1S69.] GRAPE CULTURE: CALCAREOUS SOIL. 203 



dressing of about two inches of rotten dung to the surface, and just cover it with 

 mould for the sake of appearance. This artificial swamp is the admiration of 

 all the visitors here. The plants are always in a healthy and vigorous state, and 

 have none of that half-starved appearance so frequently to be seen. 



The result of my experience induces me to believe that a more liberal treat- 

 ment would not be found objectionable in the cultivation of many more of our 

 native ferns. I intend making the experiment this season, and may possibly 

 find time to make known in this journal what amount of success I may meet with. 



In concluding my remarks upon what I may term " growing Osmundas 

 under difficulties," I woidd observe that the points to be principally attended to 

 are (1) a deep water-tight and root-tight tank, the depth of which may, with 

 advantage, be more than in the case I have described ; (2) a rich nutritious soil ; 

 (3) a reasonable amount of water ; and (4) a drain to carry off the surplus. 



Daneshmj. A. Parsons. 



GRAPE CULTURE : CALCAREOUS SOIL. 



fN an ably-written paper which has been published in contemporary 

 periodicals, referring to the kind of soil best suited to the production of 

 ^j Grapes, the author, Mr. Cramb, leads up to the conclusion that calcareous 

 'lj> soils are inimical to the production of good Grapes. As I believe that one of 

 the objects of the Eoyal Horticultural Society in inviting these " congress " papers, 

 was to excite discussion upon them, so that different opinions might be gathered, 

 I make no apology for stating, in reference to Mr. Crainb's deduction, that my 

 experience and observation would not lead me to the same conclusion, since I have 

 for many years been under the impression that a certain portion of calcareous 

 soil in the compost of which vine borders are formed is a very necessary com- 

 ponent, and highly conducive to the production of fine well-coloured fruit. 



Some years ago, I came into the care of a vinery, which had for some time 

 bsen in a very unsatisfactory state. On examining the border, I found it to be 

 in a close, compact, and sour condition, more like a heap of manure that had 

 lain for some years and had run together, than a porous, warm vine border, 

 according to my ideas of what such a border should be. The vine is naturally a 

 rock-loving plant, and is not very well adapted to grow in mud, however rich it 

 may 1)9. I therefore had the soil removed to the depth of nearly three feet, and 

 a capital surface dressing it made for the kitchen garden adjacent. I found only 

 a few main roots, and very few fibres, except about the foundation-walls, to 

 which they were clinging pretty extensively, these, I suspect, having been the 

 chief source of nourishment to the vines. Whatever roots I could find above the 

 drainage were raised, and the border was again filled with loam taken from the 

 surface of a common, the substratum of which was pure chalk ; it was cut about 

 six inches thick, and having been chopped, but very coarsely so, it was thrown in 

 grass and all, just as it came from the common. A few bones were scattered in 



