420 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  17,  1900. 
Of  course  every  single  plant  was  not  in  this  one  house — a  few  remained 
in  other  places,  but  the  main  supply  was  in  the  greenhouse  noted.  It 
would  be  no  easy  task  to  name  the  flower  that  comes  to  us  at  this  par¬ 
ticular  season  of  the  year  that  was  not  represented  by  one  or  more 
examples,  and  the  simple  statement  of  this  fact  will  be  sufificient  for 
readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture.  One,  and  one  only,  may  be 
specified,  and  that  is  the  Schizanthus,  of  which  S.  retusus  was  the 
finest.  These  alone  would  have  made  a  singularly  charming  display- 
In  the  other  houses  there  were  many  hundreds  of  plants,  large  and 
small,  that  are  utilised  for  various  decorative  purposes  both  in  the 
mansion  and  in  the  conservatory.  Considerable  stocks  are  maintained 
of  the  most  valuable  kinds  for  the  object  in  view,  and  the  whole  of  the 
plants  were  in  excellent  health.  Chrysanthemums  have  long  been  a 
strong  feature  at  Rooksnest,  and  the  collection  in  the  frames  at  the 
present  moment  looks  as  though  it  will  prove  well  able  to  main¬ 
tain  Mr.  Friend’s  reputation  as  a  thorough  cultivator  rather  than  an 
exhibitor. 
Fruits  and  Vegetables. 
No  department  of  the  Rooksnest  estate,  whether  in  or  out  of  doors, 
is  better  maintained  or  reflects  greater  credit  on  the  gardener  and  his 
assistants  than  the  fruit  and  vegetable  section.  Under  glass  the  Grapes 
and  Peaches  and  Nectarines  were  at  the  time  of  this  visit  inmost  credit¬ 
able  condition.  They  were  healthy  in  wood  and  in  foliage,  and  were 
showing  for  an  abundance  of  fruit.  There  were  the  customary  stages 
of  growth  in  the  different  houses,  and  over  all  was  the  same  stamp  of 
excellence  of  management.  Strawberries,  too,  were  equally  satis¬ 
factory.  The  outdoor  fruit  comprises  all  the  kinds  usually  found  in  a 
well  equipped  garden,  and  it  can  be  said  for  the  Apples  and  Pears  that 
the  value  of  light  and  air  for  every  portion  of  the  tree  is  more 
thoroughly  appreciated  than  is  generally  the  case.  Each  branch  stands 
well  clear  of  its  neighbour,  and  the  advantage  of  openness  is  found  in 
the  increased  excellence  of  the  crops.  Then,  again,  Mr.  Friend  is  a 
believer  in  judicious  root-pruning,  and  practises  it  with  that  discrimina¬ 
tion  which  marks  the  expert.  The  bush  fruits  and  Strawberries  were 
all  in  the  same  commendable  state.  In  the  vegetable  quarters  there  were 
signs  on  every  hand  of  what  is  to  come,  with  somewhat  of  reality  in  the 
pretty  bed  of  Cabbages.  Plans  have  been  well  laid  and  seeds  have  been 
sown,  some  in  beds  and  others  in  permanent  positions,  and  the  future 
must  prove  whether  the  “  end  justifies  the  means,”  as  the  writer  has 
little  doubt  will  be  the  case.  There  are  Potatoes  in  the  frames,  and 
Asparagus  in  other  places— both  mcessary,  both  excellent.  Probably 
there  are  other  supplies,  but  of  these  the  writer  cannot  speak  from 
personal  experience  or  observation,  and  consequently  they  must  be 
passed. 
Envoi. 
These  rambling  notes  must  be  brought  to  a  close.  They  have  not 
told  all  that  is  to  be  seen  in  the  grounds  and  gardens  of  Rooksnest, 
but  they  are  given  as  a  small  tribute  to  their  excellent  condition  on 
every  hand.  Other  visitors  will  go,  and  they  will  admire  other  features, 
and  rightly  so,  for  much  might  still  be  said.  But  my  task  for  the 
moment  is  done,  except  for  the  fact  that  I  must  bear  public  testimony 
to  the  courtesy  and  kindness  that  were  extended  by  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Friend  to  one  who  visited  them  as  a  stranger,  but  who  left  them,  if  they 
will  permit  the  play  on  their  name,  as  a  friend. — Zingari. 
