India-rubber hose are attached to each pipe, by means of which borders are watered, and vines syringed in any part of the house when such is necessary.

Pine-growing is carried on extensively and to perfection. The stoves, fine structures, are arranged in lean-to order against the boundary wall. Proceeding from Mr Thomson's dwelling, a small house contains a choice collection of Orchids in excellent health; next to this is the sucker-house, 70 feet long and 14 feet wide. Hundreds of fine young plants in 6-inch pots are here plunged in their winter quarters, to shift into the fruiting-pots early in spring. Following this is another stove, 145 feet long and 13 wide, with a pathway up the centre, with a bed back and front. This house is full of strong dwarf Queens, prepared to start into fruit in early spring. Things are not done by halves here: 400 Pines are started as an early batch in this house in January. Top and bottom heat' is abundantly supplied by 1500 feet of 4-inch piping, which is heated by one of Meiklejon's cruciform boilers. This is again succeeded by a large stove, 200 feet long and 16 wide, looking like a perfect field of Pines. The plants are all that could be desired; individually they are models of great substance, with rigid thick dark green leaves, so dwarf that the base of many fruit is not 8 inches from the pot. The weights average from 3 to 7 lb.

Large fruit is not in demand in the market; quick returns are strictly kept in view. Many of the plants ripening fruit now were rootless suckers twelve months past in August. The supply and demand is incessant, sometimes dozens of fruit are cut in one day. Plants, too, are sold by the hundred. The varieties are all that is worth growing; smooth-leaved Cayennes and Queens form the principal stock; Charlotte Rothschilds, Black Jamaicas, Prickly Cayennes, Montserrats, and Prince Alberts are also grown in quantities. Now for the grand secret of this successful fertility: not a plant is in a pot exceeding 11-inch; Queens are all growing in 9-inch pots, Smooths in 10s, and the stronger growers, such as the Rothschild, in the larger size. The roots confined to such a small space soon become one solid mass, in fact, pot-bound; in this most satisfactory state no difficulty whatever is experienced in starting any quantity into fruit at a given time. The back wall of this house is covered with strong fruiting Vines in pots, principally Black Hamburgs and Duke of Buccleuch, all labelled as sold, and capable of bearing ten or twelve good buuehes next season.

Another Pine-stove, 3/4 span, 200 feet long and 10 feet wide, temporarily contains hundreds of strong planting canes of the Duke of Buccleuch. This house and the one we have just left is heated by one of the Witley Court boilers, with 3800 feet of 4-inch piping attached, and does its work efficiently. A small Peach-house connects the upper Pine-stove with the pot-Vine house. The latter, a spacious erection, 186 feet long and 21 feet wide, is entirely filled with thousands of young Vines for sale. Hundreds are sent away for planting in a growing state in May and June. Where they can all go to is a mystery to me; but go they do, every one of them; and Mr Thomson is annually increasing his stock to keep pace with the demand. Not a cut-back two-year-old Vine is about the place. Mr Thomson prefers striking from the eye and growing them on in one season, selecting the strongest as fruiters and the weaker ones as planters, and certainly the result does great credit to his practice. The fruiters are growing in 10-inch pots, have made fine canes, and the ball is absolutely an impenetrable mass of roots.

I presume your readers are all aware of his system of root-pruning inaugurated and practised by Mr Thomson in raising his young Vines. 1200 feet of piping are laid in this house, and heating done with one of Jones' of Manchester terminal saddle boilers, which Mr Thomson has great confidence in. Early forcing of Strawberries will soon lend an additional interest - great batches are potted, and promising well for next year's fruiting. President is Mr Thomson's favourite. The kitchen-garden is cropped with vegetables of all descriptions, and young fruit-trees, fine and abundant. A small flower-garden is very tastefully bedded out. What is remarkably striking and pleasantly observable throughout the entire ranges, is the utter absence of all insect-pests, which have never gained a footing under the vigilant eye of Mr Thomson. The houses are most substantial buildings, and were erected by Mr Stirling, Galashiels. The question may be asked, Why have such a place situated in this secluded corner, away from the aristocratic fruit-consuming haunts? The answer is simple, soil and other necessities peculiarly suited to the Vine (not everywhere to be had) are here of the first order; and is certainly highly entitled to the first consideration, as being the grand repository wherein the substantial longevity and fruit-fulness of the Vine is deposited - a lasting power which manures and stimulants can never impart.

And, after all, the distance from commerce is of no moment, as a direct communication with all parts of the kingdom, by telegraph and rail, is at hand. Fruit, carefully packed in large boxes, and despatched by express train from Clovenfords after dark on a winter night, is safely offered in Covent Garden before daylight the following morning.

In closing this brief notice, I cannot help mentioning the masterly order which is evinced in this great establishment, resulting from the collective experience of years, which is transferred and exemplified on this spot, which four years ago was a remote pasture-field ! No name could be more appropriately connected with this vineyard that that of the worthy founder and proprietor; who has done, and is doing, more to promote and render purely practical the culture of the Vine than any other person in Grape-growing history. H.