490 
June  5,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
that  combine  to  make  progress  and  pi’ospect  all  assuring. 
Extension  of  rod  and  root  is  favoured  in  a  modified  degree 
!)(;  h  with  Vines  and  Peaches,  and  new  turfy  loam,  which, 
l  url  un.itely  is  available  in  ijlenty.  tends  towards  that  content¬ 
ment  of  [he  trees  and  iheir.. chief.  Large  bunches  of  (drapes 
:ire  now  the  desideratum  of  the  table  so  much  as  those  of 
medium  -  size  and  plenty  of  them  ;  but  the  hall  mark  of 
quality  is  not  wanting-  because  of  this-.  Black  Hamiburghs 
that  grew  last  year  were  credited  by  some  to  be  Colmans, 
not,  of  course,  by  Grape  experts,  but  by  those  who,  at  least, 
had  some  knowledge  of  Hamburgh  and  Colmans.  This  is 
related  only  to  illustrate  the  quality  of  the  Grapes  when  cut 
from  the  Vine,  and  those  who  have  for  so  long  a  term 
continued  in  such  a  satisfactory  state.  Except  in  one 
instance  the  Peach  trees  are  of  modern  time,  there  were 
periods  when  one  specimen  filled  its  own  structural  compart¬ 
ment.  Generally  speaking;  the  Peach  tree  does  not  rise  to 
the  span  of  fourscore  years  as  does  the  Vine  ;  but  they  do 
sometimes,  as  they  have  here,  attain  to  great  age  and  pro¬ 
portion. 
Melons  are  not  grown  in  large  numbers,  and  these,  when 
ripe,  find  use  only  among  visitors  to  the  house.  Cucumbers, 
on  the  other  hand,  are  . more  generously  treated.  In  con¬ 
nection  with  these,  an  interesting  item  was  elicited — the 
stock  of  to-day  is  the  same  as  that  of  thirty  years  ago,  with 
an  unbroken  succession.  The  fruit  is  not  large,  but  yet  of 
convenient  size  for  everyday  use,  and  deserving,  one  would 
think,  of  the  popular  style  and  title,  “Come  to  Stay.” 
Strawberries  are  forced  in  large  numbers,  the  old  Vicomtesse 
sharing  space  with  the  newer  Royal  Sovereign,  and  both  in 
rnutiial  agreement.  Outdoors  these  grow  with  remarkable 
vigour,  for,  w’ith  rows  divided  by  a  yai’d  space,  this  does  not 
give  room  for  fruit  and  runners. 
Though  fruit,  including  Apples  and  Pears,  are  confined 
to  the  garden  alone,  twice  only  in  the  past  thirty  years  have 
Apples  been  so  scarce  as  requiring  to  be  bought  for  home 
use.  It  is  not  a  little  extraordinary  that  with  so  large  a 
demand  there  should  be  .sufficient  even  in  ordinary  times, 
when  one  surveys  the  extent  of  trees  called  upon  to  furnish 
it.  Nineteen  years  has  elapsed  since  there  was  a  dearth 
until  last  year,  then  Apples  were  so  universally  scarce.  One 
insiirmountable  grief  which  Mr.  Nash  relates  with  some  pain 
is  that  no  less  a  space  than  240yds  length  of  wall  remain 
unprofitable  on  the  western  side,  because  of  the  close 
proximity  of  the  tree  belt  which  serves  as  a  screen  and 
shad,y  pleasure  walks.  Tree  screens  are  great  protectors  of 
the  ^ome  garden,  but  there  is  considerable  loss  when  their 
continuity  is  such  that  the  leafy  boundary  walls  cannot  be 
utilised. 
The  frame  ground  shows  that  forced  crops  are  looked  for 
in  goodly  quantity.  Good  stable  manure,  in  almost  unlimited 
quantity,  is  seen  producing  spring  and  summer  crops  in  its 
fermentation  and  preparation  for  use  on  the  land.  Mush¬ 
rooms,  too,  are  well  and  extensively  grown  in  the  open  air 
and  inside.  My  last  visit  was  a  summer  one,  when  the  open 
air  beds  were  in  fine  form,  and  Avould,  if  photographed, 
pravide  excellent  testimony  to  the  quality  of  the  spawn, 
and  not  less  so  to  the  necessary  detail  in  Mushroom  growing 
carried  out. 
