Jannary 15, 1S67. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



46 



BhootB, of coarse, assnmo a vertical position, but the crops are 

 so enormous that they prevent any gross production of wood. 

 Nothing is done but thianing out these verticals. Of course 

 nothing grows underneath the tree, but then this causes the 

 soil to remain unmoved — ^an essential matter with most fruit 

 trees. 



In seeking to identify the Channel Islands' Fig with the 

 Brunswick, Tarkey, Del'Archipel, or that capital sort Black 

 Genoa, I sometimes thought the last identical with ours, but 

 the ultimate decision must rest with Dr. Hogg. Let any one 

 read through the chapter on Figs in the "Fruit Manual," and 

 he will be possessed with increased respect for the care which 

 has produced it. 



It was with pleasure that I saw " G. S." had turned his 

 attention to this matter; but why call our Pig the "Com- 

 mon Purple?" Why not " Channel Islands' Fig," considering 

 its antiquity and increasing culture '! May I, in the name of 

 many here e.xpectant, request a verdict? — T. Breuaut, Giicni.teij. 



STRATIFIED VINE BORDERS. 



In page 22 your correspondent " A G.iRDENEB" considers it 

 "exceedingly presumptuous" in mo to offer any remarks on 

 Mr. Wills's system of making Vine borders. Alas ! poor me, 

 and " J. S." and " H. S. ! " what assurance we must possess to 

 approach a subject treated on by a Jupiter ! for evidently Mr. 

 Wills, although I am sure entirely innocent of it, is so con- 

 sidered by " A Gakdener." I saw and described a vinery and 

 a Vine border, both of which I thought of high excellence and 

 great simplicity. If your correspondent had also gone, and 

 had exercised his eyes and his reason, he could have enlightened 

 us as to any defects in the Bishop Stortford system. My motive 

 for writing the article was that I hoped it would awaken some 

 of our clever gardeners as to the feasibility of making Vine 

 borders as Mr. Miller has done ; in fast, I wished to know the 

 opinion of some clever observer as to the merits and demerits 

 of the system. I described as well as I could what I saw. " A 

 GiKDENEE " merely gives us his opinions ; one of them I know 

 to be fallacious : " The roots of the Vines (in an inside border), 

 would go down not only many feet, but yards." Now, I know 

 from long experience that the roots of Vines are most easily 

 kept to the surface if they have annually surface-dressings. 

 In a very sensible article (page 7), by Mr. J. Douglas, I am 

 supported in my views on this subject. 



Why the roots of Vines planted in a border inside should 

 the second season find their way through the floor to a depth 

 of 9 feet, as described by " A Gardener," is something very 

 remarkable ; there must have been something wrong at the 

 surface. I know this is " presumptuous " on my part, but I 

 can only refer to Mr. Miller's border, wliich I have no doubt 

 will be copied by hundreds, who will not dread being " led sadly 

 astray," as your correspondent fears. The truth is, what has 

 been done aud found good will be imitated; and so sound 

 knowledge spreads, iu spite of clever and fluent writers, which 

 but few of us gardeners are ; still, what we know we should 

 endeavour to make known, however homely the style. 



There are many good things in Mr. Wills's articles, but his 

 stratidcation I cannot understand — a homogeneous border seems 

 so much more in accordance with Nature and common sense. 

 How Mr. Wills can command the roots of his Vines to finish the 

 food in one layer before they seek it in another (see page •tV'.i), 

 I am, I confess, entirely at a loss to conceive. To say to roots, 

 " This is your food for 1867, in 186S you may take the next 

 layer," is something perfectly new. If they were sentient 

 beings, and could understand the word of command, all would 

 be well ; but roots are eccentric, as described by "A Gardener," 

 and I have no doubt would refuse to obey the dictum of e?en 

 our most clever Grape-grower, Mr. W. Thomson, whose book 

 all should read. The only method I have found fully success- 

 ful in commanding the roots of Vines is by light, rich, summer- 

 dressings, so that in the course of the summer the surface of 

 the borders and the pots in which my Vines are grown is a 

 perfect network of roots all running to be fed. This, not only 

 with Vines, but with all other fruit trees, is the most perfect of 

 all modes of culture ; it is practised most undoubtedly by our 

 good gardeners, but as yet not nearly so much known as so valu- 

 able and simple a mode of culture ought to be. " The million " 

 ought to know that the surface of a fruit-tree border, or the 

 surface round an isolated fruit tree, should never be stirred 

 more than from 1 to 2 inches iu depth, and only then if the 

 soil be stifi aud inclined to " bake " in summer, and that it 



should have annually in April a rich light dressing from 1 to 

 2 inches in depth. Tliis opinion, I fear, your correspondent 

 " A Gardener " will think " presumptuous." So be it. 



