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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 27, 1866. 



roots are fixed, layer by layer whorl-fashion, and are all sur- J 

 rounded by a substance favouring their growth — a good result 

 may then be looked for ; but if the roots are thrust into a hole 

 without being spread out, and when entangled in a cluster 

 rough clods as large as cricket-balls are thrown against them, 

 the young trees can hardly be expected to succeed, much less 

 flourish. Of course, in planting, the proper position of the 

 plant should be regarded, and if the ground be dry, or only 

 moderately wet, tread it in a little ; but if very wet it is better 

 not to do so, unless the season of planting is the early part of 

 winter and high winds are likely to disturb the plant, in which 

 case a gentle treading will be advisable ; for frosts will most 

 likely restore the soil to that healthy friable condition which 

 treading when wet has a tendency to destroy. 



The transplanting of small shrubs or trees that maybe taken 

 up easily with a ball is readily effected, as it is only a matter 

 of labour. Those plants which remove in this condition are 

 the most certain of all to succeed. For instance, Rhododen- 

 drons, unless transplanted in the midst of the growing season, 

 seldom fail ; in fact, the changes to which they are subjected, 

 unless radically wrong, seldom prevent their thriving where 

 most other plants would fail. Nevertheless, the Rhododendron 

 has its favourite soil, and I saw a good example not long ago of 

 the vitality of this plant, and its endurance undercircumstances 

 of great disadvantage. Home plants with balls not larger than 

 might rill a half-gallon measure, or a little more, were planted 

 in stations prepared for them : holes much larger than they 

 required were made, and filled with a prepared mixture expected 

 to suit them, about half a barrowful or more was afforded to 

 each plant, but in this material they would not strike root, and 

 a starved unhealthy look was the consequence. In some cases, 

 however, the ball had come in contact with the natural soil, 

 and the plants sent their roots into it in quest of food, but the 

 greater portion, having their roots confined to the offending 

 material, would not grow more than an inch or two, and yet 

 very few of them died, for their own ball supported them for 

 upwards of three years. 



Of the plants which endure transplanting best, it will gene- 

 rally be found that the individual specimens which have only 

 recently been removed are the best fitted for a repetition of the 

 operation. Seedling Yews or Hollies taken up from a forest 

 when 3 feet high, or more, are not likely to endure the ordeal 

 when they are removed at once to an exposed place, while I 

 have planted both with perfect success when they had been 

 under cultivation, and been subjected to transplanting before. 

 It is often thought that Portugal Laurels, Hollies, and the Ever- 

 green Oak are difficult to remove, and the latter especially so, 

 .but I cannot say that I have had much experience with it ; but 

 I am told that late in spring, as late as May, is the best time. 

 The other two do not succeed ill if transplanted in the autumn, 

 other conditions than the season seeming to exercise an in- 

 fluence on them ; but care should be taken if they are planted 

 in midwinter, or when the soil is wet, that it be made firm 

 when it becomes dry again, as the action of the air on the roots 

 must be very prejudicial to them. All plants which remove 

 badly ought to be transplanted when in a small state. The 

 hardiness of the plant affords no assurance of its transplanting 

 well, for I know of nothing in which success is more precarious 

 than in planting Furze and Broom, both natives of our wastes. 

 The wild Juniper is also difficult to remove with success, and, 

 iu fact, most trees self-sown, and standing a number of years 

 in the same place, seldom transplant well; of course, some do 

 better than others. Those, as above stated, which lift with 

 good halls are the best, but even in this case much depends on 

 the care bestowed on them. — J. Robson. 



