Decombet 31, 1868. ] 



JOUBNAli OF HOBTIOOLIORE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



497 



the plants may he placed in the frame, but do not plant them 

 out, merely stand the pots on the soil at the back of the frame, 

 and you will have an opportunity of testing the heat whilst 

 the plants are becoming accustomed to the temperature and 

 atmosphere. A thermometer ought to bo kept in the frame ; 

 indeed, two are requisite, one to determine the bottom heat, 

 and another the top heat. If the bottom heat in the hills does 

 not exceed 8o' or Wf, put out the plants, one under each light, 

 or in each hill, with the ball entire; let the hill be formed 

 somewhat flat, and slightly dished so as to hold water. The 

 plants should be planted slightly deeper than they wore in the 

 pots, but avoid planting too deeply. The hills should be about 

 1 foot in height. 



After planting, if the soil is not suffioiently moist give a gentle 

 watering, but avoid making it wet, and have the water the same 

 in temperature as the air of the frame. Some put two plants 

 under a light. I think one better, though for early fruiting, 

 and when the plants are not expected to continue long, then 

 there may be an object in planting two in each hill, so as 

 to sooner fill the frame, otherwise one plant will produce as 

 many fruit as two plants in the same space, and the fruit will 

 be finer. The temperature of the atmosphere of the frame 

 should be from 70' to 75° at night at the commencement, for it 

 is desirable to afford a brisk heat so that the plants may be- 

 come speedily established. 



Temperature. — After planting be watchful to secure the 

 proper top and bottom heat. For a time both will be suffioiently 

 high, if anything too high, but afterwards the heat in the fer- 

 menting material will begin to decline. The bottom heat 

 ought never to be less than 70°, better 75° ; and 80° should be 

 the maximum, though it may, for reasons above given, be 

 somewhat higher at the commencement. The atmospheric or 

 top heat should be from Go° to 70° at night, and not lees than 

 60°, which ought to occur but seldom, as, for instance, in the 

 case of sudden and severe frost. By day the temperatcre, 

 ever dependant on that of the external air, will be variable ; 

 its minimum, however, must not be less than that of the night, 

 and it is better to keep the plants in darkness, by not removing 

 the covering, or by replacing it sooner, for a longer period each 

 day than, by taking the covering off, to allow the day tempe- 

 rature to sink below that of the night. The temperature by 

 day must never be allowed to exceed 80° without admitting air, 

 and though it may afterwards rise to 90°, such a tempera- 

 ture without air would be ruinous, and yet with air high tem- 

 peratures are beneficial. The temperature, therefore, by day 

 may range from 65° to 70' or 80° without air ; but if it be 

 practicable to give a little air without lowering the temperature 

 after it has risen to 75°, it will be very beneficial to do sot In 

 the day, therefore, the temperature should be from 70° to 75°, 

 with a rise from sun heat to 85° or 90°. 



The bottom heat must be maintained by adding linings to 

 the bed before the heat has too much declined, as if the heat 

 be allowed to faU too low the plants wUl probably suffer, for 

 the lining will be a few days before it warm the bed. The 

 lining should be of prepared hot dung, though this need not 

 be so well prepared as for the formation of the bed, and may 

 be fresher. The front of the bed should be lined first, follow- 

 ing in about a week with the back and ends, and it will in 

 most cases be sufficient if the linings have a base of 18 inches, 

 and be gradually tapered off to meet the frame within a few 

 inches of the lights. As the lining sinks litter should be 

 placed on the top, bo as to cover the sides of the frame, for 

 from the thickness of soil on the bed the atmospheric heat 

 derived from the bed will not be sufficient, therefore keep the 

 sides of the frame always covered with litter, which will retain 

 the heat of the linings, and keep the temperature from falling 

 too low. Beds made in or after March will hardly need linings ; 

 but when the heat is declining, and the top heat, from the in- 

 creased depth of soil, is apt to fall cousiderably at night and 

 in cold days, litter should be placed against the sides and ends 

 of the frame upon the ledge of bed formed by the frame being 

 of less dimensions than the bed : and this upper or frame 

 lining should be attended to in about fourteen or twenty-one 

 days after the plants are put in, and afterwards be kept well 

 banked up as it declines or wastes, keeping it to within 2 or 

 3 inches of the lights, so as to permit of their sliding up or 

 down without interfering with the lining. This top lining will 

 not be retinired after May. 



