223 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ March 23, 1876. 



very tender and juicy, with an agreeable acidity and good 

 flavour. 



This is a second-rate deseert Apple, but excellent for kitchen 

 nee from November till February. 



AN OLD BLACK PRINCE VINE. 



I RAISED this Vine from a cutting about forty years since. 

 I Btuck it into the wall border about the centre of out-buildings 

 which front full south. For many years very Uttle notice was 

 taken of it, and the gardener who used to prune it did not 

 understand the art, and desired to have it taken up and the 

 border planted with more profitable fruit trees. 



A gentleman's gardener in the village looked at it and 

 recommended its being cut down to the bottom, as nearly all 

 the fruit spurs had been cut off. I then began to take a greater 

 interest in this Vine, and trained up six canes, and also took 

 lessons on Vine pruning, and for many years had abundance 

 of fruit but unfortunately never quite ripe. 



About .seven years ago I wrote to Mr. Knight of Hampton 



of one size, not more than from four to six on a root, but of 

 excellent quality. I planted again last year from the smallest 

 whole tubers, giving them plenty of room. The crop was 

 better than before, nor have I found a single tuber diseased. 

 Near to these were some of Suttons' Flourballs and also an 

 early kind of Begent, both of which were more or less diseased. 

 We are eating the Victorias now, and better Potatoes I have 

 never seen. In reading so much about other persons' experi- 

 ence I feel compelled to add my mite to the discussion. — 

 J. C, Brentford. 



THE ARRANGEMENTS OF COLOURS 



IN THE BEDS OP THE LONDON PARKS AND GARDENS.— No. 9. 

 Plans for effectively planting round-shaped and oval-shaped 

 beds have been submitted, and we may now usefully refer to 

 other forms. The shape of beds is generally determined by 

 individual taste, some owners preferring simple and others 

 intricate forms. Occasionally, however, the shape of the 

 grass plat and its position suggest the form of bed which is 



Fig. 69.— Bed O. 



Court, asking his advice respecting putting np a glass case. 

 He very kindly gave me great encouragement and much useful 

 information in the management of Vines. Mr. Tillyard, the 

 Earl of Yarborough's gardener at Brocklesby Park, came to 

 look at it and pronounced it a very healthy Vine and recom- 

 mended my putting up the present glass cases, the result of 

 which I send you. 'The first year, 1870, the Vine produced 182 

 bunches; 1871, 390; 1872, 421; 1873, 350; 1874, 428; 1875, 

 501. Total in G years, 2278. All ripened without any arti- 

 ficial heat. The Grapes also keep well in the case. I usually 

 have plenty hanging at Christmas and later. 



This winter I have out oft many of the old spurs, peeling off 

 the loose bark and painting with a compo of soft soap, sulphur, 

 soot, and clay, with a little powdered hellebore root, and wash- 

 ing the back wall with lime and sulphur. Every summer I 

 have thinned very many bunches out, also thinned the fruit 

 in the bunches left, but I think of thinning them more severely 

 next season to have the Grapes larger. The bloom has always 

 been very good, and the foliage is splendid in the autumn. 



The case which only covers the branches (the stem and 

 border are unprotected), is 94 feet long, 4 feet deep, and 

 18 inches from the wall. The stem of the Vine near the bottom 

 is 18 inches in girth. Behind the building is a large drain or 

 sewer, generally a running stream, which I am told is of great 

 advantage to the Vine. — J. E. Kansom, Kirmington, North 

 Lincolnshire. 



ABOUT POTATOES. 

 Two years since I bought some Paterson's Victoria Potatoes 

 for consumption, and selected the smallest for planting. The 

 result was rather a small crop, but all the tubers were nearly 



most appropriate. Bed is a simple yet a favourite-shaped 

 bed, and is particularly suitable to many situations. The 

 following has proved a good mode of arrangement : — 

 BED 0. 



1. Coleus Verschaffeltii splendens. 



2. Centaurea ragusina compacta. — As its name implies it is 

 more compact in habit, and not so coarse towards the end of the 

 summer as C. ragusina. It is propagated by seeds and cuttings. 

 To induce the plants to seed pick out a few of the healthiest 

 plants in spring, pot them in good fibry loam, and let them 

 become potbound, which will cause them to flower more 

 freely. Leave them out of doors in a sunny place, as they do 

 not seed so well under glass. It is a good plan to brush the 

 flowers with a camel-hair brush in the middle of the day to 

 scatter the pollen. The flowers should be kept dry by protec- 

 tion. Most people strike the cuttings in the autumn, but I 

 strike all mine in the spring, and I have good plants by bedding- 

 out time. I take the top and side shoots without disfiguring 

 the plants, and insert the cuttings one in a small pot (thimbles), 

 placing them in bottom heat. A hotbed is best where the 

 cuttings will be close to the glass. They must have a littb 

 air and plenty of light, for if kept close and shaded they will 

 damp- off. If treated in this way they will take root in tea 



days. 



3. Iresine Herbstii.— Its prevailing hue is a deep chocolate 

 brown, and presents when seen against the sun transparent 

 ruby and rose hues, which make it very effective, especially 

 when associated with the silvery foUage of the Centaurea. It 

 is propagated by cuttings struck m spring. The Ist of June 

 is quite soon enough for this plant to be turned out. It can 

 be kept to any uniform height by pinching and pegging. 



