July  21,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
49 
of  the  family  have  a  partiality  for  gathering  the  flowers  Mr.  Pike  lays 
straw  between  each  row,  which  serves  the  double  purpose  of  making  a 
clean  path  for  the  ladies  and  conserves  the  moisture  during  dry  weather. 
For  cutting  purposes  hardy  plants  are  largely  employed,  more  particularly 
Roses,  which  abound  everywhere.  It  is  comparatively  seldom  that  one 
sees  a  fruit  and  Rose  garden  combined,  but  such  is  an  established  fact 
at  Warter,  and  very  beautiful  it  is.  Between  the  rows  of  fruit  Roses 
have  been  planted,  and  are  attached  to  strained  wire  trellises  ;  as  the  rows 
are  very  long,  openings  are  left  at  convenient  intervals  for  accelerating 
cultural  operations.  Along  the  sides  strong  growing  garden  or  decorative 
Roses  are  trained  over  wires  and  chains,  and  produce  with  the  others 
abundance  of  material  for  cutting,  while  the  fruit  trees  are  equally  useful 
from  a  utilitarian  point  of  view. 
The  amount  of  fruit  grown  out  of  doors,  both  in  the  open  and  on  the 
walls,  is  very  extensive,  and,  as  a  rule,  thrives  wonderfully  well.  All 
kinds,  save  Peaches  and  Nectarines,  are  represented,  and  there  is 
practically  nothing  to  choose  between  them,  for  they  all  do  well.  Small 
fruits  receive  an  equal  amount  of  attention  with  the  larger  ones,  Straw¬ 
berries  being  extensively  cultivated.  At  Warter  as  elsewhere  Royal 
Sovereign  Strawberry  is  highly  esteemed,  as  is  Dr.  Hogg.  Though  the 
soil  does  not  from  its  appearance  promise  anything  above  the  average, 
thorough  treatment,  both  mechanically  and  in  the  form  of  manure, 
renders  it  capable  of  producing  annually  fine  crops  of  fruits  and  vegetables. 
All  vegetables  in  the  various  quarters  look  healthy  and  clean,  and  the 
quantity  of  each  that  is  grown  is  great,  as  the  demand  in  such  an  establish¬ 
ment  as  is  maintained  here  is  never  ending.  But  quality  is  an  equal 
desideratum  with  quantity,  coarse  produce  being  worse  than  useless,  as 
it  occupies  valuable  ground  that  should  be  carrying  profitable  crops. 
The  glass  department  is  very  extensive,  and  comprises  fruit  and  plant 
houses,  stocked  with  all  that  may  be  required.  In  fig.  9  a  glimpse  may 
be  caught  of  the  roof  of  a  magnificent  span-roofed  range,  which  has  a 
length  of  820  feet,  with  a  breadth  of  about  35  feet.  It  contains  principally 
Peaches,  Nectarines,  and  Grapes  of  many  varieties,  the  latter  being 
particularly  fine.  Indeed,  this  is  the  case  with  the  Vines  in  each  of  these 
and  the  other  houses  devoted  to  them,  for  though  they  must  year  by  year 
carry  weighty  crops,  the  careful  attention  that  is  accorded  to  them 
maintains  the  good 
health  and  vigour 
that  are  essential 
no  particular  mention  can  be  made  of  the  Cucumbers,  Melons,  and 
Tomatoes,  they  are  all  there  in  the  best  of  health  and  condition. 
The  mo3t  pleasing  display  in  the  plant  department  at  the  time  of  this 
visit  was  unquestionably  made  by  the  Malmaison  Carnations,  of  which  a 
fine  collection  is  grown.  The  strong  healthy  plants  with  their  bold 
leafage  and  beautiful  flowers  were  splendid,  and  the  latter  were  in  constant 
request.  Orchids,  too,  were  in  considerable  numbers,  and  those  that  were 
flowering  proved  the  presence  of  good  quality.  To  enumerate  all  the 
kinds  of  flowering  and  foliage  plants  that  are  grown  would  mean  the 
occupation  of  a  very  great  amount  of  space,  and  it  would  serve  no  useful 
purpose,  for  all  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  know  what  will  be 
found  in  a  properly  equipped  garden  such  as  that  at  Warter  Priory.  There 
was  in  the  plants  and  in  the  structures  a  cleanliness  that  bespoke  of  work 
well  done,  and  which  was  a  credit  to  the  gardener  and  his  assistants. 
