68 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 1, 1898. 
case the Brambles are very variable, and 
even in a wild state some of them appear 
capable of producing larger fruits and a 
greater quantity of them than others. They 
are widely distributed in all parts of the 
British Islands notwithstanding the fact 
that cultivators in the south speak of them 
(or it, for the general impression amongst 
gardeners is that a Bramble is a Bramble 
and nothing more) as the English Bram¬ 
ble, while northern growers use the title 
Scottish Bramble. This recalls the story 
of the Scotch Rose, and if Scottish growers 
improve the Bramble as they did Rosa 
spinosissima many years ago, we may yet 
have Scotch Brambles. In any case it 
would repay the gardener to exercise his 
observation and transplant only the most 
fruitful and early ripening sorts from the 
heaths, commons, or hedge banks to the 
garden. While speaking of early ripening 
sorts we may state that the Dewberry 
(Rubus caesius) ripens its fruit from July 
onwards, but as it consists of merely a 
few large drupels or grains, their appearance 
on the table would not be tempting except 
for the bloom upon the drupels, which may 
be compared to that on some varieties of 
Grape. 
A correspondent calls our attention to an 
article in the Scotsman for September 22nd, 
in which the succsssful cultivation of the 
Bramble “ is believed to be a new depart¬ 
ure in fruit-growing.” It is another instance 
of the individual enterprise of a gardener, 
namely, Mr. Caldwell, gardener to J. J. 
Cadell, Esq., Carronpark, Larbert, Stirling¬ 
shire. About ten years ago Mr. Caldwell 
conceived the idea that the wild Bramble 
might, under liberal treatment and cultural 
attention, become so much superior to its 
relatives of the wayside, as to take its 
place amongst dessert fruits at the table and 
so repay the labour expended upon it. With 
the permission of his superior, who 
exhibited some interest in the experiment, 
he procured some plants in the neighbour¬ 
hood and transferred them to the garden. 
His first experiment was to plant a row of 
Brambles, seventeen yards in length, and 
3 ft., from stool to stool. The row was 
made to run east and west, and the ground 
was liberally manured; but as the Bram¬ 
bles did not come up to expectations the 
first year or two the cultivator reasoned 
that he had been overfeeding them. By the 
third or fourth year of the plantation the 
Brambles bore an excellent crop. Improv¬ 
ing upon his experiment Mr. Caldwell 
planted a longer row running north and 
south, which turned out to be a decided 
improvement, inasmuch as the two sides of 
the row had the benefit of the morning and 
afternoon sun to hasten their maturity. 
This we think one of the greatest secrets of 
success in the cultivation of Brambles. 
Whether they are growing on the bare 
heaths, commons, or scrambling over 
hedgerows, the best fruits are always pro¬ 
duced when fully exposed to sunshine and 
air. The places where they grow are often 
stony, or gravelly, and practically of the 
poorest description. These considerations 
ought to have some weight with would-be 
cultivators, and Mr. Caldwell has acted 
partly upon it inasmuch as he mulches 
sparingly for the first few years till the 
plants are thoroughly established. Last 
year he gathered nmety-nine pounds of fruit 
from his two rows of plants, which in the 
aggregate runs to 39 yds., or 117 ft. Frost, 
however, prevented the ripening of the 
remainder of the crop. This year he ex¬ 
pects to double the weight of last year’s 
harvest. The Brambles remain in bearing 
from the beginning of September to the end 
of October, and no difficulty is experienced 
in disposing of the surplus in the immediate 
district. 
Some years ago while fruit conferences 
were being held at the Crystal Palace, the 
idea was promulgated that fruit growers and 
market gardeners generally should plant 
Brambles on the banks of the ditches and 
streams running through their grounds. 
Wholesale planting in this manner has not, 
as far as we have ascertained, been carried 
out, and indeed we believe it would bring 
the subject of Bramble culture into disre¬ 
pute. Planting must be done with discre¬ 
tion, and by the careful selection of varieties. 
The industrious and careful gardener is 
more likely to establish the reputation of 
Bramble culture than the market gardener 
who would transfer anything in the shape 
of a Bramble to his grounds and leave the 
same to battle with other vegetation, often 
under more unsuitable conditions than in 
the wild state. This could hardly be 
reckoned cultivation,much less an advanced 
form of it. A trellis or wire fence would 
enable the cultivator to thoroughly expose 
the foliage and fruit to light and air. After 
fruiting the old canes should be cut away 
and every encouragement given to the 
ripening of the young ones which are to 
constitute the fruiting canes in the following 
year. There is great reason to believe 
that the dry and warm conditions prevail¬ 
ing in the southern counties of England 
would bemuch more favourable to Brambles 
than to Raspberries, which like more 
moisture in the soil and atmosphere, and 
even do well in shade. The Bramble 
again, is not liable to be infested with so 
many enemies as the Raspberry. The 
fruits of the latter are greatly damaged, both 
in the wild state and in gardens by the grub 
of the Raspberry Beetle (Byturus toment- 
osus); and the buds and fruiting branches 
are destroyed in spring by the red grub of 
the moth, Lampronia rubiella. Birds are 
also excessively fond of Raspberries, and in 
many gardens surrounded by woods netting 
the plantations has to be effected to save 
the fruits. None of these pests have a pre¬ 
dilection for the Bramble, so that gardeners 
might, with advantage to themselves and 
their employers, give some well considered 
and judicious attention to the culture of 
British Brambles, transplanting the best to 
their gardens, and raising new and improved 
varieties from seed. 
The Dewfall on the surface of England is com¬ 
puted to equal 5 in. of rain per year. 
