I have noticed that one or two of your correspondents in speaking of bottle-feeding mention leno tied over the mouth of the bottle. Probably they have not seen Mr. C. N. Abbott's instructions for feeding with the bottle, as he dispenses with the tying of anything over the mouth of the bottle, but inverts it on a small tin shovel and places it upon perforated zinc on the top of the hive, by this means enabling the bees to get direct to the syrup. If the bottle be of the right shape, the syrup of the right strength, and the perforated zinc not too coarse, not a drop will escape into the hive, but the contents will be more readily appropriated by the bees. I have fed in this manner for some time, and would recommend all who have feeding to do to try it, and they will unhesitatingly adopt it in preference to any other manner.— R. SYMINGTON, Market Harborough. they are evidently suffering from congestion and fever. Damp has something to do with it, but feeding also, and you must recollect at this time and in this weather their food must be very good. If you go to a physician, and complain of headache in the morning, he will ask you what you have for supper; and so if your fowls suffer from giddiness, we ask what their feeding is. Eschew potatoes, sharps, thirds, bran, and all such rubbish. LIGHT BRAHMA PULLET DISEASED (Taunton).-The fowl is diseased, and we should advise you to ask the seller to change her. Unless she is very good. she is not worth the trouble you are taking. If it had been a temporary ailment it would have yielded to your treatment long since. If you are obliged complaint to be remedied by warmth and nursing. to keep her, you must turn her out and feed her well. It is clear it is not a KITCHEN BLACK BEETLES (J. H. E.).—Try Chase's phosphor paste. A hedgehog is a vampire among them. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, CAMDEN SQUARE, London. Lat. 51° 32′ 40′′ N.; Long. 0° 8′ 0′′ W.; Altitude 111 feet. DATE. 1872. Dec. We. 18 Th. 19 THE LARGEST BEE HIVE IN THE WORLD. IN Los Angeles County, on the eastern slope of the San Francisco range of mountains, and in the immediate vicinity of the Leaming Petroleum Company's oil region, there is the most wonderful collection of wild honey in existence. The hive is located in a rift which penetrates the rock to the depth of probably 160 feet. The orifice is 30 feet long and 17 feet wide; four passages. This rift was discovered to be the abiding place of a swarm of bees, that is represented as coming out in a nearly solid column 1 foot in diameter. Certain parties have endeavoured to descend to the immense store of honey collected by these bees, but were invariably driven back, and one man lost his life in the effort. Others have, at the expense of much labour and money, built a scaffold 125 feet high, in the hope of Means reaching a place whence they could run a drift into the rock and extract its well-hoarded sweets, but finally ceased their work. Within four years the bees have added not less than 15 feet of depth to their treasure, as ascertained by actual measurement, and it is thought that at the present time there cannot be less than eight or ten tons of honey in the rock. A man named B. Brophy lives in a cabin not far from the spot, and obtained from the melting of the honey by the sun's heat enough for his family requirements. All through that region immense stores of wild honey are found in trees, in the rocks, nearly every place where its industrious mannfacturers think-for bees seem to think-that it will be secure. They consume a very small proportion, as the climate enables them to keep up operations nearly every day in the year, and flowers of some sort are always in bloom. must be a very severe season indeed when the little fellows are not seen abroad in vast numbers busily engaged in their mellifluous work. OUR LETTER BOX. It PLYMOUTH POULTRY SHOW (J. H.).—It was only a local Show, and not advertised. LEWES SHOW.-Mr. S. Salter informs us that he has received the first prize for his Turbits in the class for Any other variety of Pigeon. WATFORD POULTRY SHOW.-We are under the necessity of postponing the report of this Show till next week. EDINBURGH POULTRY SHOW.-The third prize in the Any other variety class of poultry was taken by Mr. J. S. Rooth, Cheltenham, for Malays. BRACE FOR FOWLS (E. A.).-You must tell us what bird you wish to secure. A brace does not go round the leg; and although, when the operation is skilfully performed there is no risk of injury, yet a clumsy operator will often cause lingering death. You can buy one at any bird shop; the cost is trifling, and they will show you how to put it on. HOUDANS' COMBS AND PLUMAGE (T. S. P.).—The plumage of the Houdan should be black and white; the legs should be of the same colour, and they should be five-clawed. They must be bearded. The comb should be cloven, with two spirals, and be irregular. HAMBURGH COCK UNABLE TO STAND (S.).