September  28,  1899.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
275 
The  visit  being  an  evening  one  darkn  ss  deprived  me  of  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  getting  a  representative  list  of  the  varieties  grown,  but  the 
following  are  a  few  of  the  best : — Duke  of  Wellington,  Sunstone,  John 
Lightfoot,  Royal  Standard,  Octoroon,  Bt lie  Mauve,  Mr.'’.  E.  G. 
Whittle,  Van  den  Heede,  Beauty  of  Teignmouth,  Oceana,  Viscount 
R.  de  Chozelles,  Graphic,  Mrs.  H.  Kloss,  Eva  Knowles,  Le 
Moucheretle,  Mrs.  Hume  Long,  Miss  M.  Godfrey,  Dorothy  Seward, 
Mons.  Chenon  de  Leche,  Lady  Hanham,  and  Lady  Byron.  The 
incurved  section  is  not  so  much  valued  for  conservat  >ry  use  as  the 
Japanese,  but  some  promising  buds  appeared  on  Chas.  Curtis,  Bonnie 
Dundee,  Globe  d’Or,  J.  Agate,  Mrs.  R.  C.  Kingston,  Camille  Flam- 
rmrion,  Wm.  Tunnington,  Princess  of  Wales,  and  Lucy  Kendal. 
Bromham  Fruit  Farm. 
The  manager  of  this  establishment,  which  is  located  near 
Chippenham,  last  year  paid  a  surprise  visit  to  some  of  the  leading 
Chrysanthemum  shows— Royal  Aquarium,  Manchester,  Devizes,  and 
Bournemouth,  for  instance — and  annexed  some  enviable  prizes,  in¬ 
cluding  a  handsome  silver  cup  and  a  gold  medal,  the  latter  being 
brought  from  Manchester.  Chrysanthemum  cultivation  is  only  a  very 
recent  development  in  this  thriving  fruit  farm,  and  the  success  already 
attending  it  proves  that  the  native  soil,  a  good  local  manure  (manufac¬ 
tured,  I  believe,  on  the  premises),  and  close  attention  to  cultural 
detail,  combines  to  an  extraordinary  degree  the  requirements  of  the 
exhibition  Chrysanthemum. 
Mr.  Vallis  entrusts  the  work  of  this  department  entirely  to  his 
son,  a  man  of  such  an  unassuming  and  modest  nature  that  he  hesitated 
giving  me  the  names  of  his  plants,  lest  his  efforts  might  end  in  failure, 
judged  by  forthcoming  contests.  His  p'ants  bore  numbered  labels 
only,  but  many  of  them,  even  the  newer  ones,  were  familiar  to  him 
by  name.  Unless  overtaken  by  any  unforeseen  accident  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  some  successes  await  him,  for  many  of  the  plants  were 
full  of  promise.  Some  were  apparently  too  forward  in  bud,  and  others 
had  felt  the  effect  of  the  fierce  sun  acting  on  the  pots,  but  as  the 
collection  has  doubled  itself  in  numbers  since  last  year,  there  remains 
a  very  good  prospective  ma’gin. 
The  situation  is  an  open  one,  and  the  soil,  of  a  reddish  colour,  is 
said  to  be  charged  with  iron  in  quantity  sufficient  to  benefit  the  plants 
and  colour  of  Ihe  flowers,  the  latter  being  distinguished  by  such  high 
development  in  this  respect ;  indeed,  few  flowers  were  seen  last  seison 
that  could  approach  the  Bromham  blooms  for  intensity  of  colour  and 
dearness  of  petal. 
j)  Rood  Ashton. 
.The  collection  here  comnrises  about  800  plants,  300  being  grown 
for  large  flowers,  but  the  principal  object  is  to  furnish  a  continuous 
supply  for  house  and  table  decoration  throughout  the  winter  months. 
The  plants  this  year  are  characterised  by  unusual  dw’arfness, 
attributable  mainly  to  the  heat  of  the  summer  and  an  open  position. 
