 
plete network of fibres were seen creeping just under 
the surface. Leaving the Madresfield house, we passed 
through the grounds, which are of moderate dimensions, 
but which contain, besides the vineries, a small isolated 
conservatory and two or three small span-roofed houses 
of ancient date, chiefly occupied with plants for cutting 
and for decoration. Crossing the public road by which 
we entered, we found ourselves in the top or kitchen 
garden ; here are two ranges of glass, occupied with 
late Grapes, and to see these was the main object of 
our visit. 
Little need be said as to the value of late Grapes 
at Christmas and Xew Year’s festivals, and onwards 
into March. It is then when good English Grapes are 
appreciated and in good demand, and most of the other 
houses already mentioned are being worked round to 
come in late, Grapes being so plentiful towards the end 
of summer and autumn that their value is very low. 
It is surprising how well Alicantes are grown here, 
though comparatively in the very heart of the town, thus 
proving it to be a good town Grape, if properly treated, 
as well as a good late one. One may stand in this 
garden, which overlooks the town and valley beyond, 
and count on a clear day nearly 200 long chimney 
stacks belching forth volumes of smoke ; yet such 
examples of Alicante are grown here as will vie with 
any in the kingdom. 
The first of the two houses is a lean-to with a southern 
aspect, facing the hill. It is 270 ft. long, 18 ft. wide, 
15 ft. high at the back, and divided into five compart¬ 
ments, with twenty Vines in each. These compartments 
were originally devoted to separate sorts, such as Mrs. 
Pince’s Black Muscat, West’s St. Peter’s and others, 
which have been removed or used as stocks for the 
Alicante ; even Lady Downes having had to share the 
same fate. The Alicante is here considered to be the 
best for late work, and taking all things into consider¬ 
ation, I do not think there is another to equal it for the 
purpose. Gros Colmar does not seem to appreciate the 
company of the Alicantes, as the temperature suitable 
to the latter is too cold for the former, but we were 
assured that “ the Frenchman ” in one of the warmer 
houses had been grand both in bunch and berry. There 
is a difference in earliness of three weeks in favour of 
the rods upon the W est’s St. Peter’s stock, as against 
those upon Mrs. Pince’s Black Muscat stock ; and a 
beautiful and remarkable feature in the leaves of those 
grafted upon West’s- St. Peter’s is the broad band 
betwixt each midrib, of the richest vermilion. Being 
Christmas week many of the divisions had been denuded 
of their crops, but there were many hundredweights 
still hanging. 
The second range is in the middle of the kitchen 
garden, a span-roofed erection running east and west. 
This is the house figured in Thompson’s Gardeners’ 
Assistant (plate 25), and is 300 ft. long, 24 ft. wide, 
15 ft. high at the ridge, and divided into four com¬ 
partments with forty-three Vines in each, all Alicantes, 
with the exception of some three or four canes of Gros 
Colmar ; these were noticed better in both bunch and 
berry than in the other house. As seen from either 
end, before any bunches are cut, this range presents a 
remarkable sight — over two tons weight of Grapes in 
view at once ! The bunches run large and well 
shouldered, the berries large, with a rich bloom, and 
the flavour—well, it has a strong smack of the Ham¬ 
burgh. Both these houses run with the natural surface 
of the ground, and the gradient being 6 ft. in 100 ft., 
the circulation in the hot-water pipes must, conse¬ 
quently, be quick, and the pressure somewhat heavy 
upon the boilers, of which each range has one. Both 
ranges are built on the most approved principles. The 
side sashes are low, 18 ins. deep, and opening outwards 
on hinges. Side and top ventilation alike runs the 
full length of each division, and worked by machinery. 
The wails are arched so that the roots have free space 
both ways ; the borders are 3 ft. 6 ins. deep, and a 
flow and return runs the full length of the houses — 
one flow and return runs each side of the walk, and, 
branching from these, a flow and return is carried 
around the border, crestwise, the flow being on the 
level. In the centre of each compartment are water- 
tanks alongside the central walk which are constantly 
kept full, and a 1 in. pipe from the main runs round 
inside the tanks, the water always being thus kept 
warm. Such are the Vines and houses at Springhouse, 
which have been under Mr. Ives’ charge for many 
years, and right well he manages them.— B. L. 
-- 
NEGLECTED PEACH TREES. 
At the end of September, 1885, I had occasion to 
remove a number of Peach trees which had got into a 
very neglected state. The trees had been planted about 
fifteen years, on an east wall, and for several years had 
produced no fruit. "When the leaves appeared in spring 
they were always badly blistered, and it took the trees 
a long time to get over its effects, thereby causing them 
to make late growth : the wood in consequence never 
being properly matured. The trees were not old, and I 
was loth to destroy them, so that I decided to transfer 
them to a south wall. Accordingly a border 4 ft. wide 
and 21 ft. deep was taken out, and a 3-inch drain 
carried along the bottom. About 6 ins. of broken 
bricks and clinkers formed the drainage, on the top of 
which a layer of turf was placed, grassy side down¬ 
wards. The border was then filled up with half of the 
old soil which had been taken out, the other half being 
roughly chopped turfy loam, to which was added a 
quantity of ballast, about one-sixth ; the whole was 
then well mixed and lightly trodden. 
The trees were then lifted and found to have made 
long, thick roots, almost destitute of fibre. These were 
shortened with a sharp knife, the trees replanted, and 
a mulching of long litter given, the length and width 
of the border. The trees were then pruned rather 
severely, leaving in the best of the current year’s wood, 
and secured to the wall ; nailing was deferred until the 
soil had sufficiently settled. The trees did not flower 
profusely, but what there was set well. As the leaves 
expanded they were again affected by blister, but in a 
lesser degree than before, and in disbudding, the blistered 
shoots were removed as much as possible. About this time 
a top-dressing of manure was given, and the trees well 
watered. Soon after, the trees began to assume a more 
healthy appearance ; the garden engine was freely 
used, and two or three times during the summer a 
dressing of soot was given and well watered in. 
