558 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  24,  18 97. 
fixed  of  sufficient  height  to  carry  the  nets  above  the  trees,  bo  that  the 
fruit  is  protected  from  birds  and  gathered  without  difficulty.  The 
varieties  most  in  favour  are  Early  Rivers,  Elton,  Bigarreau  Jaboulay, 
Black  Tartarian,  Governor  Wood,  Empress  Eugenie,  May  Duke,  Late 
Duke,  Archdmke,  Florence,  and  Monstrous  Bigarreau. 
Apples. 
These  are  grown  to  the  number  of  250  varieties  in  trees  of  all  sizes 
from  maidens  to  orchard  standards.  The  best  Dessert  Apples  are — 
White  Juneating,  Irish  Peach,  and  Mr.  Gladstone,  for  July.  Williams’ 
Favourite,  September  Beauty,  Red  Astrachan,  Devonshire  Quarrenden, 
Lady  Sudeley,  and  Gravenstein,  for  Avgust  and  September.  Ribston 
Pippin,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Mother  Apple,  Rosemary  Russet,  King  of 
Tomkin’s  County,  Okera,  King  of  the  Pippins,  Brownlees’  Russet,  and 
Royal  Russet,  October  and  November.  Duke  of  Devonshire,  Annie 
Elizabeth,  Claygate  Pearmain,  Adam’s  Pearmain,  Scarlet  Nonpareil, 
and  Peck’s  Pleasant,  for  December  and  January.  Fearn’s  Pippin, 
Baddow  Pippin,  Reinette  de  Canada,  Lord  Burghley,  and  Court  Pendu 
Plat,  from  February  to  May. 
The  best  Kitchen  Apples  are  Lord  Suffield,  Keswick  Codlin, 
Ecklinville,  Prince  Bismarck,  Cox’s  Pomona,  the  Queen,  and  Frogmore 
Prolific,  for  August  and  September,  Red  Hawthornden,  Warner’s  King, 
Blenheim  Pippin,  Peasgooa’s  Nonesuch,  Domino,  and  New  Hawthornden, 
for  October  and  November.  Bramley’s  Seedling,  Tower  of  Glammis,  and 
Betty  Geeson,  for  December.  Lord  Derby,  Gloria  Mundi,  Northern 
Greening,  Schoolmaster,  and  Newton  Wonder,  for  January  and 
February.  Lady  Henniker,  Wellington,  Sandringham,  Dutch  Mignonne, 
and  Royal  Late  Cooking,  for  the  remainder  of  the  season. 
Pears. 
May  did  considerable  damage  to  the  crops  in  general,  but  at  Windsor  a 
thick  layer  of  straw  was  placed  between  the  rows  early,  and  allowed  to 
remain  loose.  This  can  be  qui  kly  thrown  over  the  plants  when  frost 
threatens,  to  protect  the  early  blooms  from  injury.  When  no  longer 
required  for  that  purpose  it  is  levelled  down  aB  a  bed  for  the  fruit  to 
rest  on.  The  crop  looked  very  promising  indeed. 
The  varieties  found  the  most  useful  on  the  heavy  soil  are  as  follows, 
placed  in  order  of  their  ripening  Laxton’s  No.  1,  poor  flavour  ;  Noble, 
large  but  insipid ;  Royal  Sovereign,  a  few  days  later,  with  good  brisk 
flavour,  and  well  worthy  of  the  name  it  bears.  La  Grosse  Sucrde  comes 
next,  and  does  well.  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  Sir  Charles  Napier,  Countess, 
President,  and  Leader  closely  following,  the  last  named  being  one  of  the 
best  cropping  Strawberries  in  cultivation.  For  late  supply  Waterloo 
is  a  great  favourite.  Other  varieties  for  this  purpose  are  Commander, 
Latest  of  All,  and  Frogmore  Late  Pine.  This  season  is  quite  a  fortnight 
later  than  last,  when  the  first  punnet  of  Laxton’s  No.  1  was  gathered  on 
May  18  th. 
