304 
JOURNAL  GF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  3,  i902. 
Echoes  from  Hamilton,  N.B. 
The  weather  is  still  very  unpropitions,  and  unfitted  for  much 
seed  sowing  being  done.  Yet  vegetation  is  moving  in  a  wonder¬ 
ful  degree.  Parks  and  lawns  are  now  entirely  renovated  by  their 
neA^  ly  a.C(]uired  verdure.  Tlie  earlier  kinds  of  deciduous  trees  are, 
too,  far  enough  advanced  to  break  into  leaf  on  the  least  friendly 
touch  of  the  breath  of  Nature.  The  Plane,  Lilac.  Prunus  Pi.s.sardi, 
1’or.sylhia,  and  the  Palm  "Willow  have  a  distinct  look  of  vernation 
about  them,  the  sight  of  which  somehow  conspires  to  animate 
the  human  soul  with  renewed  vigour  and  energy.  The  woodlands 
are  also  now  aglow  with  matchless  Daffodils  and  Primroses,  and 
the  parched-like  appearance  givmi  to  each  grove  and  dale  by  the 
withered  grass  and  fallen  leaves  of  an  autumn  that  is  past,  begins 
now  to  be  pleasingly  neutralised  by  the  intermingling  patches  of 
Wood  Hyacinths  which  are  fast  jjushing  forward  in  response  to 
the  mandates  of  Nature. 
We  de.stroyed  the  first  moth  of  the  season  on  the  2oth,  a 
large  specimen  of  Pontia  brassicse.  The  day  was  cold,  but  varied 
with  warm  blinks  of  sunshine,  still  we  thought  the  circumstances 
so  very  unfavourable  for  the  appearance  of  this  insidious  enemy 
of  the  garden  that  we  consider  it  important  enough  to  be 
recorded.  At  present  there  is  a  fine  display  of  Ccelogyne 
ori.stata  maximum  to  be  seen  in  the  gardens  of  William  .Vlston 
Dykes,  Esq.,  The  Orchards.  Some  of  the  ba.skets  have  from  forty 
to  fifty-three'  .sprays,  with  from  five  to  seven  blooms.  Mr. 
MacMillan,  the  gardener,  informed  us  that  .some  of  the  baskets 
had  seventy-five  sprays  last  year.  Clearly  he  has  got  the  .secret 
of  managing  this  beautiful  Orchid. 
The  Hamilton  and  Di.strict  Gardening  and  Fore.stry  Associa¬ 
tion  is  now  in  its  third  year,  and  going  on. flourishingly.  Some 
valuable  prizes  have  been  recently  competed  for  in  the  forms  of 
essays  on  the  “  Flower  Garden  ”  for  head  gardeners,  and  on 
“  Greenhouse  Plants  ”  for  under  gardeners.  This  judicious  move 
needs  no  comment,  and  we  woidd  fain  wish  more  of  these  stimu¬ 
lating  measures  were  more  commonly  adopted  by  horticultural 
associations.  — D.  C. 
- - 
Obituary. 
The  Late  Charles  Fisher. 
Mr.  Fisher,  for  many  years  the  head  of  the  firm  of  nurserymen 
at  Sheffield  known  as  Fisher,  Son,  and  Sibray,  died  on  March  21, 
aged  seventy-nine. 
Mr.  Andrew  Dougal. 
Mr.  Andrew  Dougal,  gardener,  died  at  Beeslack,  Mid-Lothian, 
after  a  brief  illness,  on  March  28.  The  deceased  Avas  a  son  of  the 
late  Mr.  'Wdlliam  Dougal,  farmer,  CalfAA'ard,  Perth.shire,  where 
he  Avas  born  over  seventy  years  ago.  He  AAas  for  forty-five  years 
head  gardener  to  the  late  Sir  John  CoAA'an,  of  Beeslack,  and 
besides  being  Avorthily  esteemed  by  the  late  baronet,  AA'as  greatly 
respected  in  the  district,  taking,  as  he  did,  a  deep  interest  in  the 
local  horticultural  societies,  and  being  ever  ready  to  give  his 
practical  help  to  amateur  gardeners  having  a  love  for  floAAers. 