The  Coffee  Plant. — Nothing  can  be  more  beautiful  and  interesting 
than  studies  of  the  annual  blooming,  budding,  growth,  and  ripening  of 
Coffee  in  the  West  Indies,  and  its  gathering  and  preparation  for  the 
market.  The  leaves,  which  are  ovate  in  form,  are  about  4  inches  long. 
They  are  produced  opposite  in  pairs,  and  are  dark  green  in  colour. 
Similar  in  texture  to  the  Mammer  leaf,  they  have  the  waxen  surface 
of  the  Indian  Laurel.  The  foliage  is  perennial.  Shooting  out  from 
the  bases  of  these  pairs  of  leaves,  after  the  manner  of  our  Cherry 
blooms,  are  seen  the  Coffee  blossoms,  almost  precisely  like  a  diminu¬ 
tive  Tuberose,  in  clusters  of  three  to  six,  snow  white,  and  with  an 
indescribable  delicate,  subtle,  and  delicious  odour.  For  two  months  in 
spring  time,  says  a  contemporary,  a  Coffee  plantation  is  simply  one 
vast  plain  of  white,  a  region  of  intoxicating  odour,  with  the  blue 
sky  half  shut  from  sight  by  myriads  of  honey-seeking  butterflies, 
humming  biids,  and  brilliant- winged  songsters,  fluttering  and  circling 
in  an  apparent  ecstacy  of  revelry  and  delight.  For  nearly  six  months 
new  blossoms  come  as  the  old  ones  disappear.  Blossom  and  ripening 
berries  are  continuous.  As  the  breezes  snow  the  dying  blossoms 
upon  the  ground,  tiny  green  buttons  take  their  place.  These  are  the 
growing  fruit.  They  change  to  a  pale  pink,  then  to  a  bright  cherry, 
finally  to  a  reddish  purple.  Then  it  is  ripe  and  ready  to  gather. 
Tl)e  Season  of  Blossoni. 
The  marked  feature  of  the  latter  half  of  the  month  of  April’was  the 
rapidity  with  which  vegetation  came  forward.  During  the  opening 
weeks  of  the  month  the  wind  set  itself  about  north-east  and  point_^ 
blank  refused  to  move,  with  the  result  that  growth  made  little  headway^ 
and  while  one  section  of  the  imerested  community  spoke  somewhat 
dolefully  of  the  late  spring,  another  thanked  the  north-easter  for  its 
consideration  in  keeping  things  back.  While  days  remained  dull  and 
the  wind  listing,  fruit  buds  kept  wisely  within  their  protective  covers, 
and  growers  felt  less  fearful  than  if  they  were  wide  open.  Peaches, 
Nectarines,  and  Apricots  came  out  in  spite  of  gloom  and  cold.  Fortu¬ 
nately  most  of  these  had  the  protection  of  walls,  and  a  further  covering 
of  close-meshed  netting  kept  them  safe  from  harm,  and  crops  promised 
fairly  well. 
Late  in  April  a,  transformation  scene  was  brought  'about  by 
the  unexpected  change  in  the  weather,  which  was  as  rapid  as 
it  was  remarkable.  What  kind  of  a  fruit  year  are  we  going 
to  have  ?  is  a  question  that  everybody  is  asking  where  its 
culture  is  an  important  industry.  At  the  time  of  writing  this 
there  is  a  splendid  promise  of  stone  fruit,  and  trees  that  a 
week  previous  had  hardly  shown  signs  of  moving  were  white  over 
with  flower.  Plums  and  Damsons  are  very  full,  but  it  is  too  early  yet 
to  make  sure  of  a  crop,  because  there  has  been  as  much  or  more  bloom 
many  times  before,  and  all  looked  fair  and  promising.  Then  came 
the  killing  frost  or  the  cold  north-easterly  wind,  bearing  on  its  wmgs 
hordes  of  aphides — pests  which  took  sole  possession  of  every  green  tip  on 
Plum  and  Damson,  and  flowers  instead  of  forming  fruit  withered  and 
fell,  and  blighted  hopes  were  as  common  as  blighted  trees.  With 
experiences  like  this  before  us  it  would  be  foolish  to  prophesy,  but 
we  may  at  least  hope  that  last  year’s  scarcity  of  stone  fruit  will 
be  changed  in  1900  to  one  of  plenty. 
