November a7, 1BC6. ) 



JOURNAL OF HOUTIOULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



103 



eye fastened at each end through which the rod passes. There 

 is also a short rod fastened to each ventilator, about midway ; 

 this is made fast to the main opening rod by moans of a set- 

 screw, and a lever at every 40 feet along tho front insido opens 

 a largo number of ventilators at once. This is a very neat and 

 effective contrivance, by which abundance of ail' is admitted to 

 the house, but beforo coming in contact with any plants it has 

 to pass between four rows of four-inch pipes. Altogether I 

 consider that the house is provided with one of the most per- 

 fect arrangements for thorough ventilation which I have ever 

 seen. 



The ends of the house are due east and west, and its area is 

 divided lengthwise by three walks, tho central one is (J feet 

 wide, and those at the sides are of the same width. There is a 

 wooden bench 2 feet wide over the pipes, next to the outside 

 wall, all the way round, and there are two pits 1*2 feet 6 inches 

 wide, one on each side of the central walk. The house is in 

 two divisions only. In the western division there are twenty- 

 two rows of four-inch pipes, twelve for surface heat, and five in 

 each of the pits for bottom heat. Tho former are arranged as 

 follows — four by tho wall on each side of tho house, and two 

 on each side of the central walk. Many oi these are trough- 

 pipes for evaporation. 



The roof is constructed on the rafter system, and is very 

 elegant, although strongly bound together by means of tye 

 rods, and in various ways. The rafters are made of the very 

 best red pine, they are 3J by 2$ inches, and are 1 foot apart. 

 Every fourth rafter is stronger, being 5 inches by 3 inches. 

 There is a truss rod fixed to each of the strong rafters, and 

 such rods arc very neatly managed, iron sockets being let into 

 the rafters, and into them the lrun bolts which keep the truss 

 rods in their places fit ; these are moveable, and when any 

 deflection in the roof takes place during high winds, they will 

 in a great measure prevent the roof from suffering injury from 

 vibration. Hound iron bolts, 1 inch in diameter, at intervals 

 of 7 feet, are passed through all the rafters ; and between these 

 and parallel with them are cast iron angle or T rods, which 

 are screwed to each rafter. To each of the strong rafters there 

 is an iron pillar about 3 inches in diameter, the pillars being 

 placed alternately at about 10 feet apart ; one pillar supports 

 every alternate strong rafter along the central walk, and the 

 rafters that are missed along the central walk are caught by a 

 second row of pillars fixed by the side walk. The same arrange- 

 ment is carried out on each side of the house. On the top of 

 each pillar there is a sort of iron shoe, into which tho rafter 

 fits ; these shoes are about 9 inches long, and have a very 

 neat though strong appearance ; from the pillars there are 

 other tye rods placed transversely, so that the building is very 

 securely braced together, and although there is a large amount 

 of iron used in the construction of the roof, in consequence of 

 its being so nicely fitted and so judiciously placed, the whole 

 presents a very elegant appearance. 



The sides and ends of the house are all permanently fixed 

 with bars of the same dimensions as those with which the roof 

 is built. There is about 3 feet of glass at the sides, in two 

 squares. The whole of the house is glazed with the very best 

 21-oz. sheet glass, from Chance, of Birmingham. 



There are three large tanks in the house, one in the centre, 

 and one at each end. They are 38 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 

 7 feet deep. To each of these there is to be a pump, and a 

 cistern, into which the water will be pumped some hours pre- 

 vious to use. Mr. Meredith is very particular in having the 

 water as nearly as possible of the same temperature as that of 

 the general atmosphere in the house, before watering his Vines 

 with it. The cisterns are all arched over below the level of 

 the floors. The whole of the rain that falls on the roof is con- 

 veyed by means of iron pipes into the tanks, and when we take 

 into consideration the immense quantity of water which three 

 thousand Vines in 11-inch pots will require during their grow- 

 ing season, we can scarcely think the tanks large enough. 



