May  25,  189P. 
jnrnxAL  of  iiouticultuh 
ntOGUESS  IN  FRUIT  rilODUOTION. 
(Concluded  from  page  38.).) 
StRAWISEURV  GRO\VlN(i  IN  llAMI'SHIRE. 
“  IFAMrsiiiRK  is  one  of  the  few  counties  in  wliicli  the  area  of  small 
fruit  exceeds  that  of  orchards,  the  former  being  returned  at  220'J  acres, 
and  the  latter  at  I'dSO  acres.  Moreover,  the  small  fruit  area  incroa.sed 
from  71(5  acres  in  1888  to  the  extent  given  above  for  1808.  This 
increase  is  in  great  part  owing  to  the  expansion  of  the  Strawberry 
folds  of  the  Southampton  district.  Mr  David  Cowan,  Director  of 
Technical  Education  to  the  Hampshire  County  Council,  informs  me 
that  about  7000  tons  of  Strawberries  were  sent  from  this  district  to 
London  last  year.  Botley  and  Sarisbury  are  two  of  the  ])arishes  in 
which  the  fruit  is  extensively  cultivated.  Mr.  Thomas  Spencer  of 
Sarisl  ury  is  one  of  the  largest  growers.  About  five-sixths  of  the 
Strawberry  holdings  are  from  i  acre  to  5  acres  in  extent,  a  few  from 
.'i  to  10  acres,  still  fewer  from  1()  to  20  acres,  and  only  four  or  five  over 
2!)  acre.*-’,  with  So  acres  as  the  maximum.  Five  years  ago  about 
!)0  per  cent,  of  the  Strawberries  were  Paxtons,  and  about  10  per  cent. 
Xubles ;  but  now  Uoyal  Sovereigns  are  superseding  Nobles,  and  in 
some  measure  are  taking  the  place  of  Paxtons.  Picking  usually 
begins  in  the  district  about  ten  days  earlier  than  in  Kent— in  .some 
seasons  as  early  as  June  1st,  but  in  others  not  be.'’ore  June  15th. 
Nearly  all  the  first  week’s  gathering  goes  to  London  ;  but  afterwards 
three  fourths  of  the  Straw'berries  are  sent  direct  to  the  midlands, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland.  The  freight  to  London  i^  a  little  over  2s.  -Id. 
per  cwt.,  that  charge  being  made  on  eighteen  baskets  holding  a 
gallon  each,  averaging  oj  lbs. 
Fruit  in  Devon,  Cornwall,  and  Bedeordshire. 
“Although  Devon  is  the  greatest  orchard  county  in  England,  the 
extent  of  commercial  fruit  plantations,  in  comparison  with  that  of 
cider  orchards,  is  small.  In  South  Devon,  however,  a  considerable 
acreage  of  Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums  is  grown  for  local  and  out  ide 
markets.  Strawberries  are  growm  extensively  in  the  Exeter  district. 
The  largest  miiket  garden  in  Cornwall  belongs  to  Mr.  Frank  Craze, 
who  once  grew  10  tons  of  Ilessle  Pears  on  an  acre,  besides  b)ttom 
fruit,  and  sold  them  at  only  £4  a  ton.  In  another  season  he  grew 
only  4  tons,  and  sold  the  fruit  at  ,£10  a  ton.  'I'he  smaller  crop  not 
only  gave  the  higher  returns,  but  was  much  less  expensive  to  pick 
and  market.  Liverpool  and  Leicester  are  the  chief  rnaikets  for  the 
produce  of  the  market-garden  farm,  as  l\Ir.  Craze  has  brothers  there 
who  are  salesmen. 
