August 23, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
807 
do to cripple energy. Let us hope that soon tho 
“ dread spectre of want” will soon vanish from Shelton 
Gardens, and that Mr. Tyler will be able to maintain 
things in such a condition as will make them harmonise 
with the naturally beautiful surroundings. — John 
Thomson, Clovenfords. 
---«*»=e«-- 
WEATHER AND THE FRUIT 
CROPS IN THE WEST OP SCOTLAND. 
In support of my notes on “Fruit Prospects in the 
West of Scotland,” in the pages of The Gardening 
World of May 26th, I now note a few remarks as to 
weather effects and fruit results which are not quite 
exceptional. I think, however, that the rainfall in tho 
interval forms an exception, and one worth noting ; 
while the thermometer readings have been below the 
average for the summer months. The rainfall for June 
was 8'81 ins., while that for July was 6’03 ins., an 
amount in both months much greater than I have read 
or heard of this season. On June 8th our minimum 
thermometer registered 29°, or 3° of frost, on the 26th 
of the same month it registered 36°, on July 17th 40°, 
while on three consecutive evenings it was 43°, the 
remainder of the month averaging 46°. 
We are now at the “fag” end of a disheartening 
Strawberry harvest, not through want of fruit (which 
was, if anything, over-abundant), but through so much 
“ damping.” I have noted that the variety Sir Joseph 
Paxton withstands a persistent rainfall and humidity— 
suitable for ducklings—better than any other variety 
we possess. Not only so, but it is so firm withal that 
it might be forwarded in good condition for hundreds 
of miles ; and this, combined with its uniformity and 
high crimson colour, render it a most desirable variety 
for general cultivation. As evidence of the inclemency 
of the weather, we gathered our first Strawberries last 
year on June 28th, this year on July 14th, the variety 
in each instance being James Yeitch. As yet we have 
not got Noble, but mean to have it presently through 
the favourable reports of its earliness. King of Earlies 
I find a failure, lacking in size, deficient in flavour, and 
a sparse cropper ; while James Yeitch (with ns) is only 
three or four days in rear of it as an early. 
Gooseberries have been very plentiful, but as a con¬ 
sequence of the heavy rainfall in July, splitting was very 
general, even among the late varieties ; and this wonld 
have been much worse but for the heavy crops that all 
have been bearing. Curiously enough, our first ripe 
Gooseberries were gathered last year on July 14th, and 
this year the first were gathered on the 24th of the 
same month—the variety in each instance being the old 
Sulphur. Strawberries were sixteen days later than 
last year ; while the Gooseberries were over ten days 
later this year than last, showing that all fruits are not 
affected alike by the weather. But more curious still, 
our first Black Currants were cropped last year on July 
23rd, this year they were gathered on July 15 th— 
eight days earlier. It is thus quite evident that some 
fruits enjoy a superabundance of moisture ; in fact, I 
think this partly accounts for many failures in Black 
Currant growing. Being surface rooters to a great 
extent, they suffer readily through drought, and should 
therefore be heavily mulched in dry localities. Here 
they are always abundant (except when the buds are 
stolen by the bulfinches), and of an extra large size ; 
indeed, they are like Grapes in miniature. Red 
Currants and Raspberries were seven days later last year 
than this—viz., July 22nd and 29th in the respective 
years. 
Cherries of the Mayduke and Bigarreau families were 
much earlier this season—July Sth—as compared with 
last year—July 20 th ; the quality was very superior, 
while the crops were immensely heavy. The abundant 
laiifall of June no doubt contributed materially to the 
size ; and as to the flavour, Cherries will have a Cherry 
favour, although they never get a glimpse of old Sol. 
Pears are swelling very slowly, and unless we are 
favoured with more heat than we have had for the past 
two months the fruits will be small indeed. Pears 
would succeed admirably in our humid atmosphere, 
and would enjoy the heavy rainfall ; but they like 
more than that, for if they had heat along with the 
moisture they would be a success no doubt. Apples, 
on the other hand, are swelling fast, and promise to be 
fine, especially Ecklinville Seedling, D. T. Fish, Lord 
Suffield, and others of that class. I find that these 
varieties are sure bearers, rarely failing to carry heavy 
crops. The following are equally good—viz., Stirling 
Castle, Irish Peach, Oslin, Kerry Pippin, King of the 
Pippins, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Ingestre Yellow, Pott’s 
Seedling, Juneating, Golden Noble, Worcester Pear- 
main, Devonshire Quarrenden, Hawthornden, New 
Hawthoruden, Manx Codlin, Tower of Glamis, Beauty 
of Kent, Dumelow’s Seedling, Cellini, Loddington or 
Stone’s, Early Julien, &c. The latter is a most useful 
variety for early culinary purposes—indeed, is some¬ 
times prized for dessert. 
