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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  5,  1901. 
be  hardly  developed  in  so  limited  a  space,  and  either  extraordinarily 
overgrown  specimens  or  sickly  diseased  ones  will  be  the  result  where 
Nature  has  not  been  consulted  in  its  production. 
The  above  case  is  not  the  only  one  of  a  like  nature  that  has  come 
under  my  notice.  Many  yeats  ago  a  new  garden  was  formed  in  one 
of  the  northern  counties,  and  some  hothouses  were  intended  to  have 
b?en  built,  but  something  occurred  to  prevent  their  being  put  up  at 
tne  time,  and  at  the  eleventh  hour  the  gardener,  who  had  planted  the 
other  walls  with  trees  suitable  to  their  respective  places,  planted  some 
dwarf  Ribston  Pippin  Apples  against  the  south  wall  intended  for 
Grape  houses,  expecting  they  would  be  removed  the  following  year. 
Cut  delay  after  delay  in  the  building  of  the  hothouses  occurred  until 
the  trees  came  into  bearing,  and  most  beautiful  fruit  was  the  result — 
fruit  that  carried  off  the  prizo  at  a  provincial  show,  and,  I  believe, 
would  have  done  so  at  a  metropolitan  one  also  by  its  appearance  ;  but 
this  fruit  was  of  indifferent  flavour;  the  place  was  in  a  certain  sense 
too  good  for  it,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  south  of  Europe  is  too 
mild  and  warm  for  the  Apple  in  general.  Some  other  instances  of  a 
like  nature  might  be  adduced  ;  but  as  my  object  was  merely  to  call 
attention  to  the  Pear,  it  is  needless  recording  more. 
It  is  proper  to  observe,  that  in  soils  and  situations  less  favourable 
to  the  Pear  than  here,  the  differences  between  the  open  standard 
and  wall-grown  Pear  might  not  be  the  same  as  it  is  here  ;  but  where 
it  Is  similarly  suited  to  the  growth  of  that  fruit,  I  expect  the  result 
will  be  the  same.  A  healthy  aged  Pear  tree  is  in  a  more  natural 
condition  to  bear  good  fruit  than  one  that  is  continually  undergoing 
amputation  of  full  three-fourths  of  its  entire  framework.  A  gouty 
habit  may  tend  to  swell  the  fruit  of  the  latter  to  an  unnatural  sizs, 
but  it  must  be  at  the  expense  of  the  sugary  matter  which  gives  flavour 
and  quality  to  it,  as  it  is  exemplified  in  some  other  fruits  that  are  more 
gross  feeders,  atmospheric  influences  being  also  at  work  in  both  cases 
alike ;  but  as  the  Pear  is  not  generally  regarded  a  gross  feeder,  it  is 
less  likely  to  run  into  that  condition  in  the  enlargement  of  the  fruit  as 
it  is  to  fail  in  producing  that  perfect  one  which  meets  the  palate  of 
the  connoisseur.  Be  this  as  it  may,  certain  it  is  that  the  finest- 
looking  fruit  are  not  always  the  best  flavoured,  Pears  especially  being 
more  deceptive  in  this  respect  than  other  fruit*. — J.  R. 
Draycot  House,  Chippenham. 
Draycot  stands  in  the  midst  of  an  extensive,  heavily  timbered, 
and  beautifully  undulating  deer  park,  and,  unlike  many  similarly  large 
mansions,  has  its  outer  walls  clothed  with  a  wealth  of  sweetly  scented 
deciduous  and  evergreen  trailing  plants,  notably  the  Wistaria  and 
Honeysuckle,  both  of  which  flourish  wonderfully.  These  produce  in 
their  season  a  great  wealth  of  blossom,  that  must  pervade  the  rooms 
with  pleasant  perfume  through  the  open  windows.  For  some  years 
Draycot  has  been  the  residence  of  H.H.  Prince  Hatzfeldt,  and  during 
that  time  many  important  improvements  have  been  carried  out, 
particularly  since  Mr.  Bible  has  been  in  charge  of  the  gardens  and 
grounds.  The  latter  are  much  diversified  in  character,  there  being 
shady  woodland  walks,  extensive  lakes  and  rivulets,  open  lawns  with 
fine  specimen  trees,  and  a  wealth  of  flowering  shrubs,  Roses,  and 
herbaceous  plants.  The  latter  have  not  been  long  planted  in  quantity, 
but  such  growth  I  have  not  seen  elsewhere,  and,  needless  to  say, 
the  flowers  of  varyi  g  kinds  were  superb.  Roses,  too,  included 
rambling  sorts  and  dwarf  kinds,  Tea,  Noisette,  and  Hybrid  Perpetuals 
in  great  quantity  and  magnificent  quality,  the  favourite  Maman 
Cochet  at  the  time  of  my  visit  being  in  superb  form.  The  Rose  and 
herbaceous  garden  is  situated  about  midway  between  the  house  and 
kiichen  gardens,  the  latter  flowers  skirting  the  outer  boundary  of 
the  lawn  in  serpentine  borders.  Rose  beds  of  informal  shapes  have  the 
greensward  as  a  foil ;  flowering  shrubs  have  large  beds  set  apart  for 
them,  in  which  Rambler  Roses  are  planted  here  and  there,  and  allowed 
to  scramble  over  the  heads  of  other  trees  at  their  own  discretion. 