—Your Hamburgh cock would appear to be suffering either from cramp or weakness. In either case, put him under cover in a perfectly dry place, feed him on bread and ale, ground oats slaked with milk, and give him daily two pills of camphor each the size of a garden pea. Fowls, like many human beings, are suffering from very bad colds, and require to be watched. CAMBRIDGE POULTRY SHOW.-"If Mr. Metcalf's statement in your impression of the 19th of December is correct-viz., that a white bird was first in my name in the Pouter hen class at Cambridge,' I beg to say that my birds were most undoubtedly wrongly penned at that Show; and I am the more inclined to believe this from the fact that the four birds I sent were not returned to me in the same baskets in which I myself packed them. Mr. Metcalf asserts also that three out of the four birds exhibited by me were cocks. I conclude that he quite satisfied himself on this point, or would scarcely have made such an unwarrantable statement.-W. R. ROSE, Cransley Hall, near Kettering." BRAHMAS (E. J.)-Our opinion as to Light Brahmas as compared with Dark is, that there is no difference beyond colour. We have kept both for many years, and think their good qualities common to each. PRESERVING EGGS (J. H. Y.). We have preserved eggs for years in lime, and have given the receipts to all inquirers in the "answers." We have never advised salt water. Our eggs come out perfectly good all through the winter. We believe the failure to be that they are stale when they are preserved, and then no process will make them fresh again. We prefer to put ours in lime the day they are laid. DORKINGS UNHEALTHY (W. J. R.).-The bird that tumbles about is, probably, still suffering from the sawdust, or some such indigestible stuff, picked up at the show. Administer a dose of a good tablespoonful of castor oil, and then feed her on ground oats slaked with water, and stale bread steeped in strong ale. We are disposed to advise you to give all your fowls castor oil, as Fri. 20 Sun 22 Mo. 28 Inches. deg. deg. deg. 45.0 N.W. 41.9 42.1 37.9 In. 55.8 87.2 0.150 deg. 54.6 43.8 43.5 64.4 87.6 43.3 61.1 39.8 0.040 18th. Very dark morning, a little sun about noon, but a dark day; fine 19th.-Dark and rainy morning, damp and dull all day. 21st.-A dull day, not much rain, a little sunshine between 1 and 2 P.M.; fine 23rd.-Very fine day throughout. 24th.-Very fine all day, but rain in evening, and windy at night. Until the last two days the week has been dull and damp, with uniform 27th.-Fair but cloudy morning, still no rain; sunshiny afternoon. afternoon. 29th.-Misty damp morning, clearing up soon after; fine afternoon; sun at 30th.-Dark damp morning, sun at noon, but cloudy after. Temperature 30 higher than last week, and nearly 10° higher than the previous one, both in the air and in the ground. The sun maximum shows a considerable excess, because, though the sunshine has been of short duration, it has been of considerable intensity.-G. J. SYMONS. rate. COVENT GARDEN MARKET. -JANUARY 1. A VERY thin attendance here now, but owing to the remarkably open weather, a good supply of out-door produce is kept up, and prices are modeForeign arrivals are heavy; among them are some excellent Pine Apples from St. Michaels, which, in addition to the unusual quantity of home-grown offered, keeps them at a low figure, numbers remaining unsold. Late Grapes are coming in good, and have slightly advanced in price. Forced Asparagus brings from 68. to 128. per 100. THERE has been a good Christmas trade for Turkeys, Game, and other commodities, and the market has seldom been so clear as it is this week. The only birds that sold heavily were Geese. The demand for them has fallen off, or buyers have found another source of supply. Game sold very well. Turkeys of good quality found a ready sale. Fowls and chickens were in demand. The inferior goods could only be sold with difficulty, but that is no novelty, nor is it uncommon to hear those who send such complain they never get the best price. From observations taken near London during forty-three years, the average day temperature of the week is 41.9°; and its night temperature 29.8°. The greatest heat was 542, on the 12th, 1852; and the lowest cold 3°, on the 13th, 1867. The greatest fall of rain was 1.00 inch. ROTATION IN KITCHEN-GARDEN CROPPING. THINK it will not be denied that a kitchen garden is an object to which considerable importance should be attached, its produce being as serviceable to the rich as to the poor, and important in affording wholesome and necessary food for all. Since the duty was taken off glass, and the general erection of glass structures over the country took place, plant and fruit cultivation have received so much encouragement that the vegetable department of gardening has not until very lately received serious consideration. The Royal Horticultural Society is now giving a stimulus to the growth of vegetables by offering substantial prizes at its shows; and in country districts where such energetic men as "WILTSHIRE RECTOR" and "D., Deal," reside, much