380 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November ai, 1867. 



In some kinds, such as Eeiue Victoria, this is very decided, 

 the large bulbs seldom tbroniiig ujj a spike worth looking at, 

 while small bulbs not larger than a filbert will bloom beauti- 

 fully. 



The most charming effect was produced by about a dozen 

 of these spikes cut very long — quite to the ground, and then 

 placed in a vase with some fine fronds of fern, as Madame 

 Souchet had arranged them in her drawing-room with the most 

 exquisite taste. It was just one of those arrangements that 

 appear so very simple and elegant, and yet of which most 

 probably one would make a mull if he attempted it ; still helpful 

 lingers might do it, and I can testify to its great effectiveness. 



As to soil, he said that what we should call good market land 

 grows them beautifully. It ought to be light and rich, heavy 

 soil being injurious, and poor soil failing to bring out the 

 proper beauties of the flowers ; hut no fresh manure ought to 

 bo applied. 



As to the time of planting, it seemed to make very little 

 difference. The bulbs from which the charming collection in 

 the jardiii n'sciTc was cut had not been planted until the end 

 of .June, befoie which time, of course, the bulbs had speared 

 considerably, but evidently without any injury. I would there- 

 fore advise no one to be in a hurry as to planting if there exist 

 conveniences for keeping tbem, such as a fruit room or store 

 room, but to wait for tine weather in either April or the early part 

 of May ; if tbey have not conveniences and the bulbs are in 

 their way, the sooner alter the middle of March the better. 



And now as to varieties. There will be differences of opinion 

 on this point ; but taking my estimate of what a Gladiolus 

 ought to be — viz., that the individual flowers should be well- 

 formed, and the petals round, not pointed ; that the spilse 

 should all face one way, and not be in the least winged ; that 

 there should be a sufficient number of blooms out at once to 

 make a handsome spike; — I say, taking all this into consider- 

 ation, it is evident that a very large number of the varieties at 

 present grown are not up to the mark, and will be by the con- 

 noisseur discarded. 



It is one consolation to me in the loss of my collection that, 

 beginning almost dc novo, I shall only have tirst.rate varieties. 

 I have carefully gone through the catalogues ; and the result 

 is from personal observation, combined also with that of some 

 of our most eminent growers, that the following list contains 

 the cremc dc la cremc of the French varieties. 



Adulpke Brofiniart. — A noble flower of 1866. Light rose 

 ground, flamed with orange. 



Bfltc GahrieUc. — A fine spike. Lilac rose, lightly flamed 

 with rose. 



Cherabini. — White, largely flamed with carmine violet. 



Dr. Lindley. — Tender rose ; edge of petals flamed with car- 

 mine cerise. 



Euri/iiicc. — Beautifully formed flower of 18G.5. White, flamed 

 with carmine rose. 



Filieicn David. — Splendid spike. Cerise rose. 



Fulton. — Cerise rose, with white spots. 



Oalili. — Large flower. Currant red, and brilliant in colour. 



James Vciich. — Lively cochineal red. A grand and effective 

 flower. 



Lady Franld'm. — White, lightly tinted with rose, and finely 

 striped with carmine. 



Le. Dante. — Very large, well-shaped. Deep rose, white spot. 

 Showy. 



Lord Byron. — Very brilliant, but rather pointed in petals. 



Madame Fnrtado. — A remarkably fine flower. Beautiful 

 shaded rose, strongly marked with deep rosy carmine. An 

 excellent variety. 



Madame Tiliiwrit>. — Clear rose, shaded with bright rose ; 

 white throat. 



Marechal Vaillant. — Brilliant scarlet, but I fear delicate. 



Marie Dnmortier. — White, splashed with rose, purple spots. 

 An excellent old variety. 



Meyerbeer. — A remarkably fine flower. Very brilliant ca- 

 pucin red, flamed with vermilion. Very free-flowering ; one of 

 the best. 



Milton. — Well-formed flower. White, lightly tinted with 

 rose, largely flamed with red. Good. 



Newton. — Crimson red, shaded and marked with white lines. 



Prince of Wales.- — Brilliant fiery red ; white spots striped 

 mth violet. 



Princcssc Marie dc Cambridrie. — Fine white-ground flower 

 of 1866. Large, clear, carmine spot. 



Jieinc Tictoria. — Splendid white flower. 



fl'alter Scott. — Lively rose. A very good flower. 



