THE GARDENING WORLD. 
588 
some of the varieties in this house damp and mould 
slightly, presumably from a limited heat supply. A 
batch of Pleione Lagenaria was in as rude a state of 
health as the common Chickweed of our by-ways. 
The loose stone or rock-work below the stages was 
verdured and attractive with PterisesandSelaginellas 
of dwarf form. 
Neighbouring this Fern house is a plant stove. 
The end wall here supports a tier or two of clay 
tiles, shaped to fit against the wall, and form a 
trough-like receptacle. This means of having a 
wall furnished is commonly adopted in gardens, and 
another practice for attaining the same end is to fix 
up strong netting an inch or two out, and pack in a 
compost between the wall and the netting. 
The neighbouring pit is used as a small plant 
stove, the plants comprising those which are found 
most serviceable for table decoration, of which work 
Mr. Eastor has a fair amount. Varieties of Dra¬ 
caenas, Crotons, Cocos, Panax Victoria, Asparagus 
in 4-in. pots, many beautiful Caladiums, and stuff of 
this sort fill the stages, but the real wealth and 
value of the house depends on the Phalaenopsis, a 
representation of which, notably P, schilleriana, is 
given in the photo (p. 537). The variety we mention has 
had leaves 20 in. long and 5 in. or more, broad, and 
fleshy, deep coloured, and glossy at the same time. 
Freesias, Amaryllis in very good form; Narcissi; 
many flowering hardwooded plants, with a large 
central stage chiefly occupied with Callas and 
Lilies, and the general variety of sweet stuff which 
in spring enliven such greenhouses, were in evi¬ 
dence. 
A large stove opens from the show house and 
contains a very varied assemblage when one comes 
to sum up. Besides the general assortment of 
Dracaenas, Screw Pines, Crotons and other foliage 
or flowering plants, we specially noticed Rhapis 
flabelliformis, of which a well clothed, tall plant 
stood on the centre stage; Posoqueria longiflora, a 
plant which has been figured once and written of 
many times in our literature, and which by its 
worth shall be yet again many times mentioned ; 
Franciseas, Tabernaemontanas, Ixoras, &c., are the 
more select from among the many staged. The 
roofs' beams sustained their full quantity of floral 
and foliar drapery, having Ipomoeas, Bougainvillea 
glabra, and a fine,free form of Thunbergialaurifolia, 
while a plant of Stephanotis floribunda covered 
nearly 200 square feet of space. Floriferous Dendro- 
biums made a brightness where they stood, as did 
Aerides and others suspended from the roof. 
Making our exit we next entered the Gardenia 
house The house has a miscellaneous representa- 
April 22, 1899,. 
Catherine Mermet is a free grower and bloomer as a 
bush; so is Grace Darling, H.P., Anna Olivier, 
Mad. de St. Joseph, and others. They are not 
hard pruned. 
The Fruit Houses. 
But now we find ourselves in that portion of the in¬ 
door charge in which Mr. Eastor specially interests 
himself. Among the Vines and Peaches he be¬ 
comes more garrulous, and in converse one finds out 
that his practice goes not by rules of thumb, but by 
self observation, guided by facts from science. The 
early peachery, for we are here now,contains Rivers’ 
York, which Mr. Eastor declares to be the best of 
forcing Peach trees ; Noblesse, shy here as else¬ 
where; Early Alexander, Royal George, always 
trusty; with Early Rivers’ and Lord Napier 
Nectarines. The Peach houses, of which there are 
three, have inside borders only. For early and late 
houses this expert cultivator believes that inside bor¬ 
ders only should be allowed,for then the conditions for 
forcing growth and later on, for ripening it, are more 
under direct control. He, however, advocates outside 
borders for mid-season peacheries. “ There is method 
in his madness ! ” Between the early peachery and 
tbe successional house, is a house of Fig trees in 
shallow borders. Black and white Ischia, St. John, 
and what is presumed to be Castle Kennedy are the 
Flower Garden at Nostel Priory. 
