JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



355 



There is a splendid, large, captivating bed of it in the flower 

 garden here at present. — Robert Mackillar, Colworth Gardens, 

 Sltambrook. 



GRAFTED VINES— RESTRICTED AND NATURAL 

 GROWING. 



My removal from Mount Pisgah gave me the opportunity to 

 make observations on the roots of a lot of healthy yonng Vines 

 just coming to full vigour. It was astonishing to see the great 

 number and length of the roots made by grafted plants only 

 three years from the eye; several were traced 21 feet — all hard 

 wiry roots ; not one of a soft texture was to be found. I 

 believe this state of things was induced by the soil being of 

 a light porous description, quick perfect drainage, and the 

 omission of such quantities of manure as it is usual to add to 

 a Vine border, relying totally upon the manure being supplied 

 with the water when tha Vine3 were under a crop of Grapes. 

 The border was inside, occupied the whole extent of the house, 

 and was 2 feet deep. All the roots were contained in a depth 

 of 15 inches. No doubt the regular top-feeding induced this, 

 and most likely would hive prevented the roots going down — a 

 thing to be avoided.' This teaches us not to plant Vines so 

 closely as it i3 usual to do at present — that is, from 3J to 4 feet 

 apart, but to preserve a better balance between the roots and 

 the top. 



I do not think it needful to aim at having Vines of extra- 

 ordinary size like the Hampton Court Vine, but would plant 

 one Vine where now four or five are planted. Thi3, possibly, 

 would only give two sorts of Grapes in one vinery if the Vines 

 were of a fair size ; but the number of sorts can be obtained 

 by planting Vines, as I am doing, grafted with two, three, four, 

 and six sorts of Grapes, half white and half black. The va- 

 rieties must be suitable for growing together, and the stock 

 agreeable to all the sorts worked thereon. This method will 

 produce a fine strong Vine, and provide room for the roots 

 and top, also for as many sorts of Grapes as may be desired, 

 no matter if grown to poles, rafters, or to the back wall of a 

 lean-to. I have pot Vines with black and white Grapes of 

 two and three sorts on one plant, and they have when in fruit 

 a very handsome effect. A Vine border, 100 feet long and 

 20 feet wide, is being wholly planted with grafted Vines, only a 

 few bones being added to the soil. The use of hardy, strong- 

 rooting stocks enables me to avoid the costly-made Vine border. 



I send for the Editors' inspection a Bample of the soil and 

 subsoil, as notes of the grafted Vines with various sorts of 

 Grapes worked on the same plant will be communicated from 

 time to time. 



Mr. Abbey's question (vol. xvii., page 390), I have not had 

 the opportunity to answer till now. The cane3 were all of the 

 current year's wood, Chaouch taking the lead, and Lady Downe'3. 

 and Gros Guillaume being about equal second. — R. M. W., Fir 

 View, Sheffield. 



[The Boil would be benefited by the addition of crushed 

 bones and lime rubbish, the subsoil to be well drained. — Ens.] 



AN AMATEUR'S METHOD OF WINTERING 

 BEDDING PLANTS. 



There are many amateur horticulturists who annually pre- 

 serve most of the bedding plants required for the summer 

 decoration of their little gavden3. To see the choice and 

 varied assortment, and the large quantities of such plants 

 which soma amateurs bed out, the wonder is where and ho.v, 

 with their limited means, they manage to preserve them so 

 successfully throughout tho winter; however, in the following 

 remarks I hope I shall to some extent unfold the mystery. 