No  insect  pest3  find  a  congenial  home,  for  the  motto  is  to  be  early  in  the 
attack  when  any  makes  its  appearance,  with  the  consequence  that  before 
the  pest  secures  a  sound  stronghold  it  suffers  prompt  and  complete 
eradication.  The  only  thing  that  seems  to  mar  the  beauty  of  the  plants 
is  a  sojourn  in  the  mansion,  whence  they  return  somewhat  scarred,  to  be 
coaxed  back  to  health  and  strength  by  able  and  willing  hands.  A  fairly 
extensive  stock  of  Chrysanthemums  is  grown,  and  they  were  looking 
very  well  when  they  were  seen  about  a  month  ago.  It  is  almost 
needless  to  mention  that  the  number  of  pits  and  frames  that  are  requisite 
for  various  purposes  is  very  great,  and  numerous  though  they  are, 
advantage  is  taken  of  all  the  available  space.  For  forcing  vegetables  and 
for  the  accommodation  of  bedding  plants  they  are  practically  invaluable. 
A  few  words  about  the  bothy,  and  these  notes  must  be  brought  to  a 
close.  It  is  built  against  a  high  wall  just  outside  the  enclosed  garden, 
and  is  wholly  of  wood.  The  walls  are  double,  and  the  space  between  is 
packed  with  sawdust  to  secure  an  equable  temperature  which  is  cool  in 
the  summer  and  warm  in  the  winter.  Each  man  has  a  separate  bedroom, 
all  the  doors  leading  from  one  long  passage  that  terminates  in  the  fore¬ 
man’s  room,  which  is  slightly  larger  than  the  others.  A  wire-mattressed 
bed  is  fitted  in  every  room,  while  plenty  of  air  is  insured  by  the  space 
between  the  top  of  the  division  walls  and  the  ceiling.  There  may  be 
some  liability  to  draughts  ;  but  it  cannot  be  much,  and  the  advantage  of 
having  the  whole  of  the  house  clean  may  well  be  used  as  a  set  off  against 
to  success.  Muscat 
of  Alexandria  and 
Black  Hamburghs 
are  most  numerous, 
but  several  others 
are  grown  for  the 
sake  of  change, 
with  Lady  Downe’s 
for  late  use.  The 
Peach  and  Nec¬ 
tarine  trees  also- 
had  many  hun¬ 
dreds  of  fruits 
on  the  splendid 
wood.  Black  fly 
has  been  trouble¬ 
some  this  spring, 
and  rendered  it 
necessary  to  take 
immediate  mea¬ 
sures  ere  the  pest 
had  time  to  do 
material  damage  to 
the  trees.  Fortu¬ 
nately  it  was  at¬ 
tacked  in  time,  so 
that  little  or  no 
harm  is  likely  to 
accrue. 
There  are  several 
lean-to  fruit  houses 
that  are  quite  un¬ 
heated,  and  in 
which  Mr.  Wilson 
takes  keen  personal 
interest,  as  indeed 
he  does  in  the 
whole  garden.  In 
them  are  grown 
Apricots,  Pears, 
Plums,  and  an 
excellent  collection 
of  Brambles,  consisting  of  practically  all  the  best  varieties.  It 
prising  what  an  amount  of  fruit  is  gathered  from  these  structures  (which 
it  was  understood  were  built  from  Mr.  Wilson’s  designs),  and  Mr.  Pike 
spoke  highly  of  their  value  and  utility  to  him  in  the  supply  of  fruit.  The 
trees  do  not  call  for  a  great  deal  of  attention,  and  give  fine  returns. 
There  were  grand  crops  of  Pears,  Apricots,  Plums,  and  Brambles.  Though 
Fig.  9.— THE  FLOWER  GARDEN  AT  WARTER 
Photo  by  Mr. 
PRIORY. 
Win.  Martin ,  hull. 
IS  sur- 
it.  Mr  Wilson,  we  believe,  is  responsible  for  this ;  and  the  idea  was  a 
good  one,  for  the  structure  is  fitted  such  as  only  too  few  bothies  are,  the 
comfort  of  the  men  being  carefully  thought  out.  Not  a  long  time”  was 
spent  at  Warter  Priory,  but  it  was  sufficient  to  see  its  many  beauties,  and 
to  recognise  the  skill  and  perseverance  of  Mr.  A.  F.  Pike,  who  has  been  for 
several  years  the  head  gardener. — H.  J.  Weight. 
