492 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTDRE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ Jane 24, 1875. 



glad to see Mr. Luckhurst treat of this fine Grape in, as I believe, 

 so sound a manner. 



I think I am right in regarding Mr. Abbey's success as an 

 exceptional circumBtauce, and not to be laid down as a rule, 

 that Gros Guillaume is as free as other varieties of Grapes 

 under the ordinary system of culture. A locil example or two 

 of success does not in my opinion prove this Grape to be a 

 prolific and generally free bearer any more than Mr. Hunter's 

 honourable triumph proves that a general characteristic of the 

 Black Hamburgh is the production of Brobdignagian bunches. 

 I am glad the subject has cropped-up, especially if it results in 

 a good Grape bemg better grown, as I think it might, by a 

 relaxation of the orthodox rule of hard close pruning. — A 



NOEIHERN GaEDENER. 



FOBGET-ME-NOTS FOR SPRING GARDENING. 



Veet common is it for cultivators and admiring on-lookers 

 to descant on the merits of these charming spring flowers 

 when the beds and borders are made gay with them in their 

 blooming period. When it is seen how effective they are many 

 owners of gardens who have them not decide upon procuring 

 them. That is one period when we hear much of the merits 

 of Forget-me-nots, and the next period is in the autumn when 

 summer flowers are waning, and when something must be 

 found to take their place. But between these two periods these 

 beautiful hardy spring flowers are seldom noticed ; probably 

 because summer flowers then absorb attention. Tet the period 

 when Forget-me-nots are not to be seen — just after they have 

 done their work and the plants are removed from the beds — is 

 the most important of all times at which to direct attention 

 to the usefulness of this attractive family of plants. 



To enjoy them in fullest beauty in the early months of 

 spring we must commence our preparations at midsummer. 

 Because this is a busy period attention to these plants is too 

 often postponed — preparations are commenced too late, and 

 the plants are small in the autumn, and the bloom in the beds 

 in the spring both late and unsatisfying. 



If the seed is sown late the bloom is both late and weakly, 

 and this is the position of, perhaps, nine-tenths of those who 

 attempt to grow Forget-me-nots. Even in gardens where 

 spring flowers are really desired and are specially welcomed, the 

 practice is common to dib-in small plants from seed which had 

 been sown late, and which is not doing justice to the plants 

 themselves, and is also calculated to bring spring gardening 

 into disrepute. 



The few who grow these plants in the finest perfection in 

 the spring are at the present time sowing the seed or dividing 

 the plants. It is only by sowing the seed now that good plants 

 can be had in the autumn of a size sufficient to produce an 

 early and a fine display in the spring. Instead of the small 

 seedUngs which are set with the dibber we must have dense 

 stocky plants G inches in diameter, and which will take up 

 with a ball that can hardly be crammed into a 5inch pot. 

 Those are the plants to satisfy either for indoor or outdoor 

 decoration. It is impossible to have them by the too com- 

 mon mode of seed- sowing in August. Such plants can be had 

 by sowing the seed at the present time. 



Take, for instance, the Myosotis dissitiflora, and what have 

 we more attractive for indoor decoration in February and 

 March, and for garden decoration in April and May, than 

 well-grown plants of this fine Forget-me-not ? Hardly any- 

 thing can be more charming ; but late-sown and weakly-grown 

 plants are always disappointing. Whether M. arvensis, M. syl- 

 vatica with their white varieties are used, or the best of all the 

 blues, M. dissitiflora, the seed must be sown at the present 

 time. A moist shady border is the best place where to sow 

 the seed and also to prick out the plants to grow on until they 

 are required for the beds. 



A portion of these plants if potted and brought on in a 

 light greenhouse will make a beautiful display in the early 

 days of spring. Plants which have bloomed may also be cut 

 down and divided. If in a moist place they grow rapidly, and 

 should be again divided towards the autumn, for very large 

 plants do not flower well, as the central crowns are apt to be 

 weak. But whether by root-division or by seed, it is an easy 

 matter for all who choose to do so to have a supply of these 

 charming spring-flowering plants in the best condition, pro- 

 viding the work of preparation is commenced at once. 



