80 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



ducing a dozen or two of pots into Leat every ten or twelve days. Few 

 exotics have the charm that many of the most simple flowers possess. 

 Sweetbriar forced into leaf at present is valuable for its scent : Violets 

 are favourites with every one. The most of the above we see in the 

 possession of some cottagers, who can be cheered with flowers in the 

 short days as well as in summer. Dahlias to supply cuttings may be 

 potted and placed in a little heat. When the shoots have grown an 

 inch or two they can be placed in sandy soil, one in the centre of a 

 very small pot, and plunged in a hotbed ; they will soon root if a heel 

 for each cutting has been secured. All bulbs, Pinks, Pansies, and 

 other hardy plants in pots, require the same care as last month ; plants 

 to supply cuttings for bedding-out may now be brought on in heat. 



M. T. 



AT3"OTHER CHAPTER OW THE VIT^. 



The culture of the Vine still appears to be a great mystery, and the 

 more the subject is discussed the more mysterious it becomes, at any 

 rate the wider do opinions differ. On the one hand we are told that 

 Grapes, even Muscats, have been grown during the past year in the 

 open air in England quite equal to hothouse Grapes, not to speak of 

 those grown in that tempting marvel, the ground-vinery, or in orchard- 

 houses. On the other hand, we read of elaborate architectural appli- 

 ances being necessary for the purpose — drains for air and water, 

 chambers for pipes and hot air; indeed, a whole series of tunnels 

 under the borders, to tempt the roots downwards, which again must 

 be concreted to prevent the roots getting down. Then the super- 

 structure of the vinery and its adjuncts are only limited in design 

 and magnitude by the purse, ingenuity, or fancy of the architect. 

 It appears that the humblest may grow Grapes with the simplest 

 means, while the richest cannot always succeed with unbounded 

 facilities. The culture of the Vine is like the cure of souls ; while 

 the humblest and most rustic of sinners secures heaven in obscure 

 and simple humility, ground- vinery fashion, others miss the goal even 

 "with the help of whole epics of architecture and holy machinery. 

 Now the whole system, in both cases, is capable of defence. We will 

 not quarrel with any of its parts, the Avhole is good; various circum- 

 stances demand various appliances to attain an end in itself simple. 

 We often hear reference made to the culture of the Vine as practised 

 abroad, and we are sometimes directed to look to France, Germany, 

 or Italy for lessons as to soil and pruning ; and it would be easy for 

 the votary of any one mode of culture to pick out instances in support 



