236 THE GARDENER. [May 



RAISING VINES FROM EYES ON TURVES. 



I am somewhat surprised at Mr Simpson's comment on the above sub- 

 ject in last month's ' Gardener.' I can assure Mr Simpson that when 

 I penned the article referred to, neither his name nor his plans was 

 amongst my thoughts. I alluded to Mr William Thomson's name for 

 this reason : I took charge of a garden several years ago, in which all 

 the Vines were in such bad condition that I resolved to replace them 

 with young ones. I ordered some Vines from Mr W. Thomson (which, 

 however, he could not supply, so great was the demand for his Vines at 

 the time), and in doing so I asked several questions respecting the 

 course I intended to adopt in renovating the vineries. Mr Thomson 

 was good enough (in his usual kind manner to young gardeners) to 

 write me a long letter of advice and encouragement ; and it was to 

 some remarks made in this letter that I referred in my article in last 

 month's ' Gardener.' 



I can remember something of a discussion going on in some of the 

 horticultural journals between Mr Simpson and Mr J. Muir, relative to 

 the system of raising Vines from eyes on Turves ; and my recollection 

 of that discussion is, that Mr Muir proved the two systems to be entirely 

 distinct. If, however, Mr Simpson's statement is accurate as to what 

 Mr Thomson has written in ' The Gardeners' Chronicle,' I must have 

 fallen into an error, as I do not recollect distinctly the precise terms of 

 Mr Thomson's letter ; and as the two systems, as I understand them, 

 may be defined as a " distinction without a difference," I may have 

 infringed unconsciously on Mr Simpson's right. I have some know- 

 ledge of Mr Thomson's experiments in Vine-growing, being privi- 

 leged with the confidence of a Dalkeithite in renovating a large range 

 of fruit-houses at a nobleman's place in Scotland; and I think, in 

 consideration of the experience acquired in Vine-culture by Mr Simp- 

 son during those " eight eventful years " spent at Dalkeith, of which 

 we heard so much of late, the unconscious error of a writer might 

 have been overlooked. 



I have not the opportunity — even if I had the inclination — to refer 

 to any back numbers of the papers referred to at present ; but if I am 

 in error, I cordially and willingly tender an apology for the error I 

 have fallen into. W. Hinds. 



[To the best of our recollection, Mr Simpson claimed to have raised Vines on 

 Turves previous to its being so extensively practised by Mr Thomson. But 

 their systems differed, in Mr Thomson having root-pruned the young Vines by 

 cutting off all the large rootlets, so causing a great multiplication of fibry 

 roots. If this version of the systems be correct there is no need for any 

 further discussion on the subject. — Ed.] 



