312 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ Cctobw 7, 1678. 



confined to peaty marshes, where its brown-colonred flower- 

 heads rise to the height of a foot or more ; and though not 

 posBcssing the stamp of a flower likely to attract the flower 

 gardener, it is somewhat singular and ornamental. 



Lysimachia nummularia (Creeping Loosestrife). — This plant 

 is now-a-days worked into higher company than it formerly 

 was expected to keep, not nnfrequently being met with in the 

 parterre, and even advanced to the dinntr-tablc. It is a hardy 

 useful plant, and one well adapted for trailing over unsightly 

 objects, or even for training into formal lines, its prostrate 

 habit rendering it available for many purposes. I am not 

 very ture whether the distinctions between this species and 

 L. nemorum are sufficiently conspicuous to prevent their being 

 confounded with each other in cultivation ; both are, however, 

 Britidh plants, and one if not both are plentiful, usually 

 being met with on shady banks by the sides of ditches. It 

 flourishes well amidst the smoke of towns — in fact it is a town 

 plant of the first order of merit. — J. Eobson. 



A VI8IT TO AEKLETON.— No. 2. 



Gkapes are the most popular, and justly so, of all dessert 

 fruits. In quality, appearance, and long season of use they 

 have no rivals. Grape lore is therefore ever interesting to the 

 great community of gardeners and garden lovers. In no 

 branch of gardening are greater efforts made than in perfect- 

 ing the cultivation of the Vine, and in no branch have greater 

 successes been achieved. There are two distinct modes of 

 Grape-growicg, or rather there are two distinct purposes iu 

 view — two different goals to be reached. The one is the pro- 

 duction of a few immense bunches to win triumphs at public 

 exhibitions ; the other is the securing of a large number of 

 medium-sized bunches for everyday table use to win appro- 

 bation at home. In both these phases of culture it is alike 

 honourable to succeed. But although there are those, and 

 they are certainly the majority, who do not require sensa- 

 tional bunches of Grapes, there are very few, if any, who do 

 not desire to know the conditions under which such Grapes 

 are grown, and the treatment which is given to produce them. 

 Especially is this so when it is considered that he who can 

 produce bunches of unnsual size can also, by simply increas- 

 ing the number of bunches on the Vines, obtain bunches of 

 any leeser size that may be required. 



The condition of a Vine to produce extraordinary examples 

 of Grapes must be in the first order of health ; its constitution 

 must be sound, and its food and treatment must be in all 

 points coirect. A Vine in this state will produce superior 

 Grapes, and large or medium-sized bunches according to the 

 number it is permitted to bear. Hence the grower who can 

 produce large can alto produce small bunches, while he who 

 can only pri'duce small bunches cannot perfect larger bunches 

 because his Vines are not in a condition to produce them. In 

 noticing, therefore, the practice of a man who has, as a series, 

 obtained the heaviest Grapes which have probably ever been 

 produced, is to notice a practice which is capable of answering 

 the requirements of all who covet healthy Vines, for, these 

 provided, they can regulate the size of their bunches by the 

 numbers they permit the Vines to carry. That this is sound 

 logic the Aikkton Vines tuificiently attest, for more perfect 

 Grapes of almost every sized bunch, except small, it would be 

 difficult to find than is produced in the vineries of this small 

 but celebrated garden. 



Mr. Dickson grows the following varieties : — Black Ham- 

 burgh, Mill Hill Hamburgh, Golden Hamburgh, Black and 

 White Froutiguan, Black Prince, Mufcat of Alexandria, Archer- 

 field Muscat, Tynningbam Muscat, Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat, 

 Madresfield Court, Lady Downes', and Syrian, adding also the 

 newer varieties as they are introduced. It is not necessary to 

 particularise the condition of each variety, for all are grown to 

 a high state of excellence, and the Vines are cropped the 

 second year, each carrying seven or eight bunches. There 

 were not to be seen a few sensational bunches only, but 

 examples of splendid table quality, alike fine iu berry, colour, 

 and flavour. The Black Hamburgh vaiied from 3 lbs. to 7 and 

 8 lbs., and were worth going a journey to see ; and the crop of 

 Mrs. Pince's Muscat of the same weights is altogether a re- 

 markable one, but too heavy in all probability for the berries 

 to colour perfectly to the stalk. This is a common and per- 

 haps the only fault of this valuable late Grape. 