He  was  frequently  in  request  to  act  in  the  capacity  of  judge  at 
the  floAver  sIioavs  in  Mid-Lothian  and  Peeble.shire,  and  Avas  a  keen 
Volunteer  in  the  early  days  of  the  movement,  attaining  the  rank 
of  sergeant.  As  a  member  of  the  local  lodge  of  Free  Gardeners 
he  Avas  one  of  the  best  knoAvn  members  for  forty  years.  In 
politics  he  Avas  a  keen  Conservative.  He  leaves  a  widoAv  and  one 
son. 
Death  of  Mr.  Geo.  Stevens. 
The  melancholy  death  of  Mr.  Geo.  Stevens,  at  Putney,  on  the 
27th  inst.,  removes  .one  Avho  for  several  years  Avas  a  foremo.st 
figure  in  Chrysanthemum  circles,  harung  been  for  many  years,  and 
up  to  recently,  a  member  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society,  one  of  the  earliest  members  of  its  Floral  Conunittee,  an 
actiA'^e  member  of  its  Executive  Committee,  and  a  successful 
exhibitor  at  its  exhibitions.  A  FcIIoaa'  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  he  AA-as  for  several  years  a  member  of  its  Floral  Com¬ 
mittee,  and  AA'as  an  excellent  judge  of  the  merits  of  neAV  varieties. 
He  A\ms  the  proprietor  of  the  St.  John’s  Nunseries,  in  Ravenna 
Road,  Putney,  and  also  of  tAvo  florists’  shops  in  that  toAA’n.  As 
far  as  can  be  learned,  he  Avas  a  gardener  in  his  early  days,  and  he 
then  superintended  the  laying  out  and  planting,  in  the  early 
fifties,  of  Avhat  was  then  knoAvn  as  the  Duke  of  St.  Albans’  estate 
on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  ascent  of  Putney  Hill.  It  was  during 
the  sixties  that  he  Avent  into  busine.ss,  and  took  advantage  of  the 
groAA'ing  intere.st  in  the  Chrysanthemum  OAving  to  the  introduc¬ 
tion  and  improvement  of  the  Japanese  varieties.  He  AA*as  one  of 
the  founders,  about  1872,  of  the  Putney  Ch^santhemum  Society, 
■  and  gave  it  a  Avarm  support.  He  greAv  certain  subjects  for  market. 
.such  as  the  double  AA’hite  Primula,  Carnations,  &c.,  and  also  for 
the  supply  of  his  shojA-s.  He  aa'us  tAvice  married,  but  AA  as  a  \A  idoA\'er 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  left  no  famil.y,  but  the  .step¬ 
children  by  his  second  uife  AA'ill,  it  is  belicAmd,  carry  on  the 
business. 
English  Walnuts  in  California. 
California,  aaIioso  A'ast  resources  are  perhaps  only  beginning 
to  be  developed,  has  endoAved  English  gardens  and  estates  Avith 
some  notabl.y  fine  coniferous  trees,  but  natiA'e  fruit  trees  of  that 
land  Ave  cannot  point  to.  On  our  part  Ave  haAm  reciprocated  by 
sending  at  least  “  English  ”  Walnut  trees  to  California,  and 
W’alnuts,  we  learn  through  the  London  “  Daily  Express,”  are  now 
one  of  the  leading  fruit  products  of  that  State.  This  is  partly 
due  to  the  fact,  that  the  California  Walnut  begins  to  bear  at  the 
eighth  year  from  the  lAlanting  of  the  seed,  Avhiie  in  the  Mediter¬ 
ranean  countries  it  does  not  bear  until  the  sixteenth  year,  and  in 
England  until  the  tAventy-sixth  year  after  planting  the  seed.  The 
demand  for  this  fruit  has  largely  increased  of  recent  years,  yet 
an  over-production  is  not  feared.  The  Walnut  groAvs  in  every 
count.y  of  the  State — Los  Angeles,  Santa  Barbara,  and  Orange 
being  the  most  productive.  The  trees  are  planted  40ft  apart,  or 
twenty-seven  to  the  acre,  and  each  tree  Avill  bear  yearly  from 
30,000  to  7.';, 000  nuts.  The  trunks  of  the  large  trees  are  25ft  in 
circumference. 