trouble has been taken to encourage the cultivation of vegetables among cottagers, I may say with considerable success; for in every instance where I have been called upon to act as judge the cottagers' productions have been very creditable indeed, and have called forth praise from the visitors. Notwithstanding this improvement, I am of opinion that there are many persons among the middle and lower classes who would be greatly benefited if we could impress upon them the good results that would come from a thoroughly practical and systematic method of cultivating their gardens. I have selected two or three divisions or subjects upon which I think I can offer a few remarks, which, though not unknown in practice to the professional gardener, are certainly not studied sufficiently by those to whom I write. The first is Management of the Soil.-It is well known that soils vary considerably in different parts of the country, and even in the small garden of the amateur, or the still smaller plot of the cottager, there are frequently to be found soils of different characters. Assuming, then, that a person takes possession of a garden in autumn, he may find a strong adhesive loam, a light sandy loam, or a very poor gravelly soil; in each case, however, he may assure himself that the soil can be so improved as to be made to grow to perfection any sort of vegetable likely to be required, and in many instances without the addition of manure, for the first crop at any rate. This advantage must not be lost sight of, especially when manure has to be purchased, or cannot be obtained without much trouble. All soils are greatly benefited by pulverising-that is, trenching, digging, and ridging. In trenching or digging a retentive soil a good portion of some light opening soil may be added, with manure if necessary. If the soil is light and sandy, add a portion of loam or other substantial soil; or if a gravelly one, which is generally what is called a hungry soil, it will be much improved by the addition of any soil of more consistency than itself. Unless the ground has been under cultivation for years, I do not advise the first trenching to be a deep one-a spit and a half or 18 inches will be sufficient until the surface soil No. 615.-VOL. XXIV., NEW SERIES. has been worked and improved; this, when turned-in to the depth of 2 feet, will prove more beneficial to succeeding crops than if turned-in to that depth at first. In trenching, digging, or ridging in winter, leave the surface soil rough and loose, so that frost may penetrate it. In soils of close texture make use of what in Kent is called a "spud"- a wrought-iron tool with three prongs; if not, a digging fork rather than a spade, which is apt to close the soil instead of breaking it up in an open manner. The principal object in trenching is to afford scope for the roots of vegetables to penetrate in search of nourishment, as well as to prevent the soil being clogged with water, to facilitate the admission of air whereby the temperature of the soil is increased, and to increase fertility. It will be well to mention other means of improving soils without the free use of manures, as these are not always obtainable, especially pig, horse, and cow dung. One is the application of chalk, which should be put on the ground in autumn, and allowed to become pulverised before being dug-in. Lime rubbish, wood ashes, or if a clayey soil, coal ashes sifted fine, will also do good. The next is well-decayed vegetable or leaf mould. It is well to have a reserve heap of each of the above in some corner of the garden, when a little can be applied at every digging. Take care not to gorge the soil with too much of any one kind. In any case, whenever manure is applied to the ground, it is better to dig it in at once; for if some vegetable manures are allowed to lie on the ground too long, much of their nutriment is lost by evaporation. Laying-out and Cropping.-About the first I shall not say much, because, as a rule, the position and shape of the spot are the best guides to the most convenient and economical mode of dividing the ground. That usually adopted is to cut the ground into plots or quarters by walks of convenient size for all purposes, and to arrange the fruit trees by the sides of these. If the area is bounded by a hedge, as is often the case in cottagers' gardens, the walk should be made next to the hedge, as for a certain distance from its base the soil would be occupied by roots, and be therefore less productive than any other part of the garden. Undoubtedly the most economical plan for the amateur or cottager to adopt is to so arrange the ground as to leave the whole of the best soil for cropping. Let ornamental appearance be a secondary consideration, though that may be studied in some degree according to circumstances. Cropping.