146 THE FLORIST. 



Ingram has adopted an excellent plan for warming the borders of this 

 house, which undoubtedly will be a great assistance in early forcing. 

 This is done by a hot-water pipe carried round the edge of the borders, 

 placed in a narrow chamber two teet below the surface. From this 

 chamber air-drains run underneath the border to the back of the house ; 

 ventilators are fitted to the chamber containing the hot-water pipes, 

 which causes a circulation of warm air to pass under the border to the 

 back of the house. 



The large Vinery in the front range is one hundred feet in length ; 

 it was started the end of January, and the Vines are now in bloom, 

 promising a heavy crop of well-formed bunches ; indeed, we never 

 remember seeing Vines more healthy and vigorous. In the same 

 range is another Vinery of the same dimensions, where the Vines are 

 just breaking without the aid of fire heat. 



The variety grown in the latest house is " St. Peter's," and they are 

 taken out and tied to stakes in the front of the house, where they will 

 remain until they begin to break naturally, when they will be again 

 placed inside. The fruit from these Vines was in use up to the middle 

 of March, so only a few weeks intervene between the late and early 

 Grapes. This house at present is filled with French Beans and Straw- 

 berries. 



Last season, the Vines in one of the small Vineries in the principal 

 range had become somewhat weak from hard forcing and heavy crops, 

 therefore Mr. Ingram had them cut down in June last, immediately 

 after the fruit was gathered ; they soon made strong shoots, and 

 ripened tlie wood well by the end of the season. The rods are now cut 

 back to about seven feet in length, and there is every prospect of a good 

 crop. Thus a season is gained by the above treatment. 



French Beans are grown on all the Vinery borders ; some are in full 

 bearing, and others are but just planted. Strawberries are grown in 

 large quantities, and occupy the shelves in the forcing-houses ; two 

 small span-roofed houses were also filled with them. We noticed some 

 beautiful ripe fruit of Mr. Ingram's seedling Prince of Wales, which is 

 a favourite sort here for early forcing ; British Queen is also largely 

 grown for use later in the season. 



In the Plum-house there is a fine crop, and the fruit is beginning to 

 stone. Several varieties are forced, among which are the Washington, 

 Early Orleans, and Green-gage, but the Victoria is considered the best 

 for early forcing. In a division of this house there are two trees of the 

 Jefferson Plum, carrying a good crop. It is an esteemed American 

 variety recently brouglit into notice. This sort is found to force well, 

 and is also hardy and productive when grown in the open air. On the 

 back wall are trained some promising seedling Peaches and Nectarines, 

 now in fruit. Plants of the Eugenia Ugni are planted in bottomless 

 pots on the border of this house, where they are intended to fruit. 

 They are growing freely in rough loam with a mixture of peat and 

 broken pots. A short account, with a woodcut, of this new fruit-bearing 

 shrub appeared in our February number. 



Two span-roofed houses, sixty feet in length, are filled with Cherry- 

 trees growing in pots, and forced every alternate season ; after the crop 