Several times I have had the opportunity of witnessing the 

 doings of an amateur who has very successfully preserved a large 

 stock of plants throughout the past long and dreary winter, 

 without any artificial heat, or any better accommodation thin 

 cold frames and earth pits. His residence is a few miles from 

 here ; the gardens are not more than an acre iu extent, and the 

 kitchen garden is an oblong, slopes slightly towards the south, 

 and is bounded on the north by a thick well-trained common 

 Laurel hedge about 7 feet high, and on all other sides by a 

 quickset hedge high enough to afford considerable shelter, but 

 not too high to prevent a proper circulation of air all over the 

 garden. The south side of the Laurel hedge is the spot chosen 

 for wintering the plants, and for this purpose a border 10 feet 

 wide has been well drained with 2-inch common drain pipes, 



all leading to a main drain of 4-inch pipes. Over these pipes 

 are placed such rough materials as clinkers, stones, and broken 

 bricks, gradually broken finer towards the top, after which a 

 coating of sifted coal ashes is put on and beaten firm enough 

 to bear trampling upon without Bhowing it. The thickness of 

 the rubbish over the pipes is not more than 9 inches, and the 

 materials are so arranged that when tho border is finished off 

 it shall be about 3 inches higher than the path, which runs 

 along in front or parallel with it. Along this border are 

 ranged one double-light aud three single-li^ht frames of the 

 usual size and depth back and front, besides two turf pits of 

 the same size which have glazed lights over them. The 

 frames are far enough apart to admit of a path to each frame, 

 and room for the protecting materials also. 



The number of plants wintered in these places is from GOO to 

 800, consisting of the following sorts — viz., Verbenas Purple 

 King, R Vinson's Defiance, and Palchella : Pelargoniums Tom 

 Thumb, Little David, Cybister, Indian Yellow, Bijou, Golden 

 Cbain, and Mrs. Pollock; Silvia patens and splendens ; 

 Dahlias of sorts ; and several choice Pansies, besides Lobelia 

 speciosa, Koniga maritima, and several sorts of Fuchsias. 

 The littla propagating that is required is done in August and 

 the following spring, but among Pelargoniums only sufficient 

 stock is raised to supply the place of old plants to be thrown 

 away. 



Before taking-up time comes on, a mixture of common gar- 

 den soil and sand is prepared, and it is kept dry ; this is the soil 

 used for both potting and storing. The Dahlias, Salvias, and 

 some Pelargoniums, such as Tom Thumb, are laid in the soil in 

 the turf pits, while all othor plants are stowed away in either 

 small pots or boxes. The latter are of various sizes, none of 

 them more than 18 inches long by 6 wide, and very many are 

 no more than 6 inches by 4. They are made of rough but 

 straight pieces of board, and the bottom part of the end boards 

 is fully an inch below the bottom of each box, which elevates 

 the body of the box so much above the soil that water can 

 readily escape, and air can circulate freely among the boxes. This 

 plan, I should think, is worthy of more general adoption, as it 

 must to a great extent prevent mildew and damping-oil in cold 

 frames. The pots are only large enough to hold one plant 

 each, and before storing one or two gross or straggling shoots 

 are cut off each plant, and sufficient water is given to settle 

 the soil about the roots. 



The double-light frame above spoken of is fitted up with a sort 

 of stage— merely a few board3 supported on bricks— coming 

 up very near to the glass. This frame is partly filled with such 

 difficult kinds to keep as Mrs. Pollock, while sufficient room is 

 left for the better treatment of any plant that may require it 

 during the winter. 



Having now given a general description of the preparation 

 for and the storing of the plants, I will endeavour to describe 

 their after-treatment. For some days after tho plants are put 

 in the frames they are kept a little close, just to encourage root 

 action, but not so closely as to cause the plants to grow after- 

 wards ; and throughout the winter every opportunity is taken 

 advantage of to give them both light and air. Very little if 

 any water is given them, and it is surprising how long some 

 of the Pelargoniums will live without it, but cleanliness is 

 most important to ensure success iu this mode of winter- 

 ing bedding plants. Every dead leaf or rotten stem brings 

 mildew or some other enemy; therefore these, weeds, and 

 any other accumulation should be properly cleared away when 

 the weather will allow. The object in having such small boxes 

 was for the better prevention of mildew and other diseases, for 

 if a plant or two in a box become affected they can bo taken to 

 better quarters, and the disease confined to the few plants con- 

 tained in the box. For protection against fi'OBt, the side3 of 

 the frames are banked up with rough stable litter, which is 

 renewed two or three times during the winter. Decayed 

 manure, which some people use, was found to cause dampness 

 in the frames. The tops are protected by mats, hop-pocketing, 

 sacking, &e., and if the weather is severe a covering of dried 

 grass is put on the top.— Thomas Record, Lillesdcn. 



COCCUS FLOCCIFERUS. 

 I have just seen the engraving in the " Florist and Porno- 

 logist" of a supposed new insect which attacks the Camellia, 

 and which is described by Professor Westwood as Coccus flocci- 

 ferus. The same inseot I saw two or three years ago ; then I 

 was gardener to J. Elliott, Esq., The Cedars, Ashiord, Kent. 



