September 1, 1SG3. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AJSTD COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



167 



houses of modern build. I may also add, that I believe the 

 boilers used iu heating them were mostly modifications of 

 the saddle ; and the pipes, bends, and other appurtenances 

 such as are gcneraUj' met with elsewhere. Most of the 

 span-roofed houses had a pathway down the centre, and the 

 hot-water pijjes were but very little elevated above the floor. 



Having given the above rough outline of the situation 

 and character of the houses, it is now necessary to say some- 

 thing of their contents. Unfortunately, through an inad- 

 vertance on my part, I did not take such particular notes as 

 I would have done had I thought of afterwards committing 

 them to paper; biit the character of Mr. Meredith's Grapes is 

 so well known at the great shows in the kingdom, that it is 

 needless to say more than merely advert to them. Sufiice it 

 to say, that those Vines which had attained something- 

 like a three or four-years' gi-owth were loaded with the 

 finest possible fi'uit. In fact, many gTOwers for private use 

 only, and not for exhibition, would regard the crop as im- 

 prudently heavy. Other houses a year or more younger had 

 also good crops, and even some Vines recently planted had 

 been allowed to bear a bunch or so ; the vigorous health of 

 the plants, Mr. Meredith seemed to say, making vip for all 

 the work they were at this early age called upon to perform. 

 Certainly, now and then a young Vine was exempted fi-om 

 such hai'd working, but nothing like an exemption of the 

 present year's work for the sake of another one was observ- 

 able anywhere — every cane capable of bearing having its 

 quota of fruit, and all in the most excellent condition, the 

 youngest Vines, of course, being exempt, a vigorous rather 

 than a rampant health pervading all. Earely any of those 

 long-jointed canes were to be seen which are so often met 

 with elsewhere in newly-planted Vines, when enriching 

 rather than good solid and suitable food is supplied them ; 

 for, be it remembered, although all the fohage presented the 

 most luxm-iant health, I do not remember noticing any of it 

 approaching the dimensions I have heard some growers 

 boastingly assert they have grown Vine leaves to. I men- 

 tion this as a significant fact that extreme luxiuiance of 

 foliage is not wanted, neither is it always a token that the 

 Vine is in the condition to produce the best fi-uit. This 

 view of the matter was never more forcibly illustrated than 

 in the Vines I saw at Garston, for although it woidd be im- 

 possible to point out finer fruit any^vhere, the foliage did not 

 in any case approach so near that of the Ehubarb as I have 

 heard the leaves of some Vines compared to, when in point 

 of finiitfidness they were second to those here mentioned. 



As above stated, the Grape-houses presented every aspect, 

 and it might be supposed that there might be a favourite 

 one where the fruit attained gi-eater exceDence than in the 

 others, but I failed to detect this — in fact, there did not 

 appear to be any difference; and to those who may be 

 curious in such matters, I may say that one of the few lean- 

 to houses was placed against the east side of Mr. Meredith's 

 dwelling-house, and, consequently, soon after midday it 

 received no sun whatever, and yet the Grapes in this house 

 were beautifidly grown and coloured. A bunch of Black 

 Hamburghs, which I hope to hear of figui-ing w-eU at some 

 of the shows, coidd not be much short of 4 lbs. in weight 

 and weU coloured, and this with a forenoon sun only. A 

 similai- house on the west side was later, but promised to be 

 quite as good, the fruit being equally promising, as, in fact, 

 were all the graperies. Some of the houses were devoted 

 to one variety only, some mixed, and some to kinds requii'- 

 ing a greater amount of heat, or a different treatment fi-om 

 their neighbom-s, all showing the best possible result. 



Of the kinds grown I regi-et not taking more pai-ticnlar 

 notice, but I believe all the popular kinds of the day are well 

 represented at Garston, several varieties of Black Hambm-gh 

 :und Muscats being found there ; while sejiarate houses were 

 ilevoted to the late kinds, as Lady Downes' and Alicante, 

 both of which seemed to be favourites with Mr. Meredith, 

 but by no means to the extent of depriving other kinds of 

 their due meed of attention, for all were fau-ly and success- 

 iidly grown. But to give every Grape a more fan- and equal 

 chance, Mr. Meredith has recently added the two large span- 

 roofed houses above aUuded to, the one being for aR the 

 varieties of "White Grapes, the other for Black ones; and 

 our readers may easily conceive the noble appearance these 

 liouses wiU present in a year or two, when they reflect that 

 each house would make half a dozen good-sized Grape-houses, 



for the length of both of these two houses at Garston was 

 Hi feet, and the breadth 28 feet. A spacious pathway went 

 down the middle, the roof being partly sujaported by a row 

 of pillars on each side of the path. The roots of the Vines 

 had access both inside and out, but were planted inside. 

