December  14,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
513 
organisations.  Such  delegates,  with  representative  judges  of  fruit  in 
the  three  national  divisions  named,  would  form  a  good  nucleus.  But 
this  is  anticipatory.  Of  more  immediate  importance  is  the  formula¬ 
tion  of  a  plan  for  obtaining  subscribing  adherents  to  the  project.  This 
could  be  done  by  a  small  provisional  committee,  able  to  meet  in 
London.  If  a  delegate  or  two  could  attend  from  Dublin  and  Edin¬ 
burgh  all  the  better.  Still  horticulturists  closely  connected  with 
exhibitions,  as  judges  or  otherwise,  could  be  found  who  might  be 
trusted  to  consider  the  whole  case  on  its  merits,  and  if  the  editors  of 
the  chief  gardening  papers  could  also  attend  in  person,  or  by  authorised 
deputies,  the  representative  charac.er  of  the  committee  would  not  be 
far  from  complete.  Should  the  result  of  their  deliberations  be  favour¬ 
able,  it  would  be  easy  to  form  a  general  committee  with  members 
in  various  parts  of  country  to  aid  in  bringing  the  project  to  a 
successful  issue. 
If  those  of  our  correspondents  who  have  taken  part  in  the  discussion 
on  which  these  remarks  are  founded,  or  other  persons  interested, 
agree  or  uot  with  the  proposition  and  nature  of  a  provisional 
committee,  they  might  signify  the  same,  if  not  in  the  usual  and  easy 
manner  of  a  holding  up  of  hands,  by  the  not  much  more  difficult 
operation  of  sending  a  post-card  to  the  Editor. 
REMINISCENCES  OF  AN  OLD  FLORIST.— No.  2. 
As  I  have  already  said,  although  I  have  always  counted  myself  as 
chiefly  a  florist,  I  do  not  think  that  anything  pertaining  to  horti¬ 
culture  ever  came  amiss  to  me.  I  recollect  that  one  of  the  earliest 
things  that  excited  my  interest  was  a  collection  of  Cacti,  and  other 
subjects  of  the  same  nature,  which  our  gardener  took  me  to  see  when 
I  was  a  good  little  boy  of  about  ten  ;  and  the  possession  of  a  few 
offsets  from  some  of  the  plants  made  me  very  happy.  But  this  was  a 
part  of  horticulture  I  never  followed  up,  and  when  years  afterwards  I 
went  to  see  Mr.  Peacock’s  celebrated  collection  of  them  at  Sudbury 
House,  Hammersmith,  and  saw  the  huge  masses,  weighing  several 
tons,  which  he  had  imported  from  Central  America,  I  wondered  how 
anybody  could  have  wasted  their  time  and  money  on  objects  so 
essentially  ugiy.  Beauty  of  form,  brilliancy  of  colour,  and  delicacy  of 
perfume  were  in  most  cases  altogether  wanting,  yet  these  are  three 
qualities  that  make  flowers  so  charmiDg  to  us. 
It  was  this  same  general  love  of  horticulture  that  made  me  a 
frequent  visitor  to  the  gardens  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  at  Glas- 
nevin,  and  those  of  Trinity  College,  Pembroke  Road,  Dublin,  then 
under  the  charge  respectively  of  two  able  and  intelligent  Curators,  Mr. 
Moore  and  Mr.  Bain.  No  two  gardens  could  possibly  be  more  unlike 
one  another.  Glasnevin  was  charming  as  a  botanic  garden,  its 
undulating  surface,  groups  of  fine  trees,  and  abundance  of  water  made 
it  an  ideal  place  for  all  those  who  loved  plants ;  while  Trinity  College 
Gardens  had  none  of  these  attractions.  It  wTas  a  flat  level  piece  of 
ground,  enclosed  with  high  walls,  close  to  a  large  iron  foundry  near, 
the  City,  and  dependent  entirely  lor  its  interest  on  the  plants  cultivated 
in  it.  Glasnevin  is  now  under  the  care  ot  Mr.  F.  Moore,  and  Trinity 
College  Gardens  of  my  excellent  friend  Mr.  F.  W.  Burbidge,  who  are 
both  well-known  horticulturists.  Some  years  ago  Mr.  Burbidge  had 
the  degree  of  M.A.  conferred  on  him  by  Trinity  College,  and  '''hen  we 
meet,  as  we  frequently  do  at  some  of  the  meetings  of  the  R.II.S.,  it  is 
pleasant  to  talk  wuth  him  as  an  alumnus  of  the  same  University. 