Needless  to  say,  the  effect  from  every  point  of  vantage  is  very  fine. 
The  woodlands  are  sufficiently  dense  to  give  a  beneficent  shade, 
but  net  so  much  so  as  to  interfere  with  the  undergrowth  of  shrub  and 
flowering  tree,  which  grow  very  freely  here.  In  the  spring,  too, 
Daffodils  and  Narcissus  are  a  feature,  and,  apart  from  their  landscape 
value,  afford  material  for  cutting  in  quantity.  Wild  fowl  are  both 
numerous  and  rare,  and  the  great  expanse  of  water,  with  their  islands, 
extend  through  the  whole  extent  of  lawn.  A  massive  ornamental 
bridge  spans  this  at  a  convenient  point,  to  connect  the  principal 
carriage  road  through  park  and  lawn.  Waterfalls,  both  rippling  and 
torrential,  add  much  to  the  interest  of  the  grounds,  the  foam  and  spray 
rising  from  the  one  in  its  hurried  passage  contrasting  prettily  with  the 
rippling  water  passing  over  an  uneven  stone  bed  sloping  to  the  small 
rivulet  beyond,  and  both  in  close  contiguity. 
The  house  itself  stands  on  a  high  elevation,  and  takes  in  a  broad 
extent  of  landscape  views,  sloping  banks  and  terraces,  relieving  some¬ 
what  the  sharp  gravity  of  the  lawn  closely  contiguous  to  the  house  and 
lake.  The  conservatory  is  a  large  and  lofty  structure,  a  smaller  wing 
at  the  extreme  end  serving  as  a  tropicil  aviary.  Coboea  scandens 
variegata  planted  in  the  side  borders  ascends  to  a  great  height  and 
depen  is  from  lantern  to  the  floor  in  graceful  profusion.  Tne  variegation, 
too,  seemed  unusually  bright  and  clear.  Tne  south  front  of  the 
structure  has  narrow  stages  provided  for  pot  plants  ;  beneath  these 
Mr.  Bible  has  succeeded  in  concea’ing  from  view  the  hot- water  pipes 
by  a  deft  arrangement  of  rockwork  and  Ferns  of  varying  kinds,  and 
thus  removes  what  was  a  perennial  eyesore.  It  is  found,  too,  that 
this  does  not  interfere  with  the  heating  of  the  structure,  nor  the  growth 
of  the  plants,  but  both  proceed  in  happy  unison,  provided  ample  water 
is  given. 
Within  recent  years  the  glass  department,  situate  in  the  kitchen 
gardens,  has  undergone  considerable  improvement,  old  structures  giving 
place  to  new,  with  a  corresponding  convenience  and  return  in  produce. 
Excellent  plant  houses,  a  fine  Peach  house,  and  connecting  corridor, 
takes  the  place  of  old  pattern  and  isolated  structures  that  had  but  little 
to  recommend  them.  Draycot  was  once  famous  for  its  Grapes,  but  by 
changes  of  management  and  time  passage  this  distinction  w  is  allowed 
to  laps^.  The  prospect,  however,  under  Mr.  Bible’s  skilful  supervision, 
seems  likely  to  be  revived  at  no  distant  date  ;  crops,  as  I  saw  them  in 
early  summer,  were  very  promising.  Black  Hamburgh  and  Madreafield 
Court  were  perfect  in  every  detail  in  former  times  ;  the  same  kinds 
now  are  progressing,  as  are  others,  such  as  Buckland  Sweetwater, 
Muscat  of  Alexandria,  Alicante,  Lady  Downe’s,  Foster’s  Seedling,  Gros 
Muroc  Lady  Hutt,  and  the  uncommon  Strawberry  Grape,  the  latter 
being  finer  in  berry  and  colour  than  usual.  Peaches  and  Nectarines 
were  this  year  light  in  crop,  but  very  fine  in  fruit,  the  growth  of  the 
trees  being  all  that  could  be  desired.  Melons  do  well  here  too,  the 
soil  evidently  suiting  them  well,  the  fruit  growing  to  a  large  size,  and 
canker  in  the  stems  practically  unknown.  Frogmore  Orange,  Royal 
Jubilee,  Countess,  Triumph,  and  the  Musk  Melon  of  America  are  some 
that  are  grown,  the  latter  being  a  great  favourite  on  account  of  its  rich 
flavour.  Tomatoes  in  9-inch  pots  were  excellent;  seldom  have  such 
crops  been  seen  thiB  year,  individual  fruits  weighing  over  1  lb.  each, 
averaging  forty  to  the  plant.  Eclipse,  Sutton’s  Al,  Sunbeam,  Perfection, 
and  Bible’s  Hybrid  being  the  varieties  that  are  grown. 