“No  more  interesting  visit  his  been  mule  in  all  my  wanderings 
than  one  which  was  paid  to  the  Experimental  Fruit  Farm  at 
Pidgmont,  near  Woburn.  It  was  established  by  the  Duke  of  Bedford 
in  .June,  1894,  with  the  valuable  assistance  of  Mr.  Spencer  Pickering, 
F.Pi.S.,  who  still  acts  as  sc'entific  director,  while  Mr.  I!.  L.  Ca.stle  is 
the  highly  capable  superintendent  (^f  the  practical  work,  carrying  out 
the  experiments  and  recording  their  results.  The  farm  i.s  20  acres  in 
extent.  'I'he  soil  is  a  heavy  one,  over  a  clay  subsoil,  but  Apples  do 
remarkably  well  on  it,  and  Plums  fairly,  while  Pears  grow  satisfac- 
factorily,  though  the  soil  is  too  cold  to  suit  them  thoroughly.  More 
time  is  needed  for  fully  testing  experiments  with  the  larger  fru'ts,  but 
it  has  been  found  that  farmyard  has  proved  much  more  effectual 
as  a  dressing  for  Gooseberries,  Black  Currants,  and  Raspberries  than 
equivalent  ipiantities  of  superphosphate,  sulphate  of  potash,  and 
sulphate  of  magnesia,  mixed,  and  nitrate  o'  soda  ap()lied  separately; 
but  in  all  cases  the  manured  plots  were  superior  to  those  which  hacl 
no  manure.  In  a  laid  of  ninety  varieties  of  Strawberries  the  fru  t 
decrea.sed  in  .size  after  the  second  yc.ar  from  planting,  and  the  decrease 
has  been  continuous  since.  Royal  Sovereign  and  Paxton  have  done 
best  at  Pidgmont,  though  Ilritish  (Fiecn  has  also  Ilouiisheil.  Super¬ 
lative  has  ])roved  the  best  Pasjjberry,  Black  Naples  the  best  Black 
Currant,  and  much  less  liable  to  the  mite  than  Baldwin.  Wliinham’s 
Industry  the  heaviest  cropper  among  Gooseberrie.s,  and  River.s’s  Early 
Prolific  the  most  fruitful  of  Plums.  An  excellent  shelter  fence  of 
American  Crabs  deserves  notice,  as  the  fruit  makes  delicious  jam.  It 
is  now  12  feet  high,  but  is  to  be  cut  back  to  some  extent.  'I'he  land 
of  the  experimental  farm  is  kept  admirably  clean,  and  the  management 
throughout  appe.ars  to  be  excellent.  Fruit  growers  all  over  the  world 
have  reason  to  thank  the  Duke  of  Bedford  for  founding  and  main- 
tf.ining  a  trial  farm,  which  has  already  taught  many  valuable  lessons, 
and  is  certain  to  teach  more  in  the  future.” 
['I'hough  thecitationsin  our  issues  of  April  1.3th,  20th,  and  May  11th, 
with  those  now  published,  a])pear  copious,  they  in  reality  only  represent 
in  a  very  small  way  the  lesnlt  of  their  author’s  persistent  and  successful 
search  for  information  on  the  imjiortant  subject  that  he  h.as  investi¬ 
gated  so  thoroughly.  He  publishes  information  from  many  other 
districts,  but  not  on  the  100(5  acres  of  fruit  plantations  established  by 
Lord  Sudely,  because  the  manager  informed  him,  that  as  “  visitors 
are  not  asked  to  publish  an  account  of  what  they  see  on  the  great  fruit 
farm,  it  was  obviously  usele.ss  to  inspect  it.”  That  is  Mr.  Bear  all 
over — frank  and  practical.  He  has  executed  his  commission  well,  and 
F  AND  COTTAGE  G  A  RUE  X  EH.  433 
persons  who  are  specially  interested  in  commercial  fruit  productioQ 
who  may  desire  to  see  the  whole  of  his  report  will  find  it  in  the  last 
quarterly  issue  (March')  of  the  .Imirnal  above  mentioned.  It  is 
published  by  Mr.  John  Murray,  Albemarle  Street,  London,  price  3s.  fid. 7 
DAFFODILS  IN  MIDLOTHIAN. 
“Fields  of  waving  gold!”  Beautiful!  Entrancing!  Enough  to 
stir  to  eciiac}’ tho  most  torpid  imagination!  But  “it’s  a  far  cry  ”  fron> 
Perthshire  or  Eist  Lothian  to  Long  Ditton,  and  (or  the  actual  vision  of 
the  average  Scot  the  golden  fields  of  the  Messrs.  Barr  miglit  wave  and 
shimmer  in  vain.  So  conferred  the  writer  and  two  friends  who  kept 
“  tryst  ”  on  a  recent  Saturday  at  Waverley  Station,  Edinburgh.  The  day 
was  piercinglv  cold,  and  the  rain  alraoft  “slanted  not  before  the  baffled 
wind.”  Still,  enthusiasm  defiel  the  unkindly  elements  ;  off  they  set,  and 
in  time  the  quietly-jogging  N.B.Ry.  landed  them  at  Penicuik,  their  desti¬ 
nation,  when  a  few  minutes  found  them  in  the  gardens  of  C.  W. 
Co'van,  Esq.,  at  Valleyficld,  which  may  well  take  position  as  the  Mecca 
of  the  northern  Daffodil  devotee.  The  “  Daffs  ”  were  there,  cowering  and 
quivering  in  the  biting  east  wind  and  the  pitiless  rain,  and  the  three 
pilgrims  shivered  in  8ymi)athy.  Under  overcoat  and  umbrella  fully  an 
hour  was  spent,  and  enough  was  seen  to  require  only  the  quiet  courtesy  of 
Mr.  Cowan  to  lay  the  foundation  for  a  future  visit.  The  following 
Saturday,  therefore,  found  the  trio  again  in  Valleyfield,  where  now  the 
Daffodils  smiled  and  nodded  welcome  in  the  bright  sunshine,  though  yet 
bitter  nor’eastcr. 
