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JOUKNAL OF HOETIOnLTtIKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ December 31, 186S. 



cuttiugs of anotlier to have their fruit compared to test their 

 being true to name. There muet be much confusion still 

 existing about this Grape, but any one who desires to see a 

 description of it will find it described to a nicety in Dr. Hogg's 

 "Piuit Manual." 



I am glad to see your able correspondent includes the White 

 •and Black Frontignan. In favourable seasons they do very 

 well, and so does the Grizzly Frontignan. I have had this sort 

 finer-flavoured out of doors than under glass. There are two 

 other varieties concerning which I can speak favourably for 

 the open wall. Oue is the Ciotat or Parsley-leaved ; in bunch 

 and berry it is a Boyal Muscadine, but its cut leaves make it 

 very different and very ornamental. The other is Bidwill's 

 Seedling, a Vine not so generally known as many others. It is 

 much grown in the neighbourhood of Exeter, where it succeeds 

 well in the open air. Under glass I have invariably found it 

 with a disagreeable earthy flavour which increases when the 

 fruit gets over-ripe. 



Were I capable of writing a volume on the cultivation of the 

 Vine on the open wall, the pith of it ail would be contained in 

 the following short sentences. 



Grow the wood one season and fruit it the next. 



No snag-pruning. Prune early ; out out the wood that 

 produced the fruit as the fruit is gathered. 



Finish all winter pruning by the middle of December. 



Nail or fasten the shoots the first week in March ; before 

 doing so paint them well with the following mixture : — Mix clay 

 and water to the consistency of thin paint. To a quart of this 

 ■add i lb. of flowers of sulphur and 2 ozs. of glue. Use it as soon 

 as mixed. 



If the Vine show two or more bunches on the shoots that 

 spring from the eyes that were left at the winter pruning, take 

 ail off but one, and stop the shoots at two or four leaves (as 

 there is wall room) above the bunch. 



Thin the berries out well, where there are three leave one ; 

 also thin out the tmall shoulders where they appear crowded, 

 and do so before or when the berries attain the size of the seed 

 of early Peas. It is in a great measure from want of this thin- 

 ning of the berries that we see such rubbish of out-of-door 

 Grapes. — A. McKklvie, Tvriin/jton, Devon. 



[Before Mr. Beaton's death we had an opportunity of examin- 

 ing the Vine ho considered to be Espiran, and we found it to 

 be Frankenthal, a conclusion which Mr. Beaton aho readily 

 admitted. There are, however, places in the southern parts of 

 onr coast, where, we are informed, the true Espiran is culti- 

 vated successfully out of doors.— Eds. J. OF H.] 



GARDEN LABELS. 



I enclose a specimen (damaged) of a label that I have 

 aidopted for fruit trees, Koses, &c. As you will see, it is 

 absolutely indelible, being glazed over the writing. I buy the 

 "HDglazed labels, write the names on them with a qnill pen 

 dipped in cobalt mixed with turpentine, and glaze them in a 

 small f ui-nace. Here let me say that I do not make them for sale, 

 and have no interest, direct or indirect, in introducing them. 

 Of course, the objection will be raised that everybody has not 

 a furnace to glaze tliem in. This is very true, and my prin- 

 cipal object in writing to you is the hope that some enter- 

 prising nurseryman may open up relations with some manu- 

 facturer of eartbemvare, so as to be able to supply the public 

 with so great a desideratum. I do not hesitate to say, speaking 

 as a man of business, that they could be supplied at Id. each, 

 and give a good profit both to manufacturer and retailer ; and 

 I think there must be many hundreds of growers of fruit and 

 Hose trees who, like myself, would gladly pay that sum rather 

 than he bothered with the present unsightly and easily-oblite- 

 lated labels, whether of wood or zinc. 



Another objtction that has been raised is that new Eoses, 

 Ac., are constantly coming in and going out, and that it would 

 be difficult to supply names in cases where, peihaps, only one or 

 two would be required ; but I cannot see why the nurseryman 

 who takes the order should not send a list every fortnight to 

 the manufacturer, so as to give the latter, with the orders he 

 would receive from other nurserymen, enough to make a batch 

 for glazing. Or the customer might procure his own labels — I 

 kave bought them retail at Is. Gd. a-gross nnglazed — write the 

 names himself, and send them to be glazed. There is no 

 patent in the matter, and, indeed, as far as I know, nobody has 

 ever made them but myself. 



