1873.] THE "setting" OF GEAPES. 121 



CAMELLIA PRINCESS MARY. 



WITH AN ILLUSTEATION. 



'OME few years since — in April, 1866 — this very fine variety of Camellia 

 japonica was exhibited by Mr. Salter, of Hammersmith, at a meeting of 

 the Eoyal Horticultural Society's Floral Committee, and was awarded a 

 First-class Certificate. On the retirement of Mr. Salter the plant came 

 into the hands of Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, to whom we are indebted for the flower 

 which ]Mr. Fitch has represented in the accompanying plate. 



The plant is, we believe, of English origin, and is remarkable for its bold and 

 rich deep green foliage — a feature which adds very greatly to the value, as 

 decorative evergreen shrubs, of those varieties which possess it. The flowers are 

 of full average size, and furnished with broad, smooth, stout petals, arranged 

 with remarkable symmetry, and of a bright crimson-red colour. It is a variety 

 in every way worthy of the most extended cultivation. — T. Moore. 



THE "SETTING^' OF GRAPES. 



'HEEE was a period, almost within the recollection of middle-aged men, 

 before Californian or Australian gold was discovered, or cheap glass had 

 become the order of the day, when vines were generally grown in houses 

 glazed with diminutive panes of glass, nearly one-half of the roof being 

 formed of overlaps, and the other of timber ; and when also, apparently to increase 

 the quantity under limited accommodation, the young wood was trained in as 

 closely together as that of the Morello cherry generally is now. The consequence 

 was indifferently ripened wood ; and when the flowering season came round the 

 rods showed abundance of long lanky semi-tendrils, with a few flowers here and 

 there about their extremities. This state of matters required an amount of skill 

 to " set " the Grapes which was not always forthcoming. 



The scene has now changed. Large, light, airy structures are the order of 

 the day ; the improvement in the vines grown in them being nearly as great as 

 that in the structures themselves? But notwithstanding all these advantageous 

 circumstances, indifferently " set " grapes are by no means uncommon. How best 

 to "set" grapes is hence a subject which, neither unfrequently nor unprofitably, 

 occupies the pages of Horticultural periodicals, particularly at the season of the 

 year when the flowering period again comes round. Like many other processes 

 connected with the practice of horticulture, there is much diversity of opinion 

 amongst cultivators as to how this " setting " can best be done. 



All other conditions being favourable, it is essential, in order to maintain and 

 keep up to the highest possible point the health of the vine (particularly while 

 it is forming its young wood, which includes the period of its flowering), to 

 grow it in a moderately moist atmosphere, more or less water being applied in 

 proportion to the amount of artificial heat used, or the strength of the sunshine. 

 The fact that this is generally understood and generally practised, has something 



3bd series. — VI. G 



