May 20, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
605 
doubtless bring with them their best fruits to plant 
in their religious establishments, the remains of 
which still exist at Charing, Canterbury, Eltham, 
Rochester, and Northbourne, near Deal, where 
there is a well-situated walled monastic garden, 
which is reputed to have been the gift of Ethelbert 
and his Queen, Bertha, to St. Augustine; it may 
therefore fairly be stated that from very early times 
Kent has had the advantage of the best-known fruits 
and through the monks those elements of cultural 
skill which (even more than a fruitful soil) tend to 
make the Kent fruit famous, and give the county the 
title of “ the garden of England.” Hasted states 
that there were vineyards at Barming and Ton- 
bridge. 
Passing frcm primitive ages to the time of the 
Hanoverian kings, we find that although some few 
orchards were planted,still there were other field crops, 
as cereals, Potatos, and roots, which realised high 
prices and made the fortunes of the farmers of those 
times; but speaking generally, orchards were 
neglected, and little or no cultivation was done; 
Apples being mostly grown for cider and Pears for 
perry, two beverages which, later on, were driven 
out of use by beer, so that we yet find here and there 
very ancient trees producing fruits the names of 
which are not even known by experts in our day. 
At the period before the railways were pushed into 
Kent (the South Eastern Railway was made to Dover 
in February, 1844, t0 Gravesend, 1845, and the 
London, Chatham and Dover, about 1858, tapped the 
Cray districts, now noted for Strawberries), it was 
manifestly impossible to deliver fruit from Central 
Kent to the London markets in good condition, and 
growers could only look to local markets for the sale 
of their surplus or best fruit, while the inferior 
Apples and Pears went to the cider press. In the 
district between Dartford and London fruit orchards 
were numerous, being within easy distance of 
London; and the North Kent districts largely 
supplied the metropolis, especially Erith, Bromley, 
Abbey Wood, and Lewisham. From close obser¬ 
vation of old orchards we may conclude that fruit¬ 
planting as an industry was neglected for half a 
century, but was again followed up when railways 
afforded facilities for transit and new markets were 
opened in London. In the years between 1840 and 
i860 large breadths of new Orchards were laid down 
and the Kent Cob Nut began to be cultivated ; while 
the new system of raising orchards on cultivated 
land, with Gooseberries and Currants beneath the 
standard trees, came into vogue. This system is 
called in Kent a plantation (among the rustics, a 
" platt ” ) as distinct from orchards on grass, which 
latter were too often grazed by horses and cattle to 
the detriment of the trees. It is from the older 
orchards of this date that the markets are now 
flooded with the bulk of that inferior hard fruit which 
disgraces our shops, being badly grown, carelessly 
gathered, and marketed in a slovenly way, affording 
a powerful lever to those pessimistic writers whose 
cry of “ Oh, fruit does not pay,” which comes round 
as regularly as each Michaelmas term. It were well 
if these worn-out orchards were grubbed up and the 
trees used for firewood, although by careful pruning 
and surface-feeding, excellent examples may be 
produced, and the vast bulk pays. Still, from a 
commercial point of view, the placing on the market 
of quantities of rubbish depresses prices; and it 
were wiser to sell all such produce to the cider 
makers, or if of suitable kinds as Wellington or Goff, 
to the jam makers for pulp. On the other hand, 
such old trees, if healthy, might be head-grafted 
with some of our best modern kinds. The feature of 
the orchards of this period may be described as 
haphazard, combined with neglect as to feeding the 
trees. In many cases, cattle took from the grass 
orchards all the nutriment, and not being corn oroil- 
cake fed themselves, added to the general poverty of 
the soil. One of our foremost East Kent orchardists 
states that, until he introduced manure into his 
orchards, it was quite unknown. Noticing that some 
of his trees where cattle congregated grew better fruit 
than others near, he took the hint; and Pears of 
choice sorts in his orchards were quite equal to the 
same kinds grown in gardens. 
(To be continued..) 
-- 
Military Conundrum.—“ Of what flower does a 
soldier, at the double, remind you ? ” Answer; "A 
Scarlet-Runner. ’ '—Judy. 
SOCIETIES. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL.-May 16 th. 
The Drill Hall was well filled with exhibits on 
Tuesday last, notwithstanding the near approach of 
the Temple Show. Azaleas of the A. mollis type 
were present in great quantity ; 'other subjects well 
represented were Tulips, Roses, Orchids, Ferns, 
hardy herbaceous plants, and smaller miscellaneous 
lots of other subjects. 
By far the largest and finest group of Orchids was 
exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea. 
Maidenhair Ferns were freely used in setting up the 
group, and Palms formed a background. Plants of 
Oncidium phymatochilum, grown in pans, carried 
large panicles of bloom. There were also fine pieces 
of O. concolor, O. sarcodes, Dendrobium Bensoniae, 
D. suavissimum, D. thyrsiflorum, D. subclausum, 
and the golden-flowered Epidendrum xanthinum. 