Flowers  and  plants  in  the  house  become  a  drain  on  the 
resources,  because  the  glass  accommodation  was  originally 
intended  more  for  fruit  than  for  plants  ;  but  modern  require¬ 
ments  are  respected,  and  the  best  means  applied  for  meeting 
it.  The  outdoor  borders,  rvith  bulbous  and  other  flowers, 
are  valued  aids  in  augmenting  the  indoor  stock,  and  while 
they  afford  these  means  of  relief  to  the  glass  departments, 
brightness  is  imparted  to  the  otherwise  dull  vegetable  and 
fruit  quarters.  Tree  Pa-onies  flourish  in  the  garden  borders 
such  as  I  have  not  seen  elsewhere,  and  it  is  computed  that 
they  have  survived  considerably  more  than  a  hundred 
winters.  Jn  iheir  season, these  huge  bushes  must  be  indeed 
a  fine  sight.  .'\  bed  of  Spanish  Irises  have  been  enviously 
admired  by  the  unlearned  among  visitors  as  an  unusually 
fine  bed  of  Onions,  when  seen  in  their  early  stages  of  grorvth, 
and  they  would,  no  doubt,  be  just  as  much  admired  when 
in  bloom.  The  great  expanse  of  park  land,  rvith  its  rvealth 
of  tree  life  and  noble  avenues,  together  with  the  vastness 
of  the  house,  stables,  kennels,  and  other  buildings,  combine 
to  dwarf  the  extent  of  flower  gardens,  borders,  and  lawns  ; 
but  though  there  is  an  absence  of  the  broad  expanses  of 
closely  mown  lawns,  there  is,  nevertheless,  a  considerable 
area  that  afford  work  both  for  summer  and  wiiiter  and 
pleasure  for  the  noble  owners  as  well  as  visitors. 
Roses  appear  to  find  a  very  congenial  home  in  the  garden 
set  apai’t  for  them,  sets  of  iron  arches  Avith  the  festoons  of 
vigorous  summer  Roses  trailing' freely  over  them  must  be  a 
very  fine  sight.  In  this  garden  ai’e  two  very  fine  Maidenhair 
Trees,  Salisl)uria  adiantifolia,  which  find  many  admirers.  Tea 
Roses  are  those  most  favoured,  AA'hich  are  present  in  goodly 
numbers  and  in  large  vigorous  bushes.  Under  shady  trees  in 
a  secluded  corner  the  Duchess’  rock  garden  is  situated,  and 
which  is  tended  and  planted  mostly  by  her  own  hands. 
Naturalised  bulbous  flowers  rvere  occupying  one  of  the 
breadths  of  open  lawn,  this  being  a  creation  of  the  Dowager 
Duchess  of  Beaufort,  who  had  a  great  fondness  for  Avild 
gardeniirg.  Dean’s  hybrid  Primroses  skirt  the  shrubbery 
borders  in  their  varied  and  distinct  colours,  and  in  the  floAver 
beds,  Tirlips  and  other  roots,  WallfloAvers,  Forget-me-nots, 
and  such  like  are  used  for  spring  displays.  A  huge  clump  of 
berried  Aucubas  Avere  a  striking  feature  at  Badminton,  and 
for  decorative  purposes  are  found  most  useful.  The  berries 
are  the  outcome  of  the  association  of  male  and  female  plants 
groAving  in  close  contiguity.  These  ornamental  shrubs  are 
far  more  interesting  and  beautiful  Avhen  laden  Avith  bright 
berries.  During  the  festivities  connected  Avith  the  recent 
visit  of  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  M'ales,  this  Avas  freely 
used  by  Mr.  Nash  in  the  portion  of  the  home  decoration 
entrusted  to  him,  and  AA’hich  required  over  half  a  mile  of 
festoons. 
