NOVEMBER, 335 



of the same species. A. pinsapo and cephalonica are both invaluable 

 for specimens on small lawns, as well as for working in with others. 

 Juniperus recurva and caucasica are beautiful weeping plants of mode- 

 rate growth, and Juniperus phcenicea and thurifera are equally striking 

 for situations where room is an object. 



The length of our remarks on Coniferce must prevent our noticing at 

 length the many handsome varieties of Holly, Yew, Box, Berberry, 

 Mahonia, Euonymus, Phillyrea, and others ; and also of that im- 

 portant class called American plants, of which, however, only the 

 hardier kinds, which grow freely and mass well together, can the 

 planter notice, these form round-headed groups with a dense habit, 

 valuable for working in with other plants, independent of their flowers, 

 which constitute them a great feature in May and June. In thus 

 bringing forward what we consider would be an improvement in much of 

 our present mode of making plantations and shrubberies, we feel we 

 have only entered on the threshold of a most important subject, and one 

 which we shall be glad to hear is taken up by those who have the spirit 

 to break through the old rules of planting, and to substitute a more 

 rational and higher class style of art in its stead. 



PRUNING AND TRAINING THE VINE. 



To several inquiries which have reached us on this subject, the fol- 

 lowing will be found a satisfactory reply. It is from Thompson's 

 " Gardener's Assistant," an excellent work just completed, and of 

 which we have spoken favourably in former numbers. 



" The mode of bearing in the Vine is very different from that of 

 many other kinds of fruit-trees. In the Peach, for example, no fruit is 

 borne on the young shoots of the current year, but on these blossom-buds 

 are formed for fruiting in the following season ; and it can be perceived in 

 winter where fruit will be situated in the summer, provided no accident 

 occur. Such is not the case with the Vine ; a shoot may push from an 

 unseen latent eye in the old wood, and on this shoot as it grows, whilst 

 young and tender, the rudiments of a bunch may be seen ; and 

 frequently, as the same shoot proceeds in growth, a second bunch, or 

 more, will sometimes be formed. A young shoot may this year grow 

 to the length of 15 or 20 feet, and having been shortened to 10 or 12 

 feet by cutting off the more recently formed, and consequently least 

 matured portion, an eye or bud will be found in the axil of every leaf 

 on that which remains. Next season it is possible that on this shoot, 

 or rod, as it is termed, every eye may develop a young shoot which will 

 bear one or two bunches of Grapes. Thus, any young shoot of a Vine, 

 whether proceeding from a bud on the last year's shoot, or from older 

 wood, is eligible for bearing fruit. Therefore, whether we leave the 

 last year's shoots long, or short, or cut them back to within a few eyes 

 of their bases, or even to the lowest eye, still on the shoot or shoots 

 which push there may be fruit. It is necessary to bear in mind, that 

 if the sap finds plenty of eyes on young rods of the preceding season's 