Mr.  Strugnell  has  not  the  enthusiasm  for  competition  in  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums  as  his  neighbour,  Mr.  Robinson  ;  still  his  plants  show  a  very 
good  prospect  of  useful  exhibition  flowers.  They  are  somewhat  later 
in  the  bud  than  the  Heywood  collection.  There  are  included  among 
the  varieties  some  of  last  season’s  novelties,  but  up-to-date  novelties, 
presumably,  are  a  luxury  that  is  not  justified  by  the  requirements  of 
the  place,  the  interest  in  them  not  extending  beyond  their  use  in.  the 
mansion  of  the  Right  Hon.  Walter  Long. — Visitor. 
A  RUN  ROUND  WEST. 
Sherborne  Castle. 
Having  an  all  too  short  week  to  spare  for  a  holiday,  I  set  out  on  the 
morniDg  of  the  4th  inst.  from  Surbiton  to  Sherborne,  Dorset,  to  pay  a  visit 
to  my  esteemed  friend  Mr.  Turton,  who  succeeded  the  late  Mr.  Pragnell 
in  the  Castle  gardens  there  last  winter.  The  Castle,  the  residence  of 
J.  K.  D.  W.  Digby,  Esq  ,  the  M.P.  for  that  division  of  the  county,  is  only 
a  few  minutes’  walk  from  the  station,  but  the  gardens  are  nearer.  These 
have,  in  the  short  term  of  Mr.  Turton’s  residence,  undergone  some  much 
needed  improvement.  The  glass  houses  are  fairly  good,  but  the  kitchen 
gardens  generally  are  excellent,  and  are  enclosed  with  a  long  range  of 
walls  that  is  well  utilised  with  trees  of  all  descriptions,  Pears  especially. 
Of  these  fruits  there  is  a  great  crop,  but  so  voracious  are  birds  that  it  is 
found  needful  to  put  some  2000  or  more  into  muslin  bags.  When  I  saw 
these  I  wondered  what  would  be  the  cost  of  so  many  of  those  perforated 
oases  which  are  being  used  at  Chiswick  for  trial,  and  elsewhere. 
It  would  take  a  long  list  to  give  the  r.araes  of  all  the  Pears  fruiting 
well  here,  hut  theie  seem  to  be  most  of  the  best.  Apples  again,  both  on 
bush  trees  of  various  ages,  and  standard  trees  on  grass,  are  fruiting  well, 
and  in  one  garden  there  is  all  round  it  a  treble  row  of  horizontal  cordons, 
Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  bearing  fine  fruits,  being  largely  represented.  There 
aie  some  of  Merriott  Scott’s  Apples  here  ;  one  Robinson’s  Seedling  is 
very  handsome,  like  a  King  Pippin  in  form,  but  far  more  richly  coloured. 
Loan’s  Pearmain  is  another  very  attractive  Apple.  I  noted  some  two 
dozens  of  bush  tree  varieties  fruiting  finely,  but  the  trees  are  very 
numerous,  and  not  one-half  could  be  mentioned. 
'  Vegetables  are  well  done.  I  observed  the  best  row  (some  7  feet  in 
height)  of  climbing  French  Beans  I  have  seen  anywhere.  It  was  fruiting 
wonderfully,  and  was  a  great  possession.  Tomatoes,  both  inside  and 
outside,  give  splendid  crops.  A  breadth  of  Sutton’s  Bijou  Savoys  was  a 
remarkable  one.  I  have  seen  nothing  so  good  this  season. 
Some  flower  borders  formed  and  planted  in  the  kitchen  gardens  lately 
have  given  great  pleasure,  and  they  have  been  wonderfully  gay.  Zinnias 
have  been  singularly  fine  and  beautiful,  as  also  have  many  other  flowers. 
