September 24, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
53 
A compost of two-thirds peat, and one of fibry loam, 
together with a small quantity of charcoal and sharp 
sand, will grow this plant to perfection. 
-—>X<-- 
KELSEY MANOR, BECKENHAM. 
I have to thank Mr. Goldsmith, the courteous 
gardener to Mrs. C. Hoare, for an opportunity of look¬ 
ing over this fine old place, which, however, from 
having been to a large extent remodelled during recent 
years, has somewhat the appearance of newness ; and 
were it not for the presence of some fine old trees which 
give it the stamp of maturity, it would be difficult for 
a stranger to imagine that it is not the production of 
modern times. The storm of last Christmas has left a 
sad record here of its severity, and made ravages, the 
effects of which can never be effaced so long as the giants 
of the forest which it ruthlessly injured are left stand¬ 
ing. One fine Cedar of Lebanon, next to the mansion, 
was terribly torn about, and many of the Scotch Firs, 
of which there were fine specimens, are nearly denuded 
of branches. Among other noticeable trees are two fine 
Tulip trees, one on the lawn having a spread of 26 yds. 
across, another on the margin of the lake having a 
bole about 4 ft. through, 3 ft. from the 
ground. This is a very lofty and healthy 
tree, and, judging from this specimen, it 
would seem that a moist situation suits it 
best, as the roots must be entirely beneath 
the water. They flower profusely every 
year. Looking at these fine specimens, 
one cannot help regretting that there are 
so few to be seen ; as apart from its flowers, 
it has a beauty peculiarly its own, and is, 
I believe, a good timber tree, and by no 
means slow of growth. 
There are here also a few very large 
specimens of the common Plane. One 
standing out by itself near the Rose 
garden is a superb specimen, and, like two 
or three others, would, I think, girth 
about 11 ft. There is a good collection 
of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, and 
the leading kinds of coniferous trees are 
well represented — examples of Welling- 
tonia, Cryptomeria, Picea glauca and many 
others doing remarkably well. In glancing 
round from almost any standpoint, the 
value of Ailanthus glandulosa, Mop 
Acacias, Yews, Acer negundo variegata, 
Copper Beech, Sambucus aurea, as subjects 
for giving a bright effect in garden scenery 
is very well exemplified, as they have all 
been made good use of as well as the 
Lombardy Poplar. The lawn is very ex¬ 
tensive, and the part near the mansion is 
level, with broad gravel paths margined 
with flower beds and various Palms, 
Cycads, Agaves, &c. Included in its area 
is a good tennis court, and a Rhododendron 
garden ; and also may be seen good ex¬ 
amples of mixed beds of sub-tropical and 
flowering plants. On the morning of my 
visit we had a drenching shower of rain, 
which told seriously against the Pelar¬ 
goniums, and showed up the value of the 
tuberous Begonias as bedding plants in a 
striking manner. These were a mass of 
flower, and looked all that could be wished for, while 
the poor Pelargoniums were a mass of wretchedness. 
From the plateau around the mansion the lawn is 
seen to be of an undulating character, falling to the 
margin of the lake by a gentle slope, dotted with choice 
specimen trees. Near the margin of the lake is a flower 
garden on grass, in which are examples of the mixed, 
sub-tropical, carpet, and more ordinary styles of bedding 
—all well done. Here I found that Mr. Goldsmith 
had made good use of the favourite old Nosegay Pelar¬ 
gonium, Lord Palmerston. ¥e have seen very many 
new ones introduced since its advent, but still must 
admit that it is first rate. It was the only one here 
that looked well after the rain. Between the gravel 
path and the margin of the lake Mr. Goldsmith has 
introduced a serpent bed 110 yds. in length. The head 
and tail are worked out with carpet bedding plants, 
the principal things used being Klenia repens, 
Antennaria tomentosa, Sedum glaucum, Sempervivum 
californicum, and Alternantheras ; when seen by moon¬ 
light the resemblance to a serpent’s head is very strik¬ 
ing. The body this season has been planted with 
Pelargoniums. The intention is when sufficient stock 
is worked up to plant only with carpet-bedding stuff. 
A pleasant walk along the margin of the lake leads to 
the Rose garden, which is rather a large one, laid out 
on a geometrical plan, and well planted with the 
choicest varieties. Good use is here made of a fine 
strain of single Petunias to carpet the surface beneath 
the standard plants. This Rosery is at one end of the 
ornamental water, and near the far end is a fernery 
built up with roots, formed up into high banks and 
deep hollows, with paths winding in and out, and which 
lead down to the lower lake. The beauty of the spot is 
enhanced by a cascade, over which the water falls from 
the larger lake ; this is a beautiful imitation of a high¬ 
land waterfall, the gorge through which the water runs 
into the lower lake being lined with Ferns, and a 
rustic bridge above the cascade gives a pleasing finish 
to a beautiful bit of scenery. The two pieces of 
water cover an area of about twenty acres and contain 
plenty of Water Lilies. The side opposite the mansion 
is well timbered. 
