January  31,  1901. 
97 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
worthy  of  mention  in  this  association  are  the  specimens  of  Cocos 
Weddelliana  and  C.  plnmosa.  Late  plants  of  Tomatoes  were  planted 
out  for  keeping  up  a  winter  supply  in  another  house,  and  one  was  being 
prepared  for  winter  flowering  plants.  In  the  Peach  house  stood  two 
large  trees,  Stirling  Castle  and  Noblesse  being  the  two  varieties 
grown,  both  carrying  a  good  crop  of  fruit. 
fe*  The  two  vineries  are  lean-to’s.  In  the  first  we  found  Muscat  of 
Alexandria.  These  are  grown  to  perfection  at  Moor  Hall,  and  before 
any  cutting  well  repaid  a  special  visit  made  to  see  them.  Large,  well 
shaped  bunches  with  “  golden  berries,”  as  mentioned  by  “  H.  D.”  in 
the  Journal  on  July  19th,  page  47,  are  to  be  found  here.  Several  first 
prizes  have  been  already  taken  from  this  house.  The  Vines  are  planted 
inside  with  a  border  11  feet  wide  and  2J  feet  in  depth,  with  a  concrete 
bottom.  Before  planting  the  soil  for  the  border  laid  for  two  months,  a 
mixture  of  1  cwt.  of  bones,  £  owt.  of  bonemeal,  four  wheelbarrows  of 
rubble,  and  a  bushel  of  charcoal  to  the  square  yard  of  loam  being  used. 
Clay’s  and  liquid  from  the  farmyard  form  the  chief  manures  used  in 
feeding  the  Vines.  Madresfield  Conrt  and  Muscats  were  just  colouring 
The  highest  credit  is  due  to  Mr.  Pulford,  the  head  gardener,  for  the 
way  everything  is  done  at  Moor  Hall,  and  he  is  well  supported  by  a 
liberal  employer,  who  takes  a  great  interest  in  matters  horticultural, 
and  is  well  known  in  the  district  by  his  generous  support  of  the  local 
flower  shows. — J.  Botley. 
- - - * 
Tlie  Pear  Season  and  its  Snpply. 
Although  there  are  such  numbers  of  Pears,  it  is  disappointing 
that  they  have  s )  very  short  a  season  tor  furnishing  ripe  fruits,  and 
this  is  heightened  when  one  compares  their  fruit  room  stock  at  this 
season  with  catalogues  distributed  ,by  fruit  growing  nurserymen.  I 
MOOR  HALL,  COOKHAM 
in  the  second  vinery,  and  promised  to  give  a  good  account  of  themselves 
in  due  course. 
In  the  frames  were  noted  Cinerarias,  Primulas,  Ferns,  and  Begonias, 
all  lookirg  in  the  best  of  health.  Melons  are  grown  in  frames, 
carrying  nice,  even  fruit ;  a  crop  of  Suttons’  Scarlet  being  ready  for 
cutting  when  these  notes  were  taken.  Cyclamens  are  well  grown  at 
Moor  Hall,  and  were  then  in  frames.  Last  year  some  of  the  plants 
carried  150  flowers,  grown  in  32’s.  Seedling  two-year  corms  are 
grown,  the  plants  are  never  dried  off,  and  are  potted  as  soon  as 
they  have  flowered,  in  a  size  larger.  A  note  of  their  culture  by  Mr. 
Ful ford  would  no  doubt  be  of  interest  to  many  readers  of  the  Journal. 
Chrysanthemums  are  grown  on  the  walks  of  the  kitchen  garden. 
These  as  other  things  at  Moor  Hall  are  well  done,  all  the  newest 
varieties  being  included  in  the  collection  of  between  500  and  600  plants. 
Very  noteworthy  were  those  in  32’s,  rooted  in  March,  and  which  bade 
fair  to  excite  remark  in  the  autumn. 
The  kitchen  garden  is  not  large,  as  the  vegetables  are  grown  in  a 
field,  only  the  choicest  being  grown  at  home,  the  borders  containing 
useful  varieties  of  annuals,  for  cutting  purposes.  Apples  and  Pears 
are  grown  on  bushes  on  each  side  of  the  walks,  with  Apricots, 
Peaches,  and  Plums  on  the  walls,  which  were  all  heavily  laden  with  fruit. 
am  aware  that  soil,  situation,  and  the  fruit  room  in  which  Pears  are 
stored  have  considerable  influence  on  the  length  of  time  the  fruits 
remain  in  use,  but  unfortunately  in  the  latter  case  g  irdeners  have  often 
none,  or  very  little  choice,  and  the  fruit  room  usually  forms  one  of  a 
series  of  garden  offices  often  arranged  in  rotation.  This  may,  or  may 
not,  serve  the  purpose  well  for  which  it  was  intended.  Some  are 
ill-ventilated,  others  too  cold  and  damp,  or  the  opposite,  but  once  they 
are  built  they  often  remain,  and  have  to  be  used. 
During  October  and  November  there  is  such  a  number  of  Pears 
ripe  that  there  is  difficulty  in  making  a  wise  selection — that  is,  in  a 
limited  manner,  because  there  are  so  many  that  have  a  reputation, 
that  to  omit  them  from  a  list  would  seem  to  slight  deserving  ones. 
The  same  tr<  uble  exerts  itself  in  the  case  of  the  restricted  as  well  as 
the  large  garden.  One  con  side  rat  on  must  always  be  borne  in  mind, 
and  that  is  some  varieties  are  regular  bearers,  and  others  very  much 
the  contrary,  so  that  it  is  advisable  to  some  extent  to  choose  the  greater 
evil  of  planting  more  extensively  in  variety  than  would  be  necessary 
could  greater  certainty  be  assured.  Then,  attain,  seasons  affect  Pears, 
so  that  when  they  arrive  at  their  ripening  season  some  will  collapse 
in  a'  very  short  period  from  unexplained  reasons,  and  without  due 