PI^0TECTI0^^.— For a few days after the bed has been made 

 the heat will be sufficiently high, but there will be a gradual 

 diminution of the temperature after the m:iximum of ferment- 

 ft'ion has been attained, and though the temperature for a 



considerable time might be high enough were the weather to 

 be uniform in temperature, cold nights will occur, during 

 which the temperature of the frame will bo bo reduced as to 

 jeopordise the plants' continued health and growth unlesB 

 means be adopted to ward off the cold or retain the heat. 

 Mats are the best material. One thickness will bo sufficient 

 for a time after the bed is formed, but when the heat declines 

 two thicknesses or double mats are needful, especially in severe 

 weather. In nights of very severe frost, and when the heat of 

 the bed or linings is not strong, a covering of dry litter or hay 

 in addition to the mats will be a great protection. The material 

 employed, whatever it may be, should be so placed that it does 

 not overhang the dung, particularly if the bed be fresh lined, 

 and the heat from the dung at all rank. The protection should 

 be targe enough to turn down a few inches without lapping 

 over on the dung. It may be secured to the frame, which is 

 desirable, so that it may not be displaced in case of wind. 



The covering may be placed over the lights at five o'clock in 

 February, and need not be removed in the morning until eight 

 o'clock ; or in severe weather half an hour earlier in covering 

 up or removing may be allowed, and will be found more bene- 

 ficial to the plants than allowing them to be starved. In March 

 the frame may be covered up at 5.30 r.m., or if the weather is 

 frosty half an hour earlier, and the covering removed when the 

 sun is beginning to have power, or at half-past seven o'clock in 

 the morning, allowing half an hour or an hour later on very cold, 

 frosty mornings, whilst in those which are fine the covering 

 may be removed sooner. In April the covering may be put on 

 at or before 6 p.m., and removed at 7 a.m., or 7.30 a.m., or later 

 it cold, and in May the frame may be covered up at 6 p.m., and 

 the covering removed by 7 a.m., or in case of frost not until the 

 sun has power. If there is no frost, and the temperature is 

 sufficiently high, the covering cannot be removed too soon. In 

 no case ought it to remain after the sun has power to raise the 

 temperature of the frame ; but if its temperature be low, it is 

 well to leave the covering until there is a prospect, from the 

 increased warmth of the air, or from sun heat, of the tempera- 

 ture of the frame not falling after the protection is withdrawn. 

 — G. Abbet. 



OUT-OF-DOOR GRAPES. 



My attention has been called to the interesting article on the 

 above subject by " Archambaud," in the .Journal of December 

 3rd, which I had unaccountably overlooked, for I make it a 

 rule to read everything that appears in The Jocenal or 

 HoETicuLTcr.E. 



The improvement of the cultivation of Grapes on open walls 

 is a field especially open to the amateur and cottager, to whom, 

 I fear, we must look for any advance in this branch of fruit- 

 growing, for the professional gardener who has plenty of glass 

 will always regard out-of-door Grapes with disdain. If such 

 persevering men as those who have recently raised the fine 

 seedling late varieties could be persuaded -to turn their industry 

 and skill to the raising of early sorts, a complete change might 

 be effected in the open-air cultivation of the Vine. 



In selecting the best from the sorts which we now possess, I 

 agree with " Akchameaud " that the Hoyal Muscadine, or, as it 

 is very commonly called, the White Sweetwater, is the best, at 

 least the best white variety. 



Though we agree about the best white Grape, I am very far 

 from coinciding with "Aechambacd" in the wholesale con- 

 demnation of the Esperione (Espiran). This sort I consider 

 the best hardy black Grape that can be planted ont of doors, 

 and with me is always good under glass ; and it ought to be more 

 planted in cool greenhouses and orchard houses on account 

 of its hardiness and early productiveness. Of the two it is a 

 better setter than the Koyal Muscadine, although the latter 

 cannot be found fault with on this point. 



" Aechameaud " says that it was the late Mr. Beaton, who 

 first gave the Esperione its false character, extolling it to the 

 skies, not knowing at the time that the subject of all his praise 

 was not the Esperione at all, but simply a fine example of the 

 true Black Hamburgh. I am not in a position to say that the 

 fine Grapes exhibited by Mr. 'Beaton, and which caused such a 

 sensation at the time were examples of the Black Hamburgh or 

 of the Esperione, uothaving seen them ; but this I know, at the 

 time alluded to, Mr. Beaton sent me three eyes from his Yine, 

 to grow and compare the fruit with that which I was certain 

 was the true Esperione, and they proved to be the same. Now, 

 those who were acquainted with Donald Beaton know that 

 he was not the man to exhibit fruit ol one plant and send 



