132 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Angnst  IS&B, 
OAKNATIONS  AT  EATON, 
If  Carnations  are  popular,  they  are  deservedly  so  ;  such  at  least  has 
been  the  verdict  of  those  who  have  been  privileged  to  see  the  large  and 
magnificent  collection  at  Eaton  Gardens.  On  a  visit  a  short  time  ago  to  | 
this  princely  establishment  of  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Westminster,  I  ‘ 
found  no  less  than  1000  plants  of  the  Malmaison  varieties  in  fall  bloom,  { 
which,  needless  to  say,  presented  a  charming  sight,  and  one  not  likely  I 
to  be  soon  forgotten.  Although  the  majority  of  the  plants  were  clothed  | 
with  well  developed  blooms,  Mr.  Barnes  informed  me  that  a  few  days  | 
previous  to  my  visit  he  had  cut  over  a  thousand  of  the  best  of  the  blooms 
to  be  sent  to  Grosvenor  House,  and  previous  to  that  several  cuttings, 
averaging  from  400  to  600  blooms,  had  also  been  taken  for  decorative 
purposes.  Several  span-roofed  houses  have  been  specially  set  apart  for 
these  plants,  and  more  healthy  and  clean  examples  could  not  anywhere 
be  seen,  not  a  trace  of  disease  or  insect  pest  being  anywhere  visible. 
The  majority  of  the  plants  were  established  in  15-inch  pots,  although  a 
few  of  the  younger  plants  were 
accommodated  in  smaller  sizes. 
Many  of  the  large  plants  carried 
over  thirty  blooms,  each  one  being 
carefully  secured  to  bamboo  cane 
tips,  which  gave  the  plants  a  lighter 
and  more  airy  appearance  than  if 
thicker  canes  or  sticks  had  been 
used .  At  the  same  time  this  careful 
staking  precluded  that  untidiness 
which  so  often  characterises  collec¬ 
tions  of  Carnations,  though  some 
growers  are  averse  to  the  practice. 
Although  the  collection  is  chiefly 
composed  of  the  bright  pink  Mal¬ 
maison,  yet  the  Princess  of  Wales, 
The  Churchwarden,  a  glowing  deep 
scarlet,  and  Lady  Middleton,  a 
pretty  striped  form,  stood  out  con¬ 
spicuous  amongst  the  bright  pink 
shades.  Passing  on  from  the  Md- 
maison  houses  one  could  not  help 
being  struck  with  a  grand  lot  of 
Germania,  about  500  plants  in  all, 
housed  separately,  and  just  bursting 
into  bloom,  which  would  in  a  short 
time  make  a  beautiful  contrast  to 
its  Malmaison  neighbours^  Then  in 
some  other  hpuses  large  healthy 
plants  laden  with  blooms  of  such 
popular  and  attractive  varieties  as 
Mies  A.  Campbell  (which,  by  the 
way,  Mr,  Barnes  thinks  highly  of  as 
a  good  yellow) ;  Duke  of  Orleans, 
Lady  Nina  Balfour,  and  others ; 
all  of  which  gave  variety,  and 
added  interest  to  this  unique  col¬ 
lection.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  almost  all  the  varieties  named 
above  were  raised  by  Mr.  Martin  R.  Smith  at  Hayes; 
Not  only  did  I  find  Carnations  grown  extensively  indoors,  but  their 
culture  out  of  doors  is  on  an  equally  elaborate  scale,  large  square  beds 
and  long  borders  being  given  up  entirely  to  them,  the  whole  outside 
collection  certainly  numbering  not  less  than  15,000  plants,  all  of  them 
showing  a  beautifully  healthy  vigorous  growth.  In  some  of  the  quarters 
it  was  pleasant  to  see  several  of  the  real  old-fashioned  sorts,  such  as  the 
old  crimson  Clove  and  white  Clove  varieties,  getting  a  place  among  their 
younger  cousins.  The  place  of  honour  here  was,  however,  given  to 
Duchess  of  Fife,  a  free-flowering  variety  of  a  beautifully  delicate  shade 
of  pink.  Other  sorts  included  in  the  collection  were  Uriah  Pike, 
Buccleuch  Clove,  Eaby  Castle,  Kelso  Abbey,  Mary  Morris,  Cromby’s 
Pink,  Mrs.  Owen  Thomas,  Dundas  Scarlet,  Mrs.  Muir,  and  Mrs.  Reynolds 
Hole.  To  enumerate  all  would  serve  no  useful  purpose,  so  I  have 
chosen  a  few  only  as  representative  of  the  quality  of  the  collection 
as  a  whole. 
I  understand  that  the  Carnation  is  the  favourite  flower  of  Her  Grace 
the  Duchess  of  Westminster,  and  she  is  to  be  congratulated  on  having, 
in  Mr.  Barnes,  such  a  successful  grower,  not  only  of  Carnations,  but  of 
all  the  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables — which  are  not  a  few— to  supply 
the  large  demands  of  this  stately  home  of  old  England. — GBOnaE 
Paxton. 
LIYERPOOL  AND  DISTRICT  FRUIT  REPORTS. 
Fob  several  years  past  it  has  been  my  custom  to  send  a  few  short 
notes  earlier  in  tlie  season,  but  in  view  of  the  extreme  drought  through 
which  we  have  been  passing  I  kept  the  notes  until  the  present,  for  a 
better  criterion  is  arrived  at  when  the  fruit  is  swelling.  The  following 
gardens  are  perhaps  as  representative  as  could  be  well  gob,  the  area 
covering  various  parts  of  the  district. 