Slialtesjieare. — One of the very best. Flowers large, well- 

 formed, white, very lightly flamed with carmine rose. 



I have said nothing about the new varieties of 1867 ; but 

 Semiramis is a grand flower ; and, if I mistake not, Eugene 

 Scribe, La Fiancee, Mozart, Norma, Princess Alice, Fiossini, 

 and Uranie will well maintain the high position which has 

 been accorded to M. Souchet's varieties. — D., Deal. 



VINKS AND VINE BORDERS. 



" H. S." says (see page 290), that it is not natural to treat 

 Vines as English gardeners do. This I will not attempt to deny, 

 but I would ask " H. S." if there are not many plants grown 

 in English gardens, and greatly improved by high cultivation, 

 and treated anything but naturally ? There are many plants 

 quite familiar to all who are acquainted with horticulture which, 

 in their natural state, are very insignificant ; but under exotic 

 treatment they are objects of wonder and admiration. 



Now, the Grape Vine in England must be treated as an ex- 

 otic, or its produce will bo anything rather than satisfactory; 

 but although I should recommend the Vine to be trealud in 

 England as an exotic by all who wish to cultivate it with profit, 

 yet I should never advise any one to keep a vinery at a tempe- 

 rature of 100°, with a close damp atmosphere charged with 

 pestilent vapours, as stated by " H. S." to be recommended 

 by Mr. Thomson and endorsed by half the gardeners in the 

 kingdom. This no sensible man would do, or recommend 

 others to do ; neither do I see that Mr. Thomson recommends 

 such a treatment in his treatise on the Grape Vine, except to 

 destroy insects, and, perhaps, " H. S." may some day be com- 

 pelled to have recourse to something near the same treatment 

 to clear his Vines of the red spider. 



If " H. S."' will again take the trouble to read Mr. Thomson's 

 treatise he will find that he recommends plenty of fresh air in 

 the cultivation of the (irape Vine, so much so that he gives an 

 illustration of a plan whereby he provides the Vines under his 

 charge with a constant supply of fresh air — a plan which, I 

 think, is remarkably well adapted for houses where very early 

 forcing is to be carried on. 



While on the subject of Mr, Thomson's treatise, I may be 

 excused if I recommend it to all young gardeners who are at 

 all interested in Grape growing as a thoroughly piractical work. 

 Mr. Thomson is quite unknown to me, but a sense of justice 

 induces me to make these remarks after what " H. S." has 

 said about it. 



I will pass over the other questions of " H. S.," and only 

 touch on the vital point — namely, the border. Here, it must 

 be admitted by all, is the foundation of good crops of Grapes. 

 Now, a Vine border in one part of the countiy may require to 

 be very different from a border in another part. For instance, 

 " H. S." says he has all his Vines planted in inside borders in 

 only the natural soil of his garden with a small addition of 

 manure. This sort of border may do very well with " H. S." 

 in the neighbourhood of Houuslow, where the natural soil is 

 some of the best suited for Grape growing in the country ; bnt, 

 notwithstanding, I question if in a few years "H. S." will not 

 fiud his Vines begin to fail unless he supplies them with some 

 other food besides the natural soil. In )dace3 where the natural 

 soil is not suited to Grape growing, or where the drainage is 

 not good, it would be madness to plant a vinery with such a 

 border. 



There are here two vineries, which were built in 18G1. They 

 were completed, and the young Vines — Black Hamburghs in 

 one house and Muscats in the other, were planted about the 

 end of June. They grew satisfactorily that season. The next 

 season they made wonderful growth, many of the rods being 

 from 30 to 35 feet long from the eye where they started from, 

 and thick in proportion. It was thought that each rod the 

 next season would ripen 6 lbs. of Grapes, and this was done 

 I believe, but not thoroughly. The Vines still grew very 

 vigorously, and were thought by many who saw them to be 

 doing wonderfully well till they saw the fruit of the Muscats, 

 when it was thought there must be something wrong about 

 the roots. 



In June, 1864, I took charge of the gardens here. These 

 young Vines were then growing very vigorously, and were 

 carrying a crop ol about 10 lbs. of fruit to each rod. The 

 Hamburghs were just beginning to colour, and ripened toler- 

 aldy well ; but some of the berries shrivelled, others shanked. 

 This I was unable to account for in the Black Hamburgh ; but 

 when in a week or two after the Muscats hud passed their 



