660 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 16, 1900. 
of the 6th inst., which brought a deluge of 
rain, much to the benefit of the crops, and 
relieving the oppressiveness of the atmo¬ 
sphere. The mountains have been made 
such by denudation, their strata being of 
great geological antiquity, belonging, in fact, 
somewhere amongst the lowest known stra¬ 
tified rocks, and classed under the term 
“Dalradian.” Their structure is schistose, 
the sand of the disintegrated rocks shining 
like silver, owing to the quantity of mica 
present. The garden at Auchmore is situ¬ 
ated on the banks of the River Dochart, 
close to where the latter empties itself into 
Loch Tay. The soil is gravelly, consisting 
of the alluvium laid down by the river in 
ancient times. 
Such is Auchmore and its surroundings,the 
last place in the world where one would look 
for big Vines. The name “ Kinnell Vine ” 
refers to this portion of the estate, which at 
one time belonged to the McNab family, 
Kinnell House being the residence at the 
time the Vine was planted in 1831 or 1832. 
Kinnell has since been added to Auchmore, 
under the latter name. The estate is 
tenanted at present by A. O. Worthington, 
Esq., who kindly opens his garden to the 
public on Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 
1 p.m., so that visitors may see the cele¬ 
brated “ Kinnell Vine.” The neighbouring 
village of Killin being a popular resort for 
visitors in summer, particularly in July, 
August, and September, needless to say, 
large numbers take advantage of the privi¬ 
lege. 
The Vine, a Black Hamburgh, was 
originally planted in a small greenhouse 
and trained to the roof over the plants 
beneath. The house has since been 
lengthened about equally at either end, till 
it now measures 170 ft. in length, by 12 ft. 
to 14 ft. in width. It is a lean-to of 
moderate height, the half span, however, 
allowing for a good length of rod. The 
roots are in the native soil, no border ever 
having been made, any more than provision 
for such splendid growth. The main up¬ 
right stem is about 6 ft. high and 28 in. in 
circumference. At the eaves of the house 
two main rods are given off at that level, 
each traversing the whole length of its half 
of the house. One of these rods, at least, 
is the original one, for it retains the bend at 
its base caused by lowering it from the 
roof. From these main rods, others to the 
number of sixty-two branch off at right 
angles and are taken straight to the ridge of 
the house. From time to time a number of 
these secondary rods are cut out, and young 
ones taken up to fill their place. In 1898 
there were 3,203 bunches of Grapes on the 
Vine; but at thinning time 2,553 of them 
were cut out, leaving 650 to come to 
maturity. They gave 1,300 lb. of Grapes, 
each bunch weighing ii lb. to 2 lb. In 
1899 there were 2,861 bunches, which were 
reduced to 650. This year, with the object 
of resting the Vine, the bunches were re¬ 
duced to 360, being an average of six to the 
rods in full bearing. Judging from present 
appearances the Vine has yet a long and 
useful career before it, for every part seems 
wonderfully vigorous for such a patriarch. 
There are many fine and shapely bunches 
upon it, and the tenant being unable to 
consume the crop, a portion of it is sold to 
visitors, who thus have a double attraction 
to visit the garden. Mr. J. Cant has been 
gardener here for the last twenty-five years, 
and therefore knows a good deal of the his¬ 
tory of the Vine during the best part of its 
career, having cut from 13 J tons to 14 tons 
of Grapes from it in his time. 
During the summer months very little is 
kept in the vinery beyond a few basket 
plants hung up near the front glass, and a 
few zonal Pelargoniums planted against the 
back and end walls, though only in places. 
Some of them, both single and double, have 
been planted here for the last fourteen or 
fifteen years. Madame Thibaut and other 
varieties in another part are even older. 
They furnish flowers in profusion for cut¬ 
ting, and even keep up a supply all the year 
round, the crop being practically perennial. 