In  the  year  1841  I  was  admittrd  into  holy  orders, and  so  left  “dear 
dirty  Dublin”  for  the  then  charming  seaside  place  of  Bray,  about  ten 
miles  distant  (since  those  days  great  alterations  have  taken  place  in 
it),  and  I  found  myself  located  in  a  small  cottage  on  the  top  of  the 
cliff  overhanging  the  sea  without  one  atom  of  shade  or  protection.  I 
thought  that  my  idea  of  floriculture  had  come  to  an  end.  The  cliff 
was  swept  by  every  wind  of  heaven,  and  friends  laughed  at  the  idea 
of  attempting  to  grow  a  flower  there.  However,  I  did  not  like  to  be 
beaten,  and  notwithstanding  the  jeers  of  my  friends  attempted  to  make 
a  garden  on  the  top  of  the  cliff.  My  first  idea  was,  of  course,  shelter, 
and  so  I  made  a  fence  about  2£  feet  high  round  about  the  small 
piece  of  ground ;  the  soil  was  light  and  good,  and  of  course  had  no 
need  of  drainage.  The  next  thing  was  to  consider  what  flowers 
I  should  atcempt  to  grow,  and  after  some  thought  I  determined  to  try 
the  Carnation  and  Ranunculus.  It  may  be  asked  whether  in  such  an 
exposed  situation  I  was  not  liable  to  depredations  ?  No,  never  but  once, 
when  a  young  lady,  who  was  always  making  fun  of  my  “  pooching  about 
my  flowers,”  as  she  called  it,  and  who  is  now  the  wife  of  one  of  our 
most  distinguished  Field  Marshals,  carried  off  one  of  my  best  blooms 
of  Picotees,  but  what  could  I  say  ? 
After  living  here  about  a  year  and  a  half  I  removed  to  a  very 
different  place  about  a  mile  inland.  Everyone  who  visits  Dublin  is  sure 
to  go  and  see  the  Dargle,  a  romintic  glen  through  which  the  river 
runs  from  the  Enniskerry  Hill  down  to  the  sea,  and  my  next  residence 
was  situated  on  this  river.  It  was  a  charming  place,  and  the  river 
flowed  at  the  bottom  of  the  garden,  and  here  I  began  my  real  gardening 
work.  The  soil  was  light  and  suitable  for  many  flowers;  it  would 
not  have  done  for  Roses,  but  the  time  for  Roses  had  not  yet  arrived. 
Auriculas,  Carnations  and  Picoteeq  Pinks,  and  Pansies,  were  all  taken 
in  hand.  I  then  commenced  to  appear  as  an  exhibitor,  and  here  I 
may  say  I  never  did  much  in  that  line,  although  I  have  several 
proofs  of  success  in  various  articles  that  I  won  as  prizes.  The  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  for  Ireland  then  held  the  field  ;  its  exhibitions 
took  place  at  the  Rotunda  in  Dublin,  and  the  large  round  room  of 
that  building  and  tents  in  the  gardens  were  filled  with  plants,  and  on 
fine  days  a  large  company  of  the  fashionables  of  Dublin  resorted  to 
them.  Of  course  the  shows  would  not  compare  with  those  I  have 
seen  on  this  side  of  the  Channel,  but  still  there  were  famous  amateurs 
who  sent  magnificent  plants,  and  the  popularity  of  the  Society  was 
well  kept  up.  The  Royal  Dublin  Society  always  contributed  some 
fine  plants  from  Glasnevin.  At  this  time  it  was  rather  exclusive, 
and  some  gardeners  and  amateurs,  who  were  dissa'isfied  with  its 
proceedings,  started  another,  “The  Royal  Horticultural  Improvement 
Society  for  Ireland.”  A  neighbour  of  mine  at  Bray  was  the  prime 
mover  in  it ;  it  had  a  very  up-hill  game  to  play,  and  did  cot  last 
many  years;  still  it  effected  some  good,  and  stirred  the  older  society  to 
more  energy. 
There  were  many  charming  gardens  around  Bray.  Judge 
Crampton’s  at  St.  Valery,  and  Sir  George  Hodgson’s  at  Hollybrook, 
and  the  Earl  of  Meath’s  at  Kilruddery,  were  all  charmingly 
picturesque,  and  how  wonderfully  shrubs  flourished  in  those  regions  ! 
