September  1,  1S98. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
171 
GRAPES  AT  FOREST  HILL. 
In  the  metropolitan  district,  from  few  gardens  have,  during  the  past 
seven  years,  come  finer  bunches  of  Grapes  than  from  that  of  C.  Bayer, 
Esq.,  of  Forest  Hill.  Some  time  since,  meeting  that  gentleman’s 
gardener,  Mr.  W.  Taylor,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  he  kindly  gave  me  an  invita¬ 
tion  to  call  at  Tewkesbury  Lodge  in  the  autumn  to  see  the  Grapes. 
Mr.  Taylor  had  felt  a  little  aggrieved  at  insinuations  thrown  out  that  he 
permitted  his  Vines  to  carry  only  a  very  few  bunches  each.  thV  he  might 
get  from  them  such  fine  examples,  and  desired  independent  testimony.  I 
got  to  Forest  Hill  on  the  afternoon  of  the  26th  inst.  It  was  my  first  visit, 
ihe  district  being  new  to  me. 
I  found  Tewkesbury  Lodge,  situated  at  almost  the  summit  of  a  very 
-steep  hill,  and  placed  so  high  that  the  elevation  afforded  some  of  the 
grandest  views  to  be  found  around  London.  The  gardens  are  on  a  steep 
slope,  making  working  in  them  very  arduous,  and  the  vineries,  though 
mot  quite  at  the  apex  of  the  gigantic  mound  on  which  the  grounds  stand, 
are  considerably  higher  than  is  the  mansion.  Certainly  if  light  and  air 
have  anything  to  do  with  Grape  culture,  then  the  position  is  indeed  the 
place  to  furni-h  such  desiderata.  Over  on  to  the  yet  upper  side  of  the 
hill,  and  especially  on  the  more  westerly  aspect  looking  towards  London, 
is  some  wild  ground  on  which  there  are  huge  breadths  of  Brambles 
■fruiting  with  wonderful  abundance,  and  showing  how  much  lofty 
elevations  conduce  to  fruitfulness.  Amidst  these  bushes  run  grass  walks, 
-and  from  this  spot  the  view  of  the  great  metropolis  and  for  many  miles 
r  iund  is  probably  unequalled  anywhere.  The  hill  is  a  mass  of  exceedingly 
stiff  clay,  with  here  and  there  veins  of  gravel.  Fruit  trees  seem  to  do 
well  upon  it,  as  those  growing  in  all  directions  are  very  healthy,  though, 
a*  elsewhere,  none  too  heavily  cropped.  But  whilst  things  so  elevated  are 
•not  suffering  more  than  those  lower  down  from  drought,  rain  is  badly 
needed  ;  the  Lime  trees  especially,  as  is  so  commonly  the  case,  are  shedding 
leaves  fast. 
The  Vines  I  found  in  a  span  house  in  two  divisions  ;  the  whole  is 
75  feet  by  25  feet,  and  of  moderate  height.  The  Vine  borders  are 
inside,  and  are  each  about  1 1  feet  wide.  There  is  yet  in  the  centre  3  feet 
of  space  which  can  be  filled  with  fresh  soil  as  needed.  The  present 
walls  retaining  the  soil  are  of  turf ;  very  moderate  extensions  of  about 
12  inches  have  been  made  yearly.  The  Vines  were  planted  by  Mr. 
