394 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Ortober  21,  1897. 
I  must  say  a  few  words  upon  the  fine  vigorous  Peach  trees  growing  in  two 
old  upright  houses.  These  trees  show  to  anyone  that  Mr.  IMiller  knows  the 
value  of  keeping  shoots  thinly  disposed  and  free  from  insects.  The  style 
of  training  adopted  is  in  most  instances  the  “  Seymour  ”  one,  but  along  the 
front  of  the  house  a  novelty  in  the  way  of  horizontally  trained  l^each  trees 
may  be  seen,  the  system  answering  here  as  well  as  the  usual  method.  It 
is,  in  fact,  another  illustration  of  the  well-known  truth  that  successful 
fruit  culture  is  not  a  matter  of  follow  ng  a  particular  style  of  training 
but  of  attending  to  all  the  details  of  culture  in  an  intelligent  manner. 
Strawberry  plants  in  pots  having  plump  crowns,  such  as  the  forcer 
delights  in,  occupied  a  sunny  position  in  the  open  air,  and  I  was  pleased 
to  see  that  grand  old  variety,  Auguste  Nicaise,  among  them.  The  plant 
houses  are  very  numerous — in  fact,  there  is  quite  a  little  town  of 
glass  at  Combe  ;  but  there  is  yet  so  much  to  write  about  that  I  shall 
touch  lightly  upon  them.  The  stoves  are  filled  with  a  good  assortment  of 
plants  of  a  useful  size  for  decorative  purposes,  and  I  noticed  some  strong 
Bananas  with  huge  bunches  of  fruit. 
A  very  conveniently  arranged  fernery,  with  Orchids  on  the  side  stage, 
showed  the  latter  plants  are  now  being  taken  in  hand,  and  I  doubt  not 
the  collection  will  speedily  increase  in  size.  Several  plants  of  those  two 
fine  early  flowering  Chrysanthemums,  Mrs.  Hawkins  and  Madame 
Desgrange,  displaj'ed  their  charms  in  a  long  lean-to  structure,  and  useful 
they  were  for  supplying  cut  flowers.  Other  houses  were  filled  with 
Boses,  Camellias.  Azaleas,  Callas,  and  some  were  being  fitted  up  for  the 
reception  of  bedding  plants.  Onward  we  press  again,  through  the  kitchen 
garden  toward  the  mansion  ;  but  stop,  let  us  look  one  moment  at  these 
long  beds  of  Violet  iVrarie  Louise,  grand  indeed,  having  hosts  of  flowers 
fully  developed,  and  showing  great  promise  for  a  succession  of  fine 
blooms  during  the  winter  months. 
We  reach  the  Abbey,  ascend  the  grand  staircase,  and  look  out  of  the 
windows  on  a  lovely  scene  beneath  and  beyond.  Below  us  a  terrace  runs 
round  the  mansion,  grassy  slopes  are  formed  from  this  to  the  level 
stretch  of  turf  in  front,  enlivened  by  flower  beds  worked  out  in  a 
beautiful  scroll  design.  Still  further  ahead  is  a  magnificent  piece  of 
water,  90  acres  in  extent,  bounded  on  one  side  by  grassy  banks,  on 
the  other  by  the  park,  while  in  the  distance  are  acres  of  bog,  with  a 
luxuriant  growth  of  Reeds.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  from  the  windows 
of  the  Abbey  one  looks  down  upon  a  true  garden  scene,  in  which  bright 
colour,  green  grass,  and  water  each  play  a  special  part  ;  then,  as  the  eye 
wanders  in  the  distance,  a  view  of  wild  grandeur  is  caught,  the  combina¬ 
tion  being  one  not  often  met  with,  and  therefore  characteristic  of  the 
place.  _ 
The  flower  garden  immediately  beneath  the  windows,  from  which  the 
above  view  is  obtained,  is  deserving  of  more  than  a  passing  notice,  as  it  is 
of  quite  an  original  design,  and  was  laid  out  by  Air.  Miller  during  the 
spring  of  the  present  year.  A  straight  gravel  walk  runs  through  the 
centre;  on  each  side  is  a  level  piece  of  turf,  oblong  in  shape.  In  this 
turf  a  scroll  forming  one  continuous  design  is  cut  out,  the  turf  on  each 
side  of  the  central  walk  being  treated  in  exactly  the  same  way.  When 
well  planted,  as  in  this  case,  with  suitable  flowering  plants,  the  effect 
produced  is  novel,  striking  and  beautiful. 
Hours  might  be  pleasantly  spent  in  wandering  about  the  delightful 
pleasure  grounds  of  this  old  English  home,  where  stretches  of  grass  and 
winding  walks  lead  to  pretty  bits  of  garden  scenery,  which  show  plainly 
that  the  master  hand  laid  out  the  grounds,  had  the  knowledge  and 
instinct  of  a  true  landscape  gardener.  Many  choice  Coniferas  have  also 
been  freely  and  well  planted,  with  the  result  that  to-day  many  magnificent 
specimens  may  be  seen  at  Combe.  Noteworthy  among  them  are  large  and 
perfectly  shaped  ones  of  Picea  pinsapo  and  P.  pinsapo  glauca.  Isolated 
specimens  and  lines  of  Cupressus  Lawsoniana  are  to  be  seen  in  abundance. 