The  best  hint  conveyed  here,  and  which  ought  not  to  be  lost  Bight  of, 
is  the  “  strawing  ”  the  beds.  This  is  not  usually  done  till  the  fruit  is 
commencing  to  ripen,  and  injury  is  often  done  in  packing  it  under  the 
trusses.  By  piling  it  loosely  between  the  rows  just  before  the  flowers 
open  the  flowers  are  sheltered  and  may  be  easily  protected  on  a  frosty 
night  by  scattering  it  over  them.  The  litter  then  only  needs  pressing 
down  to  keep  the  fruit  clean.  Two  purposes  are  thus  served,  and 
much  less  time  occupied  than  by  the  old  method  of  late  application 
Some  Results  in  the  Royal  Gardens. 
That  fruit  is  produced  in  large  quantities  will  be  seen  by  the  follow¬ 
ing  figures,  taken  from  the  garden  book  for  1896 
Of  these  there  is  a  great  assortment,  and  the  trees  of  all  forms  and 
Bizes  are  in  admirable  condition.  A  feature  of  this  garden  is  provided 
by  the  low  arched  trellises  which  flank  the  central  walk.  They  are 
probably  about  4  feet  high,  and  have  a  span  of  5  or  6  feet.  All  strangers 
notice  them  as  something  of  a  kind  they  have  not  seen  before.  They 
were  designed  probably  so  that  a  view  could  be  had  of  the  garden 
beyond.  They  are  devoted  to  Pears,  and  although  it  might  be  supposed 
the  blossoms  would  be  much  exposed  to  and  injured  by  frost,  we  have 
seen  excellent  crops  of  fruit  from  end  to  end  of  the  arches,  and  very 
convenient  for  gathering.  A  glimpse  of  the  Frogmore  Pear  arches  may 
be  obtained  in  fig.  128,  page  573,  which  shows  the  broad  central  walk 
and  the  gardener’s  house  in  the  distance. 
Dessert  Pears. — The  following  are  found  the  most  suitable,  Doyenne 
d’Ete  and  Citron  des  Cannes  for  July.  Jargonelle,  Beurrd  Giffard,  and 
Clapp’s  Favourite  for  August.  Williams’  Bon  Chretien,  Beurre  d’Amanlis, 
Madame  Treyve,  and  Colmar  d’Etd  for  September.  Louise  Bonne  of 
Jersey,  Fondante  d’Automne,  and  Beurrd  Hardy  for  October.  Thomp¬ 
son’s,  Seckle,  Doyennd  Boussoch,  and  Marie  Louise  for  November. 
Comte  de  Lamy,  Bergamotte  Esperen,  Beurrd  Bose,  Doyenne  de  Comice, 
and  General  Todleben  for  December.  Winter  Nelis,  Josephine  de 
Malines,  Knight’s  Monarch,  Beurrd  Sterckmans  for  January  and 
February.  Olivier  de  Serres,  Ne  Plus  Meuris,  Beurrd  Ranee,  Doyennd 
d’Alencjon,  Bergamotte  Esperen,  and  Easter  Beurrd  for  the  remainder 
of  the  season.  Kitchen  Pears. — Vicar  of  Winkfield  and  Uvedale’s  St. 
Germain. 
Plums. 
Plums  are  under  the  average  this  year  in  cropping,  having  suffered 
from  spring  frost.  They  are  grown  in  forty  varieties,  the  best  of  which 
are  as  follows  :  Dessert. — Early  Favourite  and  The  Czar  for  July. 
Green  Gage,  De  Montfort,  and  Denniston’s  Superb  for  August. 
Angelina  Burdett,  Cloth  of  Gold,  Jefferson,  Kirke’s  and  Trans¬ 
parent  for  September.  Blue  Imperatrice  and  Ickworth  Impdratrice 
for  October.  The  best  Kitchen  Plums  are  The  Sultan,  Orleans, 
Prince  Engelbert,  Red  Magnum  Bonum,  White  Magnum  Bonum, 
Pond’s  Seedling,  Victoria,  Diamond,  and  Autumn  CompSte. 
Nearly  3000  young  fruit  trees  of  one  sort  or  another  have  been 
planted  during  the  past  five  years. 
Strawberries. 