A.  Bury  nine  years  since,  when  the  houses  were  built.  Each  section 
■c  mtains  sixteen  rod3,  eight  on  each  side,  thus  allowing  ample  room, 
yet  judging  by  the  strong  growths  and  foliage  made  not  an  inch  too 
much.  The  borders  were  made  chiefly  of  turf  taken  from  the  clay 
soils  of  the  meadow  beyond  the  vinery,  consequently  it  is  very  stiff.  To 
temper  its  stiffness  some  burnt  clay,  of  which  a  quantity  is  produced  on 
the  place  yearly’,  is  added,  also  some  wood  ashes  or  old  mortar  rubbish, 
if  obtainable.  Foreign  loam  is  far  too  costly  to  be  used  other  than  for 
•choice  pot  plants.  Mr.  Taylor,  it  is  interesting  to  learn,  uses  no 
special  manures.  “That  paper  by  Mr.  Hall  of  Wye  College,  published  in 
the  R.H.S.  Journal,”  he  remarked  “opened  my  eyes,  and  I  resolved  to 
purchase  materials  at  prime  cost  from  the  manufacturers.”  Hence  his 
dressings  are  composed  of  superphosphate  of  lime,  sulphate  of  ammonia, 
magnesia,  and  nitrate  of  potash.  These  materials  proportionately  mixed 
are  applied  during  the  swelling  season  once  a  week,  at  the  rate  of  3  ozs. 
per  square  yard,  well  washing  in  with  liberal  waterings.  What  the 
effect  of  this  treatment,  together  with  a  light  mulching  of  stable  manure, 
is,  may  be  seen  in  the  splendid  fruit  crop  and  luxuriant  leafage.  Liquid 
manure  from  stables  in  the  stiff  soil  here  does  not  conduce  to  colouring. 
One  section,  that  most  southerly,  is  chiefly  devoted  to  Muscat  of 
Alexandria,  the  whole  of  the  south-east  side,  and  four  rods  on  the 
western  side,  being  of  that  variety.  The  rods  are  each  about  15  feet 
from  the  lower  wire  to  the  ridge,  and  each  is  carrying  twelve 
splendid  bunches.  Some  of  these  range  from  5  lbs.  to  6  lbs.,  and  are  of 
perfect  form.  The  berries  are  fine  and  clean,  but  needing  some  four 
to  six  weeks  to  enable  them  fully  to  colour.  The  finest  bunches 
are  on  the  south-west  side.  Probably  the  average  weight  would  be 
about  4  lbs.  per  but  ch.  This  statement  will  show  that  there  is  of  these 
Muscats  a  very  considerable  range  of  selection  for  exhibition.  Other 
Vines  in  this  house  are  Alnwick  Seedling,  carrying  fine  bunches  richly 
coloured  ;  Trebbiano,  very  fine  clusters,  the  largest  weighing  from  6  lbs. 
to  9  lbs.,  there  being  in  all  about  40  lbs.  of  Grapes  on  a  rod  ;  and  Mrs. 
Pearson  carrying  a  dozen  fine  clusters,  generally  of  very  handsome  form, 
but  here  the  berries  show  as  they  finish  a  tendency  to  become  somewhat 
discoloured.  This  variety  will  probably  be  replaced  by  another  more 
suitable  to  the  soil.  On  a  wire  arch  grown  as  a  supernumerary  is  White 
Gradiska,  the  berries  are  very  transparent,  but  quite  devoid  of  flavour. 
It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  lower  stems  of  each  Vine,  usually  left 
bare,  carry  laterals  quite  to  the  ground.  That  is  the  case  with  all  the 
Vines,  and  it  is  held  that  such  growths,  though  not  carrying  fruit  yet, 
conduce  materially  to  strengthen  the  Vines.  The  second  section  is,  in  all 
but  varieties,  a  counterpart  of  the  first.  Here  are  five  Alicante  rods  on 
the  south-east  side,  each  carrying  twelve  superb  clusters  of  Grapes,  already 
black.  Not  a  few  of  the  bunches  have  such  stout  short  stems  that  they 
berry  above  and  all  round  the  laterals.  Then  comes  a  rod  of  Gros 
Guillaume  carrying  thirteen  large  clusters,  and  two  Gros  Colmans,  each 
having  also  thirteen  bunches,  very  fine  indeed  in  bunch  and  berry.  The 
end  Vine,  however,  though  having  greater  light,  does  not  colour  its  berries 
so  rapidly  as  does  its  fellow  a  few  feet  further  down  the  house.  There 
is,  in  connection  with  the  end  Gros  Colman,  an  odd  addition,  for,  prior 
to  Mr.  Bury  leaving  Tewkesbury  Lodge,  some  four  years  ago,  since  when 
the  place  has  been  controlled  by  Mr.  Taylor,  he  planted  between  the  two 
•end  Vines  a  Foster's  Seedling  Vine,  and  when  it  was  strong,  inarched  its 
top  into  the  stem  of  the  end  Gros  Colman.  It  was  thought  that  such 
additional  aid  would  assist  the  permanent  Vine.  Really  the  effect  seems 
to  be  adverse.  This  little  Vine  carries  several  bunches  each  year. 
