46 



JOUEKAL OF HOETIOULTTJRB ABD COTTAGE OARDENEB. 



( Jaouar7 IG, 1868. 



readers no doubt some of those who go that way will procni-e 

 some plants for trial in this country. The climate on these 

 hills is much the same as that of England. 



In northern Italy they sometimes servo a frnit, which, 

 though I cannot recommend it, is very pretty. I have seen it 

 growing wild between Turin and the Saperga, and it would be 

 highly ornamental in our greenhouses or for table decoration. 

 The name of the plant, as I understood it, is Gioinga (pronounced 

 Cidchinrja). When ripe both the fruit audits pod, or envelope, 

 are of a brilliant scarlet tipped with orange. In other places I 

 have seen another variety which is of a pale green, turning to 

 a dusty brown when ripe. I have no doubt it would grow 

 easily in a hothouse, or, perhaps, on a sunny border. 



Again : in going down the southern slope of the Col de Tenda 

 I found plants of a species of Salvia with the terminal leaves 

 on the branches of a brilliant violet colour. Can you tell me 

 what is its name, and if it can be procured in England ? — D. S. 



[The Kose, we think, is Eosa alpina. The Cicinga is Phy- 

 galis alKebengi, one of the Winter Cherries. It any of our 

 readers recognise the Salvia they will oblige us by sending the 

 specific name.] 



TRANSATLANTIC JOTTINGS. 



AMEEICAN VINES, AND PKUNUS MARITIMA AS STOCKS. 



Mt impression is that stratified and expensive borders, 

 defective root action, and shacking Grapes, could aU be dis- 

 pensed with if a few of your progressive Grape-growers could 

 he induced to test some of our American varieties as stocks 

 upon which to work the varieties of Vitis vinifera. I do not 

 refer to grafting varieties of Vitis vinifera upon varieties of 

 jestivalis and labrusca, but to inarching green wood upon green 

 wood at such a point as to prevent the possibility of the in- 

 arched variety rooting, and thereby rendering it entirely de- 

 pendant upon the stock. Grafting the Vine is under all cir- 

 cumstances aa uncertain operation, and the scion sooner or 

 later emits roots, defeating the intention of the operator. 



As stocks for varieties of Vitis vinifera, the varieties of 

 labrusca and jestivalis present many advantages. They are 

 the most vigorous growers in existence, and are uninjured by 

 heat or cold, or atmospheric changes ; some ripen late and 

 some early. It matters but little whether the roots are growing 

 in dry or wet soil, light or heavy, drained or undrained. They 

 are to be found flourishing under almost all circumstances in 

 every section of the Union ; battling with trees and under- 

 growth for root-room, and their tops clambering over the 

 highest trees of the forest. Some varieties Sourish best in 

 swamps, their roots revelling in sour clay and water ; others 

 on hill sides, seeking nourishment among stones and gravel, 

 where varieties of vinifera would starve. Those varieties that 

 have their habitat ia swamps, if removed to dry and sandy 

 positions, grow as luxuriantly as though they were revelling in 

 the swamp. All that is required to make varieties of labrusca 

 and a;stivalis flourish, and insure healthy root action, is to give 

 the roots work, plenty of top work, as an outlet for their 

 vitality. Give the tops work, and the roots will extend and 

 flourish in a wet or dry soil, in sunshine or shade, in stratified 

 or uustratified borders where varieties of vinifera would languish 

 and die. Without pruning, the varieties of vinifera, owing to 

 their weak vitality, soon succumb, even if planted in good soil ; 

 on the contrary, American varieties will seek nourishment in 

 thick undergrowth, and clamber from tree to tree, covering the 

 tops of the highest in the forest. It is common to find them 

 measuring from 12 to 18 inches in circumference at the surface 

 of the ground in many portions of the Union. In one instance 

 we measured a wild Vine 3G inches in circumference at 1 foot 

 from the ground. 



. I am inclined to refer the vigour of some of the American 

 Grapes to the formation of their roots. Those that are tm- 

 aftected by mildew, and that grow luxuriantly, possess nume- 

 rous small wiry roots covered with fibres. In varieties of 

 vinifera the roots are large, few in nimiber, spongy, and with 

 but few fibres. A few days since I was much interested in an 

 examination of over four himdred seedling Vines which I 

 removed from their seed bed. About one-half were hybrids, 

 and they presented a few large spongy roots, with but few 

 fibres ; on the contrary, the seedling natives of pure race 

 possessed numerous, small, firm roots with a numoer of fibres. 

