136 THE GARDENER. [March 



if it were not that it bears an absurdity on the face of it. I am not 

 one of those who think the thermometer should not vary more than 

 a degree or two in a night. Indeed, if the outside air is intensely 

 cold, I think it is great folly to keep the heat up to a given point by 

 excessive firing. But I may say here that INIr Shiels, late gardener 

 to Lord Elantyre, allowed his young men only 2" to come and go 

 upon. Some may think this sailing rather near the wind, but I can 

 tell them that few gardeners have been more successful than Mr 

 Shiels. I may say he had ripe Cherries for years in succession be- 

 fore there were any in Covent Garden ; and other forced fruits were 

 equally well done under his charge. But if the latter sailed near the 

 wind, I fear J. S. is going to let his craft adrift altogether. A differ- 

 ence of 55° in six hours ! If J. S. can point out a Yine-growing spot 

 under the sun where the temperature varies as much in the 24 hours 

 in ordinary circumstances, I will have no hesitation in supposing his 

 system correct. The next proposition we may look for, will be to 

 grow Vines on the open walls in Caithness-shire. Your correspondent 

 says he has proved that Muscats will set like Peas in a temperature 

 of GO". I question this ; but even though we allow this, we have 

 often seen Muscats set that never stoned, and there is a vast difference 

 between 60° and 45". A dewing with the syringe might be a nice 

 thing for them at the latter figure. Now, we believe success depends 

 on assisting nature, not in departing from natural laws. We most un- 

 hesitatingly approve of a low night temperature for Peaches ; but 

 Yines are quite a different thing. The Peach flowers, sets, and stones 

 on the open wall when the night temperature is all but freezing. 

 What would the Yines do under the same circumstances 1 Nothing 

 but remain dormant ; and when they do begin to move, they will re- 

 quire about ten weeks growing under ordinary circumstances before 

 they flower. Hence, when our Yines are fairly started, we believe in 

 the scale of temperature recommended sinCe ever we saw a Yine, and 

 still recommended by that most eminent of growers (in his ' Treatise on 

 the Yine '), our Editor's brother, of the now deservedly-famed Tweed 

 Yineyard ; and, notwithstanding all this, our leaves and shoots present 

 the very picture J. S. describes as existing in a house without fire- 

 heat in the morning — namely, the leaves are laden with globules 

 of water, and the shoots bursting with vigour, and dotted over thickly 

 with gelatinous superabundant sap. Moreover, we never have such a 

 symptom as untimely withering of the foliage. We rather pride our- 

 selves in maintaining our foliage until it turns a beautiful pale 

 yellow — beautiful because it speaks of finished eyes and well-ripened 

 wood. I may add here (for the benefit of those who may not possess 

 the means of obtaining the information), on the authority of the late 