The  pretty  dwarf  Ageratum  Perle  Bleu,  much  grown  here,  is  by  far  the 
best  in  cultivation  yet.  The  park  is  of  great  extent,  finely  undulating, 
and  on  the  higher  portions  well  timbered.  Just  in  front  of  the  castle 
is  a  huge  lake  of  100  acres,  but  in  the  summer  it  becomes  covered  with 
Nymphasa  alba  ;  white  swans  and  waterfowl  greatly  abound.  Beyond  the 
lake  on  rising  ground  are  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  castle,  and  these 
constitute  a  favourite  place  for  local  fetes  and  parties. 
The  soil  base  is  chalk,  but  trees  seem  to  thrive  well  cn  it.  The  grounds 
round  the  mansion  are  somewhat  bare  at  present,  being,  beyond  some 
trees,  chiefly  of  smooth  lawn,  but  no  doubt  improvements  will  be  effected 
in  time. 
Forde  Abbey,  Chard. 
On  the  following  day  I  proceeded  to  Chard  Junction,  where  another 
esteemed  friend,  Mr.  J.  Crook,  met  me,  and  took  me  out  to  that  ancient 
place,  Forde  Abbey,  which  has  so  interesting  an  history,  and  is,  for  so 
old  a  building,  remarkably  well  preserved  ;  it  lies  in  a  hollow.  Ihe 
stream,  which  flows  near  by,  was  no  doubt  in  pre-Reformation  da}s  a 
river.  Whilst  the  kitchen  gardens  lie  still  lower,  the  extensive  pleasuie 
grounds,  so  densely  wooded,  lie  higher.  Close  to  the  Abbey  are  pretty 
flower  gardens,  and  climbers  of  all  descriptions  trained  over  the  bui.ding 
seem  to  be  singularly  harmonious,  as  indeed  are  the  surroundings. 
The  Abbey,  which  is  now  in  the  possession  of  F.  C.  Evans,.  E^q., 
contains  one  of  the  richest  collections  of  tapestry  to  be  found  in  the 
kingdom.  Though  low-lying,  it  is  yet  a  delightful  place,  and  seems 
full  of  repose.  It  is  the  place  to  which  a  statesman  may  well  resort  to? 
obtain  rest  from  exciting  labours.  ,The  kitchen  gardens  are  well  walled 
in,  these  walls  being  fully  utilise*!,  in  every  direction  with  fruit  trees.. 
There  are  vineries  and  plant  houses,  and  in  one,  a  long  corndor. 
Peaches  and  Plums  do  wonderfully  well.  Gladstone  Peach  on  the  front 
of  the  building  was  carrying  a  grand  crop  of  fruits.  Apples  here,  on 
certain  trees,  were  very  fine.  Of  Domino  and  Stones  Pippin  I  ne%er 
saw  such  splendid  crops,  and  many  others  were  good  also.  Pears  wcie 
capital.  Mr.  Crook  makes  the  best  of  every  inch  of  room,  and  secures, 
groat  crops.  Possibly,  so  low  down,  the  gardens  have  suffered  less  from 
drought,  but  on  the  higher  ground  it  was  severely  felt.  Porde  Abbey  is- 
always  worthy  of  a  visit. 
Yeovil  Begonias.  > 
’On  Wednesday  morning  I  set  out  for  Yeovil,  where  I  made  a  aery, 
brief  call  upon  the  famous  Western  Begonia  grower,  Mr.  B.  R.  Davis, 
That  excellent  nurseryman  has  found  the  season  a  very  trying  one  foi  is 
pets,  but  he  had  a  brave  show  in  his  houses  of  beautiful  singles  and, 
doubles,  the  cooler  temperature  enabling  them  to  produce  fine  blooms^. 
