& 
THE- GARDENING WORLD. September 16, 1899.15 
And the gardens most likely will share handsomely 
in the well expended money. Meanwhile, artisans 
are busily engaged in putting heating apparatus in¬ 
to the house, three large American hot water 
boilers being required for this. 
We were courteously received and shown over 
the place by Mr. Foster, the head gardener, who 
has lately entered upon his duties here. He came 
from England and has had a wide experience of his 
profession, and from what we saw of him we have nc 
hesitation in saying that Mr. Pirrie has been fortu¬ 
nate in securing the services of an able and intelli¬ 
gent gardener. His propositions in reference to the 
renovati ons of the gardens were those of a man of 
wide experience and matured reason, and we have 
little doubt that at our next visit, many, if not all of 
them will be carried into effect. 
] Mr. Pirrie is exceedingly fond of his garden, and 
Mrs. Pirrie likewise takes more than a general in¬ 
terest in horticultural matters, a fact that argues 
well for a large extension of the glass structures of 
the place. 
It is noteworthy to refer to the abnormal crop of 
Strawberries we saw there. Plants of Vicomtesse 
Hericait de Thury were actually surrounded with 
heaps of berries, inches in depth. We never saw a 
crop like this anywhere before, and especially at such 
an advanced time of the season as August 8th. 
Aberdeenshire, as well as other northern counties, 
produces very fine late and early Strawberries. It 
is possible to maintain a succession of this fruit for 
three months, provided a judicious selection ol kinds 
is made. 
After spending a most enjoyable day we returned 
in the evening to the city, with the feelirg that not 
only was the time well spent and profitable, but with 
a deep sense of gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Foster for 
the courteous manner in which we were entertained. 
-— Jas. Moiv. 
■ --— 
Kitcfien Garden Calendar. 
We have now a little more congenial weather, and 
though the rainfall has been but slight, one can see 
a great difference in vegetation, for the slight 
showers have moistened the surface and the scorching 
rays of the sun are less penetrating. Should the 
autumn be a mild and favourable one, many of the 
late crops have still time to make some headway, 
therefore, every encouragement should be given 
them. Where Borecole and Savoys still remain in 
the seed bed or where they have been pricked out, 
these should be transplanted with every care, as 
possibly there will be a great scarcity of green vege¬ 
tables in spring, particularly should the winter be 
severe. Better have small supplies than none, 
therefore, anything that can be done to promote 
growth should not be neglected. A good breadth of 
early Cabbage should be got in as these may be cut 
as soon as the hearts commence to form. If planted 
about nine inches apart, each other may be cut when 
small, allowing more room for the others to grow. 
Endive is a quick growing plant, and is often very 
useful as a vegetable, in addition to the important 
part it takes in our winter salads. Where sheltered 
borders are available these should be Utilised for 
growing this crop, as it is unfortunately not hardy 
enough to withstand our winters, and will therefore 
need protection should the frost be severe. Corn 
salads, Winter Spinach, late Turnips,if sown nowon 
good ground will give supplies in late spring. Celery 
is a very important winter crop, and one that cannot 
well be dispensed with, but unfortunately too many 
blanch the stems too early, thus rendering it more 
liable to suffer from frost. Celery is perfectly hardy 
until blanched, no amount of frost seems to injure 
plants that are left fully exposed. It is the feeding 
of them so as to produce extra succulent stems and 
the early blanching that makes them extra tender. 
The supplies for winter and spring use should not be 
earthed until there is danger of frost. We often have 
fine weather in the early part of November, when 
these late supplies should receive their final earthing. 
Late planted rows have not made much progress, 
these should, therefore, be assisted by the applica¬ 
tion of manure water. Many of our tender vege¬ 
tables are liable to be cut down by frost at any time, 
protection should, therefore, be at hand in readiness. 
