764 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 24, 1904. 
Quit© a small tree of Stirling Castle, about 5 ft, high, bore a 
remarkable crop. Sandringham and Yorkshire Beauty were 
also, noteworthy for the fruit they bore. 
At tire lower end of the kitchen garden we made our exit 
into the orchard, which had, within a few years past, been 
planted with a great variety of the more modem and useful 
Apples and Plums, the ground itself being laid down ini grass. 
The most striking tree was Worcester Pearmain, owing to the 
quantity of fruit and its bright, shining crimson-red colour. 
Hawthornden wasi notable both for 'the size of the fruit and the 
bright colour of the sunny side, even in this northern garden, 
Bramley’s Seedling was equally well laden with fruit, almost 
every tree of it being a. picture), for which reason it is a great 
favourite here. Devonshire Quarrenden was as highly col¬ 
oured as it would be in the south, while the fruits were larger 
than wei usually see them, owing to the vigour of the young 
trees, When the fruits attain this size they are often globular 
with a. very prominent calyx, not flattened on the top as is 
usual. 
An Apple named Gold Medal is planted here in considerable 
numbers in the form of bus!) trees, and the crop, which they 
bear is often enormous. Bismarck was highly coloured, of 
good size, and bearing a very fair crop. Stirling Castle and 
Loddington were also carrying fruits of splendid size. Rivers’ 
Codling was also bearing freely, the fruits being of more 
moderate size than the previous two. The Queen, having been 
ripe, had been gathered. Standard trees of Peasgooid’si Non¬ 
such carried fruits of large size and handsome colour. The 
above were only a few of the Apples of which wei made notes in 
passing through the collection. 
Plums were also grown under the same conditions upon, the 
grass', and Victoria again attracted our attention, on, account 
of the enormous weight of the crop which was just in the 
process of ripening. Curlew Plum also does well here, being 
about ripe. The globular red fruit of the Czar Plum also 
attracted our attention. Last year the only crop of Plums in 
the orchard was borne by this variety and Curlew, and that 
only in a certain position, near tall Beech trees, and therefore 
shaded from sun in the morning during the frosty period which 
occurred when the trees were in bloom. Their crop 1 was attri¬ 
buted to this shading afforded by the tall Beech trees. 
Notwithstanding the crops borne by all these late varieties, 
the fruit room appeared to be three-parts full. Among the 
varieties we noted Ecklinville Seedling, Rivers 1 ’ Codling, Lord 
Grosvenoir, Grenadier, a strung five-ribbed variety, Golden 
Spire, Lord' Suiheld, and others of that class', of which the 
shelves of the fruit-room, bore witness to the crops. Even 
for this northern situation The Queen was often handsomely 
coloured. The same might be said both for size and colour of 
Lady Sudeley. Duchess of Oldenburg does splendidly here, 
the crop having been, a heavy one. Beauty of Bath is also a 
very handsome early Apple, That named Improved Irish 
Peach had fruits of large size and colour compared with the 
ordinary form of that well-known Apple. Williams’ Bon Chre¬ 
tien Pear had also been harvested, the crop being a very good 
one. 
Carnations still seemed to be in full bloom in this part of 
Scotland, owing to the cooler and more equable condition of 
the climate than in the south. The early blooms were over, 
but side blooms were borne in profusion. The plantation of 
seedlings had flowered profusely, and amongst them we noted 
some varieties of fine form and marking, particularly amongst, 
the yellow grounds. They had been raised from the strains 
of Messrs. Methven, and Sons, and Messrs. Sutton and Sons, 
Duchess of Fife is also a favourite Carnation here, being 
planted in large quantities on some of the borders. 
Many of the borders in the kitchen garden are utilised for 
the cultivation of herbaceous plants', which are allowed to 
develop into their large clumps. Paeonies were plentiful, and 
Chrysanthemum latifolium, C. maximum, and Mrs., Head 
formed ve-iy large masses of these popular forms of Oxeye 
Daisy. Hybrid Montbretias grow like weeds, and Solidago 
canadensis, being a favourite with her ladyship Lady Min,to, 
is grown in large quantities, sometimes in the form prac¬ 
tically of hedges. Anemone japonica elegans was also in 
splendid condition and gay. Violas in various situations were 
still in full bloom, and were particularly notable in this re 
spect along the middle walk, including such varieties a> 
Countes® of Hopetoun, K Ion dyke (yellow), and Diana, a dart 
Plum-coloured variety. 