Masses  of  Rhododendrons,  Azaleas,  and  other  flowering  shrubs  grew 
there  in  perfection,  and  in  after  years  I  was  reminded  of  them  in  the 
gardens  that  I  visited  in  the  south-west  of  Scotland. 
It  may  readily  be  believed,  then,  that  I  should  sever  myself  from 
all  these  pleasant  surroundings  with  many  feelings  of  regret ;  but  I 
had  felt  for  years  a  longing  desire  to  get  to  England.  An  Englishman 
by  parentage  and  birth,  I  felt  like  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  and 
so  at  last  made  up  my  mind  to  move,  and  my  thoughts  were 
naturally  directed  towards  the  fair  county  of  Kent.  No  thoughts 
of  floriculture  entered  into  this  idea,  but  I  had  relatives  and  friends 
there,  and  through  them  hoped  to  obtain  employment  as  a  curate  ; 
but  I  went  out  literally  not  knowing  whither  I  was  going.  All  my 
flowers  and  objects  of  natural  history  had  to  be  sold,  and  I  went 
forth  as  a  veritable  pilgrim  ;  and  so  ended  my  experiences  as  a  florist 
and  gardener  in  Ireland.  I  had  about  three  years  before  this  founded 
the  Dublin  Natural  History  Society,  one  of  whose  most  distinguished 
members  was  Archbishop  Whately,  while  many  of  its  members  were 
personal  friends.  It  did  good  service,  and  after  I  left  Ireland  it  did 
not,  I  believe,  continue  to  maintain  an  independent  existence,  but  was 
merged  with  some  other  society.  Of  course,  I  corresponded  with 
many  of  these  old  friends,  but  year  after  year  some  of  them  passed, 
and  I  question  very  much  whether  any  of  those  who  were 
associated  with  me  in  those  days  now  remain.  This  always  is  the 
case  when  one’s  own  life  is  prolonged.  One  by  one  ones  fellow- 
travellers  drop  off  by  the  way,  and  we  are  left  to  make  our  way  alone  ; 
at  least,  so  far  as  the  friends  of  early  days  go.— D.,  Deal. 
(To  be  continued.) 
APPLES. 
Hoary  Morning. 
Until  the  present  season  the  true  variety  of  this  Apple  to  me  was 
unknown,  but  one  tree  in  these  gardens  bore  the  name  for  many  years 
past  without  any  contest  or  dispute  as  to  its  accuracy.  A  young  tree 
planted  perhaps  ten  years  since,  fruited  for  the  first  time  this  season, 
and  bears  such  distinct  and  striking  characteristics  that  it  passes  at  once 
into  a  position  of  the  greatest  favour.  Exposed  to  the  sun  it  has  an 
uniformly  deep  crimson  colouring,  handsome  in  shape,  an  1  with  a 
beautiful  bloom  such  as  I  have  not  hitherto  seen  in  any  variety.  It 
is  this  peculiar  character  no  doubt  from  which  it  derives  its  name. 
Kentish  Pippin. 
I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the  Kentish  Pippin  Mr.  Richards 
speaks  of  in  his  note  (page  495)  is  either  a  local  variety,  or  one  not 
commonly  grown  under  that  name.  I  well  remember  a  W  est  of 
England  Apple  known  as  Kentish  Pippin  that  used  to  be  very  highly 
prized  for  dessert  purposes  in  the  new  year.  This,  as  Mr.  Richards 
says,  was  not  unlike  a  Blenheim  Pippin  in  general  appearance,  and 
when  kept  until  after  Christmas  was  quite  as  good. 
Kentish  Pippin,  grown  in  Kent,  and  known  also  as  Colonel 
Vaughan,  is  quite  a  different  fruit,  and  to  my  mind  neither  so 
attractive  in  appearance  nor  high  in  quality  as  that  known  in  the 
West.  The  fruit  was  so  good  that  those  who  possessed  trees  had  no 
difficulty  in  deposing  of  them  at  fancy  prices  in  years  of  scarcity  or 
plenty;  indeed  there  were  inquiries  made  for  them  each  year,  and 
not  a  little  disappointment  when  there  was  no  surplus  available. 
The  late  Mr.  William  Perry,  when  gardener  to  Mr.  Cruger  Miles 
at  Shirehampton,  repeatedly  sent  fruit  away  with  the  hope  of  getting 
some  definite  information  of  its  name  and  history,  but  failed  in  every 
instan"e.  In  growth  tli9  tree  resembles  the  Blenheim  Pippin,  making 
