328 



JOUENAL OF EOBT1C0LTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ AprU 23, 1874. 



ten of them. It has now brought into sight about six or eight 

 of its beautiful pitchers ; some of them are three-parts grown, 

 and some are less. It has divided itself into two sterus. In 

 summer I generally take off the bell-glass altogether, except 

 when the night air is rather cold ; and in very fine weather I 

 turned the top of the hand-glass, so that through the angles 

 the air had full access to the plant. 



" In this bog all last winter were also the following plants : — 



DioDa'a muscipula Paraassia carolmiaua 

 Sarract'iiia flava palustris 



Drnmmoudii Lycopocliura cLrcinatum 

 ailimca helveticum 



Lj'copodium caodatum 

 ludovicianum 

 tlenticulatum 

 Selago, &c." 



GRAPE VINE CULTUEE FOR SMALL GARDENS. 



Ko. 3. 



It has been shown that the first year of a Vine's existence 

 in its permanent ijuarters should bo devoted to its establish- 

 ment therein, to effect which a rude, robust, even wild growth 

 is encouraged. In the second year pruning and training are 

 applied to it, its energies are concentrated, and its entire 

 economy is turned to the formation of a stout fruiting cane. 

 This is done by reducing the whole of the first season's growth 

 to a single stem, which is also shortened to within a foot or 

 two of the bottom of the trellis. When growth again begins, 

 the single stem or rod is only suffered to grow to the required 

 length, the tip being then piuched-off ; this induces lateral 

 growth or side shoots, at the base of which upon the rod itself 

 the buds are formed for the production of the first crop of fruit 

 in the ensuing season. All the side growth is kept piuched- 

 off at the first or second joint ; and as sub-laterals are con- 

 stantly pushing forth throughout the season of growth, con- 

 stant attention must be given to this pinching, in order to 

 ■restrain all tendency to wildness, and to admit abundance of 

 light and air to the leaves of the fruit buds. Let this be 

 clearly understood. At the base of each leaf is a bud con- 

 taining the germ of another season's growth, and the vigour 

 and production of that growth wUl depend very much upon 

 how it has been nourished by the sap which was elaborated iu 

 its own particular leaf. It is, therefore, obvious that the leaves 

 of the buds upon which our hopes depend for the production 

 of a future crop of fruit are worthy of particular care, and all 

 growth tending to crowd or much shade them should promptly 

 be removed. I should like to add more concerning the phi- 

 losophy of this important part of Vine culture, were it not 

 that I am anxious to confine these papers to a brief yet clear 

 explanation of ordinary details. 



At the end of this, the secorfd season, if all has gone well, 

 each Vine will have developed one good fruiting cane, firm iu 

 texture, of a brown ripened appearance, and with its sides 

 bristling with plump buds as large as a common hazel nut. 

 The only pruning then necessary consists in the removal of 

 the lateral growth, and as this is done the canes are taken 

 down and tied together along the bottom of the trellis, where 

 they remain till the buds start into growth. The smooth bark 

 will require no dressing of any kind, only see that the vinery 

 itself is as clean in every part as soap and water can make it, 

 and that the soil about the roots in the interior border is 

 sufficiently moist. The reason's work is then completed. 



With the third or fruiting year comes the time of trial, the 

 quality and finish of the fruit being very justly considered the 

 best test of the degree of skilful culture which has been 

 applied to its production. In starting the Vines maintain a 

 low but steady temperature, never exceeding io' by night for 

 the first fortnight, and never much below it ; then, by gradu- 

 ally advancing with the growth, a temperature of 5o" will be 

 reached by about the end of the first month, and so onwards 

 till by the time the Vines are in flower a maximum of 70° will 

 prevail, and be steadily continued till the crop is fully ripe. 

 The most critical time with regard to temperature is during 

 the period of flowering, more especially if the weather proves 

 wet, dull, and cold ; it is then very advisable to daily examine 

 the condition of the bunches, and if but little pollen is per- 

 ceptible, to raise the heat 4° or 5" in order to promote a 

 free, quick circulation of the air among them. 'This state- 

 ment of degrees or scale of progress is applicable to the work 

 whether early forcing is practised or not. In the latter case, 

 by watchfulness and care solar heat may bo so economised 

 that but little fire heat will be necessary. With a free circu- 

 lation of air 100= of solar heat will d"o no harm, but great 

 extremes of heat derived from an artificial source are as hurt- 

 ful as they are wasteful, and it is far better to regard the heat- 



ing apparatus of a small vinery as a safeguard against the 

 extreme fluctuations of temperature that occur in an ungenial 

 season than as the principal source of heat. 



