3S4 



JOUENAIi OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ NoTcmber 12, 1668. 



first noticed at the beginning of my paper, were renovated 

 without making a new border. 



I will now glance at the ventilation. I am sure mischief is 

 done in many instances by the careless and lax manner in 

 which this is attended to. An error always to be avoided is 

 the admission of a great amount of external air by the front 

 lights daring the early stages of the Vine's growth. Unless 

 means are adopted so that the air entering by the front venti- 

 lators is previously rendered warm and moist, it is the safer 

 and better plan to conduct ventilation solely by the top lights, 

 at least during the months of February and March, and part 

 of April — that is, if the Vines are in active growth at this 

 period. One of the most inveterate instances of Grape-shank- 

 ing which has come under my notice was caused by injudicious 

 ventilation, and, by changing the system adopted, striking and 

 beneficial effects were produced. This instance, and others 

 which I have met with in my practice, have impressed me with 

 an opinion that ill-managed ventilation ia a predisposing cause 

 of shanking. In the case referred to the front lights were 

 regularly opened, and left open for hours together during the 

 spring months, and the dry cutting air was suffered to enter 

 nninterruptedly. The consequence of this influx was that the 

 warm, moist, genial air was immediately forced out by the 

 top ventilators, and was replaced by the dry, heavy, and 

 uncongenial air admitted. Further, the cold rush of the 

 external air constantly striking the stems of the Vines would 

 seriously check the ascending sap, and not only so, but the 

 very dryness of the air would abstract the moisture from the 

 young shoots and leaves, the surfaces of which would be so 

 much cooled by evaporation as to give them a serious and 

 disastrous cheek. Here is a combination of evils which must 

 naturally flow from such a system — evils which must and did 

 tell on the Vines during the whole season of their growth. 

 Unless the band can be held for a length of time to the aper- 

 tures by which front air is admitted without any feeling of 

 discomfort from cold, it is better to keep them closed, and rely 

 solely on top veutilation. The natural expansion of air on its 

 being heated will always insure its escape, and the weight of 

 the cold external air, as compared to that in the interior, will 

 always insure the descent of the former. 



Another important point is to give air early, and increase it 

 gradually as the temperature rises, and not let the house attain 

 its maximum heat, and then have to give an excess of air at 

 once to reduce the beat. In short, let ventilation follow a rise of 

 temperature, instead of a fall of temperature follow an increase 

 of ventilation. As a safety valve it is a good practice to admit 

 a little air at top all night. 



As to temperatures, I will begin by saying, Avoid high tem- 

 peratures, especially by fire heat, and at night. If the border 

 is heated, the Vines are not so susceptible of injury from a rather 

 high tempersvture. If, however, the border is not artificially 

 heated, keep the house temperature as low as possible con- 

 sistently with a steady healthy growth. This is doing the best 

 we can to secure an equability of temperature between root 

 and branch — a great desideratum. Let light and temperature 

 always go together. This may be called old advice, but that 

 eimply suggests that it is sound by its having stood the test of 

 time. 



A sun heat of from 80° to 85° will not be excessive if in con- 

 junction with a good system of ventilation. The solar heat 

 must be economised ; therefore as soon as the thermometer 

 shows a falling tendency reduce ventilation, and continue to 

 reduce it until the house can be closed at the heat above 

 named. Tbis economy of sun heat enables us to economise in 

 another quarter — the coal heap, and the Vines will be the 

 better of it. If the maximum day temperature be 80°, a mini- 

 mum night temperature of 55° will be safe. This applies to 

 the period when the foliage is expanded. Before the leaves 

 reach this stage the temperature must be proportionally lower. 

 Except, perhaps, just at the time when they are setting their 

 berries, I find Black Hamburghs receive no injury by a night 

 temperature of 50°, and one of 00° is quite high enough for a 

 day temperature by fire heat solely. High night temperatures 

 arouse unduly the natural excitability of the Vines. Compara- 

 tively luw night temperatures cause a cessation of the vital, 

 and assist the secretory functions. Some varieties, as Mus- 

 cats, require a somewhat higher temperature. When relying 

 solelj on fire heat, be up in the morning and have the day 

 temperature up to its figure as soon after daylight as possible. 

 I would specially press this point. 



Now, as to moisture, during a high temperature use it liber- 

 ally, and during a low temperature sparingly. _ Syringing twice 



a-day under all circumstances of temperature is bad practice. 