On  the  other  side  the  Vines  comprise  Black  Hamburgh,  Buckland 
Sweetwater,  Madresfield  Court,  Lady  Downe’s,  Gros  Maroc,  and  one  rod, 
brought  through  from  the  other  division,  of  Mrs.  Pince  This  is  not, 
however,  a  satisfactory  Grape  here.  Gros  Maroc  carried  on  its  one  rod’ 
fifteen  fine  bunches.  Every  variety  excepting  Mrs.  Pince  does  well, 
and  each  rod  is  carrying  a  superb  crop  of  fine  bunches.  The  entire 
house  presents  a  sight  such  as  any  Grape-grower  may  well  be 
proud  of.  Mr.  Bayer,  who  is  an  enthusiast  in  Grapes,  has  every  reason 
to  be  proud  of  the  contents  of  these  moderate-sized  vineries.  Few 
Grape-growers,  near  London  at  least,  have  taken  more  prizes  during 
the  past  four  years  than  has  Mr.  Taylor,  and  his  success  is  the  product 
of  hard  personal  labour  and  the  keenest  and  most  watchful  attention. 
If  Mr.  J.  Bury  so  admirably  planted,  his  former  foreman  has  ably 
continued  the  work  begaD,  and  it  looks  as  if  a  long  time  must  elapse 
ere  the  Tewkesbury  Lodge  Vines  are  exhausted. 
More  recently,  and  in  a  line  with  the  vineries,  there  has  been  erected 
a  90  leet  length  of  span  house,  of  the  same  width,  the  two  first  divisions  of 
which,  each  30  feet  long,  are  planted  with  Peaches  and  Nectarines 
against  cross  trellises  on  each  side  border.  These  are  about  6  feet  apart, 
and  the  intervening  space  is  utilised  by  fine  pot  trees,  of  which  there  are  a 
large  number  in  12-inch  and  14-inch  pots.  These  comprise  Peaches, 
Nectarines,  Plums,  Cherries,  Apricots,  Pears,  Apples,  and  Figs.  They 
seem  to  like  the  very  stiff  loam  in  which  they  grow.  The  potting  is  done 
each  autumn,  the  balls  of  soil  being  reduced  to  enable  pots  of  the 
same  dimensions  to  be  used.  The  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  planted  out 
in  the  two  sections  now  nearly  done  fruitiug,  are  very  robust,  and  seem 
to  like  the  Forest  Hill  clay.  They  include  Early  Rivers,  Dryden, 
Advance,  Stanwick  Elruge,  Humboldt,  Pineapple,  and  Lord  Napier 
Nectarines,  and  Hale’s  Early,  Alexander,  Rivers’  Early  York,  Crimson 
Galande,  Gladstone,  Princess  of  Wales,  Royal  George,  and  Gros 
Mignonne  Peaches,  so  that  the  range  of  season  and  variety  is  considerable. 
A  third  section  of  this  range  is  an  orchard  house,  and  is  in  the  season 
fully  occupied  also  with  pot  trees.  An  old  range  of  glass,  including  a 
lean-to  vinery,  in  which  there  is  a  good  crop  of  truit,  and  a  Peach  house 
having  old  trees  on  the  front  and  back,  is  soon  to  be  pulled  down  and  a 
superior  range  erected  in  its  place. — A.  D. 
CALADIUM  CULTURE. 
