April 28. 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



549 



be held during the Temple Show next month when mat- 

 ters pertaining to an annual exhibition, the election of 

 officers, etc., will be discussed. At a recent meeting the 

 Provincial Committee decided that the minimum sub- 

 scription should be 5 shillings per annum. 



A SAFETY CYANIDING MACHINE 



A Leeds nurseryman has invented a safety cyaniding 

 machine which is depicted in the accompanying 

 sketches. The use of hydrocyanic acid gas as a fumi- 

 gant against the dreaded insect pests is generally recog- 

 nized as a valuable agency in cleansing the greenhouses, 

 at the same time effecting a considerable saving in the 

 cost of fumigating. Many nurserymen are prevented 

 from using the remedy owing to the danger entailed. 

 By the system adopted the risks are entirely obviated, 

 owing to the operator being able to lower the cyanide 

 into the sulphuric acid from the outside of the plant 

 house. The gas is most deadly to all insects, and will 



effectually eradicate ni<al\ bug and red spider. The 

 machine is suspended to the roof of the house by a hook 

 attached to side bars. The bowl is attached at the bot- 

 tom of a frame work, above which is a scoop. The 

 requisite quantity of water and acid is placed in the 

 bowl. The scoop in which the cyanide salt is placed 

 above the bowl is held in position by means of a lever, 

 to which a string is attached, leading to the outside of 

 the house. The cyanide salt having been placed in the 

 scoop, the operator leaves the house and locks the door. 

 From outside the structure he pulls the string which 

 releases the lever. The cyanide then falls into the acid, 

 and the gas is immediatelv evolved. 



>3V. fiM*&. 



London, April 11. WOO. 



Ornamental Vines 



The common grape vine may be said to be a truly 

 ornamental plant and as such may be used in situations 

 where a quick effect is required to hide old trees, walls, 

 and ruins, also by artificial training in the garden the 

 double glory in the fall of foliage and fruit make it 

 useful for purely decorative reasons ; but ornamental 

 vines proper are those whose primary quality is beauty 

 of growth and foliage rather than fruit, though with 

 some of these, both may be secured in very favorable 

 situations, with artistic effect. On the continent of 

 America where the veranda style of architecture is 

 favored, there is perhaps a specially wide field for all 

 types of really good climbers, and for the decoration of 

 pergolas, arches, pillars and trellis work, few plants 

 are so admirably adapted as the vine. Among recent 

 introductions there are two varieties especially that 

 stand out with promise of great usefulness, namely, 

 Vitis Coignettas and V. purpurea atro-sanguinea ; in 

 England and sheltered positions in Scotland they have 

 been proved perfectly hardy and they suggest them- 

 selves as being equally fit for the more favored sections 

 of the United States and Canada; both are of free 

 growth and exceedingly rich in the fall with gorgeous 

 coloring. V. Coignettse is vigorous and admirably 

 adapted for covering large lattice trellises. The leaves 

 are of a deep green with purple veins showing up well 

 on this ground, ultimately the whole leaf turning to a 

 deep scarlet color; they are not too thickly produced but 

 are as large as Aristolochia Sipho and the plant will 

 serve as a companion or as a nice change to that useful 

 but ubiquitous old climber. V. purpurea atro-sanguinea 

 is of smaller growth the leaves being also more com- 

 pactly set upon the stalk, and like V. inconstans (syn. 

 Ampelopsis Veitchii) is more adapted for covering walls 

 than Coignetta? but it may be used as a climber in all 

 situations. The leaves are a rich scarlet and color 

 earlier and more freely than Coignetta?. These two are 

 certainly the best out of about a dozen of purely orna- 

 mental vines, but there is one other which deserves more 

 attention — the pretty Vitis heterophylla of greenhouses, 

 but more properly known as V. quinquifolia variegata 

 of gardens ; not perfectly hardy it still flourishes well 

 in sunny sheltered positions and for dainty light pillars 

 or rock work is a very neat plant; its purple stalks and 

 petioles, creamy white mottled foliage and charming 

 blue berries make it very useful when cut for table and 

 floral decoration. With regard to propagation, nice 

 fall growth may be cut up into pieces and rooted on a 

 warm bottom, then gradually drying these off in the 

 winter, restarting in the spring, but a much surer 

 method is to take well-ripened wood about February or 

 March, cut up into single eyes as with fruiting vines and 

 grow straight on inside, ripening well and just protect- 

 ing from frost the first winter, planting out the follow- 

 ing spring in a sunny position with good drainage, mix- 

 ing ordinary garden soil with turfy loam, rough bones 



and sand. 



Edgar Elvin. 



