554 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  24,  18a?. 
Another  objection  may  be  stated — namely,  the  composition  of  the 
soil — a  heavy  marl,  varying  in  some  parts  to  strong  clay.  Even  now, 
after  having  been  thoroughly  worked  and  liberally  manured  every  year 
for  half  a  century.it  is  most  stubborn,  and 'can  only  be  brought  into 
proper  condition  to  receive  seeds  and  crops  after  the  expenditure  of 
much  labour  and  time. 
Passing  Frogmore  House  and  noting  on  the  way  a  new  Apple  orchard 
of  4  acres,  and  a  recently  rejuvenated  old  orchard,  we  proceed  through  a 
thinly  planted  avenue  of  Wellingtonias,  planted  about  forty-five  years 
ago.  Opposite  the  garden  entrance  a  glance  is  had  of  the  Evergreen  Oak 
avenue  (leading  from  the  Lodge  to  the  Thames)  planted  ten  years  ago 
by  the  Queen  and  members  of  the  Eoyal  Family  to  commemorate  her 
Majesty’s  fiftieth  year  on  the  Throne.  The  Evergreen  Oak  is  a  slow- 
growing  tree,  and  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  this  makes  an  imposing 
avenue.  Still  the  trees  are  in  excellent  health  and  growing  satisfactorily. 
We  are  now  at  the  garden  entrance  lodge,  this  and  the  pillars  being 
densely  clothed  with  Ampelopsis  Veitchi  ;  but  before  passing  the  porter, 
dressed  in  green  and  gold,  it  may  be  well  to  give  some  idea  of  the  size 
of  the  kitchen  gardens  and  their  general  arrangement. 
Area  and  Terrace. 
The  area  of  garden  ground  secured  in  the  first  instance  was  31  acres, 
all  of  which  were  enclosed  by  a  substantial  and  well  built  wall,  12  feet 
hieh,  protected  by  a  coping  with  a  projection  of  4  inches  on  each  side. 
Th's  boundary  wall  measures  from  east  to  west  352  yards,  and  from 
north  to  south  285  yards.  The  great  length  from  E.  to  W.  gives  the 
garden  a  splendid  exposure  to  the  sun  from  morning  to  night.  Its 
position  is  south,  with  a  few  points  to  the  east.  This  large  enclosure  is 
intersected  bv  other  walls  of  the  same  height,  forming  in  fact  six  separate 
gardens,  all  of  course  communicating  with  one  another. 
After  the  completion  of  this  garden  it  was  soon  found  that  this  area 
was  insufficient,  and  10  acres  more  were  added  on  the  south  side,  and 
after  a  time  10  more  acres  were  joined  to  the  west  side,  so  that  with  the 
3  acres  of  kitchen  garden  (walled  in)  at  Frogmore  House,  the  extent  of 
the  Royal  kitchen  and  fruit  gardens  amounts  to  upwards  of  50  acres  ; 
and  even  this  large  area  is  found  to  be  insufficient,  much  fruit  and  many 
vegetables  often  having  to  be  bought.  The  construction  of  the  garden, 
not  including  the  great  additions  which  have  from  time  to  time  been 
found  necessary,  amounted  to  about  £50,000. 
On  entering  the  lodge  gates  the  first  object  that  presents  itself  to 
the  spectator  is  an  imposing  terrace  352  yards  long  by  25  yards  wide, 
having  a  wide  carriage  drive  in  the  centre,  bounded  on  each  side  by  a 
broad  space  of  turf,  on  which  are  planted  Roses  in  round  and  oblong 
beds.  Between  these  beds,  on  both  sides,  are  many  bell-shaped  wire 
trellises  about  9  feet  high  and  7  feet  wide,  all  covered  with  climbing 
Roses — Crimson  Rambler,  Carmine  Pillar,  W.  A.  Richardson,  Bennett’s 
Seedling,  Aimde  Vibert,  and  other  varieties  which  help  to  make  a 
charming  picture  in  the  summer  time. 