Cattleyas were represented by beautiful varieties of 
C. Mendelii, C. intermedia, C. lawrenceana and C. 
Mossiae. Laelia purpurata and L. Latona were also 
fine, as were the hybrids Laeliocattleya Pallas, Lc. 
wellsiana albida, Lc. Zephyra, and Lc. Ascania. 
Large pieces of Masdevallia igrea, Cypripedium 
lawrenceanum, and Oncidium concolor, in pans, 
were well flowered. They also had the rare hybrid 
Epicattleya radiato-bowringiana. (Silver Flora 
Medal.) 
J. Colman, Esq., J.P. (gardener, Mr. W. King), 
The Gardens, Gatton Park, Reigate, exhibited a 
group of Orchids, including fine pieces of Laelia 
purpurata, Odontoglossum crispum, O. Hallii 
leucoglossum, O. radiatum, O. polyxanthum Gatton 
Park var., and O. Rossii rubescens. He had healthy 
pieces of the hybrid Epiphronites Veitchi and 
Cymbidium eburneo-lowianum. Lycaste Skinneri 
alba was in good form. (Silver Banksian Medal) 
Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill Park, 
Enfield, staged the beautiful Odontoglossum 
andersonianum giganteum, O. excellens enfieldense 
and O. crispum. Walter C. Walker, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. Geo. Cragg), Fercy Lodge, Winchmore Hill, 
exhibited a fine piece of Cattleya nobilior Walker's 
var. Norman C. Cookson, Esq. (gardener, Mr. W. 
Murray), Oakwood, Wylam-on-Tyne, staged a 
vigorous piece of Phaius Phoebe, a hybrid between 
P sanderianus and P. Humblotii. T. B. Haywood, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. C. J. Salter), Woodhatch Lodge, 
Reigate, exhibited Odontoglossum crispum Purity, a 
handsome white form, and Masdevallia Veitchii 
grandiflora. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., staged the hybrids 
Laeliocattleya hyeana and Cypripedium macro- 
chilum giganteum, the latter a magnificent form with 
large flowers and long tails. M. S. Cooke, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. W. Buckell), Tankerville, Kingston 
Hill, exhibited a plant of Odontoglossum crispum, 
having a tall branching scape, and richly blotched 
flowers. De B. Crawsbay, Esq. (gardener, Mr. S. 
Cooke), Rosefield, Sevenoaks, staged a beautifully 
blotched Odontoglot named Odontoglossum crispum 
Raymond Crawshay. 
Baron Schroder (gardener, Mr. H. Ballantine), The 
Dell, Egham, exhibited four magnificent varieties of 
Odontoglossum, namely, O. triumphans, O Cora- 
dinei mirabile, O. andersonianum Dell var., and O. 
luteo-purpureum Dell var. He also had that grand 
hybrid Laeliocattleya digbyano-mossiae and the 
scarlet Dendrobium sanguineum. A considerable 
amount of interest was created by the exhibit. 
(Silver Flora Medal,) 
Messrs. R. & W. Cuthbert, Southgate Nursery, 
Southgate, Middlesex, put up a very fine table of 
Azaleas mollis and hybrids between the mollis and 
sinensis types. The best yellows were A. m. x s. 
Nicolaas Beets, A. m. x s. Dr. Reichenbach, a deep 
yellow ; A. m. x s. Hortulanus Witte, very brilliant; 
and of pinks, A. Mons. Desbois, Charles Darwin, 
salmon ; A. Frederic de Merode; A. rustica flore 
pleno apellus, a double pinky form ; and a fine light 
orange variety A. m. x s. Glory of Boskoop, Carex, 
Isolepis gracilis, Funkia aurea variegata, and 
Abutilon Switzii. (Silver Flora Medal.) 
From Mr. George Jackmann & Son, Woking 
Nursery, Surrey, came a miscellaneous collection of 
hardy plant flowers in bunches. Cytisus White 
Portugal, Berberis stenophylla, Pyrus floribunda, 
Lilac, Cercis among the large forms, and Phlox 
setacea compacta, Aster alpinus superbus (a deep 
coloured blue and compact form), Magnolia soulan- 
geana, Scilla campanulata alba, Centaurea montana 
alba, Helonias bullata (a plant 11 in. high and sweet), 
Clematis coccinea Countess of Onslow, Daphne 
Cneorum, Phlox canadensis (a sweetly flowered blue 
dwarf flowered plant). (Bronze Banksian Medal.) 
Mr. Charles Turner, The Royal Nurseries, 
Slough, arranged a table of Malmaison Carnation 
Princess May, whose general strength and floriferous- 
ness was creditable. The growths are not too 
strong, and the blooms are large, of crimson-red 
shade, firm, and well formed. A fringe of fine 
Adiantum aided the effect of this very nice table. 