In  fact  the  whole  place  abounds  in  vigorous  examples  of  ornamental  trees. 
The  above  are  a  few  brief  notes  about  a  fine  and  well  managed  garden, 
the  conduct  of  which  has  been  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  W.  Miller  for  thirty-six 
years.  He  went  to  Combe  at  a  time  when  it  practically  possessed  no  garden, 
and  during  his  term  of  service  has  laid  out  the  whole  of  the  grounds  and 
kitchen  gardens,  built  houses,  furnished  them  with  plants,  splendid  Vines 
aud  fruitful  trees.  A  man  who  does  such  things  as  these  helps  to  raise 
the  status  of  gardeners,  adds  to  the  prosperity  and  progress  of  horti¬ 
culture,  and  is  therefore  deserving  of  recognition  when  honours  to  horti¬ 
culturists  are  again  passed  round.  Fortunately  the  present  Lord  and 
Lady  Craven  are  young,  and  as  they  gradually  settle  down  in  their 
Warwickshire  home,  will  perhaps  add  new  features  to  their  fine  gardens, 
especially  as  they  'have  the  right  man  in  the  right  place  to  carry  them 
out.  In  conclusion  I  beg  to  tender,  on  behalf  of  my  companion  and 
myself,  our  heartiest  thanks  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  for  the  kind  hospitality 
extended  to  us  at  the  time  of  our  visit. — 11.  D. 
Dendeomecox  eigidum.  —  Mr.  E.  D.  Sturtevant  writes  to  the 
“Garden  and  Forest”  from  Los  Angeles,  California,  with  reference  to 
this  plant,  which  in  California  is  considered  one  of  the  finest  native 
shrubs.  The  flowers  are  of  the  brightest  pure  yellow  colour,  about 
2  inches  across,  and  produced  for  a  long  period.  The  foliage  is  a  peculiar 
greyish  green,  but  the  flowers  are  so  beautiful  that  this  may  well  be  over¬ 
looked.  Unfortunately,  it  is  difficult  to  transplant ;  but  if  successfully 
moved  it  grows  well  in  gardens  there. 
FRUITR  AXD  FLOWERS  AT  LANGLEY. 
Teavellees  on  our  great  railway  systems,  who  leave  the  metropolis 
on  pleasure  or  business  bent  in  their  millions,  have  much  for  which  to 
thank  our  nurserymen.  These  have  in  many  instances  established  them¬ 
selves  by  the  railway  sides,  and  thus  provide  floral  and  arboricultural 
treats,  the  parallels  of  which  are  not  to  be  found  elsewhere.  “  They  have 
done  it,”  some  may  say,  “with  a  view  to  advertising  themselves.”  True, 
but  it  will  be  acknowledged  that  only  a  small  per-centage  of  the  travelling 
public  is  a  purchasing  public,  and  the  remaining  vast  majority  see 
the  displays  and  appreciate  them  as  they  pass  by.  Other  firms 
advertise  their  cure-alls  or  wash-alls  by  immense  boards,  which,  however 
useful,  are  by  no  means  ornamental.  The  beautiful  flowers  and  the 
shapely  shrubs  and  trees  adorn  our  already  charming  English  landscapes, 
but  the  boards  do  the  exact  reverse,  so  that  though  both  have  the  same 
object,  the  one  is  advantageous,  while  the  other  is  an  eyesore  and  a 
nuisance. 
The  journey  that  more  especially  called  forth  the  above  remarks  was 
made  from  Paddington  to  the  West  of  England  in  August,  when  the 
exceptional  beauty  of  Afessrs.  J.  Veitch  &  Sons’,  Ltd.,  Langley  Nursery, 
caused  the  determination  to  pay  an  early  visit  to  this  land  of  fruit  and  of 
flowers.  For  going  on  to  two  decades  this  nursery  can  be  remembered  by 
the  writer,  and  each  year  it  has  been  passed  at  least  once  at  some  period  or 
the  other.  Never,  however,  has  the  spectacle  been  a  more  glorious  one 
than  this.  Each  bed  has  been  a  picture  in  itself,  and  the  whole  has  been 
appreciated  by  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people.  There  were  flowers  of 
all  colours  and  shapes,  plants  of  varying  heights  and  habits,  with 
hundreds,  nay,  thousands  of  fruit  trees  to  be  seen  from  the  windows  of 
the,  for  the  moment,  too  rapidly  running  train.  After  thus  generalising 
we  must  particularise  for  a  little  in  order  that  Journal  readers  who  have 
not  been  on  the  Great  Western  this  year  may  see  Veitch’s  by  proxy,  which, 
it  is  hoped,  will  be  better  than  not  seeing  it  at  all. 