the employer or proprietor, as most gardeners of standing, 

 though they might sometimes send to friends or neighbours 

 a basket of plants which they wanted, and without receiving at 

 that time anything in return, would expect if they did want 

 anything that they would be treated in the same way. After a 

 somewhat long experience, we have met with no such gardeners 

 as those alluded to, who did not in all such matters study their 

 employers' interests as much as if the plants were actually 

 their own — nay, more so. Although, however, the practice has 

 long existed, it is not " a generally understood thing," so as to 

 approach to being a law, rule, or regulation. No gardener, if 

 he act prudently, would give away a cutting or a plant to any 

 one without having a general understanding with his employer 

 to that effect ; and every employer, without anything like im- 

 plied harshness or narrow-mindedness, may decide that no cut- 

 ting or plant shall ever leave his premises without his direct 

 orders or sanction obtained for each separate act of such neigh- 

 bourly generosity. In such a case, however, the gardener, if 

 he have any true pride abont him, will never have a plant in 

 the place that his employer has not bought or directly or in- 

 directly paid for ; and, after all, that is often the cheapest way 

 to have plants. The best rule for employers and gardeners is, 

 not to leave any such matter in doubt, but to have a clear under- 

 standing on the subject ; and as our correspondent is not only 

 anxious to know if any rule exists on this matter, but is also 

 anxious to give no offence by the question, we recommend him 

 to point out this answer to his gardener, and then tell him how 

 in such matters he would wish him to act.] 



GARDENERS GIVING AND EXCHANGING 

 PLANTS. 



Is it a generally acknowledged and understood thing that 

 gardeners have leave to give away their employers' plants, with- 

 out first obtaining their permission to do so ? and is a sentleman 

 justified in receiving a plant from a gardener without the 

 knowledge of the owner ? Sometimes plants may be given away 

 without a reasonable probability of ever receiving anything in 

 exchange. To ask the question of " leave " of some gardeners 

 might offend them. How ought one to do ? — Meum ei Tudm. 



[The custom of exchanging cuttings, &c, to a certain extent 

 prevails with our very best gardeners, and in general it serves 

 two purposes — it keeps up a friendly feeling among gardeners, 

 and it also to a certain extent contributes to the interests of 



THE GARSTON VINEYARD. 



Mr. Meredith's extraordinary success as a Grape-grower 

 has made his nnme well known in every part of the globe 

 where the horticultural publications of this country are circu- 

 lated, and many continental horticulturists have had oppor- 

 tunities of seeing and admiring his fine examples of well- 

 oultivated Grapes in their own countries. To many who have 

 not had an opportunity of seeing the Garston Vineyard, and 

 who have so often read descriptions of the Grapes exhibited by 

 Mr. Meredith at the London, Edinburgh, continental, and 

 other horticultural exhibitions, a description of what I saw 

 during a recent visit will be of some interest. Mine, however, 

 will be but a feeble attempt, for it would require an able 

 writer to convey an adequate idea of what is to be seen at this 

 most interesting establishment. 



The Vineyard is pleasantly situated on the main road from 

 Liverpool to Speke and Hale. From the front of the dwelling- 

 house, on the n«rth side of the ground, a fine view is obtained 

 of the River Mersey, which is distant about one mile. A rail- 

 way passes through a portion of the grounds, by which passengers 

 may be conveyed from stations on the London and North- 

 western Railway, vii) Warrington, to Garston, and from the 

 Liverpool Docks ; there are also omnibuses frequently running 

 from the Exchange at Liverpool to Garston, and it is a very 

 cheap and pleasant ride on a fine day. From the roof of the 

 omnibus frequent glimpses of the Mersey may be gained, and 

 these, with the constant succession of well-kept gardens which 

 are seen on passing along the road, make the forty-minutes 

 rido from Liverpool to Garston very interesting. 



Before giving a general account of the establishment, I must 

 first describe, as well as I can, the immense structure for the 

 growth of young Vines, to which I referred at page 289. This 

 hctise, from its magnificent appearance and extraordinary 

 dimensions, first attracted my attention. It was only begun 

 last March, and by the end of Julv upwards of three thousand 

 pot Vines were placed in it. The following are its dimen- 

 sions :— Length, 202 feet; breadth, -11 feet 6 inches; height 

 from the centre walk to the ridge of the roof, about 20 feet. 

 The roof is a span, and along its whole length there is a lantern 

 about 3 feet wide and 2 feet 6 inches in height above the roof, 

 and the sides of the lantern are made to open by means of a 

 spindle and chain from the centre path inside. The ventilators 

 on the south side of the lantern are opened by pulling the lever 

 on the north side of the walk, that on north side from south, 

 and the machinery for opening the ventilators is so nicely 

 fitted that a child might open them with ease. There is 

 another range of ventilators along the walls on each side of 

 the building; these are placed 2 feet apart, and are 18 inches 

 by '.) inches ; they are also opened by machinery. There is an 

 iron rod 1 inch in diameter, which is fixed to the wall, 

 parallel with the top edge of the ventilator, and there is an 