The principal kitchen or fruit garden is at some 
distance from the house, and is walled in ; the glass 
houses occupy most of the southern walls, the space left 
being used for Cherries, Pears and Plums. Mr. Gold¬ 
smith is an adept at Pear culture, and the collection 
Mitkiostigma axillare. 
of this fruit being an extensive one he is well at home 
among them. He found when he came here a number 
of trees trained horizontally, which from neglect and 
mismanagement rarely fruited ; these he has now got 
into excellent health, and I noticed good crops of well- 
developed fruit on most of them. He is an enthusiast 
about cordons, and they here bear out all that has been 
said in their favour; it is quite certain that a wall 
may be much more quickly covered with fruit¬ 
bearing wood on this plan than on any other, and 
as it admits of a greater variety being introduced 
into the same space, there is much in the principle 
to recommend it for adoption in our fickle climate. 
A difference of a few days in flowering will often 
determine whether a crop of fruit is to reward the 
grower for his labour. A single frost will often destroy 
the chance of a crop of those varieties which happen 
to be in flower at the time, and so will continued 
rain and damp ; preventing, as it sometimes does, the 
distribution of the pollen. I counted twenty good 
fruits on a young cordon, with not more than 3 ft. of 
fruit-bearing wood ; and in some instances the fruit on 
the cordons of the same varieties is much better than 
those on the horizontal-trained trees. Among the best 
fruit this year may be named Clapp’s Favourite, a 
beautiful variety in all respects, and which ought to be 
extensively planted; Doyenne Boussoch, Emile de 
Heyst, Doyenne du Comice, extra fine, Duchesse 
d’Angouleme, Fertility, a great cropper, General Todtle- 
ben, Jargonelle, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Marie Louise, 
Marie Louise d’Uccle, Madame Treyve, Passe Colmar, 
Pitmaston Duchess, Triomphe de Vienna, and Vicar 
of Winkfield. 
The Peach-house is a new, light, airy structure, 212 
ft. in length and about 16 ft. wide, which was planted 
with a very select collection of Peaches and Nectarines 
in March, 1886, and which are doing remarkably well. 
The range is divided into three compartments—early, 
second and late. The varieties in the late house will 
give some idea of the general collection. They are— 
Peaches : Abec, large and first-rate, Alexandra, Nob¬ 
lesse, Barrington, Crawford’s Early, Hale’s Early, 
rich in colour and finely flavoured, Bellegarde, Princess 
of Wales, very large and handsome, Grosse Mignonne, 
Sea Eagle, pale colour and high flavour, Walburton 
Admirable, Noblesse, Stirling Castle, Lord Palmerston, 
and Violette Hative. Nectarines: Elruge, Pine Apple, 
very rich, Victoria, Humboldt, large, rich and highly 
esteemed here, Violette Hative, Lord 
Napier, the best early kind and very hand¬ 
some, Rivers’ Orange, and Albert Victor. 
Tomatos are largely grown, and in 
addition to two rows running the whole 
length of the Peach-house, there is a span- 
roofed house 55 ft. in length and 18 ft. in 
breadth filled with them. The plants are 
grown in No. 8 pots, and were raised early 
and placed into 60’s, and then potted on or 
planted out in their fruiting quarters with¬ 
out turning them out of these small pots. 
This acts as a check to exuberant growth, 
and induces early fruitfulness. The first 
ripe fruit was gathered during the first 
week in June, and immense quantities 
must have been gathered since. The best 
varieties grown are Webb’s Jubilee, extra ; 
Daniel’s Mayflower, extra ; Reading Per¬ 
fection, Stamfordian, Haekwood Park, 
Hathaway’s Excelsior, Acme, early and 
very good ; Vick’s Criterion, Williams’ 
Goldfinder, Mikado, Trophy, Criterion, 
Pedigree, Old Red, and Earliest of All, a 
well named sort, for sowm here some time 
after all the others, it was the first to ripen 
its fruit. Tomatos are largely used here 
for dishing up with the dessert for orna¬ 
ment, and they are eaten also as a fruit. 
Melons are grown in a pit 140 ft. in length, 
and a succession of fruits is ensured by 
planting the divisions at intervals. I saw 
fine well-finished fruits of Golden Per¬ 
fection, Blenheim Orange, Golden Queen, 
Reed’s Scarlet, and Hero of Lockinge. 
Other varieties are also grown, but Mr. 
Goldsmith considers these the cream of the 
collection. 
The vineries are a noble range 140 ft. 
in length, lofty and wide. The early 
house is "planted with Black Hamburgh, 
the crop of which was gathered some time 
back. The later house contains Muscats, 
Hamburghs, Barbarossa, and Black Prince ; 
these were lifted in January, 1886, and are carrying a 
good crop of large well-finished bunches, the Black 
Prince, Barbarossa and Muscats being very fine; 
indeed, the latter for colour and finish are excellent, 
and would do credit to the most accomplished fruit 
grower. The whole house bears evidence of having 
been managed with great skill. The Rose house is 
principally devoted to Niphetos and Marechal Niel; 
there is a fine plant of the latter trained under the glass, 
which, during the season, has given several crops of 
fine flowers. 
Large quantities of cut flowers have to be regularly 
provided, and for winter cutting some 2,000 Chrysan¬ 
themums are grown. White-flowered varieties being 
in most demand, such popular varieties as Ethel, 
Elaine, Fair Maid of Guernsey and Princess Beatrice 
are grown by hundreds. The plants are in vigorous 
health, and bid fair to yield a satisfactory harvest of 
floral beauty. They are grown in 16-size pots, which 
are plunged two-thirds of their depth in ashes. 
Tuberoses are done well, and grown in quantity, 1,000 
being cultivated yearly. Cyclamens, Chinese Primulas, 
especially the double white variety of the latter, come 
in for a good share of attention, and well repay the 