Of  the  many  stove  plants  now  cultivated  for  the  beauty  or  graceful¬ 
ness  of  their  foliage,  few  excel  the  different  species  and  varieties  of 
Caladium,  and  the  majority  of  these  being  of  tolerably  easy  cultivation, 
they  are  very  generally  grown.  Still  a  few  remarks  suggestive  of  the 
mode  of  treatment  required  may  be  acceptable  to  some  of  your  readers. 
Supposing  it  is  spring  and  the  plants  have  awakened  from  their 
winter’s  slumber  refreshed  and  invigorated,  the  rhizomes  or  rootstocks 
plump  and  fresh,  and  just  beginning  to  emit  roo  s,  then  is  the  lime  to 
have  them  turned  out  of  the  pots  in  which  they  have  been  wintered,  and 
either  divided  into  small  pieces  with  two  or  three  crowns  to  each,  or 
retained  whole  according  to  the  wishes  or  requirements  of  the  cultivator. 
Pots  from  3  to  5  inches  in  diameter,  according  to  the  variety  or  the  size 
of  the  rhizome  to  be  introduced,  are  large  enough  to  use  for  the  first 
potting  Crock  such  well,  as  good  drainage  is  indispensable  from  the 
first.  A  compost  of  two  parts  loam,  one  of  peat,  one  of  leaf  mould,  one  of 
decayed  sheep  or  cow  manure,  with  a  liberal  addition  of  silver  sand,  well 
incorporated  and  passed  through  an  inch  sieve,  is  a  good  soil  to  start 
Caladiums  in.  In  potting,  place  the  rhizome  low  enough  so  that  it  can 
be  covered  with  half  an  inch  of  soil. 
After  potting  place  the  pots  in  a  gentle  bottom  heat,  where  an  atmo¬ 
spheric  temperature  suitable  for  the  majority  of  stove  plants  can  be 
maintained.  Give  enough  water  to  moisten  all  the  soil,  but  not  to  saturate 
it.  In  a  few  days  the  roots  will  have  reached  the  sides  and  bottoms  of 
the  pots,  while  the  upper  portions  of  the  plants  will  only  have  appeared 
above  the  soil.  When  one  or  two  leaves  appear  on  the  plants  it  is  a  good 
time  to  shift  these  into  larger  pots,  using  soil  of  a  similar  nature  to  that 
previously  employed,  but  in  a  rougher  state.  After  this  potting  bottom 
heat  can  be  well  dispensed  with  and  the  plants  placed  in  the  stove. 
Shading  from  bright  sun  is  highly  necessary. 
As  the  plants  grow,  some  of  them  can  be  repeatedly  shifted  into  larger 
pots,  with  a  view  to  forming  large  specimens,  or  several  may  be  placed 
round  a  large  pot  at  the  second  potting  for  the  same  end  ;  but  if  such  be 
intended  for  exhibition,  the  chance  is  that  the  pot  may  be  excluded  on 
the  ground  of  its  containing  a  plurality  of  plants. 
Few  plants  delight  more  in  an  abundant  supply  of  water  at  the  roots  ; 
and  such  must  be  unsparingly  given,  otherwise  all  hopes  will  be  blighted. 
I  have  sometimes  found  it  necessary  to  have  a  saucer  containing  water 
for  the  pots  to  stand  in.  When  the  pots  have  become  full  of  roots  weak 
liquid  manure  may  be  applied  with  benefit  twice  a  week.  An  abundant 
supply  of  moisture  must  also  be  maintained  in  the  surrounding  atmo¬ 
sphere  by  wetting  the  paths  and  stages,  or  by  means  of  evaporating 
troughs  or  other  appliances.  A  little  soot  or  guano  mixed  with  the  water 
in  the  trough  will  help  to  enrich  the  atmosphere,  and  act  as  a  stimulant 
to  Caladiums  and  most  other  stove  plants.  Most  practical  men  are  agreed 
that  a  humid  atmosphere  moderately  impregnated  with  ammoniacal  gases 
is  one  of  the  best  preventives  against  the  appearance  and  increase  of 
parasitical  insects  in  heated  structures. 
The  most  inveterate  insect  enemy  to  Caladiums  is  the  green  fly,  which 