The effect of moisture upon the actual growth of a Vino or 

 in. the development of its fruit, is very important, and is, I 

 think, far from being clearly understood either in its appli- 

 cation to tho roots or branches. Given a well-made, well- 

 drained border which, whUe it is firm even to hardness, is yet 

 so porous that superfluous moisture will never remain in it, 

 it is hardly possible to overwater the Vines, especially when 

 tlie fruit is swelling. In a dry season I have very success- 

 fully given the borders a thorough soaking of water slightly 

 dDuted with clarified liquid manure twice a-week, and to show 

 how thoroughly this is done, I may add that the sole rule for 

 the guidance of the men is to pour on the liquid till a full 

 strong flow is seen to issue from the main drain. The narrow 

 interior border shown in the diagram at page 215 affords the 

 greatest facility for this operation. The space from the surface 

 of the soil to the top of the walls being flooded, and the water 

 passing downwards under the arches to the outer border, it is 

 distributed to the whole of the roots with the greatest ex- 

 pedition and certainty, and without any of the vexatious waste 

 of time and water that is usually experienced when the water 

 is poured upon a sloping surface. By converting the water 

 into a mild form of manure all risk is avoided of reducing the 

 border to a poor, inert, washed-out mass of earth, and it un- 

 doubtedly acts as a healthy, wholesome stimulant to the Vines. 

 The canes are freely syringed till the foliage expands, but not 

 so much afterwards, the vapour rising from the damp floor, 

 border, walls, and evaporating-trays being usually sufficient to 

 promote health and keep down insects. Excessive moisture 

 must be avoided on dull days, but in bright sunny weather 

 there cannot be too much with a free circulation of air. It 

 has been justly said that the Vines which are constantly sub- 

 jected to an extremely warm moisture-laden atmosphere pro- 

 duce foliage of a thin flimsy texture, and to this I venture to 

 add a somewhat trite though very forcible axiom, "Avoid 

 extremes " in Vine culture as in all other things. — Edwaed 



LncKHDKST. 



AURICULAS. 



I mi(;ht have written oftener about my old favourite the 

 Aui-icula, but that I feared from its exceeding great scarcity it 

 could hardly form a subject of anything like wide interest. 

 However, there is evidence more and more that many have a 

 deep admiration for this spring flower who do not grow it, and 

 not a few are taking it up according as it slowly becomes 

 accessible. Here the iron rule bends and breaks, that " de- 

 maud creates supply." It cannot always. The Auricula, along 

 with many another worthy flower both of the botanist and the 

 florist, has been cruelly neglected, and few plants can more 

 signally reprove neglect than this. There is no working it 

 round to speedy abundance to meet a mere whim of fashion. 

 Eut though I hope the Auricula will come to be well known 

 and appreciated, I trust it will never become "fashionable." 

 I am always very sorry for a fashionable flower. It does not, 

 as such, win one's heart. It is Uke a passing face in a gay 

 crowd. It is there to make an effect and a sensation, nothing 

 more. I know the favour it basks iu is a fickle thing. I feel 

 it is subject to that mysterious principle on which all fashions 

 change — to the action of that law of taste and fancy which, 

 i.ri., has "worked-oft'" the majestic bonnet as Mrs. Gamp 

 know it, and brought about that light and elegant fantasy 

 which now, like a tiorescent calyx, holds the corolla of a pretty 

 face. The Auricula, like other florists' flowers grown for the 

 intrinsic charms and beauties of each blossom and each petal, 

 has hitherto existed and probably ever wiU exist only with a 

 few, those to whom the bloom of a plant, although much and 

 the chief reward, is not all the interest it has for them, who 

 can enjoy growing it the year round, and with whom the 

 garden is subservient to the plants, and not the plants a mere 

 adornment for a plot of ground that has to be made gay with 

 some soit of flowers in a conventional way. 



I am glad of the present opportunity to inform those who 

 are interested in the Auricula that what may be expected to be 

 a very good show of them wUl be held in conjunction with the 

 next show of the Manchester Botanical Society, to be held in the 

 Town Hall, King Street, on Tuesday, April 28th. The hearty 

 thanks of florists are due to the Botanical Council, who not 

 only have shown favour to the Auricula, whose early English 

 home was Lancashire, but who have also promised to support 