The Vegetarian Nations, per se or otherwise, have 
never attained to be ruling peoples of the earth, or 
have lost that position. 
Kelling Heath, Norfolk, was the scene of a grand 
pyrotechnic display recently, when 8co acres of 
Heather and Furze were reduced to a black waste. 
The landscape by night glowed for many miles round 
at the height of the conflagration, the sheet of 
flames being about half a mile wide. 
Apples on their own Roots.-—Now and again we 
hear a wail about the artificiality of many of our 
methods of garden practice. One of these is that 
Apple trees should be planted on their own roots. 
To do this it would be necessary to take cuttings and 
root them, a proceeding scarcely, if any, less arti¬ 
ficial than budding or grafting, for the knife has to 
be used in either case. But, then, say the grumblers, 
the trees on their own roots would be much mora 
durable than those on the roots of some other 
variety. This is very doubtful, for if Apples on the 
Crab stock will remain fruitful for go or ioo years, 
the fact leaves little room for grumbling. We 
recently witnessed a plantation of Apple trees about 
6 ft. high or over, in the Allington Nurseries of 
Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co , and they wtre as 
barren as the day the cuttings were removed from 
the parent trees. Perhaps it may be stated that 
trees on their own roots may be compared to those 
on the Crab, but it is a far cry to wait for such trees 
in private gardens when first-class fruits may be en¬ 
joyed in the course of two or three years. 
Is a Khalifa of the Soudan any relation of the 
Acalypha of gardens ?— Snaggs. 
A Plague of Wasps in some parts of Surrey has 
been the result of the protracted, dry and hot 
weather. 
A fine Ailantus glandulosa.—At the present time a 
very fine specimen of the Tree of Heaven may be 
seen in the garden of Mr. G. Larcombe, the station 
master at Turnham Green. The tree is 35 ft. to^o ft. 
high, with a broad, spreading head of nearly the same 
dimensions. It fruits heavily at intervals of a few 
years, and at present is laden with large panicles of 
winged fruits like the keys of the Ash, and taking on 
their beautiful yellow, amber and salmon tints. 
The Hampton Court Vine.—Some of our daily con¬ 
temporaries have been commenting and moralising 
upon the old Vine on the plea that it is showing signs 
of decay. There is little cause for statements of this 
kind when a Vine of 150 years of age can produce 
1,200 bunches of Grapes annually. This it has been 
doing annually, and would seem to have been the 
regulation number for many years past, the surplus 
produced by the Vine being removed when the 
Grapes are being thinned. One contemporary states 
that 2,000 bunches have been ripened year by year 
for an indefinite time. This would more correctly 
apply to the Cumberland Lodge Vine, which is only 
about 100 years old, and consequently more vigorous. 
Black Hamburgh is the variety in both cases. 
Hybrid Gladioli.—Some years ago Gladiolus gan- 
davensis (or the varieties belonging to that strain) 
was hybridised with G. purpureo-auratus, a species 
introduced from the Cape. The result was a race 
of hybrid forms, which were put into commerce 
under the name of G. Lemoinei. They may readily 
be recognised by the large blotches of one or more 
colours on the lower segments. Another race of 
hybrids, collectively named G. nancieanus, and de¬ 
rived from G. Lemoinei crossed with G. sandersia- 
nus, was at first easily recognised by the broad, tri¬ 
angular flowers, marked with small spots or mottled 
upon a creamy or white ground on the lower petals. 
Some of the more recent novelties of the two races 
show the influences of both in combination, so much 
so that it is difficult or impossible to separate 
them. 
A Mysterious Weed.—Quite recently a number of 
persons were invited to inspect the workman's 
bowling-green at Hawick to give their opinion upon 
a weed that suddenly made its appearance in great 
numbers upon the closely mown, and well-rolled 
green sward. The opinion was that some one, fond 
of practical joking or out of spite, had sown the 
seeds upon this particular green, and not upon the 
gentlemen’s green close by ; or, on the other hand, 
that the seed had been thrown over the fence 
amongst some sand used for spreading upon the 
grass. One gave the name of the weed as Rats' 
Tails; and another said that the seedlings were 
those of the Plantain (Plantago major); while it was 
suggested that “ the enemy came by night and sowed 
Tares.” None of the explanations satisfied the 
keeper of the grass, who wished to know how to get 
rid of the plants, which he considered too numerous 
to dig up, and resolved to try “ lawn sand.” 
Glover’s Island.—The little wooded eyot, known as 
Glover’s Island, which graces the Thames in full 
view of the terrace at Richmond, Surrey, was the 
scene of a small scare recently. The owner decided 
to dispose of his property, and offered it to the Cor¬ 
poration of Richmond for £4,000, but that body 
would not part with the money. An unnamed 
philanthropist offered £1,000 for the island with a 
view of presenting it to Richmond. • The owner de¬ 
clined to part with his island at that price, and com¬ 
missioned Messrs. Chancellor & Sons, auctioneers, 
to put it up to auction. The Mayor of Richmond, 
being the head of the firm, and actually the 
auctioneer, felt the situation a little awkward, 
because, as mayor, he wished to have the island for 
Richmond, but as auctioneer he had to offer it to 
anyone who would buy it. Bidding commenced at 
6d., then £70 was offered, and after a time £100. 
After a pause £200 was oflered by a gentleman who 
wished to give it to Richmond. No more bidding 
taking place, Mr. Chancellor declared the island un¬ 
sold, as there was a reserve of £4,000 upon it. The 
island could be greatly improved if it belonged to 
Richmond by the removal of the boat-building 
houses upon it. 
