178 



JOUENAL OF HOKTICDLTURE AND COTTAGK GABDENER. 



t Febraary 27, 187S. 



several weeks. Care must bo taken not to over-water while 

 the plants are in a low temperature. 



After the first crop of flowers is over, remove the plants to 

 the stove again, and give them a warm corner near the glass 

 with as much light as possible. In a few weeks every joint 

 will show flower again and continue flowering for weeks, if the 

 plants are never allowed to become dry or to be exposed to a 

 very low temperature. 



The soil I use is peat, turfy loam, silver sand, and a little 

 charcoal. I know of no plant that will better repay a httle 

 attention. — J. Smith, Exton Park. Rutland. 



VINE FOECING. 



On looking over my garden note-book for the years 1854 to 

 1857 inclusive, I find the following practical notes relative to 

 the system of forcing the Grape Vine carried out at the place 

 at which I then hved as under gardener. I have extracted 

 them and put them into a readable form, thinking probably 

 some one or more young beginners may think them worth 

 their consideration. My notes apply to inside treatment only, 

 except in one or two items, and the roots of the Vines were 

 outside in good well-protected borders. I may state that 

 before I became head gardener I served under several gardeners 

 whose methods of Vine-forcing varied considerably, but I could 

 not select one more to my mind than that which I shall de- 

 scribe, and which I have practised ever since with s6me shght 

 deviations. 



1. Supposing the Vines to be pruned, dressed, and tied in 

 then- proper position, proceed to thoroughly cleanse the house 

 by whitewashing, so as to make it perfectly healthy ; and if 

 there is a pit in it, till it with leaves or any other material 

 most convenient for affording a gentle heat to assist the Vines 

 to break, and also for the convenience of propagating under 

 hand-Ughts if required. 



2. If Grapes are required for table, say at the end of May or 

 beginning of June, take into consideration the strength of the 

 Vines and the previous treatment to which they have been 

 subjected, as well as the conveniences for the apphcation of 

 artificial heat, &c. Shut the house up by the first week of 

 December, keeping as nearly as possible a temperature of 45° 

 by fire heat, allowing the heat from the sun to raise the atmo- 

 sphere of the house to 55°, and keep it at that point by venti- 

 lation. Syringe the Vines and the walls of the house thrice 

 a-day, but allow the Vines to become dry once in twenty-four 

 hours. Steam the house occasionally by syringing the pipes. 



3. As soon as the buds begin to swell raise the temperature 

 to 50° by fire heat at night, and not more than 55' in the day 

 without sun, but advance another 5° by sun heat from the last 

 stage. Keep the temperature as near these points as possible, 

 stm syringing and steaming as before, but allow the Vines to 

 become dry once in twenty-four hours. 



4. As soon as the buds begin to burst raise the temperature 

 another 5° by fire heat, and by sun heat another 5°, from the 

 last stage, still syringing and steaming as before ; but as the 

 season advances, with more light and sun, as well as more fire 

 heat, perhaps a somewhat greater amount of moisture in the 

 house will be necessary. This addition at the present stage 

 must be entirely guided by the weather and the state of the 

 house inside. 



5. Wlien the majority of the buds put forth their small 

 leaves, raise the temperature to 00° by fire heat and 70° by 

 sun heat. Guard systematically against any fluctuation of 

 temperatui-e at this stage, as it will tend to make the shoots 

 weakly. A little difbadding may now be done if there be 

 need of it ; and if the weather should prove sunny, syringing 

 four times a-day will not be too much, and the precaution of 

 allowing the Vines to dry themselves every twenty-four hours 

 will now be less needful through the increase of heat and light. 

 However, it is partially necessary to guard against their be- 

 coming dry too long or too often. Steam at every opportunity. 



0. As soon as the shoots put forth their bunches clear from 

 the stem, raise the heat another 5°, or to G5° by fire and 75° by 

 sun heat, keeping the temperature as regular as possible, still 

 syringing and steaming as necessary. 



7. Gradually raise the temperature from 65° to 70° as the 

 Vines advance into bloom. By this I mean to advance 2° at 

 a time, to as to reach 70° by the time the first bunch is in 

 bloom ; and while in bloom 72° will not be too much. Keep 

 the temperature very regular all through this stage, discontinue 

 syringing whUe in bloom, and keep the house dry. The tem- 

 perature by sun heat may be from 80° to 85' with a little ven- 



tilation. At this time a good watering is given to the border 

 outside. 



