October 20, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
115 
disbudded cuttings on the premises. Several used to be 
sold, but only about 10,000 a year are now disposed of to 
friends and neighbours. Cuttings inserted with all 
their buds, resulting in a mass of suckers, as is not un¬ 
common in some parts of Kent, would not be tolerated. 
They are regarded by Mr. Parker not only as slovenly, 
which they are, but relatively inferior in productiveness 
to those grown on clean stems. 
Pruning is mainly confined to thinning out any 
shoots or branches that, if left, would impede the work 
of clearing the crops. There is no systematic spurring, 
or of shortening the terminal growths at a prescribed 
number of inches, but possibly the ends of any that 
project far beyond the rest are snipped off, for the 
bushes are not entirely wanting in symmetry. They 
are creditable in appearance, regarding them from a 
gardener’s standard, but are essentially fruit and money 
producers, and in this most important respect answer 
their purpose well. 
“ Top ” Fruits. 
A few words may be added on “ top” fruit, in order 
to complete the description of this simple yet profitable 
fruit garden. It has been said that Apples, Pears, and 
Plums are grown. These were planted amongst Goose¬ 
berries, or the Gooseberries planted amongst them ; I 
cannot tell which, nor does it matter, because in 
present routine the removal of both is constantly going 
on. "When trees show signs of failure they are either 
grafted or uprooted, and old bushes give place to new 
ones when the desirability arises. 
The larger trees are planted, as a rule, about 6 yards 
apart, which suffices for Plums and early Codlin Apples, 
but not for later Apples of spreading growth. Generally 
three rows of Gooseberries are grown between each two 
rows of trees, a few bushes at about 6 ft. apart also 
being planted in lines with the trees. 
No Pears are grown in bulk besides the Hessle, 
which is one of the hardiest, tallest and freest growers, 
and an abundant bearer, and is well adapted for exposed 
and cold districts. It is not unusual to gather a 
hundred pecks from a tree, and there is no difficulty in 
disposing of all that can be grown. The fruit is neither 
large nor very handsome, but the crops “pay” well. 
Of Plums reliance is placed on Victoria, because the 
trees always bear, and the fruit always sells. It is the 
Plum of Plums for northern orchards, and the branches 
do not break when lopped in occasionally, the trees 
then making closer heads than is natural to the variety. 
Treated in that simple way, props, that are so numerous 
in some orchards, are dispensed with. 
Apples are by far the most extensively grown as 
“top” fruit, but though trees are numerous, varieties 
are limited. Keswick Codlin has been long grown, 
but this and all others of the type are being superseded 
by the Domino, which grows and bears well in a young 
state, giving quick returns, the fruit being ready as 
soon as the Keswick, while it is larger, darker in 
colour, heavier, and keeps longer. This Apple is 
spreading and will spread. A variety not often seen 
in the south, the Sleeping Beauty, is grown because of 
its productiveness, but the fruit is not large, and the 
variety is not likely to be greatly increased. Jenning’s 
Seedling, a local Apple, is bearing more heavily than 
any other, and the fruit being of good size is in demand 
in the markets. Portions of clean branches of three or 
four years’ growth, cut into lengths of 3 ft. or so and 
firmly inserted in the ground, make fine trees of up¬ 
right growth. Some of them 20 ft. or 30 ft. high were 
crowded with excellent fruit. Dumelow’s Seedling has 
been extensively planted, and for a long time was 
relied on for late use and was very profitable, but of 
late years trees of it, old and young, have entirely 
failed to give satisfaction. They have assumed a sickly 
appearance from some unknown cause, and this once 
favourite Apple is “done for” in the district. Its 
place is being taken by 
The Nottinghamshire Apple, 
Bramley’s Seedling. Trees planted twelve or fifteen 
years are models, strong yet sturdy in growth, with 
dark green leaves and clusters of large glossy green, 
red-flushed fruits of great weight, and which command 
the top price in the market. This is essentially an 
orchard Apple that is bound to spread. The trees 
appear to be intermediate in character between 
Dumelow s Seedling (also known as Normanton 
"Wonder and Wellington) and Blenheim Orange, and I 
should not be surprised if those are the parents. It 
seems to combine the vigour of the latter with the free- 
spurring character of the former. I have seen 50,000 
trees of Bramley’s Seedling during the past month/and 
one bearing a crop for which the owner would not take 
£5 and be relieved of the gathering. A writer in an 
evening paper, the Echo, alludes to a tree bearing £10 
worth of fruit. I have not seen such a mountain of 
gold, but I have seen upwards of 50 pecks of 18 lbs. on 
a tree that can be sold any day for 2s. a peck. It is 
well to see what is going on in the east and north, and 
to take note of varieties. One I have been told will 
even outlive Bramley’s Seedling, and this is Pearson’s 
(of Chilwell) New Northern Greening. I have seen 
two-year-old trees of this bearing freely fruits which 
for symmetry and solidity could not be surpassed. It 
is a long keeper, worthy of attention, and has un¬ 
doubtedly a long career of usefulness before it; but as 
to its surviving its compeer, I feel sure that no person 
living will witness the end of either, so the question of 
“durability” must be left to be settled by succeeding 
generations. 
