ApiU 19, 1S77. ] 



JODBNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



285 



amongst and above the foliage. Of the dark Faohsias for 

 growing ontdoora I have found Souvenir de Chiawiok, Try- 

 me-Oh, Roderick Dha, and Noblesse amongst the best; but 

 almost all the varieties do well in suitable situations. 



Fuchsias for planting-out must not be started early in the 

 spring. The breaking of the buds should be retarded as much 

 as possible, so that they make nearly the whole of the growth 

 in the open air. They not only then grow and flower the 

 more freely, but much less attention and glass accommodation 

 is required for preparing the plants. — J. S. P. 



though the former plan is said to be the better one. I have 

 just tried this manure with a patch of Fortyfold Potatoes, and 

 shall be glad to report the result in the autumn. I have also 

 planted some Snowflakes in spent hops nnder a south wall, 

 and the plants are now coming up very thickly, and look most 

 strong and healthy. I should add that I live on a high hill in 

 a most exposed situation where the soil is light and sandy. I 

 fancy the kiln dust would be still more valuable on a damp 

 clay soil.— E. E., Wilts. 



VINE MANAGEMENT— RED SPIDEE— 

 SHANKING. 



The following letter has been sent to me by my successor, 

 who now has charge of the Hon. Mr. Melville's vineries, and., 

 its publication may be of service to some readers of the 

 Journal : — 



" The early Vines are again carrying an excellent crop. I 

 think they are better than ever, and the late Vines are break- 

 ing much stronger than usual. In reference to your remarks 

 on guano and red spicier in the .Journal of April 5th (page 257), 

 my experience fully confirms all that ia there stated. So 

 effectual is guano in repelling red spider that I should not fear 

 taking into the vinery a plant well infested with spider, for I 

 am positive that the insect could not live in the house. I 

 never syringe the Vines, but have always on favourable oc- 

 casions the atmosphere well charged with the etHuvia of guano 

 or farmyard liquid manure, and I am certain that the use of 

 these liquids both inside and outside — that is, manuring the 

 border and the atmosphere, has improved and is improving 

 the old Vines very satisfactorily. 



" Some of the Grapes shanked last year, but the quantity was 

 trifling, and would not be worth mentioning but for the fact 

 that of the Vine that is planted close to the soft-water cistern 

 not a berry shanked, and the cistern and spout ran over almost 

 continually during the wet weather and saturated that part 

 of the border. So much for too much water being the cause 

 of shanking. My opinion is, that Vines generally suffer much 

 more from want of water than from having too much. The 



Vines in the fine house built by Mr. in another part of 



the village, and which you managed and left in such splendid 

 condition are, although only seven years old, practically ruined ; 

 the crop this year is worthless, and I have not a doubt that 

 the cause is overcropping, coupled with insufficient supplies of 

 water to the border and atmosphere of the house. Had he 

 gone on in the old way by supporting his Vines with liquid 

 manure, and using guano to make the red spider sick, guarding 

 also against overcropping, he would now have half a ton of 

 Grapes in the house, whereas he has only a few which are 

 saleable." 



The above letter has reference to Vines which for upwards 

 of thirty years have produced heavy crops of Grapes, and it is 

 noteworthy that the "old Vines" are still "improving;" it 

 also has reference to a vinery where the Grapes three years 

 ago were wonderfully fine — the admiration of the neighbour- 

 hood, but the Vines have now " gone wrong." The letter ia 

 thus instructive in recording success and registering a failure, 

 stating the main contributary causes in both instances. I 

 have never known Vmea which have been harder worked with- 

 out overcropping them than the improving old Vines alluded 

 to, the special object having been the producing of the greatest 

 possible number of bunches ranging from 1 to 2 lbs. each for 

 everyday dessert purposes rather than a smaller number of 

 larger bunches for exhibition. As there are many others who 

 have the same object in Grape-growiog — -that ia, securing 

 nsefal table Grapea — the grsatest possible qnantity over a long 

 period of years — I may perhaps usefully describe the system 

 of management that has been adoptei with the Vines in ques- 

 tion, embodying such remarks on Vine culture generally as the 

 subject suggests. This, however, must be deferred to a future 

 issue of the Journal. — J. Wriqht. 



MANURE FOR POTATOES. 

 In answer to " A New Coeresposde^jt," the refuse from a 

 malt kiln is said to be one of the best manures for Potatoes. 

 It is called kQn dust, and ia not expensive. It should be 

 spread over the ground before the Potatoes are planted and 

 then dog in with the earth, or it may be thrown over the land 

 as a top-dressing soon after the seed Potatoes are put in, 



SPRING FLOWERS IN HYDE PARK. 