One tree, a Royal George, ripened four dozen fruits, 
rather below average size, but excellent in point of 
colour and flavour ; and I am quite within the mark in 
saying that not more than halt a dozen fruits fell 
during the stoning period of the twent}’’ trees thus 
treated. The trees have made good growth during the 
summer, and thus far the prospect is encouraging for 
the coming season. — T. C. 
-- 
SPRING GARDENING.—YI. 
Hitheeto my observations have been confined to 
plants either of biennial or perennial duration, with one 
or two annuals. In the present chapter I purpose 
drawing attention to some of the most showy and most 
easily cultivated of all plants, and yet which for 
purposes of spring gardening are more suitably adapted 
than any. That they merit such a high honour as this 
will be understood by those who are acquainted with 
them most readily, and to those who know them not, 
or, at least, whose experience among them is somewhat 
limited, it is not too much to say that in them we 
find not only the most gorgeous colours which are 
known in flowering plants, but also some of The purest 
and some of those soft-toned colours which almost 
everyone among us admires. In fact, it is these great 
strides of colour with their several distinct and pleasing 
shades that makes many groups of plants, and especially 
hardy plants, of such great value in the spring garden. 
The flowers to which I am now about to allude are 
The Anemones, 
"Which are for the most part herbaceous perennial 
Alpines, and at the same time tuberous-rooted. In 
these we have an assemblage of species and forms which, 
if viewed collectively, can well vie with any other group 
of plants in the spring garden. Few, if any, of your 
readers there are but what know something of our own 
native "Wood Anemone, A. nemorosa, and which, if not 
clothed in all that pomp and splendour which marks 
many of tho garden hybrids of to-day, yet it is well 
to observe that even this commonplace plant is well 
suited to adorn many bare spots in gardens where its 
snowy flowers render goodly service among others 
whose company it is suited to keep. For semi-wild 
places in the woodland garden, or for naturalising 
among shrubs and undergrowth, it is all we can desire, 
and the same may be said of its several forms. But I 
have fallen away somewhat from the point, and will 
now take them as they come into flower, which may 
prove a guide to those who desire to embrace them. 
First then on the list is 
Axemoxe ei.axda, 
Which among spring flowers is a perfect gem, and has 
been styled the “Winter Wind Flower ” owing to its 
earliness in flower ; indeed, in warm sheltered localities 
it is not infrequently found endeavouring to burst into 
flower in the mid-winter season, and instances are not 
rare where it has been known to show flowers as early 
as Christmastiue. Such a plant as this to be in flower 
in the dull December season should at once render it 
all the more valuable. The colour of the flowers is 
deep sky-blue, somewhat in the way of A. apennina, 
they, however, being nearly twice as large as that 
species. It generally commences flowering early in 
February, and continues for weeks to produce its lovely 
blossoms, which are about the size of a crown piece. 
It grows to about S ins. high or thereabouts, and may 
certainly be regarded as one of the brightest gems of 
early spring. 
It is thus spoken of in Alpine Flowers : — “It com¬ 
bines every good quality of a hardy Alpine plant, 
should be grown on every rockwork, planted on bare 
banks that catch the early sun in the pleasure ground, 
should adorn the spring garden, and when sufficiently 
plentiful might be naturalised in half wild places along 
with free and hardy members of this charming family. ” 
Such, then, is one of the most delicious bits of colour 
with which we can adorn our gardens in the very dawn 
of spring, and when planted in any light sandy soil, at 
4 ins. deep, it is most sure to succeed. It may be in¬ 
creased by division or seeds. The next kind to which 
I •will draw your attention is Anemone coronaria, or 
The Poppy Axemoxe, 
"Which, with all its endless forms, has no equal - among 
the many flowering plants of early spring. But 
before proceeding farther, and with a view of making 
myself clear to all, I must state that the time of 
flowering depends, to a very great extent, upon the 
time of planting ; and those who desire to have flowers 
very early in the season, must always remember that 
early autumn planting is most essential to secure that 
end. Happily, however, with some tuberous-rooted 
plants, and the various' species and varieties of that 
section of Anemones in particular, they may, by planting 
successions of them during the autumn and spring 
months, be had in flower for a considerable length of 
time, and we never hear of there being too great a 
supply of their varied-coloured flowers. 
As I am at present, however, only advocating spring 
gardening, I will not longer dwell upon their merits 
as summer flowers. In this group we have, without 
doubt, one of the most valuable of all spring plants, 
and one wliich appears to have been among the most 
popular of old-fashioned plants for ages past. It is 
nearly 300 years since it found its way into English 
gardens from the Levant ; and thus having stood the 
test of so many years, it is not likely now, in this great 
age for natural beauty in gardens, that it will -with all 
its improvements and endless variety of colour meet 
with anything but encouragement. The many varieties 
which we now possess will all assist in the embellish¬ 
ment of the spring garden, and few plants better repay 
generous treatment than these ; by saying this I do 
not wish to infer that they are fastidious, far from it, 
for we can meet them still in couutry cottage gardens, 
where they have been undisturbed for years, and have 
formed themselves into grand clumps, and when in 
flower form one ot the most sumptuous arrays of floral 
beauty which it is possible to conceive. 
Just such an array it was my lot and pleasure to 
behold some few years ago, when on a visit to that 
famous collection of Alpines, then grown by the late 
Mr. J. Atkins, of Painswick. In passing some cottages 
on the way I saw great masses that astonished me, 
and caused me to wonder why such grand ornaments 