These plants, of which Nostel Priory has a varied 
collection, flower regularly and well, but the spikes 
are cut off before they have bloomed long, as other¬ 
wise the future health of the plants would be in¬ 
jured. Some of the species and varieties are P. 
amabilis, P. sanderianaand P. s. alba ; P. grandiflora, 
very handsome ; and P. rosea, which will bloom for 
months by continuing to expand the buds of its in¬ 
definite raceme; P. grandiflora aurea, and P. 
gloriosa. 
The plants are highly creditable to Mr. Dryden, 
the foreman, who gives them his especial care. 
They are suspended i£ ft. from the glass, and are in 
teak wood baskets on the south side of the house, 
which runs east and west. The blinds are on the 
house, and in use from early in February till well 
into November. Lantern ventilators are fixed, and 
a good system of top ventilation thus secured. The 
house is kept fairly moist, and the plants are seldom 
shifted from their baskets, but have fresh top-rooting 
material annually. Only rain water is ever used. 
Our next move is to the show greenhouse, a fair 
sized span whose plants in their season brighten the 
house and attract all passers-by One side stage 
was filled with tree Carnations in 4-, 5-, and 6-in. 
pots, with signs of a fine flower crop when good 
weather comes to draw it out. Also at the time we 
write of, batches of Cyclamen, Pelargoniums, 
tion of young stove and greenhouse decorative 
plants. Kentias are much in evidence. The central 
bed is chiefly occupied with Gardenias planted out. 
These had not been doing well, but since substitu¬ 
ting the former rooting medium, namely, the best, 
turfy loam and charcoal, the plants treated are doing 
tolerably well. A fine young batch of Richardia 
elliottiana was here. Then in running through an 
old-fashioned lean-to range the first interesting plant 
worthy of note was Sparmannia africana, a plant 
much in cultivation by those who have a deal of 
buttonhole making. The range is sectioned off, one 
division containing Palms, another part Azaleas, and 
yet another filled with a variety of useful flowering 
stock. Well trained Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums are a 
special feature, as likewise is the collection, in 
twenty-one varieties, of scented Pelargoniums. 
Pelargonium quercifolium and filicifolium odoratum 
had the handsomest foliage ; Little Gem was the 
most floriferous,being decked in fine show with sweet 
crimson flowers. The most odorous were P. Lady 
Scarboro’, P. citriodorum, P. Radula major, and P. R. 
minus. 
The Rose house, which has a bad aspect, being a 
hip-span, fronting west, has even with this draw¬ 
back produced so many as 200 blooms during an 
Easter week. The house is about 35 ft. long and to 
ft. wide. Marechal Niel on the roof promises well, 
varieties grown. We believe St. John is the finest 
fruiter, though we cannot say-which is the best 
flavoured. 
Through the door we enter the next Peach house, 
for all are in one lean-to range facing south. Here 
we find such fine varieties of Nectarines as 
Violette Hative, Pineapple, Pitmaston .Orange 
and Grosse Mignonette Peach, &c. The horders 
are liberally treated when starting the houses, 
and later in the season receive a mulching of 
decayed dung. At no time are the borders at all 
dried. Here also is a batch of nice Crinums—G. 
Moorei, C. latifolium and C. Powellii album. In the 
late house was a batch of four dozen vigorous 
Malmaisons, Walburton, Admirable, NoblessS, Royal 
George, and Belgarde Peaches, while Stanwick 
Elruge.and Victoria Nectarines, are noticeable here. 
All the houses have a painted curvilinear trellis,fixed 
2 ft. from the glass, to which the trees are attached. 
The vineries are handsome, up-to-date spans 34 ft. 
long by 20 ft. broad. The early vinery is chiefly 
devoted to Black Hamburgh, and the quality of the 
produce has often been proved at such a large show 
as York. But it may here be noted that Mr. Eastor 
is generally highly successful when he •' shows" 
Madresfield Court, Duke of Buccleuch, Muscat of 
Alexandria, and Buckland Sweetwater, as the others. 
These may be taken as the ones which are best-in 