Strawberries  are  grown  to  the  extent  of  2  acres.  Most  of  the  new 
varieties  are  included  in  the  collection,  which  number  fifty  named  sorts. 
Several  new  ones  raised  by  Mr.  Thomas  within  the  last  few  years 
are  being  carefully  tested  on  a  border  set  apart  for  the  purpose,  some  of 
which  promise  to  occupy  an  important  place  in  the  list  of  first-class 
Strawberries.  Sir  Trevor  produces  ripe  fruit  several  days  in  advance  ol! 
any  other,  Laxton’s  No.  1  previous  to  this  being  looked  upon  as  the 
earliest  Strawberry  in  cultivation.  Cold  nights  during  the  early  part  of 
Apples, 
Apricots, 
Cherries, 
Plums, 
Green  Gage, 
Pears, 
Peaches, 
Nectarines, 
Gooseberries, 
Currants — Black, 
Raspberries, 
Strawberries, 
2050  dozen  and  450  bushels. 
420  „ 
1220  lbs. 
390  dozen  and  500  quarts. 
74  „  and  40  quarts. 
2021  ,,  and  22  pecks. 
400  „ 
130  „ 
1550  lbs.  and  262  quarts. 
640  lbs. ;  Red,  1406  lbs. ;  White,  173  lbs. 
656  lbs. 
2000  lbs. 
These  figures  relate  to  fruit  grown  in  the  open  gardens.  The 
“dozens”  indicate  selected  dessert  fruits;  the  bushels,  pecks,  and 
quarts  kitchen  fruit ;  pounds,  the  supply  for  both  purposes.  It  is  a 
goodly  total,  even  for  a  Royal  household. 
Black  Currants  have  suffered  from  frost,  and  the  crop  will  be  under 
the  average. 
VEGETABLES. 
Having  previously  given  the  dimensions  of  this  immense  garden, 
and  indicated  the  nature  of  the  soil,  the  system  of  cultivation  and  of 
cropping  may  be  briefly  referred  to,  and  the  great  provision  made  and 
supplies  obtained  concisely  recorded. 
As  regards  the  system  of  cultivation  and  rotation  of  crops,  the 
following  is  as  closely  adhered  to  as  possible.  A  few  acres  are  trenched 
from  to  3  feet  deep,  and  heavily  manured  every  year.  This  area  is 
cropped  the  first  year  with  Peas,  followed  by  winter  salads,  and  the 
following  year  usually  occupied  with  Brussels  Sprouts.  (The  best 
Cabbage  Lettuce  for  winter  and  spring  work  is  still  the  old  Stanstead 
White,  and  the  more  open,  exposed,  and  dry  the  aspect  is  the  better  it 
is  found  to  suit  the  requirements  of  the  plants  in  winter).  For  economy 
of  management  this  land  is  not  again  dug  with  the  spade  for  three  or 
four  years,  but  the  horse  and  the  plough  are  brought  into  requisition 
instead  to  expedite  work,  with  a  rotary  cultivator  with  strong  slightly 
curved  prongs  to  break  the  clods.  Another  system  adopted  is  to  manure 
heavily  in  beds  for  Celery,  the  next  season  cropped  with  summer  Onions, 
autumn  planted  Cabbages  following,  then  early  Potatoes,  Strawberries, 
and  spring  Broccoli  in  rotation. 
Many  thousands  of  roots  and  crowns  of  Asparagus  being  required 
annually  for  forcing  purposes  alone,  new  beds  are  formed  and  planted 
extensively  every  year.  The  site  for  one  of  these  beds  is  always  open 
as  a  receptacle  for  garden  refuse  as  a  foundation,  and  turning  this 
refuse  at  the  same  time  to  good  purpose  by  converting  what  is  often 
wasted  into  good  and  fertile  soil.  On  the  top  of  this  refuse  is  spread  a 
layer  of  good  decayed  manure,  to  be  covered  with  soil,  that  was  thrown 
out  in  making  the  wide  trench,  before  the  beds  are  planted.  By 
following  the  system  success  is  always  attained.  It  is  a  simple  and 
excellent  method,  worthy  of  more  general  adoption. 