A fine strain of Pentstemons, including both seedlings and 
named varieties, is grown, here, the large open flowers and rich 
colours showing them to b© quite up to date. Here also we 
came upon some plantations of Lilium tigrinum splendens in 
full bloom, and learned that they had been raised from bulbils. 
The plants were 4 ft. high and werei laden with the^r character¬ 
istic flowers. The bulbils were only planted about four years 
ago, and some of them flowered the second and third years, 
while now they are in perfection. Clematis Jaekmanni is still 
in full bloom. 
We had little time to give attention to the vegetables, but 
saw some splendidly ripened Onions, that bad been reared 
under glass and planted out, while others had been sown in 
the open,, but bad not attained the same fin© proportions. 
Ailsa Craig and Cranston’s Excelsior are the varieties most 
in favour for the production of large bulbs. Tomato® were 
grown in frames, and a heavy crop was: being ripened by Frog- 
more Prolific, Lister’s Prolific; and Holme’s Supreme. Chry¬ 
santhemum, s are veiy largely grown for the production of big 
blooms, and at present they occupied situations alongside the 
walks in, various parts of the gar-den inside and outside the 
walls. Those now setting their buds promise well. 
By a winding path through the trees, we first ascended a hill, 
then, passed along the sides of a very deep ravine or glen, 
whose bottom and sides are occupied with treesi of immense 
size. Those that most took our attention were Silver Firs and 
Larches. One specimen of the common Silver Fir (Abiesi poc- 
tinata) had three stems rising almost from the ground line 
and towering up to a height, of over 100 ft. The Larches: were 
90 to 100 ft. in height, and many of them were notable for 
the huge size of their trunks. Some bad very long clean pieces 
of timber, but, one of them, on the side of the ravine, we 
should reckon to be from 4 ft. to 6 ft. in diameter above the 
base. Beeches', Birches, and Cupressus lawsoniana also form 
fine trees in different, situation®. The depth of the glen hero 
has the effect of producing immense trees owing to the shelter 
afforded. Not far from the house a pond has been formed by 
the building of a wall 30 to 40 ft. in height across the glen, 
forming thereby a waterfall of that, height. Rainbow trout, 
live in the pond, and some time ago during flood many of 
them went over the waterfall, escaping into, the Teviot. 
The mansion, itself is a large building standing almost, on 
the edge of the ravine, so that there is only room for the drive 
and a steep, grassy slope above the pond. Here', however, thf 
grass is closely cut and in a, beautifully green, condition, thougl 
the slope is very steep. Most of the walls, on two sides oi 
the house at least, are covered with climbers, of which the 
Wistarias run, to a great height. Fiery Thorns, Roses', Ivies 
and Virginia Creeper are also employed, the latter taking on 
handsome crimson, and scarlet colours. 
A new lawn, has been formed in the vicinity of the house, 
forming a terrace surrounded by ornamental stone balustrades. 
The walls are planted with a variety of creepers, but, are yet 
too 1 new to be so fully furnished as they will presently be. 
Ampeiopsis quinquefolia and A. Veitchi take on a fine colour. 
Other ornamental subjects, such as Rambler and Ayrshire 
Roses, 'the purple-leaved Barberry, etc., have been judiciously 
utilised. 
Not far from the new lawn is another in, which some curious 
•features of the place may be noted. The grounds include the 
remains of an, old parish church, and the chain, with collar, 
for putting round the necks of those who> misbehaved in the 
good old times still dangles from the side of the ruins. A 
curious piece of gardening included a summer-house neatly 
fitted into the branches of a Holly tree. This tree is otherwise 
a perfect canopy of greenery from base to top, except the 
doorway of the summer-house'. Within sight of this is a 
square area surrounded by neatly-kept Tew hedges. Inside 
