April  is,  isae. 
journal  of  horticultulF  An!j  cottage  gardenetI 
%77 
and  here  and  there,  perhaps,  the  storm  might  have  done  good  in  relieving 
crowded  portions  of  the  grounds,  and  widening  the  view  from  the  man¬ 
sion.  Fortunately  the  two  magnificent  specimens  which  visitors  greatly 
a  mire  of  Libocedrus  decurrens,  were  left  practically  uninjured  in  their 
positions,  standing  like  two  sentinels,  towering  aloft  as  columns  of  dense 
doep  green.  Others,  as  has  been  said,  that  were  forced  to  the  ground 
were  raised  again,  notable  among  these  a  grand  example  of  Cupressus 
Lewsoniana,  which  for  size,  health,  and  colour  can  have  few  superiors 
iuathis  country.  Raising  and  saving  so  many  must  have  been  a  work 
of  great  labour,  and  the  success  of  it  may  fairly  be  regarded  as  a  notable 
achievement  in  good  gardening.  Force  raised  them,  but  cultural 
knowledge  and  attention  were  requisite  to  make  them  grow.  Mr. 
Harding  is  an  extremely  modest  man,  and  probably  never  gave  it  a 
thought  that  he  added  a  feather  to  his  cap  in  saving  so  many  cherished 
trees  that  most  men  would  have  regarded  as  hopelessly  lost — victims  of 
the  hurricane. 
Wellingtonias,  Old  and  Young. 
The  Wellingtonia  avenue  at  Orton  is  one  of  the  finest  features  of 
the  estate  and  the  most  imposing.  We  should  have  to  travel  far  to  find 
its  equal — some  of  the  trees,  but  not  all,  towering  to  a  height  of  70  or 
80  feet.  The  difference  in  height  and  character  is  due  to  different 
methods  of  raising  the  trees.  It  is  not  only  easy  to  see  which  were 
raised  from  Beeds  (these  being  the  most  lofty  and  best  furnished)  and 
which  from  cuttings,  but  the  trained  eye  can  detect  those  which  were 
raised  from  good  cuttings — upright  and  more  or  less  terminal  growths  ; 
and  those  from  bad  cuttings — more  or  less  horizontal  side  branchlets. 
The  former  may  make  fairly  good  trees,  but  no  man  can  make  anything 
approaching  satisfactory  specimens  of  the  other.  In  the  early  days  of 
Wellingtonias  the  supply  was  scant  and  demand  great,  and  had  to  be 
met  as  best  it  could  ;  and  besides  man  y  persons  raised  trees  who  did  not 
then  know  good  cuttings  from  bad.  Mr.  Barron  was  at  Orton  when  the 
“  Old  Marquis,”  who  was  a  great  planter,  used  to  bring  tioy  plants  of 
Wellingtonias  from  London  purchased  for  3  guineas  a  piece.  He  subse¬ 
quently  planted  hundreds,  including  those  in  the  avenue,  which  stands  a 
living  monument  of  bis  love  of  trees.  These  avenue  trees  have  been 
denuded  of  their  lower  branches,  and  the  2  or  3  feet  in  length  of 
hold  trunks  impart  picturesqueness  to  this  long  and  notable  vista.  Mr. 
Harding  has  found  the  advantage  of  never  clearing  away  the  fallen 
leaves  from  beneath  the  trees.  They  are  left  to  accumulate  and  form  a 
thick  cushion  or  mound  of  vegetation  around  each  specimen,  and  he  will 
Bcrape  away  the  fluffy  mass  and  show  the  roots  with  as  much  pleasure 
as  if  they  were  the  Vine  roots  in  a  border  under  the  mulching. 
Nature  suggests  many  useful  lessons  if  we  would  but  profit  by  her 
teaching  ;  but  we  must  pass  to  the  young  trees — so  young  and  small  as 
to  deserve  a  little  heading  to  themselves. 
Wellingtonias  from  English  Seed. 
Mr,  Harding  has  raised  many  Conifers  from  home-grown  seed 
especially  perhaps  Thuia  gigantea,  of  which  plants  may  be  seen  from 
2  inches  high  to  four  times  the  height  of  himself,  though  not  so  far 
round  as  he  is  in  the  trunk,  but  although  he  has  gathered  many  seeds 
from  the  Wellingtonias  from  time  to  time  he  has  not  until  recently 
succeeded  in  raising  plants.  He  has  only  two,  so  far,  and  they  seem  to 
be  regarded  by  him  as  a  precious  possession.  They  are  planted  out, 
have  passed  the  winter  in  the  open,  and  though  only  3  or  4  inches  high 
look  thrifty  and  promising.  There  is  no  mistake  about  them,  and  what 
Mr.  Harding  wants  to  know  is  this — Are  there  any  others  which  have 
bien  obtained  from  English  grown  seed?  He  does  not  allege  there  is 
none,  as  there  may  be  several,  but  he  has  not  seen  or  heard  of  any,  and 
will  be  obliged  by  authentic  information  on  the  subject  through  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture.  Of  course  he  will  be  glad,  though  he  will  not 
show  it  by  the  display  of  any  elation,  if  his  name  should  go  down  to 
posterity  as  being  the  first  to  have  gathered  Wellingtonia  seed  from 
trees  in  a  British  garden,  and  succeeded  in  raising  plants  therefrom 
forty  years  after  the  introduction  of  the  Wellingtonia  into  this 
country  from  California  in  1853. 