And  what  of  Valleyfield  and  its  treasures  ?  Everything  seems  to  be 
there  in  the  way  of  Daffodils,  and  Daffodils  everywhere.  “Daffs”  in  tho 
grass,  under  fruit  bushes  to  test  their  alleged  “fighting”  qualities,  in. 
specially  prepared  beds,  in  the  ordinary  garden  soil,  in  sunshine  and  in 
shade,  everything  to  meet  their  wants,  and  the  very  air  seems  surcharged 
w  ith  the  germs  of  the  “  yellow  fever.”  So  those  that  have  any  natural 
tendency  to  such  affection  had  better  avoid  Valleyfield,  or  make  up  their 
minds  to  be  caught.  _ 
Writing  so  far  from  memory,  I  may  slightly  err  in  locating  some  of 
the  lots  selected  for  mention.  The  first  sample  prepared  us  for  anything 
to  follow.  Half  a  dozen  Monareli,  big  in  size  and  in  price  ;  three  dozen, 
nt  least  of  the  chastely  beautiful  Madame  de  Graaff ;  a  large  number  of 
Madame  Plemp  ;  Glory  of  Leiden  in  quantity  ;  Nelsoni  aurantius,  with 
its  striking  cup,  are  a  few  examples  culled  from  a  bed  detached,  raised, 
and  specially  prapared.  Still,  there  they  looked  not  a  whit  happier 
than  their  compeers  in  the  garden. 
This  fine  corps  reviewed,  attention  is  now  drawn  to  several  large  beds 
at  a  little  distance.  Here  all  the  sections  are  fully  represented,  and  it  is 
difficult  to  decide  with  which  to  begin.  But  a  batch  of  several  hundreds 
of  Leedsi  Duchess  of  Westminster  commanils  notice  ;  Gera,  with  it.s 
beautiful  form  and  pale  lemon  cup  ;  the  favourite  Katherine  Spurrell  ; 
Minnie  Hume,  onec  f  the  best,  with  its  pale  wide  cup  ;  and  Grand  Duchess, 
a  very  striking  llower,  with  cup  stained  orange,  may  be  selected  as  fine 
examples  of  their  class.  _ 
Of  the  Barri  section.  Sensation  at  once  catches  the  eye,  with  its  pure 
white  perianth  and  scarlet  edged  cup  ;  the  rarer  Crown  Prince,  with 
cup  stained  scarlet  ;  lovely  Flora  Wilson  ;  and,  of  course,  conspicuus,  a 
universal  favourite.  _ 
Dozens  of  Incornparabilis  C.  .1.  Backhouse,  with  long  orange-scarlet 
cup  ;  .lames  Bateman,  of  exquisite  form  ;  Mabel  Cowan,  smaller  than  the 
preceding,  but  not  less  beautiful :  lots  of  (jneen  Sophia;  the  more  costly 
Lulworth,  in  perfect  form  ;  and  Gloria  Mundi,  mt  yet  often  seen,  its  large, 
and  deeply  orange-scarlet  stained  cup  contrasting  finely  with  the  pure 
yellow  perianth,  may  be  noted  as  a  small  selection.  Here  also  is  J^ady 
Watkin,  as  yet  in  few  hands,  and  apparently  not  of  robust  growth. 
The  Nelsoni  section  is  complete,  ewry  member  present.  Besides' 
aurantius,  already  noticed,  Mrs.  Backhouse,  with  large  yellow  cup,  and 
Stanley,  smaller,  but  not  less  attractive,  with  fine  yellow  cup  and  pure 
white  perianth,  were  noted.  Is  any  member  of  this  class  lovelier  than 
the  more  common  Nelsoni  major,  accessible,  too,  as  it  is  to  the  ordinary- 
purse?  _ 
Coming  to  tho  Burbidgei  division.  Crown  Prince,  a  charmingly  pure 
(lower,  with  cup  of  light  yellow  and  orange  edge  ;  Ellen  Barr,  somewhat 
similar,  and  a  worthy  companion  to  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince,  and 
St.  .John’s  Beauty,  of  peculiar  ridgy  perianth,  with  cup  of  sulphur,  frilled' 
and  scarlet  edged,  could  not  be  passed. 
And  now  we  come  to  a  remarkable  company,  a  gathering  of  stalwart 
knights  and  fair  dames  of  surpassing  beauty.  Mark  a  good  dozen  of  that 
fine  flower  Captain  Nelson,  one  of  the  most  desirable,  but  still  some¬ 
what  high  in  price,  of  great  refinement  and  superb  form.  The  Captain 
leads  a  notable  corps  of  both  sexes.  A  large  batch  of  the  dapper  .1.  B.  IM. 
Camm,  evidently  in  high  favour,  with  Mr.  Cowan  beside  him,  following 
somew'hat  later  ^liss  .1.  B.  ^I.,  a  sweetly  mated  pair,  of  relative  size,  not 
unusual  in  actual  life  ;  and  the  charming  Mrs.  Walter  Ware,  of  highest 
purity,  both  in  tho  white  perianth  and  golden  trumpet,  are  there  in 
numbers.  Let  sweet  Corrie  Plemp  follow — perhaps  she  ought  to  precede 