Plums enjoy our moist climate, but, like Pears, they 
prefer heat along with the moisture, which is quite 
apparent by their present backward state. We have 
no other stone fruit orrtside, as our moist and mild 
atmosphere is unfavourable to the ripening of wood, 
and this, too, under systematic root-pruning. Each 
season’s peculiarities, in widely different respects, teach 
us a lesson in some department of gardening, and this 
year forms no exception, unless, perhaps, in its char¬ 
acter of rare temperatures and exceptional rainfall. 
These characteristics, carefully observed, may have 
solved a few problems hitherto misty, and apparently 
beyond the grasp of the most problematically inclined. 
It would be superfluous to enter into minutire in each 
department, although a few notes would perhaps be 
equally as interesting as those above. Suffice it to say, 
the exceptional nature of the season, so far as hardy 
fruits are concerned, has illustrated the fact that not a 
few of our hardy fruits require more moisture than 
they generally receive ; and this has been very apparent 
in the majority of the small fruits, which have been of 
a size rarely seen, not failing to satisfy the most 
fastidious. This qualification has obtained to a marked 
degree in Gooseberries and Currants, while Strawberries 
seem to have swelled to the last berry. The wisdom 
of mulching in any season, however untidy it may 
appear, is thus demonstrated ; and if, coupled with 
this, copious supplies of water be given, both in a 
simple and compound form, more benefit now and in 
future might accrue.— J. Proctor, Glenfinart. 
--— 
THE FRIARY, OLD WINDSOR. 
The district around Egham and Eoglefield Green is 
noted for its fine gardens, among others that of 
F. Ricardo, Esq., The Friary, Old Windsor, which 
deserves a passing note. It is very accessible, being 
within a few minutes’ walk of Castle Hill Gardens, or 
The Dell. The mansion is situated on the banks of 
the Thames, in a delightful spot, and surrounded by 
well laid-out grounds, which at this season look very 
beautiful indeed. Near the mansion is a con¬ 
servatory which can be brilliantly illuminated at 
eventide with the electric light. The plant houses and 
kitchen garden are on the opposite side of the Old 
Windsor Road, and everything here wears a modern 
aspect. Indeed, it is not five years since these gardens 
were laid out; but such has been the progress made, 
that the condition of things now assume an established 
aspect. The ground is fully utilised, and pleasingly 
laid out, suggesting the idea of a good knowledge 
of landscape work and the prevalence of a good system 
of management. The glass structures are numerous 
and well adapted for what is required of them. The 
plant houses are filled with well-grown subjects. 
Orchids are not numerous, but some good Calanthes 
were noticed. In this house, too, Poinsettias were 
very promising ; also Carex variegata, a pretty little 
subject with grass-like foliage, deserves mention. 
The stove house contained beautiful specimens of 
Crotons, well-coloured ; also Palms and climbers doing 
well. Some splendid early Chrysanthemums were 
noticed, of the Desgrange family, and Celosias and 
zonal Pelargoniums, edged with Asters in pots, made 
the house gay. 
A long fruit-range, comprising vineries, Peach and 
Fig houses, had a very promising appearance. Black 
Hamburgh Yines, not three years’ old, carried a good 
crop ; Gros Colmar, Muscat of Alexandria, &c., also in 
good condition. Brown Turkey Fig gives the best 
satisfaction here. Later crops of Peaches carried 
excellent fruit. A house of Melons had good fruits 
of Conqueror of Europe and the Countess. Tomatos 
were a feature. Horseford’s Prelude is an excellent 
cropper, fruit evenly distributed on a straight stalk, of 
medium size, and pale red. Hathaway’s Excelsior and 
Perfection were both fruiting well. 
The kitchen garden was filled with excellent crops 
of vegetables, and Apples on young standard trees bore 
plenty of fruit. There is a fair sprinkling of Plums, 
notably Yictoria, but no Damsons. Passing through 
this a Rose garden came into view, and healthy the 
plants looked, while a bed of Teas covered with bloom 
proves exceedingly useful for cutting. Bouvardias, 
Primulas and Cinerarias were very good. About 500 
Chrysanthemums are grown, and promise to be fine. 