Fruit. 
Fruit  is  ra  her  extend 7ely  as  it  is  well  grown  at  Orton,  and  at  the 
present  time  the  promise  is  particularly  bright.  Apricots  have  set 
abundantly  on  walls,  also  Peaches  ;  while  of  all  other  kinds,  grown  both 
against  walls  and  in  the  open,  the  blossom  is  profuse  and  unusually 
fine.  Mr.  Harding  is  a  believer  in  grafting  old  tiees,  also  in  preserving 
good  old  varieties.  Some  ancient  gnarled  old  Apple  and  Pear  trees  that 
seemed  to  have  little  life  in  them,  instead  of  being  rooted  out,  were  cut 
down,  and  grafts  of  free  growing  varieties  established  on  them.  They 
have  grown  as  vigorously  as  young  trees  and,  in  fact,  produced  more 
fruit  than  young  trees  have  afforded  that  were  planted  at  the  time  the 
grafting  waB  done.  A  favourite  Apple  at  Orton,  because  an  abundant 
bearer  and  profitable,  is  the  Baldwin,  sued  large  consignments  of 
which  arrive  in  this  country  from  America.  It  is  a  winter  Apple,  and 
another  still  later  and  valuable  as  grow  i  in  the  same  garden  is  the 
Striped  Beefin.  As  an  early  culinary  Apole  Mr.  Harding  sets  much 
store  by  what  he  may  well  call  the  Orton  Foundling,  for  he  found  two 
ancient  trees  there,  and  no  one  has  been  able  to  determine  the  name  of 
the  variety.  The  fruit  is  ready  for  gathering  as  early  as  the  Codlins,  is 
as  large  as  any  of  them,  but  instead  of  being  greenish  yellow  is  crimson, 
somewhat  of  the  colour  of  Beauty  of  Kent,  but  the  fruits  less  conica1. 
Samples  have  been  placed  before  the  Fruit  Committee  of  the  R.H.S., 
but  they  were  sent  late,  for  the  variety,  and  “  got  nothing.”  That, 
however,  was  not  of  consequence,  as  they  “  make  more  ”  in  Peterborough 
than  any  others  that  are  in  the  market  at  the  same  time,  while  they  are 
preferred  to  any  for  family  use.  Certain  Apples  appear  to  be  partial  to 
particular  soils  and  localities,  and  it  may  be  said  of  the  Orton 
Foundling  that  it  has  found  a  congenial  home  and  appreciative  friends. 
A  Dual  Peach  Tree. 
Though  half  of  this  tree  at  least  is  a  Nectarine,  and  the  other  half 
may  be,  still  the  above  heading  is  not  incorrect,  seeing  that  the  Nectarine 
is  a  Peach  with  a  smooth  instead  of  a  downy  skin.  It  is  rather  a  curious 
tree  all  the  same,  especially  as  regards  its  origin.  Mr.  Harding  being 
fond  of  raising  seedling  trees  placed  the  stone  of  a  Peach  in  a  small 
pot  of  soil — only  one  stone  be  it  noted — to  see  what  it  would  bring  forth. 
It  has  brought  whst  he  did  not  expect — two  trees,  and  not  only  so,  but 
two  varieties,  one  of  which  has  fruited,  and  proved  to  be  a  Nectarine, 
and  the  other  is  setting  fruit.  But  it  may  be  said  that  is  not  evidence 
of  two  varieties.  It  is  not,  but  the  flowers  settle  the  point,  because  one 
of  the  twins  has  small  fl  iwers  of  the  Royal  George  type,  the  other  large, 
of  the  character  of  the  Noblesse.  Yet  both  the  varieties  are  the  products 
of  one  seed.  Some  Palms  produce  seeds  with  two  embryos,  but  whether 
Peaches  are  prone  to  do  the  same  such  raiser*  of  seedlings  as  Mr.  Rivers 
can  best  inform  us.  The  twins  give  promise  of  a  good  crop  of  fruits 
this  season,  both  from  large  flowers  and  small,  and  the  development 
of  the  fruits  will  be  watched  with  some  interest  by  the  raiser. 
An  Invitation  to  Mr.  Barron. 