 The gi-eater part of one of the houses was planted, and the 

 Vines were doing remarkably well ; the other was not so far 

 advanced. Many new kinds were poiated out to us as on 

 probation, and older well-known names were also included, 

 and we should say that when these houses ;u'e once in a bear- 

 ing condition, no better lesson in Vine-cultiu-e could be found 

 in the kingdom than they alone wdl present, and the student 

 in gardening wUl do well to make a journey there on pvir- 

 pose to inspect them. Even at the present time the various 

 stages of growth at which the Vines are seen, coupled with 

 the magnificent fruit and the gi-eat extent to which they 

 are grown, render this remarkable place more interesting 

 than all the glitter of the largest bedding-out jjlace ; for be 

 it remembered, that most, if not all of the kinds known to 

 modern cultivators are grown here on an extensive scale, 

 and some new kinds of promise are on trial which may 

 figiu'e in a high position hereafter. 



Amongst others of this class we noticed a seedling pre- 

 senting a very large bunch, somewhat in the way of the 

 White Nice, but Mr. Meredith says of much higher merit. 

 This seedling had all the appearance of a good keeper, 

 a good bearer, and the property of ripening earlier than 

 some of the kinds of its class, which have little to recom- 

 mend them but then- size of bunch. We shall be anxious 

 to learn further of this seedling, as it evidently is an im- 

 jirovement in a du'ection that wanted amendment, and we 

 have no doubt but Mr. Meredith wiU offer it to the world in 

 due time, and if it receive his approval we need have no 

 hesitation in accepting it as good. 



Some other seedlings and new kinds were on trial, and I 

 need hardly add that aU the old and popular varieties were 

 extensively grown, as the Trentham Black, Frankenthal, 

 Morocco, Black Prince, and the many synonymes by which 

 some of the well-known varieties are called elsewhere. Even 

 those difficult to gi'ow, as JosUng's St. Alban's, and others, 

 had a place assigned them, and were doing well, shovving 

 that with judicious care and the necessary means much 

 may be accomplished. 



"Vines in Pots. — It wUl afford no surprise to be told that 

 the Viaes grown and kept in pots at this remarkable place 

 are quite on a par with the extensive houses at command, 

 for that purpose, and some hundreds of canes were pointed 

 out that were quite fit for forcing next season that had 

 been raised from the eye the past spring. Others still more 

 robust were, I believe, last year's plants cut down in spring, 

 while others for that pxu-pose were coming on. Most of the 

 newly-erected houses contained Vines in pots, mostly in the 

 most robust health, either for forcing in pots or planting- 

 out when wanted. 



Our readers will understand that Mr. Meredith is a builder 

 of hothouses, and occasionally superintends the building of 

 others when done by private hands : consequently, when he 

 has to furnish a house with Grape Vines, it is needless to 

 say he is in a position to do it in the best possible manner ; 

 and it would almost astonish the ordinary observer where 

 all the Grape Vines so prepared at this establishment coidd 

 be wanted. 



Mr. Meredith, however, we are infomied, is in extensive 

 practice ; and the old adage of a good thing needing no re- 

 commendation being applied to his Grape Vines, we expect 

 a visit later in the winter wUl find his stock thinned to a 

 considerable extent. To those, however, about building new 

 Grape-houses, and furnishing the same with plants best 

 suited to their wants, as well as to give the best advice on 

 the all-important subject of making the borders. Mi-. Mere- 

 dith, living in such a central situation as Liverpool, cannot 

 fail to be of the greatest value. The condition of certain 

 Grape-houses, altered and renewed by him in places else- 

 where, attest his skill and ability that way; while the ex- 

 ceeding simplicity of construction of the houses, and ap- 

 parent homeHness of the substances used ia the border- 

 making, give every reason to believe that Mr. Meredith is 

 in no way extravagant in his mixtm-es or compounds. I 

 here mention this so as not to deter any one fi-om consulting 

 one so eminently successful under the idea that they were 