That spring flowers merit attention will readily be admitted ; 

 their varied colours and early beauty always meet with admir- 

 ation. Spring flowers are also so easy of culture that it may 

 be safely asserted there is no garden in the three kingdoms 

 where they may not be grown successfully. In many gardens 

 flowers in spring are just as necessary as a display in summer, 

 and gradually the system of early decoration is extending 

 both in public and private gardens. It is worthy of notice, 

 too, that spring gardening is carried out as successfully in 

 town and suburban gardens in and around London as it is in 

 the rural districts. Such flowers as the Crocus, the Snowdrop, 

 the Primrose, the Violet, the Anemone, and the Wallflower 

 are general favourites; and there are many others Equally 

 beautiful that play a prominent part in the spring garden, 

 such as the Forget-me-not, Pansy, Scilla, Arabia, Silene pen- 

 dula, Alyssum, Aubrietia, Iberia sempervirens. Phlox frondosa. 

 Polyanthus, Vinca major or Periwinkle — the common ornament 

 of the cottager's garden. All these are valuable at this season 

 of the year ; all are hardy and of easy cultivation. 



In Hyde Park bulbous-rooted flowers play the most promi- 

 nent part. Early Hyacinths are the chief ornaments juat now, 

 their beauty, fragrance, and variety combining to render them 

 specially attractive. The collection includes the most useful 

 kinds tor the purpose of outdoor bedding. They are planted 

 in oblong beds, one variety in a bed, the entire length of Park 

 Lane, and the effect produced is charming, almost every hue 

 from the most vivid down to the most soft and delicate in tints 

 of colour being represented. The most effective beds are those 

 of Amy, bright rich red ; Robert Steiger, like the former, but 

 deeper in colour ; Sultan's Favourite, blush white, striped with 

 carmine; Sir Edwin Landaeer, dark glossy puce; Grandeur a 

 Merveille, blush pink; Norma, delicate pink; Voltaire, blush 

 white, wax-like; Grand Vaiuqueur and La Candour, two of the 

 purest and best whites; Regulus, porcelain blue, shaded white, 

 excellent; Charles Dickens, pale shaded blue; William I., 

 violet-black. Those are twelve of the best Hyacinths for bed- 

 ding; they all flower at the same period, and they are of the 

 same height, thus ensuring uniform and equal effect. A few 

 beds planted with three colours are very pleasing. 



Tulips are also extensively grown in this Park, the collection 

 comprising the best sorts in cultivation, and perhaps no other 

 plants either of early or late-blooming character produce such 

 a glowing combination of colour with the same neat and 

 diminutive style of growth. A- few of the most distinct and 

 useful of the single sorts are:— Alida Maria, white tipped and 

 flaked with cerise; Angelina, red and yellow; Artist, crimson; 

 Canary, yellow; Cottage Maid, white and rose; Due Van Thol, 

 cinnabar red, with orange border; Eleonore, violet purple; 

 Golden Prince, good form and sweet-scented ; La Cour de 

 Brabant, yellow, with bronze red bara; Purple Crown, rich 

 crimson ; Thomas Moore, orange buff ; Vermilion BriUiant, 

 bright scarlet. The best doubles are Agnes, bright scarlet ; 

 Dae Van Thol, red, with pale yellow margin ; Etoile Cramoisie, 

 violet crimson ; Gloria Soils, rich bronze crimson; La Candeur, 

 clear white; Murillo, blush rose; ReginaRubrorum, crimson ; 

 Rex Kubrorum, scarlet; Titian, bronze red, with pale yellow 

 margin ; Tournesol, scarlet and yellow ; Yellow Tournesol, 

 buff yellow, flushed with pale red ; and Velvet Gem, crimson, 

 small yellow marginal lines. 



Many beds are planted with old bulbs which have done duty 

 before, and no doubt will be seen again. Let no one be satis- 

 fied with one or two years' bloom, but try and see how far 

 care and culture will assist in preserving the bulbs for future 

 use again and again. Great iLJuiy is done to all sorts of bulbs 

 by the inconsiderate and unskilful practice of cutting, maiming, 

 or tying the leaves; they should be suffered to decay gradually, 

 for the health, strength, and size of the bulb for the succeeding 

 year depends upon its storing up a proper supply of sap, which 

 is in a great degree prevented by cutting off the leaves when 

 in a greeu state. When the beds are wanted take up the bulbs 