Seed-sowing ia .Tune, a cool place for growth in summer, with 

 room for each plant to develcpe itself and an abundance of 

 water at all times, and especially as the flowering period ap- 



proaches, are the principal requirements to have Forget-me- 

 nots in perfection. — J., Clapliam. 



LATE-KEEPING GRAPES. 



I HAVE now growing in one house three varieties of lata 

 Grapes, two Vines of Black Alicante, four of Lady Downe's 

 Seedling, and two of Mrs. Pince's Muscat. At this time (June 

 ICth), Lady Downe's Seedling is scalding very much and has 

 small bunches. The Black Alicante has very fine bunches, 

 and to all appearance are likely to be a very fine crop, but they 

 have not a good flavour when ripe, being washy and soft. 

 Mrs. Pince has the finest bunches and has set the berries as 

 freely as a Black Hamburgh. The berries are very fine. I 

 find that to bring it to a good colour it is necessary to use 

 some heat in the spring and to have it ripe before the autumn. 

 As for flavour, neither Lady Downe's Seedling nor the Black 

 Alicante are nearly so good. 



I should recommend anyone making a new border to use 

 plenty of bones, charcoal, and some rich turf mixed with lime 

 rubbish and broken bricks. A border 18 feet wide, I should 

 give feet furthest from the roots plenty of good spit manure, 

 let it lie a twelvemonth, and then turn it over and give the 

 border a good dressing. The roots the second year will find 

 the benefit of it. This I have done, and find it to produce 

 fine healthy canes. 



I find the Grapes of Mrs. Pince keep the best of the three. 

 ~T. L. 



THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Peemit me through the columns of your Journal to point 

 out to those of your readers who are Fellows of the Koyal 

 Horticultural Society, the baneful effect of the Parthian shot 

 of Lord Bury at the last adjourned general meeting of the 

 Society. If Lord Bury's reiterated recommendation to divide 

 the Society into South Kensingtonians and horticulturists be 

 carried out, then this Eoyal Society will soon dwindle down 

 into utter insignificance. One reason why the horticulturists 

 consented to occupy the South Kensington ground was be- 

 cause Chiswick had been found too far from town, and now 

 the advice is to go back to a place that has been reduced 

 one-half its size, and that half the most attractive one. 

 Another and a special reason for coming to the present site 

 was to afford an opportunity to a much larger number of 

 people to take an interest in horticulture as a science, instead 

 of being mere lovers of flowers. As no learned society can be 

 supported by its scientific members alone, it becomes necessary 

 to attract as well as instruct the unscientific public, and for 

 our science no spot could be better suited than South Ken- 

 sington ; but if these beautiful gardens are to become a mere 

 square and nursery for the surrounding houses, then as one of 

 the public I say the Koyal Commissioners would not be jus- 

 tified in retaining so valuable a building site for such a pur- 

 pose, and I should consider it my duty to instruct the members 

 for the county to inquire why such property should not be 

 applied to scientific purposes, and so benefit the whole of the 

 people instead of a few. 



Had we a good and an organising brain at the head, this 

 science of horticulture, which is most useful to mankind, would 

 very soon find itself in a most flourishing position ; for not 

 only would it be well supported by the London world, but 

 Fellows out of every town and county would come forward to 

 help our well-loved science, and £20,000 a-year would be more 

 easily raised than the present income of £GO0O. — A Codntbt 

 Fellow and an Amatede Hoeticcltubist. 



POROUS GARDEN POTS. 



I ventuee to detail a few items of my experience, having 

 used porous pots for a considerable time for greenhouse plants 

 from the thumb-pot up to the 12-inch. They are so porous 

 that before potting I put them into water to saturate them if 

 they have not been used before or have been stored some 

 time. -After being washed clean I find I can grow any green- 

 house plant in them tolerably well. Fuchsia and Geranium 

 leaves large and healthy, trusses good. Balsams and Tomatoes 

 most splendid in '.(-inch pots. Indian Corn from 10 to 12 feet 

 high in O-inch pots, with beautiful corn cobs. Hyacinths, 

 Tulips, Ixias, and Liliums, Khododendrons, Azaleas, &c. — in 

 fact, anything I put into them seems to thrive. 



My idea of a porous pot is that when a plant in it is watered 

 the "pot absorbs much of the water and gives it out again, 