-In connection with this there are some acknowledged facts which even many professional gardeners do not make a study of, but those who will take the pains to do so will soon discover to their satisfaction that the production of first-class vegetables is not only the best point to aim at, but is one of the most important branches of gardening, and their success soon inspires them with the confidence that a regular system of cropping and the rotation of crops is sound in principle and according to the laws of nature. By a judicious system of cropping and change of crops the soil is much relieved, and manure is made the most of. Sir Humphrey Davy No. 1267.-VOL. XLIX, OLD SERIES. wonderful sight. This I subsequently found to be the case.F. WALKER, Belvedere, Tenby. MARÉCHAL NIEL VERSUS GLOIRE DE DIJON ROSE. states that each sort of plant draws a nourishment from the ground peculiar to itself, and that after a piece of ground has nourished one crop, another of a different description may succeed it. Nothing can be a better guide than this, and, except in some cases where a succession of crops is required from a very limited piece of ground, no rule can be easier to carry out. Perhaps it will be better to reduce this to practice; and we shall suppose that a piece of ground has been manured, dug or trenched, and otherwise prepared for a crop of Strawberries, Asparagus, or any other perennial plant. In a few years the plants will have exhausted the soil of their own particular food, and in consequence will fail to produce a satisfactory crop. Now, instead of recropping the ground with young plants of the same kind, let the old be destroyed, and the ground dug, and it will carry a crop of Peas, Beans, or anything with roots which do not penetrate too deeply into the soil; on the other hand, let the new plantation of Asparagus, Sea-kale, Strawberries, and the like be made on ground that has grown any light annual and shallow-rooted crop. Unless circumstances compel a departure from the rule, I would advise what I find in practice to be a good plan-that is, never to let one deep-rooting crop succeed another, but always, if possible, to plant a shallow-rooting crop on ground previously occupied by a deep-rooted one, and vice versa. If a perennial crop, such as Strawberries or Asparagus, has occupied a piece of ground for any length of time, let it be succeeded by one of annual dura-ferred to a light crimson, or a white to a pink; but when the tion. By carrying out this system, one crop to some extent prepares the ground for the succeeding one. The Onion, Shallot, and Garlic are the only crops which will yield fairly by occupying the same ground year after year; but even in these cases I am certain a change of crop would prove more beneficial. Next comes the classification of crops, which in my opinion is an important matter, in so far that it is a saving of time and labour, and allows of a good system of rotation being carried out. The arrangement for this can be best made in the spring when the principal cropping takes place. The following system will convey an idea of how I would classify them together:-Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cabbage, and Savoys; Carrots, Beet, Parsnips, Salsafy, &c.; Onions, Shallots, Leeks; early Potatoes and Turnips; Scarlet Runners and Peas; late Potatoes and Turnips; Celery generally by itself. After this are the salads, such as Endive and Lettuce of sorts, Radishes, &c. The smallness of a garden and the great number of crops to be grown will preclude the above from being carried out to the full extent; nevertheless, a great advantage will be derived from the practice even to a small extent, and the ground will be found to fall vacant in regular order. Broccoli, or any of the Cabbage tribe, may be succeeded by Beans or Peas, or even Celery, with Peas between the trenches. After any of the root crops, such as Carrots, &c., the ground should be well manured, and will come in for Brussels Sprouts and similar things; and where early Potatoes and early Turnips have grown, Cauliflowers may succeed them. Late Potato and Turnip ground will carry a crop of Scotch Kale or any other sort of Greens for spring cutting. Celery ground is suitable for either Asparagus or Carrots, Beet, and the like, and Parsnips on such a preparation grow remarkably; Scarlet Runners or Dwarf Kidney Beans will also do well on such ground. MR. S. EYRE cannot understand why I give Gloire de Dijon the preference for general usefulness to every other Rose. He immediately adds, "I admit that it possesses every good property that is desirable, with the exception of colour." Will he allow me to appropriate his sentiment, saving the reference to colour, and to say, "This, sir, is the reason why?" In my experience there is no other Rose which is worthy to receive this unqualified praise. Happy indeed is Mr. Eyre if he finds Maréchal Niel equally amiable and generous in dispensing his golden favours. I freely admit the superior brilliancy of that great warrior's achievements as an exhibition Rose. I know how he often comes with a rush and carries all before him; but I know also, to my sorrow, that