384 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  15,  18b8. 
THE  LOWFIELD  NURSERIES. 
There  is  little  new  that  is  to  be  said  in  relation  to  these  well-known 
nnrseries  at  Crawley.  Sussex,  where  those  euterprisine;  horticulturists, 
the  Messrs.  Cheal  k  Sons,  conduct  an  extensive  business ;  but  as  they 
were  visited  the  other  day  by  me  for  the  first  time  it  may  be  that,  to  my 
fresh  eyes,  there  were  aspects  presented  not  noticed  by  others.  I  have 
a  special  interest  in  these  nurseries,  although  they  seem  to  belong  to  a 
neighbouring  county,  because  the  border  line  which  divides  Surrey  from 
Sussex  runs  through  them,  and  by  far  the  larger  portion  is  in  the  former 
county,  Surrey  is  known  for  its  fine  nurseries,  as  not  only  this  one, 
but  the  grand  American  and  fruit  nurseries  about  Woking,  Bagshot, 
Sanningdale,  Ottershaw,  and  elsewhere  testify,  not  forgetting  the 
famous  shrub  and  tree  nursery  at  Goombe  Wood. 
We  have  just  had  the  magnificent  annual  fruit  show  of  the  Eoyal 
Horticultural  Society  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  and  it  is  universally 
admitted  that,  in  spite  of  an  undoubtedly  adverse  season,  the  display 
was  a  grand  one.  The  show  displayed,  to  all  willing  to  learn,  not  only 
what  in  the  estimation  of  the  best  growers  constitute  the  best  varieties 
of  fruits,  but  also  how  possible  it  is  here  in  Great  Britain  to  grow  the 
finest  and  best  of  fruit  the  world  can  produce.  That  is  saying  a  good 
deal,  but  it  is  true.  If  we  would  but  grow  everywhere  of  the  test  in  the 
very  best  way,  we  should  then  very  speedily  solve  all  problems  in 
relation  to  supplying  our  own  people  with  fruit  in  abundance  of  our  own 
production. 
In  looking  over  the  Messrs.  Cheals’  great  nursery,  with  its  enormous 
number  of  trees  and  ihrubs,  but  especially  of  those  portions  devoted  to 
fruit  tree  production,  I  could  not  but  feel  that  such  nurseries  as  these 
were  helping  beyond  all  other  means  to  solve  any  doubts  and  difficulties. 
Here  the  intending  grower  of  fruit  may  come  and  purchase  just  whatever 
he  may  need,  and  every  requirement  here  can  soon  be  met.  Here  by 
tens  of  thousands  are  Apples  on  the  Crab  stock  for  standards,  and  on 
the  broad-leaved  Paradise  for  bush  trees.  Here,  too,  are  erect  and 
horizontal  cordons  innumerable,  and  also  flat  trained  trees  for  espaliers, 
or  if  desired,  especially  in  the  North,  for  walls.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  Pears,  on  common  or  on  Quince  stocks,  and  again  of  these  in 
every  known  form  of  training.  Practically  every  description  of  require¬ 
ment  or  demand  in  this  direction  may  be  met  instantly.  The  intending 
fruit  grower  has  not  to  wait  until  the  trees  he  needs  are  created.  Here 
they  are  ready  to  his  hand.  He  has  but  to  order  and  very  quickly  he 
will  receive,  and  the  very  best  of  trees  also.  If  we  go  to  Plums  or  to 
Cherries,  whether  Sweet  or  Morellos,  or  to  Peaches,  Nectarines,  or 
Apricots,  it  is  all  the  same. 
Looked  at  in  this  light  wonder  is  naturally  aroused  that  such  fore¬ 
sight  should  have  made  in  this  way  such  universal  provision.  Looked 
at  from  another  aspect,  wonder  is  again  excited  that  such  vast  quantities 
of  fruit  trees  should  annually  go  out  from  here,  to  be  planted  and  grown 
somewhere,  and  be  it  remembered  not  from  here  alone,  but  from  scores 
of  other  nurseries  of  similar  extent  in  the  kingdom,  all  of  whom  are 
yearly  manufacturing  what  seems  to  be  annually  needed  to  satisfy 
national  requirements.  But  if  this  be  so,  what  might  not  be  if  there 
came  a  great  national  movement  in  favour  of  fruit  culture,  so  that  where 
one  added  and  not  replacing  tree  is  planted  now,  at  least  100  should  be. 
And  if  ever  this  country  is  to  grow  fruit  to  satisfy  its  own  requirements 
it  will  have  to  be  so.  That  is,  however,  a  matter  for  the  capitalist,  who, 
finding  good  land,  as  there  is  plenty  fitting,  plants  it  and  places  in  charge 
of  the  best  practical  skill.  Then  fruit  culture  will  with  us  be  such  as 
shall  become  a  living  national  reality.  Hitherto,  and  in  spite  of  grand 
exhibitions  and  wonderful  nurseries,  it  has  not  been  so.  But  were  such 
immense  demands  to  be  made  upon  our  fruit  nursery  resources  we  may 
be  sure  they  would  rise  to  the  occasion.  Let  the  demand  come  and  the 
supply  will  follow  immediately,  because  to  traders  like  the  Messrs.  Cheal 
and  Sons,  with  all  their  knowledge  and  resources,  it  would  be  as  easy  to 
produce  half  a  million  of  trees  as  one  hundred  thousand. 