Cleveley,  Alleeton. 
Of  late  years  Mr.  Cromwell  has  planted  rather  extensively,  and  has 
a  capital  selection  of  young  trees.  The  general  crop  is  good  with  the 
exception  of  Pears,  which  are  almost  nil,  the  failure  being  attributed  to 
the  very  heavy  crops  of  fruit  which  the  trees  have  borne  for  the  past 
two  seasons.  The  blossom  was  abundant,  but  lacking  in  vigour,  which 
is  always  apparent  when  a  failure  in  setting  takes  place.  Apples  are 
a  good  crop,  Mr.  Cromwell  thinking  that  this  has  been  secured  by  giving 
the  trees  a  spraying  with  the  hose  each  evening  when  they  were  in 
bloom,  also  strict  attention  to  watering  at  the  roots. 
Plums  on  walls  are  a  good  crop,  standards  under  the  average. 
Cherries  and  Black  Currants  are  a 
very  heavy  crop.  Of  the  latter 
such  varieties  as  Lee’s  Prolific  and 
Carter’s  Champion  having  some  of 
the  branches  literally  broken  down 
with  the  weight  of  fruit.  Red 
Currants,  Gooseberries,  and  Rasp¬ 
berries,  through  being  well  watered 
and  mulched,  are  excellent.  Super¬ 
lative  Raspberry  being  worth  every 
attention,  the  fruit  gets  an  enormous 
size,  and  it  is  a  very  heavy  cropper. 
Blackberries  on  arches  are  grown 
extensively.  It  is  a  fruit  worthy 
of  greater  attention,  the  Parsley¬ 
leaved  variety  being  the  most  pro¬ 
ductive.  Strawberries  have  been 
abundant.  Royal  Sovereign  excel¬ 
lent  ;  Gunton  Park  is  eminently 
worth  a  trial,  the  fruit  being  very 
large,  whilst  the  flavour  is  excellent. 
Allebton  Peioey. 
Apples  are  a  moderate  crop,  but 
owing  to  the  drought  are  suffering 
from  red  spider.  The  Codlin  types. 
Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Alfriston, 
Cellini,  Potts’  Seedling,  Cox’s 
Orange,  and  King  of  the  Pippins, 
are  well  cropped.  Pears  are  fair 
crop,  Clapp’s  Favourite,  Williams, 
Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey,  and  Beurr(5 
d’Amanlis,  being  the  best.  There  is 
a  thin  set  of  Plums,  Black  Diamond, 
The  Czar,  Halewood,  and  Bryanston 
Gage  being  the  pick.  Cherries  have 
done  fairly  well,  but  many  fell  during 
the  stoning  period.  Governor  Wood 
and  Bedford  Prolific  being  excep¬ 
tions.  Strawberries  have  been  first 
rate.  Royal  Sovereign  proving  itself 
splendid.  Bush  fruits  and  Rasp¬ 
berries  are  enormous,  but  on  Goose¬ 
berries  the  caterpillars  have  been 
more  than  abundant. 
The  Caldeestones,  Aigbheth. 
All  kinds  of  bush  fruits  have  been  good,  also  Cherries  and  Straw¬ 
berries.  Mr.  Tunnington  grows  Peaches  extensively  outdoors,  and  well 
he  does  them,  for  they  are  all  that  can  be  desired.  Not  so  with  Apricots, 
Apples,  and  Pears.  The  scarcity  of  Pears  is  attributed  to  the  heavy 
hailstorms  experienced  whilst  the  trees  were  in  bloom.  Apples  set  well, 
but  most  of  the  crop  fell  owing  to  the  drought.  Mr.  Tunnington  says 
the  two  latter  crops  are  the  worst  he  has  had  for  more  than  a  dozen 
years. 
Knowseey  Hall. 
Apples  are  a  very  good  crop,  and  the  fruit  is  very  fine.  Pears  are 
only  a  moderate  crop.  There  was  a  wonderful  show  of  blossom,  but 
owing  to  the  dry  and  hot  weather  nearly  the  whole  fell  off.  Plums 
almost  a  failure  ;  Peaches  and  Nectarines  very  thin.  Raspberries  a  fine 
show  of  fruit.  Strawberries  were  very  good,  but  soon  over.  Royal 
Sovereign,  Monarch,  and  Leader  being  really  grand.  James  Veitch, 
British  Queen,  and  Latest  of  All,  amongst  older  sorts,  were  very  fine  and 
good.  Bush  fruits  grand  crop  ;  fruit  very  fine  and  clean.  Cherries  a 
good  crop,  and  fruit  excellent. 
Rainpoed  Hall,  St.  Helens. 
Earlier  sorts  of  Apples — Suffields  in  particular — are  very  lightly 
cropped.  Pears  are  good,  with  the  exception  of  Marie  Louise,  which  is 
quite  a  failure.  Plenty  of  bloom,  but  they  failed  to  set.  Cherries  of  all 
sorts  are  good.  Strawberries  very  fine,  and  every  kind  of  bush  fruit  has 
carried  heavy  crops  in  all  instances,  being  a  fortnight  in  advance  of 
ordinary  seasons. 
’'W-- 
riG  27.— THE  QUKE  OF  WESTMINSTER 