Goosebeeeies  axd  Cueeaxts. 
Most  visitors  to  a  fruit  nursery  when  penning  their  description  of 
its  contents  commence  with  the  Apples  and  Pears,  passing  thence  to 
the  smaller  fruits.  In  this  instance  the  order  will  be  reversed,  so  that 
the  notes  may  claim  some  atom  of  originality  in  their  sequence,  if  in 
nothing  else.  At  Langley  all  forms  of  training  Gooseberries  are 
adopted  save  one.  There  are  cordons,  single,  double,  and  five-stemmed, 
fan  and  cup-shaped  bushes,  standards  on  9-inch  or  12-inch  stems,  but 
the  old-fashioned  stool  bush  was  conspicuous  by  its  absence.  Asked 
why  this  was  the  case,  our  conductor  stated  that  there  was  no  demand 
for  them  nowadays.  “Growers,”  he  added,  “recognised  the  distinct 
advantages  of  plants  on  straight,  clean  trunks,  and  will  have  no  others 
from  us.”  The  thousands  so  grown  are  as  perfect  specimens  as  anyone 
need  wish  to  have.  As-proof  of  the  care  taken  in  removing  the  eyes 
from  the  part  below  the  soil  it  may  be  mentioned  that  in  no  single 
instance  was  a  sucker  growth  observed. 
For  fruit-bearing  properties,  perhaps,  the  shape  of  tree  which  may  be 
termed  the  five-stemmed  cordon  must  have  the  place  of  honour  for  bulk 
of  crop.  But  for  size  of  individual  fruits  and  quality  commend  us  to  the 
single-stemmed  cordon,  which  appears  to  be  unrivalled.  The  other  forms 
of  training  the  bushes  undoubtedly  give  splendid  returns  for  the  space 
occupied,  and  if  the  cup-shaped  ones  are  a  trifle  formal  they  are  neverthe¬ 
less  very  handsome  when  roped  with  fruits.  For  many  positions  in 
gardens  they  are  well  adapted,  and  would  look  considerably  better  than 
an  ordinary  bush.  In  one  respect  the  several  forms  were  alike,  and  that 
was  in  the  splendid  growth  and  cleanliness.  Such  wood  and  foliage 
would  satisfy  the  most  hypercritical  of  mortals.  “What,”  we  hinted, 
“  was  the  secret  of  such  results  ?  ”  With  promptitude  came  the  reply, 
“  Simply  good  cultivation.”  It  may  be  added,  parenthetically,  that  the 
“  good  cultivation  ”  included  the  best  stable  manure  procurable. 
From  the  spiny  Gooseberries  (there  were  no  spineless  ones  to  be  seen) 
an  adjournment  was  made  to  the  Bed  and  White  Currants.  Again  were 
found  some  half-dozen  forms  of  training,  rendering  it  a  most  easy  matter 
to  choose  a  shape  for  any  conceivable  position  wheie  a  Currant  will  grow. 
Haunters  of  the  London  Scottish  Drill  Hall  on  show  days  will  remember 
these  with  the  Gooseberries  that  the  firm  has  staged  so  splendidly  from 
its  Buckinghamshire  emporium.  The  attention  devoted  to  the  Beds  and 
Whites  is  equalled  by  that  given  to  the  Blacks,  but  the  training  of  the 
latter  is,  as  may  be  imagined,  much  more  simple.  No  writer  would  have 
the  temerity  to  commence  naming  the  varieties  of  the  two  fruits  that  have 
been  mentioned.  Let  it  suffice  to  say  that  probably  every  known  variety 
is  there  to  be  found,  though  not  in  equal  numbers.  Of  one  there  will  be 
thousands,  and  ]mssibly  of  others  dozens  would  easily  cover  the  stock 
that  is  grown.  Both  Gooseberries  and  Currants  have  cropped  splendidly 
in  these  nurseries  this  year. 
Steawbebeies. 
These,  the  pigmies,  so  far  as  height  is  concerned,  of  the  fruit  world 
must  not  be  omitted,  or  the  opportunity  of  referring  in  laudatory  terms 
to  the  grand  Veitch’s  Perfection  would  be  lost.  If  anyone  present  on 
a  certain  occasion  at  the  Drill  Hall  had  a  lingering  doubt  as  to  the 
quality  of  this  variety  being  of  the  best,  it  must  have  been  rudely 
dispelled  when  he  saw  the  avidity  with  which  the  best  of  judges  disposed 
of  several  pounds  of  fruits  that  had  been  sent  for  testing.  The  writer 
knew  the  lusciousness  of  it,  and  though  it  is  one  of  his  principles  to 
be  “in”  on  such  an  occasion,  he  was  hopelessly  “out”  on  this  one, 
and,  moreover,  has  never  ceased  to  regret  it.  It  must  rank  with  the 
very  best,  and  does  so  with  those  who  nave  grown  it,  for  in  addition  to 