Orton  is  an  interesting  garden,  and  Mr.  Harding  is  just  such  a 
gardener  as  Mr.  Barron — quiet,  with  a  greater  store  of  knowledge 
than  appear*  on  the  surface,  competent,  practical,  and  successful.  He 
thinks  it  time  that  “  Archie,”  who  was  present  at  the  planting  of  several  of 
the  baby  trees,  called  to  see  how  they  are  getting  on,  and  it  is  certain 
that  no  one  would  be  more  welcome  than  he  at  his  first  English 
resting  place  of  more  than  forty  years  ago.  There  has  been  at  least 
one  link  of  association  between  Orton  and  Chiswick,  for  Mr.  Harding’s 
son  has  served  under  Mr.  Barron,  and  proved  one  of  his  most  satis¬ 
factory  pupils.  ‘‘Charley"  is  now  doing  well  at  Guunersbury  Park, 
and  as  he  takes  after  his  father,  both  as  a  student  and  a  worker,  he 
may  be  expected  to  make  a  first-rate  gardener  for  someone  when  the 
right  time  comes.  It  is  certain  the  time  has  come  for  one  thing — 
namely,  laying  down  the  pen  by — An  Old  Friend. 
NITROGENOUS  AND  OTHER  MANURES  FOR  FRUIT 
TREES. 
In  a  previous  note  on  this  subject  (page  283)  it  was  shown  that 
compounded  manures  in  a  great  measure  owed  their  utility  to  a  due 
proportion  of  each  of  the  elements — potash,  phosphates,  and  nitrogen, 
and  high  authorities  were  quoted  in  proof  of  the  functional  interdepen- 
daDce  of  each  of  those  elements  on  the  others.  It  has  already  been 
shown  why  nitrogenous  manures  so  distinctlv  mark  the  effect  «f  their 
application  on  the  foliage  and  growth.  The  stimulating  effect  of 
nitrogen  on  vegetation  is  apt  to  induce  the  belief  that  the  other  elements 
of  plant  food  are  of  secondary  importance  ;  this  is  a  fallacy,  and  the 
highest  authorities  agree  that  a  soil  destitute  of  any  one  element  may 
become  more  or  less  barren,  since  it  is  the  minimum  and  not  the 
maximum  of  others  which  is  the  measure  of  fertility.  Therefore  a  soil 
holding  one  or  more  elements  in  too  small  proportions  (which  may  soon 
be  used  up),  its  degree  of  fertility  can  only  be  guaged  by  it*  weakest 
link  For  this  reason  the  application  of  certain  manures  which  contain 
but  few  elements  of  plant  food  may  prove  effective  under  certain  condi¬ 
tions,  because  the  application  of  those  elements  which  previously  were 
the  minimum  quantity  are  thus  brought  up  to  the  maximum,  and  the 
plant  or  crop  is  able  to  carry  out  effectively  its  function*  of  growth. 
Amongst  the  manures  containing  but  few  elemencB  of  plant  food  are 
nitrate  of  soda,  sulphate  of  ammonia,  kainit,  nhosphates,  basic  slag, 
sulphate  of  iron,  and  magnesium  sulphate.  Therefore  if  the  soil  is 
deficient  in  one  or  more  of  the  elements  contained  in  those  simple 
manures  their  application,  separately  or  combined,  as  the  case  may  be, 
ia  needed  to  restore  its  fertility.  It  mu9t  be  understood  that  if  nitrogen  is 
deficient  there  will  be  little  or  no  growth,  because  without  it  the  physical 
basis  of  the  life  of  the  plant,  the  protoplasm,  cannot  be  built  up.  The 
same  may  be  said  in  reference  to  phosphorus  and  sulphur  which  are 
needed  to  that  end  in  addition  to  the  carbon,  hydrogen,  and  oxygen,  of 
which  this  wonderful  substance  is  composed.  We  have  also  to  realise 
that  as  the  physical  basis  of  life  this  substance  is  endowed  with  life  and 
energy  capable  of  functional  activity  in  the  elaboration  and  assimilation 
of  the  food  elements. 
In  reference  to  these  functions,  it  has  been  demonstrated  by  Sachs 
that  although  potash  is  no  part  of  the  carbo-hydrate  series  resulting 
from  the  elaborative  processes,  i  et  it  must  be  functionally  present,  or 
no  starch  is  formed  ;  if  no  starch,  it  being  the  foundation  of  the  carbo¬ 
hydrate  series,  then  no  carboD  ;  if  no  carbon,  no  cellulose  ;  and  if  no 
cellulose  no  increase  in  growth.  Tnis  interfunctional  bearing  which 
one  element  has  of  necessity  on  the  others  can  be  traced  all  through 
the  life  precedes  of  the  plant ;  it  must  therefore  be  evident  that  the 
elements  of  plant  food  must  be  obtained  from  some  source,  and  that 
separately  and  combined  they  are  as  necessary  to  the  functional  activity 
of  the  plant  as  fuel  is  to  the  engine  before  work  can  be  begun. 
Sulphur  has  been  mentioned  as  being  an  essential  component  of  the 
protoplasm.  An  interesting  point  for  discussion  is  that  the  pollen 
grains  are  simple  free  cells  of  extremely  active  protoplasm,  containing  a 
larger  proportion  of  sulphur  than  ordinary  cell*  Let  us  for  a  moment 
consider  the  case  of  fruit  trees — viz.,  Apples,  Pears,  Pimps,  Cherries, 