occasionally he is found wanting; that a cold ungenial spring like the last makes the gallant old gentleman turn sulky and refuse to do his duty. But old Gloire de Dijon says, " Well, if I'm slow, I'm sure;" and slow and steady wins the race. As to colour, that is a mere matter of taste. A buff Rose may be considered by some to be not so lovely as a yellow, a dark crimson may be precolour is distinct and pleasing, variety lends a charm to each, and we can no more do without the soft tints of Gloire de Dijon than the aureolin of Maréchal Niel. No, if we want to pick a hole in the poor old "snob's" coat, as one of "old Glory's" friends (save me from such friends!), has unkindly called him, it must be on the ground of his size and shape. These are not first-rate-indeed, although it pains me to speak ill of such a faithful old servant, I think they are hardly second-rate, but the truth must be told. Nevertheless, if any of my poorer neighbours asked me to recommend them a Rose to cover the porch of their cottage, or to ornament the centre of their little grass plot, I should without hesitation say, Buy a Gloire de Dijon; it will cost you little, and serve you well." In making these remarks I should add that I am 500 feet above sea level, exposed to every wind that blows. Now, Maréchal Niel does not like wind. It is useless to attempt to grow it as a standard, and even with the protection of a wall— and I have it on south-east, south, and south-west walls-it has its peculiar whims and fancies. The spring is the trying time, for Maréchal Niel starts very early into growth, and a cold April and May are its ruin. Put it under a glass roof, and it is grand; indeed, if anyone asked me the best place to grow Maréchal Niel, I should say the back wall of a lofty conservatory. There let this Rose alone to do almost as it likes, and it will climb, and grow, and spread, clothing itself with the most magnificent foliage, and bedecking itself with great golden balls, filling the air with a perfume until you are ravished with the Maréchal's beauty, and declare with rapture that he is the maréchal, and king, and emperor of the Roses all in one. 66 But do not despise pretty Céline Forestier, for she will treat you out of doors nearly as well as Maréchal Niel in-doors. Vigorous, free-blooming, pretty, and sweet; good as a standard against a wall or a pillar, she is one of the last Roses I should think of writing-down as "next to worthless." As to Sénateur Vaisse, if Mr. Eyre will look he will see that I have given it an equal number of marks with several of the best twelve. The above description and arrangement are confined to the principal sorts of vegetables, the most of which, whether by gardeners, amateurs, or cottagers, must be grown to a large or small extent; but other vegetables, such as Spinach, which-R. W. BEACHEY. grows into use quickly, may be arranged by the side of those of similar duration, so as to come off at about the same time. The above system I have always endeavoured to carry out more or less, and I find crops succeed with greater certainty, regularity, and perfection than if they were put into the ground in an indiscriminate manner.-THOMAS RECORD. Your corre FRUITING OF THE JAPANESE HONEYSUCKLE. spondent, Mr. Symons, speaks of this as of rare occurrence in his neighbourhood (Clogbran, Co. Dublin). The plant never fails to fruit here; I could at this time pick a teacupful of the little berries off one plant that is growing over the gate of my kitchen garden. I grew the plant for years in Wiltshire, and never saw a flower, and when, about three years ago, I first observed it flowering here, I thought the fact worth recording in our local paper; but I only got laughed at for my pains, and was told that everyone of my neighbours could show me my THE DUCHESSE D'ANGOULÊME PEAR. THE following has been published in some of the American periodicals, and is an amusing example of exaggerated fiction crystallised round truth:-" A French nobleman, observing his tenant about to destroy a fine thrifty Pear tree, inquired the cause. He was told that it was a chance seedling, and had borne no fruit in twenty years. He had already cut its roots preparatory to the first stroke, but was ordered to let it remain. He did so, and in the following year it was loaded with superb fruit of an entirely unknown variety, which at once became celebrated. The root-pruning the gardener had given it worked like a charm. Not many years afterward, when the Duchesse d'Angoulême was passing through Lyons, Nine fair its inhabitants sent to her their hospitalities. maidens presented the Duchess with golden salvers, on which lay heaped this precious fruit, and begged her to bestow on it her name; and the Pear now recognised as the crowning glory of all fruits, was thenceforward known as the Duchesse d'Angoulême." Now the simple facts are, that in the year 1809 a gardener at Angers, M. A. P. Audusson, observed in the garden of a farm named Eparronais, a maiden Pear tree bearing