414 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



will be manifest to all good cultivators. At present we have a large 

 stock of runners in small pots ; the best are potted up for forcing, and 

 the next best are planted out in the open quarters for fruiting next 

 year, the remainder being retained for supplying runners for next year's 

 stock to be grown in pots. The short time their roots are confined 

 in the small pots causes them to form a fine plump crown, and they 

 consequently yield a good supply of extra large fruit the following 

 year. That portion of the stock which is intended for supplying 

 runners is planted in two zig-zag lines along the front of any spare 

 border which has been enriched with good soil and manure ; and 

 these plants, for the same reason above given, produce early runners 

 the following season. The advantages are twofold, and in a season 

 like the present, in late localities especially, cannot be overestimated, 

 on account of their furnishing runners so much earlier than old 

 plants. The runners, too, are of the finest description, being fully 

 exposed to sun and air from the start, and are never drawn up, as 

 they are when taken from between rows of old plants. 



The crops of fruit are not trampled upon by those who layer the 

 runners ; and I find that a couple of smart youths can lay more runners 

 in one day, when the plants are conveniently situated, than they could 

 otherwise do in three. 



The only extra labour involved in this work is that the plants are put 

 into small pots, instead of being planted out later in the autumn, and 

 the result is a fine crop of fruit in the one case, and a crop of healthy 

 young plants for forcing purposes in the other. 



J. S. W. says I have nothing to show for my labour, while I think 

 it would be a waste of time for me to draw a comparison between a 

 mere written assertion and the results of my practice, which I cannot 

 for obvious reasons further refer to. There is mere assumption against 

 well-known hard facts. 



We now come to the Vine question, and I find J. S. W. assumes a 

 more confident tone on the question of Vine leaves. It is curious — 

 indeed amusing — to follow the freaks of your erratic correspondent 

 in his horticultural controversies. Not long ago I was " called over 

 the coals" for attributing to Mr W. Thomson a system of raising Vines 

 from eyes, of which J. S. W. claims to be the author ; but im- 

 mediately the chill wind of adversity blows across his path, we 

 find him, as if by instinct, wending his way back to Dalkeith for 

 an example of Vine-growing to fling in the face of his opponent. I 

 believe most people will admit that Mr William Thomson has grown 

 and can grow Grapes. I have no hesitation in conceding that point. 

 I have also had the pleasure of knowing Mr Rose personally, and of 

 seeing his Grapes growing when he was in the heyday of his glory at 

 Floors. I have further had the opportunity of hearing lectures from 

 Mr Rose on the subject of Vine-grow T ing and Vegetable physiology 

 generally ; but I fail to see the relevancy of these illustrations. Have I 