Late Beans on borders and those in cold frames will 
do longer be safe at night in low lying places, as 
such are more subject to frost than those on higher 
ground. A sowing should now be made in a heated 
pit to give supplies during December. The lights 
ought to be left off in the daytime so as to keep the 
plants as dwarf and robust as possible. Cucumbers 
for winter use ought now to be put in their perma¬ 
nent quarters in order that they may get well estab¬ 
lished while there is still sufficient external warmth 
to allow of the ventilators being freely used in the 
daytime so as to keep the plants stocky. Mushroom 
beds ought now to be prepared in cellars or other 
places suitable, as the nights will soon be too cold for 
their growth in the open. Weeds are sure to grow 
apace if we get rain, and such must be got rid of be¬ 
fore they seed. There is no better plan at this sea¬ 
son of the year than to manure and dig all ground as 
it becomes vacant. Onions should be lifted and 
stored as soon as they become ripe, taking particular 
care to have them in a cool, airy place, that all super¬ 
fluous moisture may be passed off as quickly as pos¬ 
sible .—Kitchen Gardener. 
A HORTICULTURAL TRADE SALE. 
No doubt most of our readers have over and over 
again read the announcements of trade auction sales 
which the firm of auctioneers doing business under 
the well known title of Messrs. Protheroe & Morris, 
67 and 68, Cheapside, Loffdon, E C., frequently pub¬ 
lish in the Gardening World and its contem¬ 
poraries. The advertisements read " that Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris will sell by auction at-Nur¬ 
sery, a fine collection of, or an enormous quantity of,” 
this or chat, and finishing up with-- " by order of 
Mr. or Messrs.” so and so, as the case may be. 
Well, just to find out for personal benefit and for the 
enlightenment of the " G. W.” readers, a representa¬ 
tive of this paper went to one of these sales (that of 
Mr. H. B. May’s, at Upper Edmonton) last Monday, 
September nth. Having arrived before 11 o’clock, 
at which hour all the sales begin, there was time to 
make a close inspection. The reporter was favour¬ 
ably impressed with the quality of the stock, and 
also its immensity. By an 3 by the eleventh hour 
struck, and having collected a host of some seventy 
buyers the man with the hammer (Mr. William 
Protheroe) started business. 
The plants for sale are previously ready staked and 
labelled, and grouped into batches of 6, 12, 24, or 
any other number. Intending buyers make it a point 
to thoroughly inspect all stocks before the sale be¬ 
gins, and thus it is with the utmost facility that 
batch alter batch is put up and sold. A couple 
of plants as samples, where the “ lots' ’ run to a dozen 
plants, are held up so that all can view them. The 
merest glance is sufficient for the trained eye. A price is 
bid, an advance of a shilling may be made, and so 
on, till there is a halt of about two seconds, which 
the expert auctioneer regards as the limit in the bid¬ 
ding. Duplicate lots are taken generally without 
any further dealing by those who have been running 
up the bidding, but who stopped at a certain figure. 
In fact, it was noted that the bidding (where there 
are many lots of the same stuff and in the same 
numbers) is left to about three, and then, when the 
highest bid has been given, buyers come forward 
and pay the same money as the man to whom the 
first lot was knocked down. They do not compete 
in the bidding, but they come up to the last bid 
price all the same. This causes speedy demolition 
of the stock, and is a very beneficial method, I think, 
to all parties. The writer had had the idea that the 
profits resulting from such sales must be very 
meagre, and that only the quantity of the stuff sold 
made the business pay; but from conversation with 
an experienced dealer my opinion was altered. It 
has come to be recognised now that certain nursery- 
mon hold auction sales at a certain period of the 
year. They do so every season and about the same 
time. They have thus gained the monopoly, and, of 
course, wisely keep it. The sales generally last from 
six to seven hours, the lots being disposed of at about 
the rate of 350 per hour. Mr. W. H. Protheroe in¬ 
variably does the first part of the sale, and Mr. H, 
G. Morris the second. There would be little use 
in quoting prices, nor indeed have we space for 
this. Such good stuff as Mr. May had for sale will 
always go well, and the ready transactions seen 
during a short stay on Monday convinces the 
writer of this, that the producer, the seller, and 
the buyers had a common trust each in the other, 
and the memory of this horticultural trade sale has 
given me a pleasant impression which, it is hoped, 
will be lasting.— G. W. 
FRUIT AT STOVER PARK. 