good and handsome fruit. He obtained from it grafts, and in 1812 made it known publicly as the Poire des Eparronais. This name it retained until 1820, when he presented a basket of the Pears to the Duchesse d'Angoulême, asking her to bestow a name upon the variety; and in reply her secretary wrote that she named it "Madame la Duchesse d'Angoulême," a title it has from that time retained. NEW GIANT ROCCA ONION OF NAPLES IN NEW ZEALAND. Ar our last autumn fruit and flower show here in Christchurch, Canterbury, this new Onion formed the greatest object of attraction. An amateur, the first importer of the seed, obtained it direct from Messrs. J. Carter & Co., with the intention of benefiting our province by the introduction of a finer Onion than we possessed. For the first time of growing them we have not been able as yet to produce bulbs 3 lbs. 9 ozs. in weight, but I will place in your hands the exact position we have attained as regards weight. I have wondered many times whether the whole crop averaged 3 lbs. 9 ozs. each Onion. There can be no harm in my asking this question. I hope to see the day Messrs. Carter will offer a £50 prize for their productions in the colonies, Canterbury especially. One exhibitor staged twelve Onions which weighed 20 lbs., two of them scaling 2 lbs. each. A second exhibitor showed twelve Onions of the same kind, weighing little over 18 lbs. For these two the Judges awarded special first-class prizes, stating at the same time that it was " likely to become a very useful variety." They were grown according to Messrs. Carter's instructions in their "Vade-Mecum," and I think for a first trial in this country we have not done so badly. We do grow most kinds of vegetables very fine, but the weight of these Onions has taken us all by surprise, and the firm well deserve the special certificate awarded to them by the Royal Horticultural Society of London in December, 1869, for three specimen varieties of Onions. I am sorry to tell you that several of these prize Onions disappeared at the Show. WILLIAM SWALE, Avonside Botanic Garden, New Zealand. THE HARDY FRUIT CROPS OF 1872. ALTHOUGH We may be only able to conjecture what may have been the cause of the many failures of these crops, the conjectures may be a source from which something may be learned as to how to partially avoid similar losses in the future. I say partially, for it cannot be expected to be wholly done; but by noticing where there was some approach to a crop, and by other means, fair hopes might be entertained that, in another season like the present, a similar successful result might be obtained by having more trees in the position of those which bore a crop in 1872. First of all, to be practical, I must describe what the crop of the present year really has been in the places at which I have had a chance to see them, and confining my remarks principally to the ordinary hardy fruits that are grown in quantity, let me take them somewhat in the order in which they bloomed, and, perhaps, in this we may find out how some have escaped the inclemencies of the spring of last year, while others have suffered from it. PLUMS.-These are among the earliest blooming fruit trees we have, and consequently among the hardiest, at least the bloom may be so regarded. When this tree was in bloom the weather was all that could be wished for-fine, bright, and clear without being too frosty, yet there was sufficient moisture for fruit-setting-a condition which I believe to be of more consequence than is often supposed. Here, in many cases, Plums and Damsons have been abundant, or rather I should say where there were any at all there has been a heavy crop; but there are many orchards a complete failure. Now, how is this? The position of the orchard and the condition of the trees do not in all cases warrant the belief that such a result is due to want of shelter or want of vigour in the trees. On the other hand, some of the most promising orchards and individual trees have been entirely without fruit, and it must be confessed that the position of others bearing a good crop is difficult to account for; but in general I think I may say that, In after noticing the condition of many orchards, I have come to the conclusion that shelter from the east and south has had some effect in preserving the crop. In making this assertion I am aware there may be numberless exceptions; still, the general conclusion may be right, and the reason. I apprehend, is the evil effects produced by the early morning sun. such orchards as mine, if there is no check very early in the day, the blossom appears to succumb to the frost and sun together, for the sudden effects of a bright sun on frozen vegetation is not confined to fruit blossom. At the time I write some rows of Geraniums exposed to that luminary on its first showing itself on the morning of the 23rd of September show unmistakeably the evil effects of so sudden a change, and the same may be the case with the fruit bloom. Strange to say, that