On  the  right  of  this  noble  terrace  (about  half  of  which  is  shown  in  the 
illustration,  fig.  115,  page  564),  and  parallel  with  the  drive,  is  constructed 
the  chief  range  of  fruit  houses  the  whole  length  of  the  terrace,  broken 
only  in  the  centre  by  the  he&d  gardener’s  house  into  two  ranges — one 
called  the  East  and  the  other  the  West.  In  these  ranges  are  nine 
vineries,  four  Peach  houses,  and  one  large  Rose  house,  besides  many 
connecting  corridors,  each  having  a  door  communicating  with  the  terrace, 
and  each  corridor  planted  either  with  Grapes  or  Peaches.  Behind  the 
wall,  against  which  this  long  range  of  lean-to  houses  are  built,  are  all  the 
garden  offices,  such  as  bothies,  bath  rooms,  library,  stokeholes,  Mushroom 
houses,  packing  and  potting  sheds,  and  fruit  rooms.  In  front  of  these 
buildings  is  the  little  town  of  glass  houses  and  pits  devoted  to  the 
growth  and  forcing  of  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables.  This  area  covers 
about  8  acres,  and  is  enclosed  by  walls  12  feet  high. 
On  the  left  hand  of  this  great  south  terrace — along  which  her 
Majesty  frequently  passes  in  the  course  of  her  afternoon  drives,  are 
specimen  Thuias,  Irish  Yews,  Golden  Hollies,  and  Cypresses,  many  of 
them  30  feet  high.  These  are  flanked  on  the  kitchen  garden  side  by  a  low 
hedge  of  China  and  W.  A.  Richardson  Roses,  and  also  by  a  line  the  full 
length  of  the  terrace  of  fine  specimen  pyramidal  Pear  trees  about  15  feet 
high,  and  removed  here  only  three  years  ago.  Parallel  with  these  are 
two  flower  borders,  each  120  yards  long  by  24  feet  wide,  one  containing 
a  collection  of  Hybrid  Perpetual  and  Tea  Roses,  the  other  planted  two 
years  ago  with  the  best  known  varieties  of  hardy  plants  for  cutting 
purposes  and  for  pleasing  effect.  Southward  from  this  terrace  and 
borders  extends  the  kitchen  garden  and  hardy  fruit  trees,  to  be  referred 
to  in  due  course,  another  section  of  this  great  establishment  claiming 
prior  attention. 
THE  GLASS  DEPARTMENT. 
So  extensive  is  this,  that  only  the  salient  features  can  be  noted,  and 
a  few  practical  points  in  routine  briefly  indicated.  The  terrace  ranges 
previously  mentioned,  and  partly  shown  in  the  illustration  (page  564), 
were  built  by  Messrs.  Clarke  &  Hope  of  Birmingham,  upwards  of  fifty 
years  ago,  the  materials  used  being  iron  and  copper.  The  houses  are 
light  and  elegant,  and  when  it  is  said  that  they  are  from  all  appearance 
as  good  as  ever  they  were,  it  speaks  well  of  the  materials  used  and  the 
workmanship  of  those  days.  A  prejudice  exists  among  many  gardeners 
against  iron  and  copper  houses,  in  which  it  is  clear  that  Mr.  Thomas  does 
not  share,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  heavy  crops  of  fruit  obtained 
from  them  annually  speak  forcibly  in  their  favour.  Let  us  take  a  short 
snrvey  of  the  fruit  grown  under  glass,  and  see  how  the  houses  suit  the 
different  kinds. 
Grape  Culture  and  Supply. 
Grapes  form  an  important  part  of  the  Frogmore  fruit  supply,  and  of 
vineries  there  are  eleven,  many  of  them  of  large  size,  and  none  of  them 
small.  For  the  last  two  seasons  the  year  round  has  been  spanned  with 
Grapes — an  everyday  supply  without  a  break.  The  summer  daily  demand 
is  seldom  less  than  15  lbs.,  sometimes  rising,  with  large  parties,  to 
upwards  of  100  lbs.  For  a  State  ball  or  concert  at  Buckingham  Palace 
60  to  80  lbs.  are  needed.  Fruit  at  one  time  used  only  to  be  furnished 
with  luncheon  and  dinner,  now  it  must  be  forthcoming  at  every  meal, 
and  in  quantities  too — a  healthy  sign  this  for  gardening,  which  is  spread¬ 
ing  far  aud  wide.  When  it  is  said  that  about  5000  lbs.,  more  or  less 
(according  to  the  season)  of  Grapes  are  grown  annually  for  her  Majesty, 
including  the  returns  from  the  old  Vine  at  Cumberland  Lodge  and  the 
one  at  Hampton  Court,  it  will  be  readily  understood  that  heavy  crops  of 
the  best  quality  must  always  be  forthcoming. 