The fashion at present is to plant Apple trees closely 
together on Paradise stocks for early hearing. Un¬ 
doubtedly that is the way to get the most Apples in 
the least time, but I have yet to be convinced, taking 
into account first cost and after labour (with the 
contingencies of seasons) that a combination of orchard 
Apples and Plums, with an undergrowth of Goose¬ 
berries, will not give an equally good return to a large 
number of cultivators not skilled in pinching and 
pruning, but who may yet send the best of fruit, “top,” 
“bottom,” or both, in large bulk to the markets after 
the manner of the intelligent and thrifty Fen farmer at 
Pinchbeck. 
-- 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
Beet, Downie’s Superb Blood Red. 
This variety has proved exceptionally good with U3 
this season. We had a packet of seed in spring, which 
we sowed side by side with Frisby’s Excelsior, Nutting’s 
Selected, and Cattell’s Dwarf Crimson, so that its 
qualities would be fairly tested with these well-known 
varieties, and it has proved itself superior in quality to 
any of them. The foliage is dwarfish, regular in 
growth, and dark crimson in colour ; while the root is 
of medium size, well shaped, deep rich crimson in 
colour, and excellent in flavour when cooked.— William 
Little, Kinmouth Gardens, N.B. 
The Goldfinder Pea. 
On p. 103 I note “A Grower’s” remarks respecting 
Goldfinder Pea, and would like to say that it is very 
popular in this part; but the reason it has not appeared 
in most catalogues is simply because it is not a new 
variety, only a new name. This season I made a trial 
of Peas, consisting of over sixty varieties, and among 
them were Goldfinder, Perfect Marrow, Exhibition 
Marrow, and Bruce Findlay, all of which are simply 
good stocks of the old Ne Plus Ultra. If I prefer one 
to any other, I would name Perfect Marrow, it being a 
trifle larger than the others, but a good stock of the 
favourite (Ne Plus Ultra) will contain all the varieties 
mentioned.— Exmouth. 
New Varieties of Potatos. 
In the spring I planted two “new” sorts, viz., Carter’s 
Surprise and Carter’s King of the Russetts, with the 
result that the former turns out to be “ The Cobbler,” 
and the latter “Adirondack,” a variety I have been 
growing for the past eight years. Both of these were 
awarded First Class Certificates by the R. H. S., 1886, 
“after a thorough test in the society’s experimental 
gardens.” Both varieties were grown side by side with 
the sorts named as identical. — W. S. [Is there not 
some error here?— Ed.] 
-~>$«- 
|f0TES FROM 
A Holiday Trip to Scotland (concluded from 
p. 99/—Leaving the Tweed Vineyards we turned our 
faces towards Edinburgh, the centre of horticulture in 
Scotland, and our first call was at 
Salisbury Green, 
The residence of Mrs. Nelson. Since our last visit 
many improvements have been, and are still being 
made ; adjoining property has been purchased, and is 
being laid out and connected with the already extensive 
(for a town residence) grounds. Our inspection of the 
houses also showed that the same steady progress is 
being maintained by Mr. Laing, under whose able 
management the houses, gardens, and pleasure grounds 
have been entirely remodelled. The Orchid collection 
has increased greatly of late, and in point of health 
and cleanliness it is all that could be desired. On 
entering the cool-growing department one is struck 
with the gigantic specimens of Ccelogyne cristata, not 
only on account of the size of the plants but of the 
bulbs also. It may be of interest to those who advocate 
the occasional breaking up of this variety as conducive 
to its well-being, to know that the plants in question 
have not been potted for more than six years, and the 
bulbs they are now maturing are larger than any of 
the previous ones. The compost used at the last 
potting was fibrous peat, sphagnum moss, and cow 
manure, the latter dried and broken almost to a powder. 