Badminton,  with  its  portcullis  heraldry  everyAvhere,  bears 
the  impress  of  a  ducal  OAvner  and  resident,  the  interest  of 
the  mansion  and  toAvnship  appear  to  be  so  closely  associated 
that  the  AA'hole  seems  as  one.  During  the  summer  months 
holiday  seekers  make  their  way  thither  in  great  numbers, 
attracted,  no  doubt,  by  the  importance  of  the  varied  equip¬ 
ment  of  so  large  and  important  a  domain.  Privileged,  too, 
by  a  general  patron  of  rural  sport,  visitors  Avould  seem  to 
find  no  restraint  in  the  inspection,  stables,  kennels,  park, 
gardens,  and  state  rooms  of  the  house  AA^hich  afford  ample 
scope  for  a  day’s  enjoyment  to  the  “trippers.”  A  distance 
of  eleven  miles  separates  the  nearest  station  on  the  G.W.R., 
Chippenham ;  and  seven  from  Yate  on  the  Midland.  This 
Avill  soon  be  changed,  a  neAA'  line  being  in  course  of  progress 
Avith  a  station  at  Badminton. — W.  S. 
Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institntion. 
At  the  sixty-third  anniversary  fe.stival  dinner,  lield  in  London 
on  May  28,  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Marlborough  presiding,  we 
noticed  amongst  others  present  the  Archdeacon  of  London,  Lieut. - 
Col.  Pilkington,  M.P.,  Rev.  J.  H.  Pemberton,  with  Messrs.  H.  J. 
Veitch;  Geo.  Monro,  G.  Rochford,  Jas.  Douglas,  O.  Thomas, 
A.  Piper,  R.  Dean,  G.  Bunyard,  A.  H.  RiA^ers,  Jas.  Hudson,  W. 
Crump,  P.  Kay,  W.  Sheruvood,  E.  T.  Cook,  H.  B.  May,  J.  Baker, 
P.  R.  Barr,  H.  J.  and  W.  Cutbush,  Jas.  Laing^  W.  Poupart,  E. 
Wythes,  and  D.  Ingamells,  the  company  numbering 
altogether  158. 
”1116  Duke  of  Marlborough,  though  younger  than  preceding 
occupants  of  the  chair,  did  well  in  laying  the  aims  and  claims  of 
the  institution  before  the  friends  assembled.  The  loyal  toasts  Avere 
drunk,  musical  honour, s  accompanying  the  toast  to  His  Majesty 
the  King.  His  Grace,  in  a  speech  not  too  long,  and  containing 
good  and  original  .similes,  advocated  the  greater  support  of  this 
institution,  Avhose  existence  is  for  the  benefit  of  gardeners  Avho 
in  old  age  have  not  the  means  to  support  themselves.  His  Gi-ace 
referred  to  the  adornment  of  the  table  that  evening  Avith  beau¬ 
tiful  floAvers,  and  to  the  AA'onderful  interest  and  pleasure  AA’hich 
people  of  all  classes  derive  from  gardens  and  plants  and  flowers. 
And  Avhile  it  i.s  to  gardeners  that  the  public  are  indebted  for  these 
pleasures,  con.stituting  as  they  do  a  large  part  of  munclane  joys, 
can  Ave  pass  over  Avithout  a  thought  those  instances  Avhere 
impecuniosity  .saddems  the  last  days  of  many  aged  gardeners,  and 
adds  greater  grief  and  pain  to  the  unsuccessful,  yet  honourable, 
toiler?  No  institution  similar  to  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent 
exists  in  either  the  Xbiited  States  of  America,  France,  or 
Germany.  During  the  , sixty-three  years  of  the  society’s  u.sefulne.ss 
it  has  distributed  £100,000,  and  to  meet  the  constant  output  it  is 
imperative  that  all  avIio  are  imospei’ous  should  combine  to  assist 
those  AA’ho  are  less  fortunate  than  theimselves.  The  institution 
Avas  one  that  .should  recominend  itself  to  all  gardeners  and  to 
tho.se  connected  Avith  gardening,  or  Avho  derived  pleasure  in  this 
direction.  The  chairman  coupled  Avith  the  toast  the  name  of 
Mr.  Harry  J.  Veitch,  Avho  replied.  He  expressed  the  hope  the 
good  dinner  they  had  enjoyed  and  the  able  speech  the  chairman 
had  delivered  would  together  act  beneficially,  and  cause  an 