The  first  vinery  is  started  during  the  last  week  in  October  or  early  in 
November,  according  to  the  ripeness  of  the  wood,  and  also  dependent  on 
the  quantity  of  Grapes  in  stock.  The  temperature  is  regulated  according 
to  the  external  conditions  of  the  weather.  If  mild,  the  Vines  are  given  a 
temperature  of  55°  to  start  with,  rising  gradually,  as  growth  advances, 
until  about  the  first  week  in  January,  to  70°  at  night,  and  this  tempera¬ 
ture  is  practically  maintained  until  ripe  Grapes  are  cut,  during  the  last 
week  in  March  or  the  first  week  in  April,  the  earliest  on  record  here 
being  March  14th,  four  years  ago.  The  varieties  grown  for  the  purpose 
of  early  forcing  are  Black  Hamburgh  and  Foster’s  Seedling.  The  Vines 
are  pruned  on  the  long  spur  system,  each  lateral  being  cut,  not  necessarily 
to  the  lowest,  but  to  the  first  good  bud  from  the  base.  There  are 
thousands  of  Vines  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land  that  would 
yield  much  better  crops  than  they  do  if  pruned  on  this  common-sense 
method,  instead  of  being  cut  to  the  lowest  bud,  whether  it  be  good  or 
bad. 
The  second  vinery  is  planted  with  the  same  varieties  and  pruned  on 
the  same  principle.  It  is  started  about  the  middle  of  November,  and 
ripe  Grapes  are  cut  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  end  of  May.  This  is  a 
larger  vinery,  being  120  feet  by  15  feet  wide,  and  out  of  it  are  usually  cut 
during  May  700  lbs.  of  fruit.  One  half  of  the  Vines  are  ten  years  old 
and  the  others  about  thirty  years,  the  old  ones  looking  as  well  and  carry¬ 
ing  equally  heavy  crops  of  good  quality  Grapes  with  the  younger  ones. 
The  third  vinery  is  started  December  26th,  and  ripe  Grapes  cut  at 
the  end  of  May  and  in  June.  This  house  was  formerly  used  as  a  Pine 
stove,  with  one  Foster  Seedling  Vine  planted  against  the  back  wall  for 
shading  the  path.  The  Pines  were  removed  to  other  quarters  a  few 
years  ago,  and  the  old  Vine,  once  the  restrictions  were  removed,  soon 
covered  the  roof  with  splendid  wood  and  foliage,  and  now  produces 
annually  not  less  than  200  lbs.  of  first-class  Grapes— a  beautiful  sight, 
and  eloquent  proof  of  the  soundness  of  the  principle  of  extension. 
The  fourth  vinery  is  75  feet  long  by  15  wide,  planted  with  Black 
Hamburghs,  started  on  January  15th,  and  now  (20th  May)  ripening  a 
very  heavy  crop  of  excellent  Grapes,  estimated  to  weigh  upwards  of 
400  lbs.,  and  intended  for  use  during  the  Diamond  Jubilee  celebrations. 
These  Vines  have  been  planted  twenty  years,  and  have  borne  heavy 
crops  year  after  year  without  a  single  failure.  They  are  alwajs  pruned 
to  the  first  good  bud,  and  young  shoots  laid  in  to  take  the  place  of  any 
spurs  which  may  have  to  be  cut  out  the  following  winter. 
Next  in  rotation  comes  a  house  of  Madresfield  Court,  Golden  Champion, 
and  Duke  of  Buccleuch,  all  looking  well  and  carrying  heavy  crops  of 
fruit,  also  intended  for  the  Jubilee  time.  This  house  was  planted  1st  of 
July,  1893,  with  young  growing  Vines.  At  the  end  of  September  the 
roof  was  covered  with  splendid  growth,  and  the  following  year  three  or 
four  bunches  of  Grapes  were  taken  from  each  rod,  and  they  have  since 
produced  excellent  results.  A  faint  idea  of  these  Grapes  may  be  obtained 
fromithe  small  photograph  taken  longibefore  they  were  ripe  (fig.  116,  p.  565). 