In this department plants in flower comprised Odonto- 
glossum crispum, O. maculatum, O. pulchellum majus, 
O. Uro-Skinneri, Masdevallia Lindeni, M. ignea, 
M. i. militaris, M. Veitchii, and M. V. grandiflora. 
Amongst the warmer-growing species there was much 
to interest and admire ; a small plant of Renanthera 
(Vanda) Lowii, with two spikes of flowers, was a con¬ 
spicuous object, the largest spike having thirty-two 
flowers, the other twenty-two. The most remarkable 
thing about this species is having dissimilar flowers 
on one spike ; in most cases the first two differ from 
the others, but in this case the first three are alike, 
of a dull yellow, spotted with crimson, while the 
remainder are of a greenish yellow, and heavily 
blotched with dark brown. Some growers recommend 
cool treatment as bringing about the best results, but 
here it is grown in a rather warm moist stove, which 
would agree with what travellers tell us it requires, its 
native haunts being the humid forests of Borneo. In 
close company with the foregoing was a fine plant of the 
true Angrsecum Ellisii, with a spike of its lovely white 
flowers, 2 ft. long ; here also Cypripedium niveum, C. 
concolor and C. Godefroyse were at home and in a state 
of health seldom seen in this class. 
Cattleyas in flower were represented by C. Gas- 
kelliana, C. Leopoldii, C. Eldorado, in company with 
the neat Lielia xanthina, and others. A Cattleya 
Trianse about 1 yard across, having twenty leading 
growths, was much admired. Although Orchids get a 
large share of attention other things are not overlooked. 
Mr. Laing is very successful with Pitcher plants, of 
which he has a good collection. Grapes, Peaches, and 
Nectarines are also well done, and the establishment as 
a whole speaks volumes for the skill that is brought to 
bear on each department. Although time was rather 
limited we could not miss the opportunity of looking 
in at 
Oswald House, 
The beautifully-situated residence of J. Buchanan, 
Esq. Here also extra houses have lately been erected, 
to provide accommodation for the continual increase in 
the collection of Orchids, a fine span-roofed Cattleya 
and Laflia house being the latest addition. This latter 
is already filled to overflowing, principally with the 
larger specimens, and some noble examples of high 
cultivation it contains, such as Lselia purpurata, close 
upon 4 ft. through, and an equally large L. elegans, 
with nine spikes of flowers open, had a good effect. 
Cattleyas were also represented by some large masses, 
C. crispa Buchananiana being of special merit. Amongst 
others in flower was the highest-coloured form of 
C. exoniensis I have seen, the lip being of a dazzling 
purple, and the plant a fine healthy piece of fourteen 
bulbs and three leads. C. Gaskelliana, C. Eldorado 
"Wallace!, and C. Harrisonianum also added to the 
show. 
Amongst the numerous Cypripediums was one of 
C. Stonei, not less than 3 ft. through, and in excellent 
condition. Vandas are always a notable feature at 
this place. Amongst others in flower was a noble 
plant of V. snavis, Manchester variety, having twenty- 
seven pairs of leaves on one stem. This variety finds 
special favour with Mr. Grossart, Mr. Buchanan’s head 
gardener. There are several establishments in the 
north where I have met with plants bearing the name 
“ Manchester var.,’’but I have always failed to draw 
the line between them and the one more generally 
known as V. suavis, Veitch’s variety. Several others 
were represented by large plants, especially V. tricolor, 
including Dr. Paterson’s and Dalkeith varieties. 
Ferns are another great speciality at this place, and 
some gigantic plants are amongst the collection. One 
notable piece is Davallia Fijiensis plumosus, being 5 ft. 
across, and stronger-growing species are even more 
than that. Adiantum amabilis had fronds 4 ft. in 
length. On examining the Challenge Cup of the Royal 
Caledonian Horticultural Society given for six speci¬ 
men exotic Ferns, the number of successive times Mr. 
Grossart’s name is inscribed thereon demonstrates 
in a marked degree that the specimens from Oswald 
House are formidable opponents on the exhibition table. 
With a hurried visit to the Great Exhibition in the 
western metropolis, a most enjoyable and instructive 
holiday was brought to a close. Although the 
industries here represented are legion, the art of 
the landscape gardener has added its quota of attrac¬ 
tion in no small degree to the five millions of visitors 
who have passed the turnstiles since it opened in May ; 
and visitors in quest of horticultural objects will find 
much to instruct them in the court set apart for that 
section.— E. O. Fraser. 
iCOTLAND. 