Great  foresight  has  been  shown  at  the  Lowfield  Nurseries  in  the 
provision  of  shelter  for  the  young  trees.  This  is  valuable  in  the  budding 
and  grafting  seasons,  and  in  the  blooming  and  fruiting  seasons.  The 
winds  sweep  freely  over  the  district,  as  just  here  it  is  rather  flat,  and 
art  has  furnished  windbreaks  in  the  shape  of  splendid  Whitethorn, 
Holly,  Pinus,  Hornbeam,  and  other  hedges  that  run  up  to  heights  of 
from  12  to  15  feet,  and  against  these  the  strong  winds  beat  in  vain. 
The  provision  of  similar  shelter  should  be  made  everywhere  where  fruit 
trees  are  planted,  for  such  hedges  are  of  inestimable  value.  How  snug 
do  the  trained  or  young  trees  of  all  descriptions  seem  to  be  in  con¬ 
sequence  of  the  shelter ;  indeed,  at  the  time  I  called  at  the  nursery, 
whilst  elsewhere  the  wind  was  blowing  great  guns,  inside  of  these 
windbreaks  the  weather  was  calm  and  enjoyable. 
The  firm  has  become  famous  for  its  trained  trees,  and  especially  for 
its  cordon  Apples  and  Pears.  These  are  found  in  immense  quantities. 
Then  there  is  in  every  direction  on  the  Lowfield  chalk  very  stout,  sturdy 
growth  without  undue  luxuriance.  The  wood  growth  with  already 
abundant  fruit  spurs  indicates  plenty  of  fibrous  roots,  and  that  is 
exactly  the  condition  of  tree  which  everyone  likes  to  have.  The  famous 
Bismarck  Apple  is  grown  most  largely.  There  seem  to  be  stocks  of  it 
in  all  directions,  but  none  large,  simply  because  the  call  for  it  has  been 
so  great. 
Specially  pleasing  in  walking  along  the  various  breaks  is  it  to  notice 
the  exact  truthfulness  of  the  diverse  varieties.  Were  only  single  trees 
planted  this  characteristic  would  not  be  observed  ;  but  when  a  break 
runs  into  hundreds,  and  the  whole  is  exactly  alike,  then  the  facial 
difference  of  leaf,  wood,  and  habit  of  growth  is  singularly  marked,  and 
but  one  rogue  out  of  even  500  true  could  instantaneously  be  detected  if 
there,  only  he  is  not.  Newton  Wonder,  Beauty  of  Kent,  Cellini 
Pippin,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Duke  of  Devonshire,  Golden  Spire, 
Col.  Vaughan,  Margil,  Braddick’s  Nonpareil,  Lane’s  Prince  Albert, 
Baumann’s  Red  Reinette,  Graham’s  Jubilee,  really  a  grand  Apple;  New 
Hawthornden,  Grenadier,  Frogmore  Prolific,  Warner’s  King,  Ribston 
Pippin,  and  others  are  noted  in  passing  along  the  quarters  in  great 
quantity,  and  finely  fruiting.  In  such  a  nursery  there  is  material  to 
furnish  almost  endless  notes  ;  they  cannot  now  be  written.  Enough  has 
been  said  to  show  that  so  long  as  such  nurseries  as  the  great  one  at 
Lowfield  exist,  there  will  be  no  lack  of  fruit  trees  for  all  planters  and 
growers. — A.  D. 
UNITED  HORTICULTURAL  BENEFIT  AND  PROVIDENT 
SOCIETY. 
The  tenth  anniversary  dinner  of  the  above  admirably  conducted 
gardeners’  society  was  held  at  the  Holborn  Restaurant  on  the  7th  in8^ 
The  chair  on  this  occasion  was  taken  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Nutting,  who  w;  a 
supported  by  Sir  Clarence  Smith,  Messrs.  J.  H.  Veitch,  Baker,  H.  B. 
May,  G.  Gordon,  H.  J.  Laing,  W.  Robinson,  J.  G.  Veitch,  G.  Ingram,  and 
other  notabilities  of  the  horticultural  world.  Notwithstanding  the 
inclement  weather  prevailing  there  was  a  good  attendance,  about  120 
persons  dining  together. 