in the matter of Plums there are few trees bearing half a crop; they are either heavily laden, or there is no crop at all. In our orchard here, at Linton Park, I do not think we ever had a better crop. The trees, it may be mentioned, are mostly standards of ten or twelve years' growth, planted amongst Apple trees of greater age and size, which in some degree shade and shelter them, and in most cases we had to prop up the branches both of Plums and Damsons, otherwise they would have been broken. A standard tree of Royal Dauphine Plum, which I believe to be synonymous with the Victoria, happening to be growing near a large Apple tree that forced it to one side, was so laden with fruit that, having been neglected at the proper time for propping it up, it broke or rather splintered off in the centre of the bole or stem, although it was more than a foot in circumference at the place. Damsons hanging in clusters like bunches of Grapes were common everywhere. A near neighbour of mine grew upwards of three hundred bushels of Early Orleans Plum, mostly in an orchard of mixed trees, on a hillside sloping gently to the west-the best aspect, I believe, for an orchard of all kinds of fruits, excepting one of late Apples, which suffer in such a position from the high winds we often have about the autumnal equinox. The same grower had also a good crop of Damsons on most of his trees, but on others none at all; many of his Plums were also failures, being grown in positions differing from that described. I may further add that the failures in general exceeded the successes, the number of those having a good crop being much fewer than that of those having none at all, hence the reported scarcity; and even where the crop was good it was only with the early varieties, the later kinds not turning out so well. No doubt the weather at the time the trees were in bloom was ls favourable than it was to the more forward kinds, hence their paucity. Taken as a whole, however, the crop of Plums may be regarded as the most successful one in this district, but it is far from having been a generally good ons. GOOSEBERRIES.-Strange to say, although this is in every sense a British fruit, it is not by any means so hardy as the Plum, or rather its bloom and embryo fruit are more liable to injury from frosts; and during the past season I witnessed the effects of very late frosts on the young Gooseberries. With us, and I may add in the neighbourhood generally, Gooseberries produced plenty of bloom, and it set well, and for a time was promising enough, when the severe weather, so detrimental to other things, set in, and Gooseberries large enough for use fell off in such quantities that some were gathered up and sent to market. A very sharp frost on the morning of the 12th of May, following one the preceding morning, destroyed the hopes of many fruit-growers both in respect to Gooseberries and other fruits, and the crop dwindled away so that there were few Gooseberries; and even bushes growing beneath other trees did not seem to escape better than those in the open ground. At the same time it may be remarked that in general the trees have been healthy all summer, there being less caterpillar than in most years; and judging from the appearance of the trees at the present time, a good crop may be expected in 1873 if weather and other conditions be favourable. As it is, the crop of 1872 has been an indifferent one, and owing to the wet dull weather we had in July, the berries that did ripen were certainly deficient in flavour, neither were they so early as usual, but they kept longer. RED AND WHITE CURRANTS.-Owing in a great measure to the injury done to the trees in 1871 by caterpillars, they were not in such good a condition to bear a crop as in some former years, hence they more easily succumbed to the inclemency of the weather; but a gentleman near here who grows several acres of this fruit, took the precaution, but rarely practised even in private places, of syringing his plantation with the same mixture as he used in his Hop-grounds, namely, soft-soap | to a south wall was covered with leaves; it also had four diluted in water. This, in a great measure, destroyed the caterpillar, and last year he had an excellent crop while most of his neighbours had none at all. Such a success ought to teach us a lesson, for if it pays the grower for market to do such a thing, it ought to pay the private grower. As it was, the Currant crop was a poor one; the number of trees bearing any considerable quantity was small compared with that of trees which had scarcely any fruit; but, as may be said in respect to the Gooseberry, the trees are in an excellent condition for another year. BLACK CURRANTS.