304 THE FLORIST. 



Nash informed me that the Vines had been allowed to carry such 

 enormous crops that he feared he might overdo them, and this season 

 he gave the borders the benefit of a ton of " blood manure," spread 

 over the surface, in addition to a good dressing of dung, which is given 

 them each spring : on examining the Vines where this dressing hap- 

 pened to be spread thickest, the Grapes were certainly finer than else- 

 where, a fact which proves this kind of manure affords them additional 

 support. The Vines are trained up the centre of each light, and are 

 closely spurred in ; and where a Vine has been trained with two stems, 

 up separate sashes, instead of one, I saw no difference in the quantity 

 or quality of the fruit. Tlie Hamburghs, when I saw them a fortnight 

 since, were ripe ; the Muscats will ripen towards the end of this month 

 (September). The crop was remarkably regular all over the house ; the 

 bunches very uniform in size, with the berries well swelled and beauti- 

 fully coloured ; upwards of half a hundredweight may be allowed for 

 each stem — they have carried considerably more. The Muscats were 

 equally regular with the Hamburghs, and were bearing the same large 

 crops of splendid fruit ; altogether, they are the best Vines I ever 

 witnessed. 



We see then, by the above fact, that Vines will amply repay a very 

 Hberal outlay, both in the construction of the house and materials for 

 the border. I imagine that when rich borders so often fail in producing 

 for any length of time fine Grapes, the cause must be looked for in the 

 position of the border, or the want of sufficient porous materials in it to 

 keep it open. I see no reason why Mr. Nash's Vines should not for 

 years to come keep up their reputation, and they afford to the Grape 

 grower — whether for private families or the market — an unmistakeable 

 proof of what the Vine is capable of doing under good management. 



Mr. Editor, I must now leave the question — how best to secure and 

 retain first-rate Grapes — for the consideration of your readers. Gar- 

 deners have difficulty enough, I know, in obtaining the means for doing 

 these kinds of things as they could wish, and need not a false economy 

 brought forward to make matters worse ; for this reason I have tres- 

 passed so largely on your space, to bring forward a case in Grape- 

 growing obtained by* following a widely different plan to the cases 

 alluded to by the editor of the Chronicle, and now leave your readers 

 to think and judge for themselves which to adopt. 



G. F. 



SELECT LIST OF PINES AND FIRS SUITABLE FOR 

 PARKS AND WOODLAND SCENERY. 



Abies pichta grows much in the way of a compact Spruce Fir, but 

 with very dense foliage of a dead green. This is a very distinct Fir, 

 and perfectly hardy. 



A. Nordmanniana. — A very noble tree, belonging to the Silver Fir 

 section ; branches in whorls, thickly clothed with leaves of a dark glossy 

 green ; quite hardy, and a fast grower. 



A. excelsa nigra. — A very fine looking dark variety of the common 

 Spruce. 