Many of the old Apple and Pear trees in the garden 
of H. St. Maur, Esq., M.F.H , Stover Park, Newton 
Abbot, DevOD, were uprooted last winter in order 
to make room for young trees, so that little could be 
expected of them the first season, especially after 
such a summer of drought. The old trees still left, 
however, bear but a very poor crop compared with 
last year. Plums are in the same condition, but 
Peaches have borne heavily. Small fruits were also 
plentiful. Devon being a good hardy fruit county, 
the young trees will soon be in good bearing condi¬ 
tion, so that the remainder of the old trees may be 
grubbed up, and the garden, both on the walls and in 
the open, will soon be entirely renovated. 
Under glass, however, the fruit is more under the 
control of the gardener, Mr. A. McDonald, who is 
an enthusiastic fruit 'grower. About last Christmas 
the borders in one or two of the vineries were ex¬ 
tended, and a great amount of fresh material added, 
with highly satisfactory results. One vinery con¬ 
tains good Vines of Muscat of Alexandria, to which 
a considerabie amount of attention was given in the 
way of turfy loam, stable and artificial manure, all 
of which were mixed up in a compost and employed 
to extend the border, as well as to enrich the older 
portion. The results are now evident in the greatly 
enlarged size of the bunches and berries, so that the 
houseful of Muscats presents a very engaging appear¬ 
ance. The variety Mrs. Pince has also done well, 
and is expected to colour up well during the course 
of the autumn. It is an oval, purplish black Muscat 
Grape, which sometimes gives trouble in colouring, 
but here it develops the dense bloom which gives it 
a decidedly handsome appearance. 
-- 
MR. J. ROBSON’S NURSERY. 
Mr. J. Robson’s Nursery, Bowden, near Man¬ 
chester, was recently in a state of change, and a 
visitor to the old portion would doubtless be very dis¬ 
appointed, bearing in mind the neatness and order 
that ruled here some few years ago. But circum¬ 
stances change, and in the case of this one, a far more 
commodious piece of land has been taken, a good por¬ 
tion of which is already filled with shrubs, trees, 
herbaceous plants, &c.; while some large houses are 
finished and filled with their various subjects, and 
others are in course of erection. The run of many of 
these is just 150 ft., and useful places they will be. 
It is now found that small erections are not adequate 
to modern requirements, so the houses of consider¬ 
able length are the present stamp. 
I entered a house devoted to Orchids, and it is full 
of healthy and fair sized plants. That distinct and 
attractive Epidendrum prismatocarpum is repre¬ 
sented by several plants with numerous spikes on 
each. There are several varieties of this, and Mr 
Robson has secured one of the very best. The up¬ 
right spikes carried some eighteen or more flowers, 
the sepals and petals of which were of a creamy yel¬ 
low, with large purple spots, whilst the narrowly tri¬ 
angular free part of the lip was of a bright rose 
slightly margined with yellow. Of Laelia tenebrosa 
there were many healthy pieces; whilst L. purpurata 
was also strongly in evidence. The usual forms of 
Cattleyas were grown in quantity, and excellent 
varieties had appeared. One of C. Mendelii of most 
beautiful form and colourings had been awarded a 
First-class Cerlificate at York show. 
Epidendrum bicornutum in a basket was in capi¬ 
tal condition. This is such a beautiful species that 
it well deserves any extra attention that is given to 
it. A fine plant of a hybrid, L. purpurata x ,C. 
digbyana was looking remarkably well. Dendro- 
biums are grown in large numbers, D. wardianum 
for cutting purposes occupying a large space. D. ’ 
jamesianum in a cooler division was doing well and 
flowering freely. Many choice hybrids and varieties 
in pans and baskets were suspended from the roof. 
These were growing very strongly, and would 
assuredly swell up stout bulbs. Cymbidium Lowi 
and C. eburneum were vigorous, whilst the Thunias 
had grown strongly and were flowering very freely. 
Many Cypripediums are growD, a large number of 
the varieties of C. leanum, and other kindred forms, 
among which seedlings of especial size and markings. 
had appeared. Many of the old and new hybrids 
were represented as well as species of tested merit. 
The Odontoglots were in capital condition. Coql, 
moist, and free, the atmosphere felt, and the plants 
certainly responded to their shaded surroundings. 