-It is difficult to speak of this crop, as some growers report a failure and others a moderate quantity. In our own case there was at one time a promise of sufficient fruit for all purposes, but they did not, what Grape-growers would call, "finish well." The berries did not all swell out to the proper size, and a large number were partly covered with a black kind of rust, rendering the sample anything but good. I find it receives the general appellation of blight, and has been common to the Black Currant in former years as well as in 1872. Its presence is not easily accounted for, as it sometimes affects fruit growing in low and moist situations as well as in high and dry ones; neither do I attribute it to the frost alone, although that in conjunction with the uncongenial state of the atmosphere may have been the cause. As a whole, the crop of Black Currants may be reported as having been somewhat better than that of Red Currants; still, it was far short of being even what may be called "a half-crop."-J. ROBSON. Except in the case of two or three, the above bore fully expanded blooms on the day named. Those, however, just on the point of opening their delicate blossoms were not by any means less interesting, particularly Epidendrum erubescens, a plant not often seen in flower. The one referred to has a branching spike bearing twenty-three blooms; sepals and petals light or delicate mauve, rather darker at the edges; lip a shade darker, and greenish white at the base. It is not so attractive as many forms of the genus, although a very desirable species. Pleione humilis is shown in a small pot with over two dozen blooms. This is one of a genus that deserves more attention from amateurs than they generally give it. The never-failing Odontoglossum Bluntii is represented with some half-dozen spikes, the largest having twenty-two flowers, the smallest nine. One of these was open in November, and is still as clean and fresh as ever. It is a pretty well-known fact that Ferniehurst is rarely or never without a spike or spikes of this lovely gem. The total number of spikes during the past year was 105. The foregoing list will plainly show that it is an erroneous idea to suppose that winter is a dull time among Orchids; on the contrary, we may say comparatively gay, the winter-blooming Orchids being both varied and numerous.-C. J. WHITE. MILDNESS OF THE SEASON.-Before leaving home this morning (December 30th) for business, I took my customary walk around my garden to see how my pets were looking, and although most of them were leafless, there were some excep; tions. A fine healthy plant of Gloire de Dijon Rose trained full well-shaped blooms, which would not disgrace any garden in September, and twenty buds which will open in about a week, should the present mild weather continue. Souvenir de la Malmaison also looked well, with buds that in all probability will expand in two or three days. About ten days since I had some fine blooms on Sombreuil, but a frosty night rather disagreed with them. These Roses have never had any protection, simply the benefit of a southern aspect in a sheltered nook. Some years since I had a fine bloom of Général Jacqueminot on Christmas-day, but even in Cornwall a Bourbon and a Tea-scented Rose cannot be called common at this season of the year.-J. W., Redruth, Cornwall. In a gentleman's garden in this neighbourhood (Farnden), is a bed of Primroses all in full bloom. A Cydonia japonica against a south wall is also coming into flower, and yesterday (January 5th), I cut two fully-expanded blooms of Gloire de Dijon Rose, quite equal to summer blooms, but wanting in fragrance.-T. J. H., Farnden, Cheshire. CHANGING THE TOPS OF APPLE TREES TO PEARS grafted or budded on bearing Apple trees is the quickest, surest, and cheapest way I ever grew Pears. I never picked better Pears from standards, or any other under-growth for the Pear, than I have picked from old Apple trees topped and budded or grafted with Pears; and they always bore early and profusely. In large Apple orchards, sometimes, and more too, are found worthless, scraggy trees; on such I have practised changing to Pear. I never failed in two years to get a good crop. In some trees, the Pear would die-out in five or six years, while others were healthy to my knowledge eighteen years, and still doing well the last I saw them, in 1865, in Franklin county, Ohio. To insert but one to three grafts in a large Apple top, they will soon smother-out and die, and some grafted Apple tops (varieties) will not grow Pears well from my grafting or budding knives. The more seemingly the top of the Apple to the original seedling, in good health, the longer the Pear lasts, and the more profitable to the grower. I have only practised this for my own benefit. I have never recommended it, except to scienced grafters or budders. I am practising the same system in my uncertain-looking Apple tops here. The grafts and buds are all looking well. I never depend, however, on this mode alone. The Pear root always for Pear orchards for me. I have dwarfs, but would not give one good standard, or one well-set Apple top for a dozen of them, unless the Pear can be made to take root by the time, or soon after, it comes in bearing.-W. W. TIPTON, Burlington, Kansas (in Horticulturist.) |