204 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [September, 



during the process, and also some charcoal., and about an eighth part of half- 

 rotten stable manure, and the border was covered with the same material, when 

 all was filled up. Now, the staple of this border was a calcareous loam. From 

 the following 6eason the vines steadily improved, and a few years later fruit 

 from them took a high position among the prizeholders at the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens. So thoroughly do I believe this to have, in great measure, resulted from 

 the use of calcareous matter, that I should never think of making a new vine 

 border without adding a good quantity of old mortar rubbish to supply the 

 calcareous ingredient, unless I was so situated as to be able to get a good strong 

 loam from a chalky subsoil, in which case other stimulants of a different nature 

 would only be necessary. 



I have noticed, in other instances, where vine borders had became worn out. 

 or soured through inefficient drainage, that the roots of the vines appear to 

 have derived their principal support from the mortar and brickwork of the 

 foundations ; this would not lead one to suppose that calcareous matter was in- 

 jurious to them, but rather the contrary, unless, indeed, it was looked upon in 

 the light of Hobson's choice. Be that as it may, I believe that as good grapes 

 may be grown where calcareous matter forms a portion of the border, as where it 

 is entirely wanting. I have for some years had several opportunities of watching 

 the progress of a good many vineries situated on the chalk formation in the 

 neighbourhood of Brighton, and certainly I would not wish for grapes of a better 

 quality and colour than are grown there. The wood also is short-jointed, stocky, 

 and fruitful, and the bunches compact and well-filled, — not over large, certainly, 

 but that is no drawback for general use, since the same weight is produced as 

 when the bunches are fewer and larger. I have always been under the impres- 

 sion that, in this case, the chalk formation was the prinoipal element of success, 

 and with the results I have seen, - 1 must still regard it as a very good "base 

 of operations " to start from. 



If I remember aright, when the Golden Hamburgh Grape was first sent out. 

 a prize of £5 was offered the next year for the best fruit, and it was gained by 

 an eminent grower at Brighton, whose vineries are on a chalk foundation, so that 

 I have no doubt that calcareous matter must have entered largely into the com- 

 position of the borders. 



Redlcaf. John Cos. 



EXPERIMENTS IN POTATO CULTURE. 



JN the following memoranda I have noted the results of two years' culture 



of eleven kinds of Potatos, of sorts suitable for early produce, grown 



here, a single row of each, 60 ft. long, having been planted in an open 



quarter in the kitchen garden : — 



Myatt"s Prolific. — Very large, v,-ith smooth skin, and scarcely any eyes. This variety 

 I find the best for forcing, and for the first crop in the open air, boing very prolific, as its name 

 implies. Crop : 3£ pecks to the row. 