 On some days damp the paths, walls, &c., half a dozen times, 

 on others scarcely damp at all. In this, as in all other things, 

 exercise thought. The absorbing power of the foliage is greatest 

 in the afternoon, when the house is closed with a good sun 

 heat. This is the time for feeding. Give ammonia freely. 

 The Vines enjoy it ; insects detest it. Water the paths, pipes, 

 flues, &'C., with water, in which guano is dissolved at the rate 

 of 2 ozs. to the gallon. More than this will not hurt them, 

 but this is a safe proportion, and will not fail to act beneficially ; 

 but use it only when the leaves are expanded, and not before. 



The last, but not least important is cleanliness. Unclean- 

 liness, from whatever cause arising, is entirely subversive of 

 success in Grape-growing, and renders all previous care and 

 attention of little or no effect. The foliage must be kept free 

 from dirt and insects. To guard against the former, I never 

 allow any dust to rise in sweeping the paths of the house, &c. 

 This is a trifle of some import. Neither do I syringe, so that 

 I avoid any sediment and incrustation from the water. Eed 

 spider I never see ; any other insect seldom. In some locali- 

 ties syringing may be necessary to cleanliness. I do not find 

 it 80 here. I know something of the atmosphere of a manu- 

 facturing city ; good washings with the syringe and pure rain 

 water are there occasionally requisite. Use this and any other 

 means at command that may be needed to ensure cleanliness. 

 This treatment will give fine, dark green, leathery foliage, which 

 will bring up the best elements of the border, and render them 

 fit for appropriation by the Vines. Injudicious top manage- 

 ment will negative the best effects of the best border that ever 

 was made. 



And, now, do I practise the system described ? Tes, except 

 on one point ; and though I have an outside border just 10 feet 

 wide, and the roots a foot and more beneath the surface, I ob- 

 tain a satisfactory yield of Grapes, and have next to no shanked 

 berries. I have for the border in winter wooden shutters, 

 which I highly recommend ; yet, notwithstanding, were I to 

 allow the laterals to grow, and cut them out by the armful, in- 

 stead of being able to put those pinched from an entire house 

 in my pocket, or were I to allow the dry chilling air to cut or 

 dry the young growth, or otherwise allow the Vines to be sub- 

 jected to any course of unnatural treatment, I should expect — 

 and I know from experience that my expectations would be 

 realised— shanked Grapes in quantity. 



But the exceptional point. Well, I am a servant. My em- 

 ployer is explicit in his requirements, and my duty is plain. 

 Two or three ordinary-sized bunches are more useful than one 

 large one. With a rather limited expanse of glass devoted to 

 Vines, my object is to make the Grape season as long as pos- 

 sible. We cannot easily cut half a bunch of Grapes, or a 

 bunch and a half; but by having a number of different-sized 

 bunches I can meet daily demands to a nicety. My Vines, 

 then, are not all 3 feet G inches apart ; some are, and they give 

 the best Grapes, but as a whole they answer their purpose so 

 well, that I do not feel justified in recommending a change. 

 But were I required to grow large individual bunches, I should 

 at once thin the rods. I should then bare the roots, and put 

 on a few inches of light turfy loam and bruised charcoal, and 

 draw the roots upwards by covering the border with heating 

 material to accomplish my object. This treatment will keep 

 Vines in vigour and fruitfulness for many years. 



I will conclude my evening's exercise by quoting and placing 

 together a maxim from Mr. Eoberts's article and one from my 

 own : — " Afford the Vines a warm, dry, and open soil, and 

 shanking will be less frequently seen." "Devote as much 

 care, attention, and study to the house management of Vines 

 as is given to border formation, and inferior and shanked 

 houses of Grapes will be far less common." — J. W. 



[We have seen specimens of the Black Hamburgh Grapes 

 and the foliage of the Vines obtained by our correspondent — 

 they were all that can be desired in Vine culture. — Ens.] 



A FIGHT WITH A FLUE. 



Oke night in November, some year^ ago, I was sitting very 

 comfortably before a warm fire in rnv study, talking with a 

 younger brother, an engineer in London, wiio had C'lme down 

 to spend a few days with me, when my servant ciime in to say 

 that .John wished to speak to me. It was after oine o'clock, 

 and I wondered very much what John wanted ; so I went out 

 at once to see him, and was thus greeted. 



" riease sir, I am sorry to say I can't get the fiie to go iu 



