548 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  12,  1895. 
OPEN  AIR  PEACH  CULTURE. 
Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  A.  Young,  Abberley  Gardens, 
Stourport,  'we  are  enabled  to  give  the  text  of  the  paper  on  Peach 
culture  read  by  him  before  the  Birmingham  Gardeners’  Mutual 
Improvement  Association,  and  briefly  referred  to  on  page  517. 
The  subject  on  which  I  have  chosen  to  address  you  to-night 
you  may  possibly  think  somewhat  old-fashioned,  but  I  hope  it  will 
not  prove  uninteresting.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  cultivation  of 
Peaches  against  open  walls  was  carried  out  successfully  in  the 
majority  of  gardens  upwards  of  half  a  century  ago,  at  least  if  we 
may  so  judge  from  the  writings  and  utterances  of  those  gardeners 
who  were  then  living.  We  may  by  this  take  it  that  considerable 
attention  must  have  been  bestowed  on  the  trees  at  that  period,  and 
which  we  need  not  doubt,  as  with  little  or  no  glass  houses  to 
attend  to,  gardeners  had  more  time  at  their  command  to  attend  to 
tha  trees’  wants. 
Wi'jh  the  march  of  time  the  advent  of  cheaper  glass  houses, 
and  aho  changes  of  fashion  which  the  spirit  of  the  times  evoked, 
open  air  Peach  culture  became  neglected,  and,  except  in  a  few 
isolated  cases.  Peaches  came  to  be  almost  entirely  cultivated  under 
glass,  or,  if  attempted  in  the  open  air,  very  little  attention  was 
bestowed  on  the  trees,  with  the  result  that  they  fell  into  a  decrepit 
state,  and  open  air  Peach  trees  came  into  ill  repute. 
Our  seasons  were  blamed  for  this  state  of  things,  but  X  think 
we  must  look  to  other  causes  than  an  unfavourable  climate,  and 
which  can  be  summed  up  in  a  few  -words,  “lack  of  attention.” 
Insects  were  allowed  to  gain  a  footing  early  in  the  season,  or  as 
soon  as  growth  had  started.  The  young  foliage  curls  up,  turns 
yellow,  drops,  and  the  tree  is  enfeebled.  It  is  only  when  this  stage 
is  reached  that  many  people  think  of  applying  a  remedy.  This  is 
too  late,  the  earlier  shoots  have  been  lost,  consequently,  even  if  the 
trees  attempt  to  make  a  healthy  growth  it  is  too  late  to  enable  it  to 
become  ripened.  In  the  end  open  air  Peach  culture  is  condemned 
as  being  unfitted  for  this  country. 
The  reply  of  some  people  to  this  state  of  things  is,  “  If  Peach 
trees  are  so  susceptible  of  insect  attacks  and  other  ills  when 
cultivated  against  walls  in  the  open  air,  why  trouble  about  them 
when  their  culture  can  be  carried  on  with  much  more  ease  by  the 
aid  of  gla.'is  bouses  ?  ”  In  answer  to  this  I  may  say  it  is  not  all 
gardens  wherein  even  now  sufficient  glass  accommodation  can  be 
devoted  to  them,  as  in  numbers  of  gardens  the  extent  of  glass 
devoted  to  the  culture  of  Peaches  is  only  one  structure,  and  in 
many  others  none  at  all.  Even  where  a  good  extent  of  glass 
accommodation  is  at  command  it  is  found  of  great  advantage  to 
devote  a  certain  space  for  trees  of  outdoor  growth. 
The  past  season  is  good  evidence  of  this,  as  a  good  supply 
of  fruit  was  produced  throughout  the  months  of  August  and 
September,  when  indoor  fruits  in  the  majority  of  gardens  were 
over.  The  quality  and  flavour  of  these  fruits,  especially  those 
which  ripened  up  from  the  latter  part  of  August  and  September, 
were  superb.  That  grand  late  Peach,  Walburton  Admirable,  I 
never  remember  being  excelled.  The  quality  of  these  may  be 
judged  when  I  say  that  I  received  prices  ranging  from  lOs.,  123., 
and  los.  per  dozen  for  fruits  sold  in  Covent  Garden  Market. 