The  culture  of  the  Persian,  or  so-called  “  English  ”  Walnut,  in 
America  is  almost  entirely  limited  to  the  Pacific  coast.  It  is 
found,  lioAvcA'er,  in  limited  areas  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  some-  of 
the  trees  being  a  century  old.  The  nut  is  also  cultivated  Avith 
some  success  in  Louisiana  and  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  in 
tho.se  countries  the  black  ”  or  “  hard  ”  shell  Walnut  also  groAva, 
and  is  of  great  commercial  value.  But  the  conditions  for  the  cul¬ 
tivation  of  the  “  English  ”  Walnut  are  more  favourable  on  this 
coast,  and  California  will  ultimately  supply  the  United  States. 
The  “English”  Walnut  is  a  Persian  fruit,  and  Avas  brought  to 
California  from  Spain  by  the  Franciscan  Friars  Avhen  the  missions 
Avere  founded  in  1769.  From  the  Persian  Walnut  a  number  of 
varieties  have  sprung,  including  the  “  hard,”  “  soft,”  and  “  paper  ” 
shells.  The  term  “  English  ”  is  applied  to  ail  varieties  which  have 
grown  from  the  original  stock,  for  the  convenience  of  commerce, 
Horticultui’ists  are  continually  experimenting  by  grafting  trees, 
but  these  varieties  are  the  most  largely  groAvn  in  California. 
The  most  productive'  orchards,  hoAvever,  consist  of  trees  groAvn 
from  the  original  “English”  Walnut,  upon  Avhich  the  horticul¬ 
turists,  it  seems,  cannot  improve.  In  the  mission  gardens  are  to 
be  seen  large  Walnut  trees,  the  first  planted  in  California,  and 
they  are  .still  bearing.  Along  the  coast,  at  the  ranches  of  the 
eai'liest  Spanish  settlers,  are  also  seen  old  trees,  still  vigorous. 
Walnut  culture  Avas  confined  to  the  southern  counties  until  about 
half  a  century  ago,  and  even  then  to  small  gardens  in  the  missions, 
and  the-  ranches  of  Avea.lthy  settlers.  No  attempt  Avas  made  to  use 
it  commercially.  The  advantages  of  soil  and  climate  were  over¬ 
looked.  Everyone  raised  stock.  The  “foreigners,”  as  the  early 
American  settlers  were  called,  began  experimenting  with  a  view 
to  its  commercial  uses,  and  brought  the  plant  further  north. 
Mr.  F.  E.  Kellogg  AA’as  the  pioneer  of  this  branch  of  horticulture 
in  Northeni  Califonria.  In  1848  he  settled  in  Napa  Valley,  fifty 
miles  north  of  San  Francisco,  and  planted  an  orchard  of  Walnuts, 
taking  the  seed  of  the  early  “  Mission  ”  or  “  English  ”  variety. 
Horticulturists  are  divided  in  opinion  as  to  which  is  the  better 
method  of  planting — the  seed  or  the'  tree.  Some  contend  that 
in  transplanting  the  necessary  cutting  of  some  of  the  roots  de¬ 
stroys  the  fruiting  qualities  and  the  growth  of  the  tree.  Trans¬ 
planting  has  become  the  general  practice  of  late  by  the  large 
growers,  Avho  wish  to  realise  as  soon  as  possible  on  their  invest¬ 
ments.  The  shrub  is  ordinarily  transplanted  when  two  years 
old ;  in  too  many  instances  when  three  years  old.  The  best 
crops,  however,  are  groAvn  from  the  trees  which  have  sprung 
from  the  seed.  M’^alnuts  are  one  of  the  most  tasty  and  nutritious 
of  nuts.  Indeed,  the  only  fault  that  can  be  found  with  them 
is  that  they  are  so  seductive  that  you  never  know  when  to  leave 
off  eating  them.  There  are  many  ways  of  serving  them  up,  some 
people  preferring  them  with  salt,  considering  that  the  flavour  is 
rendered  more  piquant  thereby.  One  thing  is  certain,  growers 
are  producing  better  fruits  now  than  they  have  eA’er  done  before. 
- - 
Observer’s  Notes - 
I  saAV  on  Monday  Blackthorn  (Prunus  spinosa)  in  bloom.  This, 
I  think,  is  a  A’ery  early  date. — 'W .  J. 
[The  Blackthorn  was  also  noted  in  flower  at  Stanstead,  in 
Essex,  last  Sunday. — En.] 