The Vine border (inside) is well fertilised, 
particularly near the front wall, and manure 
water placed in the evaporating pans at 
certain times. One side of the greenhouse 
is occupied with Marechal Niel, Climbing 
Devoniensis, and other Roses, which throw 
up remarkable growths from the base every 
year. The early crop has mostly been cut 
and the Roses pruned back, but before long 
they will be flowering as freely as ever. 
Grown in the loam of the district, Hydran¬ 
gea hortensis is carrying white and blue 
flowers with an admixture of pink ones. 
The white variety, Dr. Hogg, is also grown. 
The Taymouth Castle strain of Primula 
obconica is a very fine one, having large, 
rosy flowers. In the same house are collec¬ 
tions of show Pelargoniums and tuberous 
Begonias. The latter make splendid bed¬ 
ding plants here, and constitute a great 
attraction to visitors. Something like 
13,000 to 14,000 bedding plants of various 
kinds are put out every year. The highest 
part of the staging in this house is occupied 
with six plants of Phormium tenax. 
The propagating house and stove form 
part of another range of glass. All kinds of 
stove plants were being rooted or raised 
here, including Celosias and Caladiums. 
Clerodendron balfourianum was flower¬ 
ing grandly in large pots, and trained 
against the back wall. The pillars were 
draped with a red variegated variety of 
Phyllanthus, the white one, nivcsus, and P. 
angustifolius being also grown. Another 
division contained Begonia President Car¬ 
not, B. sanguinea, Calanthe Lindeni, Pan- 
danus Veitchi, Tradescantia discolor, and 
other subjects. Orchids in bloom were 
represented by Oncidium sphacelatum, a 
fine form of Cypripedium barbatum, and 
others. The back wall of the fernery was 
brightened with the long trailing stems of 
Nepeta Glechoma variegata. Amongst the 
Ferns were Adiantum farleyense, Lomaria 
ciliata, Blechnum corcovadense, and the 
very finely cut Cheilanthes excelsa, all 
making good growth. Cucumbers were 
making headway against the front glass. 
The open garden is well sheltered from 
the east winds ; and the mountains, stand¬ 
ing as they do all round the place, ensure a 
high temperature and good growing condi¬ 
tions during summer. It is a good fruit 
garden, Apples doing well as half-standards. 
Plums and Pears succeed well upon the 
walls, Williams’ Bon Chretien Pear doing 
remarkably well. Others also succeed upon 
walls, but not in the open-. Cherries upon 
walls are very liable to gumming, and on 
this account cannot be considered a success. 
This seems strange in face of the fact that 
Geans make giant trees of their kind in the 
district. Raspberries make fine canes and 
crop well. Strawberries succeed well on 
the gravelly soil, the varieties grown being 
Vicomtesse Hericarte de Thury, Duke of 
Edinburgh, Laxton’s Latest of All, Elton 
Pine, and Sir Joseph Paxton. They are 
now in full bloom, their vigour and fruitful¬ 
ness on the light soil being due, no doubt, 
to the heavy rainfall. During last month 
the registered amount was 6-94 in. Two 
years ago, in May, the average rainfall 
every twenty-four hours for days in succes¬ 
sion was 1 in. Herbaceous plants are 
grown in considerable quantity round the 
borders of the kitchen garden, Narcissus 
poeticus flore pleno and Ranunculus aconi- 
tifolius flore pleno flowering grandly at the 
present time. Wallflowers are also gay, 
including a pinky variety named Eastern 
Queen, and Ruby Gem, crimson and 
purple. 
Mr. Henry Shoebridge, for tbe last eighteen years 
and nine months head gardener to Mr. and Mrs. 
Maurice Beddington, The Limes, Carshalton, 
Surrey, has been appointed in a similar capacity to 
Mrs. A. J. J. Banford, The Lodge, Misterton Hall, 
Lutterworth, Leicester. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
flower show of the Royal Horticultural Society will 
be held on Tuesday, June 19th, in the Drill Hall, 
James Street, Westminster, 1—5 p.m. A lecture on 
“Aquatic Plants” by Prof. G. S. Boulger will be 
given at 3 o'clock. 