The  suitability  of  Peaches,  however,  for  open-air  culture  I  do 
not  gauge  by  the  behaviour  solely  of  the  variety  just  noted,  as 
there  are  several  high-clasa,  midseason,  and  earlier  kinds  which 
may  be  relied  on  to  ripen  annually  if  the  trees  are  carefully  tended. 
Stirling  Castle,  Grosse  Mignonne,  Dymond,  Barrington,  Crimson 
Galande,  Dr.  Hogg,  Bellegarde,  ani  Alexandra  Noblesse  are 
excellent  for  open-air  culture,  tfle  merits  of  which  I  shall  particularise 
as  I  proceed. 
The  earlier  varieties,  such  as  Alexander,  Early  Louise,  Early 
Alfred,  Amsden’s  June,  and  Hale’s  Early  are  also  a  most  useful 
section  of  Peaches,  and  especially  where  glass  accommodation  is 
limited.  The  quality,  however,  is  much  below  that  of  the  midseason 
varieties.  The  mistake  I  find  at  the  present  time,  where  open-air 
Peach  culture  is  being  attempted,  is  relying  exclusively  on  the 
earlier  varieties.  They  are  useful,  I  admit,  and  especially  in  those 
gardens  where  Peach  culture  is  limited  to  the  open  air,  as  an  early 
Peach  in  these  cases  is  much  appreciated,  but  as  the  quality  and 
appearance  are  much  below  the  midseason  section,  it  will  be  seen 
how  unwise  it  is  to  limit  one’s  self  to  these  earlier  kinds  only.  A 
good  early  Peach,  combining  the  qualities  of  a  Royal  George, 
has  yet  to  be  raised,  but  which,  no  doubt,  will  be  forthcoming  in 
time. 
In  districts  where  the  climate  is  not  so  favourable  an  excellent 
aid  for  the  furtherance  of  successful  open-air  culture  will  be  found 
in  having  the  assistance  of  a  glass  coping.  In  fact  such  is  what 
1  have  to  resort  to,  the  wall  being  surmounted  with  a  coping  to  the 
length  of  100  yards.  Not  only  for  securing  the  trees  when  in 
bloom  against  frost,  but  throughout  the  whole  of  the  season  is  the 
coping  kept  up,  or  until  the  fruit  is  all  ga'hered  and  the  wood 
ripened.  The  glass  was  removed  recently,  and  will  not  be  replaced 
until  the  opening  bud#  warn  us  that  it  is  not  safe  to  defer  any 
longer  for  fear  of  injury  from  frost. 
This  I  know  is  against  the  generally  accepted  views  of  the 
uses  of  a  glass  coping,  this  being  to  remove  it  directly  the  trees  pass 
out  of  flower,  or  when  danger  of  frost  is  past.  Believers  in  this 
system  generally  prognosticate  all  kinds  of  imaginary  evils  when¬ 
ever  a  glass  coping  is  recommended  to  be  kept  up  the  whole  of  the 
growing  season,  but  from  a  practice  of  the  system  ranging  over 
several  years,  I  find  the  trees  are  greatly  benefited,  and  this  in  our 
securing  satisfactory  crops  annually.  The  kind  of  coping  affixed 
to  our  wall  is  that  as  supplied  by  Richardsons,  Darlington,  the 
width  being  30  inches.  The  glass  is  Hartley’s  rolled  plate,  and  is 
easily  taken  out  by  a  handy  man,  and  also  replaced  when  the  time 
comes  for  this  to  be  done.  It  is  not  at  all  an  expensive  arrange¬ 
ment,  and  in  our  case  has  been  paid  for  over  and  over  again  from 
the  surplus  fruit  sold. 
The  best  aspect  is,  in  our  Midland  district  at  any  rate,  a  full 
southern  exposure,  though  further  south  Peaches  may  succeed  on 
other  aspects.  To  allow  of  free  extension  of  the  trees  the  wall 
must  not  be  too  cramped,  or  not  less  than  9  feet  or  10  feet  high. 
Our  wall  is  12  feet,  and  commands  a  good  spread  of  branches, 
adding  much  to  the  longevity  of  the  trees.  'Trees  of  which  the 
branches  have  to  be  curtailed  to  keep  them  within  the  limits  of  the 
wall  on  account  of  its  shallow  depth,  are  never  satisfactory,  as  the 
succeeding  growth  becomes  too  gross,  gumming  eventually  takes 
places,  and  which,  if  the  trees  do  not  exactly  succumb,  they  linger 
on,  whole  brandies  eventually  dying  away.  Such  trees  rarely, 
if  ever,  produce  satisfactory  flowers,  and  by  these  being  imperfect 
the  fruit  swells  off  unevenly,  and  the  greater  part  also  drops  off. 