8. Keep the temperature up as for last stage ; in fact, from 

 the time the berries are set till they commence to colour the 

 temperature may be the same, but discontinue syringing the 

 Vines. However, keep the walls and floor of the house moist, 

 or red spider will make its appearance. The border was again 

 weU watered when the first bunch commenced colouring. 



9. This is the ripening stage, and as the Grapes advance 

 into colouring more air may be given, and if the temperature 

 fall in consequence it will be rather an advantage so long as 

 it is never allowed to get too low, nor fluctuate either way in a 

 sudden manner. When the Grapes are about half-coloured 

 leave aUttle top air on at night if the weather is suitable, and 

 in the last week or two of their ripening a little front air as 

 well, sufficient to promote a circulation through the house. 

 Discont-nue fire heat as soon as the weather is warm enough 

 to maintain the temperature required. 



The above system applies to Black Hamburgh and other 

 early and easUy-forced Grapes, but for Muscats and similar 

 sorts a few degrees more heat will not be far wrong. Venti- 

 lation should be given early, and the house closed early. It is 

 much the best practice to give air httle and often ; and at 

 closing time, if the lights are far open, do not shut the house up 

 all at once, but bj' parts at a time, at intervals of a quarter of an 

 hour. The syringing should be done first early in the morning, 

 again at closing time, again at dusk, and, if more is required, 

 at ten o'clock. I need hjtrdly mention the necessity of early 

 attention being paid to tying down and stopping the shoots as 

 such work suggests itself to the gardener. Thinning the 

 berries should be practised as soon as they are large enough 

 to be seen plainly, and good judgment in the operation is ab- 

 solutely necessfljy. 



The above notes are the same as taken from my garden note- 

 book ; and the only deviations I make from the rules then laid 

 down are, first, I do not practise steaming the pipes after there 

 are leaves on the Vines (I have seen injury arise from its being 

 done when the pipes are too hot, and I consider evaporating 

 pans on the pipes much better) ; and secondly, in the seventh 

 stage, when it is advised to keep the house dry ; I do not now 

 do so. Although I hold with discontinuing to syringe the 

 Vines, I make it a practice to damp the walls and floor of the 

 house. However, this must to a great extent be regulated by 

 the weather. Too much damp will stop the circulation of the 

 poUen, which to bad-setting Grapes is at once a disadvantage. 

 On the other hand, at the blooming stage, when the artificial 

 heat is strong, the absence of moisture is sure to bring on an 

 attack of red spider, which the foliage seldom gets the better 

 of. — Thomas Eeooed. 



ELECTION OP BOSES— LA FRANCE. 



A EOSAKiAN of only six years' standing, although one who 

 has not failed to win his spurs in local touraments, I certainly 

 should not presume to enter an appeal against the judgment 

 of acknowledged authorities like Mr. Cant and Mr. Kadclyffe, 

 did not my very great admiration of La France prompt me to 

 ofi'er a word or two in its defence. Of this Bose Mr. Cant 

 says — " The petals are flimsy. It is often washy and dirty, it 

 is not to be compared with Baroness Eothschild, and the 

 colour being somewhat similar I would never place it in the 

 first twelve." Lovers of La France, what say ye to the in- 

 dictment, guilty or not guilty ? I suppose the warmest ad- 

 vocates of this beautiful Rose wiU, at once, admit that there 

 is some truth in Mr. Cant's first accusation. The petals are 

 just a httle, no, not flimsy, but say they are not quite stout 

 enough. Admitting this " soft impeachment," I aver La France 

 to be in all other I'espects as near perfection as may be. In 

 colour, form, and scent, it is far superior to Baroness Eoths- 

 child. The beautifully recurved petals resemble those of that 

 fine Rose, which when caught at its best is a " thing of beauty " 

 — Prince Camille de Eohan ; but La France is more globular, 

 and infinitely more beautiful in shape than the Prince. 



Mr. Eadclyffe says, La France is a bad foul weather Rose, 

 but with me it does not suffer in this matter more than other 

 Ught EoHcs, such as Miss Ingram, Souvenir de la Malmaison, 

 and " old Glory." Mr. Eadclyffe complains that it does not 

 bloom well with him, and surmises that his place may be too 

 cold and bleak. Against this supposition permit me to say my 

 garden is in the " wUds " of North Yorkshire, nine miles distant 

 from the sea coast, about 500 feet above the sea level, and 

 surrounded by undrained moorland. East winds, or, as they 