Mr. Meredith built a house of such extraordinary dimen- 

 sions because he felt that he should not be doing his permanent 

 Grape-bearing Vines justice by growing young pot Vines be- 

 neath them. He told me, also, that it was not possible to grow 

 and ripen pot Vines in houses set apart for the growth of Grapes, 

 and as his trade in pot Vines is very extensive, he is naturally 

 anxious to supply his customers with the very best which he 

 can command. He was also anxious to put up a building that 

 would be a credit to his place, and serve as an example of his 

 skill as a horticultural builder. That he has succeeded in doing 

 this will be evident to every one who may have an opportunity 

 of seeing his large house ; and if I had any doubts on the 



matter after I had inspected tho building, they would have 

 been removed by an opinion expressed by an eminent Liver- 

 pool architect, who said. it was the strongest and most elegant 

 structure he had ev#r seen. The heating is also most thoroughly 

 and neatly done. I was amused by Mr. Meredith telling me 

 how he was drawn on from path to path when he was first peg- 

 ging the ground out for the building. There is a well-kept 

 kitchen garden on the south sido of the hon B. This is divided 

 into quarters by walks from north to south. He told me his 

 first idea was to go as far as the second walk; this would have 

 made the building only about 120 feet long. After lingi 

 at this point some little time, consulting his pocket and think- 

 ing it would be a pity if he did not go a little farther, he then 

 stretched his line across to the next path. Here tho final 

 determination was taken to cover the whole of the ground he 

 had staked out. 



On entering the building from the west end, the impression 

 it conveys to the mind is that we have suddenly stepped into a 

 Kentish Hop garden covered with glass, for the endless rows of 

 pot Vines, row after row, remind ono of the Hop vines. Here 

 large numbers of Vines of all tho most approved sorts are to 

 be seen in splendid condition. The canes are, on an average, 

 12 feet high, and each Vine is neatly tied to a stick. The earn B 

 are all most beautifully ripened, are arranged in rows 2 feet 

 apart, and are trained straight up towards the roof. Every 

 leaf has room to grow to its proper dimensions, aud every 

 bird is consequently well matured. The fine current of air, 

 which is admitted to the house by means of the side ventila- 

 tors, after passing between the hot-water pipes, comes in con- 

 tact with the Vines ; it then passes out of the house through 

 the ventilators in the lantern on the roof. By this means 

 there is a constant current of air passing through the Vines 

 night and day ; and if they do not give the greatest satisfaction 

 to all who may be fortunate enough to have them, it will very 

 much astonish me. 1 intend having upwards of a hundred of 

 them for fruiting against the back wall of the vineries I am 

 now altering, and have no doubt I shall be able to give a favour- 

 able report of them next year. There is also a row of magni- 

 ficent Vines placed on the side bench over the pipes. These 

 are trained to the rafters from the front over the side walks, 

 and are continued all the way round the house and across the 

 end. I noticed some extra-strong Vines, upwards of 16 feet 

 long, very stout, and capable of bearing from ten to fifteen fine 

 bunches. 



In the western division of the house, where there are twenty- 

 two rows of pipes, the Vines are forced into rapid growth. 

 They are first propagated in small span-roofed pits, and air 

 then kept in this part of the house until they have maturi 1 

 their growth ; afterwards they are taken into the east or cool 

 end, where they are subjected to the ripening process. Here 

 they have all the air that can possibly be given them ; their 

 supply of moisture at the root and amongst the foliage is als ; 

 limited; and as soon as their leaves turn yellow and begin to 

 drop off they are taken outside, the pots laid down on their sides, 

 and the Vines neatly nailed to the walls of tho different houses 

 on the place. Mr. Meredith thinks it a very great mistake to 

 place Vines in a growing state in the open air for the purpose 

 of ripening them. This is often done where there is a scarcity 

 of room and convenience for the growth of pot Vines. Hence 

 it is that w-e often hear of such Vines not answering tho expec- 

 tations of purchasers. 



I noticed upwards of one thousand canes of the true Ali- 

 cante. This I consider the finest late Black Grape in culti- 

 vation, and I shall more fully describe it in a future communi- 

 cation when I come to the different houses in which I saw it 

 growing. Mr. Meredith is a great advocate for growing Vines 

 in large pots, and he is no doubt quite right ; for if they are 

 grown in small pots the roots soon become matted together, 

 and if the pots are placed on soil or anything into which they 

 can push roots, these very soon come through the bottom, anil 

 when this is the case a large number of the most important 

 roots for sustaining the Vines are sacrificed when the pots are 

 removed. By placing the Vines in the proper-sized pot there 

 is room enough for the plant to mature its roots, which can all 

 be retained in the pot. There need be little fear of the Vines 

 fruiting well in the following season if they are properly treated. 

 They should not in any case be turned out of their pots, but 

 should be fruited in the same pot, and be well fed with stimu- 

 lants in the shape of liquid manure. Their food should, how- 

 ever, be frequently changed : this is a very important point 

 that should not be lost sight of by any one who may contem- 

 plate growing pot Vines successfully." I may be excused for 