Outdoors  thousands  of  single  and  double  varieties  were  growing  anc  f 
flowering.  Of  these  I  felt  most  interest  in  the  bedding  section  of  smallnb. 
doubles,  which  Mr.  Davis  has  aimed  to  secure.  ■ 
If  anyone  had  doubts  as  to  the  fitness  of  propagated  doubles  ol  Una 
class  for  bedding  purposes,  they  would  have  been  set  at  rest  on  seeingr 
that  brilliant  self  scarlet  variety/  Lafayette,  which  has  caused  almost  ^ 
sensation  in  a  couple  of  beds  at  Hampton  Court  this  season.  I  nis  has. 
loner  been  one  of  the  Yecvil  favourites.  Empress  of  India  is  a  dwarten 
variety,  very  sturdy,  flowers  bold  and  erect,  profusely  produced,  intense 
red  in  colour.  Mitylene,  of  the  same  character,  is  a  charming  bright 
yellow  double.  Lucania  grows  to  12  inches  in  height,  is  reddish  carmine 
in  colour.  Acantha  is  a  pleasing  soft  primrose,  10  inches  in  height, 
grand  scarlet  is  Plato,  the  flowers  partially  fimbriated.  Others  are 
Gladiateur,  crimson  scarlet;  Rev.  E.  Lascelles,  orange  yellow,  quite, 
charming;  Mrs.  Hope,  bright  scarlet;  Marhette,  plum  colour  ;  1,0“- 
Thurnb,  salmon,  compact  ;  and  Lovely,  pink,  should  make  a  deligtuiui 
bedder.  No  one  having  once  employed  this  bedding  section,  planted  tunny 
on  a  carpet  of  some  neutral  colour,  w  ould  use  the  large  flowered  varieties 
for  bedding.  Brief  as  the  visit  here  was.  it  w  as  most  gratifying, 
James  Lye’s  Fuchsias. 
Taking  the  Great  Western  Railway  at  Yeovil,  for  Devize3,  via  Trow- 
ridee,  where  a  change  of  trains  i=  needful,  I  on  the  way  past  Westbury 
loticcd  on  the  side  of  the  lofty  chalk  hill  in  the  distance  the  famous  M  hite 
lorse  of  the  West  cut  iu  the  tuff.  At  Devizes  I  was  met  by  that  famous 
Id  western  Fuchsia  grower  and  raiser,  Mr.  Jas.  Lye,  and  driven  out  to i  his 
iresent  home  at  Easterton,  beyond  Market  Lavington,  in  Wiltshire,  ine 
muse  looks  out  upon  the  lofty  range  of  Downs  that  formed  a  portion  ot  t  e- 
ite  of  the  recent  military  manoeuvres,  and  is  not  far  from  St  mehenge. 
Here  the  veteran  has  exhibited  so 'much  of  the  old  Adam,  that  having 
milt  himself  a  useful  greenhouse,  containing  now  Toms  toes  and  I-  uchsias, 
le  has  grown  some  noble  specimen  Fuchsias,  aB  was  his  wont  in  days  gone 
>y.  Fine  plants,  such  as  we  never  see  in  London,  columnar  pyramids 
if  from  7  to  8  feet  in  height  in  the  best  growers,  and  dwarfer  and  denser 
n  other  growers.  With  one  exception— a  charming  and  floriferous  variety, 
ffrs.  Rundle,  soft  red— all  the  varieties  are  of  Mr.  Lyes  ra18”1!?’  " 
lave  first-rate  habits,  are  wonderfully  free  bloomers,  and  have  t  * 
lesirable  habit  of  bearing  transit  to  and  from  exhibitions  well  inis 
s  a  feature  ihe  old  exhibitor  has  long  aimed  to  secure.  Ihe 
eedling  varieties,  not  yet  in  commerce,  are  Masterpiece  and  Brilliant,  reas  , 
Vhite  Queen,  Lye’s  Fancy,  Excellence,  Amy  Lye,  and  Bridesmaid  whites, 
iplendid  bedders  and  marvellous  bloomers  are  Coral  Bedder  and  Lje  s, 
Jarvellous,  both  flowering  so  profusely  as  to  be  fairly  surprising,  a.  i  • 
■  -  -  (To  be  continued.) 