 A number of our new American Grapes are liable to mildew, 

 and upon examination I find that the roots of such are large, 

 spongy, and with but few fibres. My impression is that the 



roots of our hardy vigorous varieties have much to do with 

 their growth, and their ability to succeed in adverse soils and 

 situations. 



If American varieties were used as stocks, but little prepa- 

 ration of the soil for borders would be required, and for ground 

 vineries they would answer admirably, for they would grow 

 luxuriantly in any common garden soil. For pot culture they 

 would be a success, for they would flourish in a small space. 

 I have inarched a large number of the varieties of vinifera upon 

 varieties of ai-stivalis with the intention of thoroughly testing 

 their value as stocks, and, if acceptable, shall report progiesB 

 in the future. Inarching the Grape has under all circumstances 

 proved a simple and successful operation in my hands, and if 

 I thought it would interest your readers, I would describe the 

 process in detail. 



I cannot resist the temptation of directing the attention of 

 your readers to the advantages to be derived from using the 

 Prunus maritima as a stock for Peaches, Plums, and Apricots. 



Those possessing a hght sandy soil experience great diffieulty 

 in cultivating the Plum, and I see no reason why their efforts 

 should not be successful. All that is necessary is for your 

 nurserymen to test the Prunus maritima as a stock. Portions 

 of our sea-coast consist of banks of almost pure sand deposited 

 by the waves and winds. Upon these drifts, within reach oi 

 the ocean spray, flourish the varieties of Prunus maritima, a 

 dwarf-growiug species, varying from 3 to 5 feet high. This 

 year I raised a number of seedlings upon a rather heavy loam, 

 and they made a most vigorous growth, proving that it wiU 

 flourish in other soils besides sand. Although small, the fruit 

 is excellent, and produced in immense quantities. It seems 

 to me that this species would make an admirable stock for 

 Peaches, Plums, and Apricots for orchard-house culture and 

 for small gardens, more especially where the soil is so sandy 

 as to interfere with the growth of the usual Plum stock. — Al 

 Fr.Esco, LijiU, X.J., U.S. of America. 



CUTTINGS OP PELARGONIUMS. 



I a:j pleased to have an opportunity of replying to Mr. 

 Perkins's doubts in regard to my method of propagating th& 

 Pelargonium. I held for years the same opinion that Mr. 

 Perkins holds, and it was only after seeing the success that 

 attended the efforts of a first-class propagator in a large Lon- 

 don nxirsery, that I felt so thoroughly convinced that the close- 

 plan was so advantageous. At first I was careful to only 

 adopt it in a modified form, but I soon saw the full force of 

 keeping the cuttings close, and I only advise Mr. I'erkins to give 

 the system a fair trial, when, I think, he will bear out the greater 

 part oi what I have stated. 



In regard to the number of cuttings I lose per thousand, I 

 may say that the loss is very small indeed in most cases. 

 Of Lady Plymouth, although it is generally considered to be 

 difficult to root, I find on the close system I do not lose twenty 

 cuttings, and it strikes as soon as Tom Thumb or any of the 

 strong growers, of which I may also state that I do not lose a 

 larger per-centage. The varieties most liable to damp-off with 

 me are the SUver-variegated Zonals, if not looked carefully 

 alter, in about a week or ten days after the cuttings are put in, 

 on account of the lower leaves decaying. The varieties of the 

 Golden section all do remarkably well, the loss being small, 

 not exceeding from twenty to thirty per thousand. 



I would observe, that immediately after you find the cuttings- 

 rooted commence giving air, or damping-off will soon take 

 place. 



Mr. Perkins says that my mode of treatment may do very 

 weD where the coal heap can be run to. Here I differ from- 

 him ; for I have found by experience that, although the cuttings 

 are put in later, they strike so much faster, that before the 

 winter sets in there is ample time to harden them oft', so as to 

 enable them to withstand the dull and trying weather we are 

 experiencing at the present time. 



I beg to thank Mr. Perkins for commenting on my method, 

 and trust that he and numbers of the readers of the Journal 

 may see their way clearly to the adopting of my plan. — Jaijeb 

 STET,'Ar;T, Nunehaiii Fail;. 



Tea Ccltcp.e in India. — To those interested in the cultiva- 

 tion of Tea in India the following information may prove 

 satisfactory : — In a letter just received from one of my sons iiL 

 Assam, he states that in his garden the plough is being used' 