To turn to another subject. Has anybody tried growing fruit 



trees as cordons trained over a walk on an iron rod bent to 

 form an arch ? and, if so, how has it answered ? If not, why 

 should it not answer, and be more ornamental than vertical 

 cordons, besides covering only useless ground ? — A. 0. W. 



[The label sent by our correspondent is of white porcelain, 

 and in an nnglazed state ; other specimens may be seen attached 

 to trees and shrubs in the conservatory entrances of the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society's garden at South Kensirgtoc. If they 

 were written upon with a pointed style of lead — the metal, 

 not a common lead pencil — we think that they would remain 

 legible for years, might have the writing scraped off when 

 needful, and be rewritten upon.] 



THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



At this dull season, when the beauty of the flower garden 

 has passed away for a time, and Flora, alarmed by those frosts 

 with which Winter proclaims his coming, is preparing to take 

 her departure, she bestows upon us ere she goes one of the 

 choicest of her gifts — the Chrysanthemum. That this most 

 beautiful flower is now more thoroughly understood than for- 

 merly, the rapid progress made of late, and the many splendid 

 varieties produced year by year, will testify. 



I can fully endorse the statement of your correspondent 

 " G. S.," which appeared in page 419, as to the benefit result- 

 ing from converting the orchard house into a winter garden. 

 In my orchard house, a span-roofed structure, I cultivate other 

 flowers as well as the Chrysanthemum — for example. Primulas, 

 Violets, Mignonette, Schizostylis coccinea, and Variegated Pe- 

 largoniums. The effect is exquisite, and excites the admiration 

 of all on bright days, of which we have had but few of late. 

 The fragrance arising from these flowers is delicious. 



I do not intend making any observations on the older and 

 proved varieties of Chrysanthemums, but on those sent out 

 this year, which I feel certain will be decided acquisitions. 

 The effect produced by Japanese Chrysanthemums mingled 

 with the Large-flowering and the Pompon varieties, is all that 

 could be wished. Their fantastic forms and brilliant colours 

 are most novel and pleasing, many of their immense blooms 

 having more the appearance of tassels formed of the gay plu- 

 mage of tropical birds then that of flowers. I feel assured that 

 they will become very popular on account of their merits alone. 



JVizard • is one of the most beautiful of the actinioid class ; 

 the flowers forming loose tassels of a bright reddish maroon 

 colour. Of good habit, and a very free-blooming variety. 



Red Dragon. — The flowers are very double and of very large 

 size, composed of long subulate florets of the most novel and 

 elegant foim, red chestnut tipped with yellow. A very free- 

 blooming variety. 



Yeddo Lilac. — Rose lilac, and lighter centre. The florets 

 take an upright position, thence arch inwardly, thus forming a 

 complete ball. 



The Tycoon. — Very bright red, with a golden orange bact. 

 The florets, which are very long, are curiously curled. 



The Daimio. — Pale pink changing to rose lilac. Flowers 

 large, double, of great substance, and very showy. 



Tarantula. — A most singular flower, with a close button-like 

 disk, and a single spreading ray of long, slender, tubular, golden 

 florets. 



Hed hidian, — Flowers very large and double, red ; flower flat. 



liobert Fortune. — Bright orange or amber. Large and full. 



Doseum Album. — Bose-tinted, and spotted with white. The 

 flowers are of moderate size, and are very valuable for bouquets 

 and for the dinner table. 



Sulplmreum. — Sulphur white, sometimes spotted with rose. 

 The flowers are large and double, and remain a long time in 

 bloom. A free-growing variety. 



Prince Satsuma. — Bright golden yellow, large and very double. 

 The flowers have somewhat the appearance of a rosette. 



Nagasaki Violet. — Dark rosy violet, and golden ditk ; the 

 florets sometimes spotted with pure white. A most attractivs 

 and curious variety. 



Aurantium. — Clear golden yellow, of immense size and very 

 double. This splendid variety is particularly distinguished by 

 the breadth and massiveness of its wax like petals. 



Comet. — Bright orange j'ellow, changing to chestnut red ; 

 florets very long, and curiously tnisted and curled, giving to 

 this flower the appearance of a large bunch of gold thread. 



^ For this and tbe succeeding descriptions our correspondent is maiBly 

 indebted to Mr. Salter's catiilogne. 