In writing and thinking about inside borders for Vines, it 

 has occurred to me that Grapes, Melons, aud Cucumbers are 

 all natives of climates very different to ours. There, Grapes 

 ripen freely in the fields and hedges ; there, the Melon and 

 Cucumber are equally at home. Now, we should think a gar- 

 dener a very original cultivator if he planted his Melons in the 

 cold soil outside his Melon-frame, and trained the young fruit- 

 bearing shoots under the glass ; he would have to whistle for 

 his Melons. It is true that the ligneous Vine roots bear the 

 cold and moisture better than those of tho Melon ; but the 

 reasoning for outside-border-malcing for Vinos rests the same; 

 it is, in fact, perfectly illogical in theory and practice. 



In his second jiaragraph "A Gardener" seems to think 

 I am poor and ignorant, and that I ought to have humbly 

 written to Mr. Wills for advice under my peculiar circum- 

 stances. I fear I must sport a piece of brag. My experience 

 dates long before that of Mr. Wills, and my puise is strong 

 enough to allow me to spend £1000 on a Vine border without 

 inconvenience if I felt inclined. — Vitis. 



ARE AIICUBA BERRIES POISONOUS"? 



During the late severe frost I allowed two robins to live in 

 my large greenhouse, where I have two Aucubas with ripe 

 fruit. My attention has just been turned to the beautiful 

 berries, and I found something had eaten oS the pulp from the 

 seed, and wondered what it could be. I thought a mouse 

 had taken the brilliant morsel; but, on inquiry, my young men 

 had found one robin dead in the path, and a post-mortem ex- 

 amination proved that it had been poisoned by eating the 

 berries of the Aucuba japonica. 



It is well that the greatest care slo lid bo taken to keep these 

 most beautiful and brilliant berr'es from children or inex- 

 perienced persons — so tempting, yei so fatal. Being at present 

 but little seen or known, yet likely to be produced on one of 

 our most general, most attractive, and ornamental shrubs, it is 

 necessary to promulgate this caution, to prevent, if possible 

 farther more unhappy results. — Jabez J. Chater, Gonville 

 Nuneries, Cambridge. 



[This is a timely note of warning ; but it is not qnite proven 

 that the berries are poisonous. What becume of the other 

 robin ? Might not the cold, or fighting, for robins are most 

 pugnacious, have killed that found on the path ? It is very 

 desirable' to give some of the berries to other birds and animals 

 which will eat them, and thus prove whether they are poison- 

 ous. — Eds.] 



EFFECTS OF THE INTENSE COLD. 



As you invite your subscribers to let their experience be 

 Icnown through your Journal, I venture to speak of mine 

 during the late intense cold. 



I live on Eaiiswood Common, Eedhill, thoroughly exposed 

 to the south aud south-west, partially sheltered from the north 

 aud east, situated on the clay, and lying low. 



I have a good many Laurels, and upwards of 250 trees 

 of the best varieties of Eoses. The thermometer on the .Srd 

 was at 4° about 12. .SO a.ji. It sank much lower I believe, 

 but I did not register it, though I know it was below zero at 

 a friend's in the neighbourhood. This is the result ; Laurels 

 are all bronzed, though not killed outright. Eoses are all 

 right, except Pavilion de Pregny, which seems much pat out 

 by the frost. Madame Furtado, supposed to be tender, I 

 believe to be very comfortable and unharmed ; Rushton Bad- 

 dy ffe as well as any. Isabella Gray aud Marechal Niel 

 (mother and child), grow in the south side by side. Is-obe!la 

 is much cast down, and looks wrinkled aud aged ; Marechal 

 Niel looks as well as he can possibly do ; and yet both 

 were unprotected, except by a little litter at the roots. The 

 trees arc all newly planted. Moiret, Comte de Paris, Devo- 

 niensis, Homere, Du Luxembourg, Louise de Savoie, and 

 Narcisse, all against the hou«e facing the south, se?m happy 

 and well-to-do enough. At this I cannot hut rejoice, as I was 

 reared in the beUef that Teas cannot stand 32' of frost. Of 

 course I cannot say whether their blooming will be affected, 

 but if this depends on the condition and appearance of the wood 

 at present, I do not think they will disapprint me. I can let 

 you know this if you care that I should. I shall hope to see 