(Banksian Bronze Medal.) 
Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, Somerset, staged 
Paeonies in very great variety, and pleasing in the 
differences. Julius Caesar, a dark brilliant hued 
coral; Maud Wild, of a Peach-piok and yellow fringy 
centre; Snowy Coles, pinky-white; Mrs. James 
Grundy, a deep peachy single variety, handsome for 
decoration of rooms ; Clothos, a very deep pinky- 
red, all banked up and relieved by Palms. (Bronze 
Banksian Medal.) 
Messrs. Hogg & Robertson, of 22, Mary Street, 
Dublin, and Rush Farm, Dublin, set up a group of 
Darwin Tulip, which we feel sure must give a great 
impetus to the growing of these lovely bulbs. 
Among the finest, the description of which may be 
found in the firm's catalogue, were Theodore Jorri- 
son, Calypso, Dr. Wagner, Sultan, Rev. d'Ombrian, 
Medusa, Herschell, Phocia, Julia, Rev. E. A. Ella- 
combe, Laurentia, T. gesneriana Goldflake, T. 
billetiana, Sunset, T. g. spathulata, T. g. major 
aurantiaca maculata, T. Bouton d’Or, T. elegans 
alba, T. Picotee, T. Buenoventura, T. Chameleon, 
T. fulgens, and Parrot Tulip Mark Graaff, &c. 
(Silver Gilt Flora.) 
Mr. H. B. May, Dyson’s Lane Nurseries, Upper 
Edmonton, and 307 to 310, New Flower Lane, 
Covent Garden, sent a group of Gymnogrammes 
(thirty-six varieties and species), of which we greatly 
admired G. peruviana argyrophylla, of a beautiful 
grey; G. Alstoniae superba, G. multiceps, G. chryso- 
phylla gigantea, G. dobroydensis, G. Mayi, G. 
grandiceps superba, G. elegantissima, and G. scbizo- 
phylla gloriosa. Isolepis gracilis was arranged in 
front. He also showed Ivy-leaved Pelargonium 
Galilee and a dwarf American Tropaeolum, Sunlight. 
(Silver Banksian Medal.) 
Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & Son, Highgate, London, 
N., exhibited a fine group of Azaleas of the Double 
Ghent and Mollis types. Very nice lot. 
Messrs. Paul & Son, the Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 
put up a group of Roses in pots and an assortment of 
Hardy or Alpine plants. Tiarella cordifolia made a 
brave show, also Aubrietia Wm. Marshall, Geum 
Heldreichii, G. aureum, G. Ewenii, Phlox stellaris, 
Saxifraga granulata plena, Trollius japonicus plenus, 
Rubus arcticus, a creeping sweet pale rose flowered 
variety, Hutchinsia alpina, and Pyrus Malus 
Scheideckerii a dense mass of pink. The Roses 
were plants of the Polyantha Phsyche, a hybrid 
from Crimson Rambler and Golden Fairy. This 
was a very interesting stand. (Silver Banksian). 
From F, D. Godman, Esq., South Lodge, Hare- 
ham, put up a collection of Rhododendrons, from 
greenhouse and open air. R. Luscombe’s hybrid a 
dark crimson, and R. Aucklandii a pure white, were 
very fine. N. Nuttallii, R. blandfordiaeflorum, and R. 
aureum, were very handsome also. Iris susiana and 
I. autrofusca were novel and beautiful. (Silver 
Banksian). 
Mr. Thos. Ware,Ltd.,HaleFarmNurseries,Totten¬ 
ham, London, exhibited late flowered Narcissus, 
Primula Sieboldii, P. Lephir, Trillium grandiflorum, 
Iberis, Little Gem, Alpine Auriculas and Tulip L' 
Amirable, a salmon p inky variety. Narcissus Barri 
Lounza, N. poeticus poetarum, and a double flowered 
Wallflower were among the finer things put up. 
(Silver Banksian). 
Messrs. Barr & Sons, 12 & 13 King Street, Covent 
Garden, London, exhibited a massive collection of 
Darwin Tulips, Irises, Paeonies, and numerous hardy 
flowering plants ; also T. Striped Beauty T. macro- 
spila, T. Early Dawn, T. Joseph Chamberlain,T. Gipsy 
Queen, T. Carminea, T. Flambeau, T. Lovliness, T. 
Hecla, T. Zephyr, T. Dorothy, T. Cordelia, T. The 
Shah, T. Glow, T. The Sultan, T. May Queen, 
Tulipa transoniana, T. Picotee and the Parrot Tulips, 
Coffee Coleur, P. T. Perfecta, P. T. Admiralde Con¬ 
stantinople, and some of the finer flowering Narcissi, 
N. Emperor, N. Leedsii, Beatrice, N. C. W. Cowan, 