Perhaps  at  no  time  of  the  year  is  the  country  more  beautiful  than 
when  fruit  trees  are  blooming,  and  I  know  of  no  district  where  this 
beauty  may  be  seen  more  fully  than  among  the  Kentish  Cherry 
orchards.  The  individual  flower  has  a  charm  of  its  own,  peeping  out 
as  it  does  from  among  bursting  tips  of  vivid  green,  but  collectively 
they  make  a  glorious  display.  We  read  of  the  brilliant  flora  of  the 
tropics,  but  I  question  if  any  effect  there  can  surpass  the  charms  of 
mile  after  mile  of  Cherry  orchards  all  aglow  with  flower.  And  in  the 
district  round  Sittingbourne  and  Maidstone  may  be  seen  the  capacity 
of  this  fruit  when  at  home ;  for  in  many  of  the  orchards  are  giant 
specimens,  with  mighty  limbs  more  like  those  of  a  forest  Oak  than  an 
ordinary  Iruit  tree.  How  long  they  have  been  in  bearing  it  would  be 
hard  to  say,  and  it  would  be  interesting  to  know  how  much  hard 
cash  they  have  been  the  means  of  putting  into  the  pocsets  of 
the  growers,  for  a  good  Cherry  orchard  is  an  excellent  naung 
concern.  Flowering  time  is  only  the  beginning,  and  though  early 
prospects  please  the  grower,  it  is  a  later  picture  that  tills  him  wi  h 
the  greatest  satisfaction,  when  rich  red  Iruits  peep  in  quantity 
from  a  canopy  of  verdure,  particularly  if  salesmen  are  clamouring 
and  prices  are  high. 
Pears,  like  the  rest  of  hardy  fruits,  came  on  amazingly  during 
the  last  week  of  April,  and  |  rospects  are  encouraging.  Ou  many 
occasions  they  have  bloomed  earlier,  and  perhaps  more  fully,  b  t 
this  does  not  insure  a  crop  by  any  means,  and  unless  some  unfortunate 
circumstance  arises  there  ought  to  be  a  go  d  supply  of  this  valuable 
fruit.  It  is  yet  early  to  say  much  ab  mt  Apples,  but  the  warm  change 
in  the  weather  has  had  its  effect  on  them,  with  the  result  that 
they  have  followed  more  closely  on  the  heels  of  the  Pears  and  stone 
fruit  than  is  usually  the  case.  Bush  fruits,  such  as  Gooseberries 
and  C  riants,  looked  backward  at  Easter  time,  but  the  scene 
has  changed.  They  are  masses  of  green,  with  every  shoot  wreathed 
with  fruits,  and  in  gardens  and  plantations  there  are  prospects  of 
heavy  crops. 
These  were  impressions  gathered  among  the  fruit  as  April  drew  to 
a  close.  A  few  days  ago  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  give  them, 
but  Dame  Natuie  is  the  most  remarkable  of  quick  change  artistes. 
Perhaps  before  these  lines  appear  m  print  the  nortu-easter  will  have 
returned,  and  overcoats  again  pressed  into  the  service.  I  say  it  may 
he  so,  for  we  have  had  bitter  experiences  of  this  kind  before  ;  but  I 
hojie  such  will  not  be  the  case,  lor  ttie  sake  of  the  fruit  and  those  to 
whom  scarcity  or  plenty  means  so  much. — G.  H.  H. 