Strawberries we noticed in 6-in. pots for early forcing, 
and making good crowns. This brief sketch will imply 
that Mr. Tomlinson, the gardener, has abilities of a 
high order, and the writer bears testimony to his 
kindness and courtesy in showing him over the grounds. 
— F. R. S. 
-- 
AMERICAN FRUIT EVAPO¬ 
RATORS. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
held at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on Tuesday of 
last week, a paper on this subject, by Mr. Edward 
Badger, F.R.H.S., was read to the members. The 
object of the author was to show the value of the 
evaporator to fruit growers, inasmuch as it would 
enable them to minimise, if not actually prevent, gluts 
of Apples, Plums, &c., being thrown upon the markets 
in years when the supply is greater than the demand 
for immediate use. The evaporator, as we explained at 
some length a year or so ago, is an apparatus which 
deprives fresh fruit of its moisture, and in the process 
of doing so causes certain chemical changes in it 
whereby the diastase or saccharine contained in all 
fruit, and which is the primary cause of its decay, is 
rendered inoperative, and all germs of animal or vege¬ 
table life are destroyed by the high temperature to 
which the fruit is exposed. 
Evaporated fruit is a totally different commodity to 
sun-dried or kiln-dried fruit. It will keep better, is 
more digestible and nutritious, is less acid, and will 
sell for more in the market. The quantity produced 
and sold in the United States is enormous, and yearly 
grows larger. In one district in the western portion of 
New York State, lying within a radius of forty miles 
around the city of Rochester, in the year 1888, 
37,750,000 lbs. of evaporated fruit was produced, and 
sold for £297,000, the greater part being Apples. The 
process is applicable to all kinds of fruit, and its value 
to the grower is that it enables him, at small cost, to 
convert a perishable into a readily saleable commodity, 
which will keep good for a year or more; it can thus 
be kept until fresh fruit has become scarce and high- 
priced, and will command good and remunerative 
prices. It is found in America, where fruit forms an 
important article of diet, that evaporated Apples readily 
sell at from 5 d. to 7\d. per lb. A pound of evaporated 
Apples contains all the constituents of 6 lbs. of fresh 
Apples except water ; and this is readily replaced by 
soaking the dried Apple rings for a sufficient number of 
hours before they are used in making pies, &c. Then 
it must be borne in mind that there is no waste in the 
evaporated fruit, for the skin and core are removed 
before drying. 
There are a large number of evaporator makers in 
America, some of whom do a very large business. 
Although the apparatus has been in existence only 
about twenty years, one firm alone has sold more than 
20,000 of these appliances, at prices ranging from £5 
for the smallest size up to £50 and upwards for the 
larger size. The evaporators of different makers vary 
more or less, but may be roughly classified into two 
types: (1) those in which the hot chamber is vertical 
to the stove or furnace ; and (2) those in which the hot 
chamber is not vertical, but placed on an inclined 
plane at a slight angle away from the stove. Of the 
first kind, that made by the Zimmerman Machine Co., 
at Cincinnati, is a good type ; while the other is made 
by the American Manufacturing Co., at 'Waynesboro, 
Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The latter has been 
exhibited on several occasions at English agricultural 
shows, of which those of the Royal Agricultural 
Society at Nottingham and Windsor are the most 
recent instances. At the last named, for the “American” 
evaporator the society’s prize of £30 was awarded to 
Messrs. Ph. Mayfarth & Co., of Frankfort-on-the-Main, 
who are represented in this country by Mr. A. Ludwig, 
of 16, Mincing Lane, London. Full details of these 
different types of evaporators, and much information as 
to their cost, &c., were given. The paper concluded by 
suggesting that a case had been made out for the use of 
the evaporator in this country ; and pointing out that 
the most probable way in which it could be best utilised 
would be for enterprising men in fruit-growing districts 
to set up as fruit evaporators ; either buying the fruit 
outright and manipulating it it on their own behalf, or 
else evaporating it for the growers at a reasonable.rate : 
both plans are in use in America. It was also suggested 
that it is not an unreasonable hope that some large 
landowner in a fruit-growing county in this country 
may be induced to buy one of these appliances and 
have its usefulness tested for the benefit and instruction 
of his tenants and neighbours, and his countrymen in 
general .—Midland Counties Herald. 