(To  be  continued.) 
HYACINTHS  IN  GLASSES. 
As  we  approach  the  closing  days  of  a  fast  fading  year  how 
necessary  it  is  that  our  thoughts  should  be  directed  in  pleasurable 
anticipations  to  the  bright,  fresh,  floral  beauties  which  shower  their 
blessings  on  us  in  the  early  days  of  spring.  The  pure  white  Snow¬ 
drop,  the  yellow  Aconite,  and  the  golden  Crocus  are  but  the 
harbingers  of  a  still  more  brilliant  array  of  bulbous  flowers,  for 
when  the  rich  hues  of  Daffodils,  Tulips,  and  Hyacinths  paint  with 
^  surpassing  brightness  many  garden  scenes,  the  climax  of  brilliancy 
*  in  spring  gardening  is  undoubtedlv  reached,  and  it  is  by  no  means 
certain  that  the  wealth  of  summer  flowers  can  in  point  of  brightness 
outrival  it. 
So  dear  are  these  showy  spring  flowers  to  all  true  lovers  of 
gardening  that  limited  indeed  must  be  the  means  of  those  who  do 
not  make  an  attempt  to  prolong  the  season  of  their  beauty  by 
coaxing  some  to  flower  before  their  natural  season.  In  thousands 
of  cottage  windows  bulbs  in  pots  may  be  seen  flowering  in  the  early 
spring  months,  and  the  millions  that  are  annually  grown  in  pots  in 
extensive  private  gardens  and  nurseries,  as  well  as  by  market 
growers  proper,  must  represent  a  total  of  gigantic  magnitude. 
There  is,  however,  one  phase  of  bulb  culture  which  seems  to 
me  to  have  been  somewhat  neglected.  I  refer  to  the  growing  of 
Hyacinths  in  glasses.  True,  there  are  homes  innumerable  in 
which  a  few  bulbs  are  annually  grown  in  this  way,  but  I  maintain  that 
in  the  majority  of  private  gardens  the  many  advantages  which  this 
method  of  culture  possesses  are  not  sufficiently  turned  to  account. 
These  advantages  are  perhaps  well  worthy  of  considering  in  detail. 
The  whole  matter  from  beginning  to  end  is  so  simple,  entails  so 
little  trouble,  and  is  moreover  such  a  clean  method  of  gardening, 
that  the  only  reason  I  can  assign  for  its  tardy  extension  is  the 
phlegmatic  temperament  characteristic  of  the  average  Briton. 
The  amateur  gardener  who  grows  only  a  very  limited  number, 
or  the  professional  who  requires  them  by  the  hundreds  or  thousands, 
can  each  appreciate  the  advantages  already  enumerated  ;  but  those 
of  the  latter  class  who  have  a  wealth  of  flowers  to  maintain  in 
dwelling  rooms  will  find  Hyacinths  in  glasses  an  inestimable  boon. 
In  dealing  with  them  for  such  decorative  purposes  we  have  no 
ugly  pots  to  hide  ;  a  group  can  be  made  here,  another  there,  and 
others  disposed  singly  in  suitable  positions  in  a  few  moments  ;  no 
vases  are  required  to  place  them  in,  and  no  trouble  is  given  in 
mossing  when  they  are  changed.  The  glasses  are  presentable, 
I  think  I  might  say  ornamental  in  themselves,  and  do  not  require 
hiding.  There  is  also  the  great  advantage  of  not  having  to  provide 
a  receptacle  to  catch  the  water,  which  passes  through  the  soil 
when  plants  in  pots  are  used. 
Although  it  is  not  necessary  to  hide  the  glasses  in  some  styles 
of  arrangement,  it  is  convenient  to  do  so.  To  take  a  case  in  point 
let  us  consider  the  matter  in  this  way.  Here  we  have  a  small  table 
standing  by  the  window  of  a  boudoir,  on  which  it  is  essential  to 
have  constantly  an  attractive  group  of  plants  and  flowers,  a  water- 