Chrysanthemums  are  grown  to  the  number  of  about  750,  mostly 
Japanese  and  incurved.  With  these  Mr  Bible  is  a  keen  enthusiast, 
and  their  attention  draws  largely  on  his  3pare  time.  As  we  saw  them 
just  after  the  potting,  they  gave  one  the  impression  of  being  in  a 
very  happy  state,  and  full  of  promise  for  the  autumn  months.  Many 
new  kinds  are  incl  ded,  as  also  are  the  older  among  the  incurved 
section — the  Queens — now  by  many  discarded.  Mr  Bible  has  much 
faith  in  March-struck  cuttings,  and  their  strength  and  general 
character  certainly  gave  one  a  vtry  favourable  impression,  compared 
with  the  earlier-rooted  stock.  The  object,  however,  of  the  spring- 
struck  plants  is  to  provide  material  for  furnishing  the  mansion,  small 
pots  with  large  specimen  blooms  being  a  desideratum. 
The  4  acres  of  garden  within  the  walls,  despite  the  light  rainfall 
and  the  gravel  underst'atum,  was  without  exception  excellent,  fruit, 
border  flowers  for  cutting,  and  vegetables  occupying  every  availab'e 
inch  of  space.  Young  trees  of  Apples,  Pears,  Plum->,  and  other  fruits 
are  being  freely  planted  to  replace  old  ones  and  to  extend  the  supply 
of  summer  and  winter  fruits,  the  best  varieties  of  each  being  selected. 
Cordon  trees  replace  some  of  the  worn-out  fan-trained  specimens,  and 
new  esp  fliers  fringe  the  vegetable  quarters.  Strawberries  fruit 
abundantly,  and  are  also  excellent  in  colour.  Royal  Sovereign  is  the 
greatest  favourite,  both  for  pots  and  open  ground,  as  a  maincrop. 
Vicomtesse  H.  de  Thury  are  grown  to  supply  the  earliest  dishes. 
For  forcing  they  occupy  48-sized  pots,  and  both  these  and  Royal 
Sovereign  were  unusually  rich  in  flavour  and  colour,  and  extra  large 
in  berry.  Raspberries,  like  the  Strawberries,  were  equally  satisfactory, 
the  crop  this  season  being  really  prodigious.  Cherries,  Plums,  Peaches, 
and  Apricots  furnish  a  portion  of  the  walls,  and  all  do  well,  and  Cherries 
in  particular. 
A  splendid  water  scheme  has  just  been  perfected  by  the  Prince 
Hatzfeldt,  which  will  be  a  permanent  boon  to  the  garden.  Pumps 
driven  by  steam  power  force  water  from  the  lake  tributary  into  a  large 
iron  tank  elevated  above  the  garden  level,  and  from  this  it  gravitates 
to  given  points  of  convenience  about  the  garden.  Previous  to  this 
the  hauling  of  water  was  a  costly  item,  but  now  there  is  an  abundant 
supply,  well  distributed,  that  cannot  be  other  than  satisfactory  t 
everyone. 
Neatness  and  good  order  is  made  by  the  Prince  a  predominant 
feature,  and  in  this  evidently  Mr.  Bible  is  as  keen  as  his  noble  and 
generous  employer,  and  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  supervision  of 
the  parkland  is  carried  on  jointly  with  the  garden,  it  clearly  proves 
Mr.  Bible’s  capacity  for  hard  work.  Every  department  shows  marked 
progress  since  he  has  had  charge,  and  the  domand  of  the  mansion  is 
during  the  Prince’s  residence,  a  heavy  one,  for  plants  and  cut  flowers 
in  particular,  and  fruit  and  vegetables  not  much  less  so  ;  but  apparently 
the  supply  seldom  falls  short  of  the  demand,  judging  from  the  extent 
and  variety  under  cultivation. — Traveller. 