Green Manuring.—An experimenter found the 
proportion of nitrogen in unmanured soil to be 
1413 ; In that manured with Rye grass, 190 8 ; and 
in that with Lucern, 289-4. In moist years 
manuring with Vetches or other leguminous crops 
will add as much nitrogen to an acre as 12,000 lbs. of 
farmyard manure. 
The Gardening Charities.—We understand that 
the Welshpool Horticultural Society has been dis¬ 
solved, and the surplus funds, some £200, divided 
amongst various charities. Through the kindly 
exertions of Mr. John Lambert, The Gardens, 
Powis Castle, The Gardeners' Royal Benevolent 
Institution benefitted by the distribution to the 
amount of £20, and the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund to the extent of £10. 
Edinburgh Seed Trade.—On the evening of 
Friday, 25th ult., a very pleasant “smoker” was 
held in Milne’s Hotel, in honour of Mr. J. H. 
Parker, shop manager to Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons, 
Ltd., who was presented on behalf of the subscribers 
by the chairman (Mr. Harry Erskine) with a hand¬ 
some cabinet of cutlery, also a lovely gold pearl 
brooch for his bride-elect, on the occasion of his 
wedding. A capital programme was submitted, and 
shared in by nearly everyone present. 
Bristol and District Gardeners’ Mutual Im¬ 
provement Association. — The papers for the 
sesfion May 31st to September 27th include " The 
Kitchen Gardener and what is expected of him,” Mr. 
W. J. Hockey, Tatton; “The Culture of Straw¬ 
berries in pots,” by Mr. W. Staddon, Westbury-on- 
Trym ; “ Sweet Peas,” by Mr. J. C. House, Coombe 
Nurseries; “The herbaceous border,” by Mr. W. 
Ellis Groves, Redland ; and " The advantages to be 
derived from the study of horticulture,” by Mr. J. H. 
Vallance, Redland. The meetings are held in St. 
John’s Parish Room, Redland, on the last Thursday 
in each month, at 7.30 p.m. At each of the meetings 
prizes are offered for fruits, flowers or vegetables. 
Death of Lord Lovat’s head forester.—On 
Sunday morning,June 3rd, Mr. Daniel Dewar died 
suddenly, aged 67, at his home near Beaufort Castle, 
after having been 36 years in charge of the woods 
and plantations of the Lovat estates. His death re¬ 
moves one of the oldest and most experienced arbori¬ 
culturists in Scotland, also one of the most 
respected. Kindliness, cheerfulness, enthusiasm in 
his profession, and a disposition to help all whom he 
could, were persistent characteristics in this good 
man’s life. He was actively engaged with his duties 
to the very last. Born at Criefl, Mr. Dewar trained 
first in the Botanic Gardens at Washington, Amer¬ 
ica; then at Lord Digby’s estate in Ireland, was 
afterwards appointed to the situation he has held 
so long. Mr. Dewar was the first to adopt the 
German system of close-planting, and all over the 
Lovat estates there are monumental examples of 
his sound practical and scientific knowledge of forest¬ 
ry, in the shape of valuable and extensive planta¬ 
tions, many of them planted under his directions. 
Mr. Dewar was specially successful in re-afforesting 
vacant ground by the system of natural reproduction. 
Like the late and very much lamented Mr. Dunn, be 
was always ready to give young men a lift in their 
profession when deserving, and by such alone his 
demise will be much felt. Deceased leaves a wife and 
three sons to mourn his loss—Mr. Hugh Dewar, of 
the Lovat Estates Office : Mr. John Dewar, who is 
serving with Lord Lovat’s Scouts; and Dr Daniel 
Dewar, who is in practice in Manchester. The 
funeral took place on Wednesday, June 6th. 