Dinner  over,  the  Chairman  suitably  proposed  “  The  Queen,”  and  after 
the  National  Anthem  had  been  rendered  he  proposed  "  The  United 
Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society.”  Mr.  Nutting  was  warmly- 
received.  He  expressed  the  pleasure  it  gave  him  to  propose  the  toast  of 
the  “  United,”  and  he  congratulated  its  members  on  its  continued 
success.  He  did  not  attempt  to  talk  to  his  audience  about  the  balance 
sheet,  as  he  found  printed  copies  were  in  the  hands  of  all  present,  and 
they  could  see  how  well  all  the  monies  had  been  invested.  The  Chair¬ 
man  reminded  the  members  that  the  U.H.B.  and  P.S.  was  started  in 
1865,  and  that  in  1870  there  were  only  forty-two  members  ;  now  there 
were  651  members,  and  eighty-four  had  been  added  since  the  annual 
dinner  of  1895,  presided  over  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Veitch.  The  funds  of  the 
Society  were  naturally  very  low  in  1867,  the  sum  being  ^462,  but  now 
they  had  jfe  10,000  worth  of  shares  that  at  present  valuation  represented 
£13,650.  With  even  this  success,  said  the  Chairman,  we  are  not  satis¬ 
fied  ;  we  want  more  members,  and  to  this  end  he  hoped  the  horticultural 
Press  would,  as  formerly,  aid  the  Society,  and  also  that  the  members 
would  do  their  best  to  persuade  others  to  join .  He  remarked  that  a 
subscription  of  6d.  per  week  entitled  to  12s,  per  week  during  sickness, 
while  9J.  per  week  entitled  to  183.  per  week.  He  regarded  the  Society 
as  a  truly  benefit  one,  for  if  by  any  reason  payments  were  not  kept  up 
the  money  already  paid  was  not  forfeited,  and  the  member  could  resume 
payments  without  being  fined.  When  looking  through  the  Treasurer’s 
books  Mr.  Nutting  said  he  had  noticed  one  member,  seventy  years  of  age, 
had  recently  withdrawn  £82  10s.,  while  the  actual  amount  he  had  paid 
in  to  the  Fund  was  £57  os.  9d.  j  the  interest  from  1870  had  alone 
amounted  to  £28  78.  9d.  Referring  to  the  Convalescent  Fund  insti¬ 
tuted  by  Mr.  N,  N.  Sherwood  a  few  years  ago,  he  hoped  that  it  would  be 
ably  supported,  by  friends  of  gardeners  and  of  the  Society,  He  wished 
to  add  his  own  name  to  the  list  of  such  supporters.  Mr.  Nutting  con¬ 
cluded  with  a  hope  that  the  list  of  honorary  members  would  speedily 
lengthen. 
The  genial  Treasurer  of  the  Society  (Mr.  James  Hudson,  of  Gunnersbury 
House)  responded  to  the  toast  so  ably  proposed  by  the  Chairman,  and  in 
doing  so  he  thanked  Mr.  Nutting  for  his  presence,  and  for  the  clear  manner 
in  which  he  had  advocated  the  claims  of  the  Society,  He  emphasised  the 
point  that  the  dinner  was  a  social  gathering,  and  not  a  means  whereby 
to  make  money  for  the  Society,  and  so  draw  away  a  pordon  of  the  funds 
that  might  otherwise  go  to  the  other  gardening  charities.  Mr.  Hudson 
said  that  by  becoming  members  of  the  “United  ”  gardeners  were  doing 
much  to  relieve  the  pressure  already  felt  by  the  Orphan  Fund  and  the 
Benevolent  Institution.  He  was  pleased  to  say  that  while  other  friendly 
societies  had  found  itmecessary  to  raise  the  amount  of  subscription,  tie 
United  had  not  done  so,  but  had  raised  the  amounts  paid  out  to  sick 
members  by  2s.  per  week.  (Loud  applause.) 
Mr.  Nathan  Cole,  one  of  the  original  members,  in  proposing  “  T1  o 
Honorary  and  Life  Members  and  Visitors,”  observed  that  the  hort 
members  had  done  much  to  help  the  Society  forward,  and  he  believe  d 
their  numbers  would  increase,  for  it  was  a  pleasure  to  helpth  ^se  wlo 
were  doing  their  best  to  prepare  for  the  proverbial  “  rainy  day.”  With 
the  toast  was  coupled  the  names  of  Sir  Clarence  Smith  and  Mr.  J.  H, 
Veitch.  The  former  referred  principally  to  the  sound  financial  condition 
of  the  Society,  and  the  safeness  of  its  investments.  Were  he  a  gardener, 
he  would  certainly  join  such  a  body.  Mr.  J.  Veitch  was  surprised  that 
the  honorary  members  had  not  increased  much  within  the  year  ;  he 
hoped  their  ranks  would  be  added  to,  as  the  Society  was  deserving  of 
every  support. 
The  Chairman’s  health  was  proposed  by  Mr.  H.  B.  May,  who  tendered 
the  thanks  of  the  Committee  to  Mr.  Nutting  for  the  great  honour  he  had 
done  them,  and  for  the  help  he  had  afforded.  The  toast  was  euthusiasti- 
cally  received,  and  drunk  with  musical  honours.  Mr.  Nutting  briefly 
responded,  and  at  the  same  time  announced  that  Mr.  May  had  promised 
to  preside  at  the  eleventh  annual  dinner,  “  The  Press,”  proposed  by 
Mr,  Wheeler,  was  replied  to  by  Mr.  G.  Gordon,  who  observed  that  the 
U.H.B.  and  P.S.  was  the  first  of  the  gardening  institutions  to  admit 
journalists  to  its  ranks,  and  enable  them,  if  so  disposed,  to  participate  in 
the  advantages  it  afforded.  Thanks  was  accorded  the  donors  of  fruit 