Wherever Grapes of exceptional excellence have been pro- 

 duced, the first question aiked is, How are the borders made ;' 

 I can tell how the .\rkletoii Vine bord"r8 have been made, and 



in doing bo I fulfil a promise made to Mr. Blackburn on 

 page 121, No. 724, February 11th, 1875. But it is not the 

 borders alone that possess the virtue of producing these wonder- 

 ful Grapes. The border must be considered as only one ele- 

 ment, and be judged in connection with general management 

 and some natural advantages, the latter being the geological 

 formation of the district and the heavy rainfall. The last 

 might be considered a disadvantage by many cultivators, but 

 as read by the light of the first it must be regarded as of great 

 moment. A depth of 5 feet of rain falling from the clouds 

 and soaking the borders would frighten many dry -district 

 gardeners, and induce them to cry out for shutters; but Mr. 

 Dickson, instead of covering the borders to shoot off the rain 

 (which is really CI inchetj, supplements the amount with 

 liquid manure. It is no use anyone shaking his head doubt- 

 fully, for the fact is stated, and in that fact lies one secret by 

 which these wonderful Grapes have been produced. But let 

 me not advise any thoughtless attempts at imitation. It is 

 easy to pour on a Vine border .5 or 6 feet of water, but not so 

 easy to put a gravel bed under it for drainage. But now to the 

 borders. A few and (dain words are only needed to describe 

 them. 



In the first place they rest on several feet of gravel, so that 

 the important condition of perfect drainage is provided by 

 nature. The inside border is 14J feet wide and 3J feet deep ; 

 the outside border is of the same width and the same depth 

 in front, and 2i feet deep at the edge nest the walk. The 

 Vines are planted inside, and have free access to the outside 

 border. The components of the soil are fibry loam of medium 

 texture taken from an old sheep pasture, and to every twelve 

 cartloads of turf were added two cartloads of old lime rub- 

 bish, one cartload of horse droppings, one cartload of char- 

 coal, and 5 cwt. of inch bones. The turf was fresh from the 

 field, mixed well with the other ingredients, and wheeled 

 into the border without lying exposed. That may be taken 

 as a first-rate recipe for a Vine border. It is not necessary to 

 discuss its merits, for the Vines have given their testimony and I 

 shall be silent. I will next briefly notice the inside management. 

 It must be remembered that Vines so strong as are these 

 require a long summer period to mature their wood. Vines 

 which are less vigorous may be started late and grown cool, 

 and the wood will become solidified ; but these require a season 

 both long and waim, and the more so, probably, on account of 

 the many dull days which are a characteristic of Eskdale. 

 j The Vines are started about the end of Febtuary. In the 

 ; first place the border is given a good soaking with warm water 

 j from a cistern in the houses. The temperature of the houses 

 ] is about 45° by night and 50° by day, rising 10° by sun heat; and 

 as soon as the Vines show the first leaf the heat is increased 5* 

 more, and kept gradually rising until the Vines are coming into 

 flower. At that stage the temperature is about 05° by night 

 and 70° by day, rising 10° with sun heat. In the summer 

 Mr. Dickson is not afraid to let the thermometer rise as high 

 as 95° about shutting-up time, say between four and five 

 o'clock, but he would consider such a heat dangerous in 

 the early part of the day. Mr. Hunter's practice of giving air 

 Mr. Dickson quite agrees with — that is, admitting a little air 

 in front instead of at the top or back of houses, which most 

 gardeners are in the habit of doing. He has always found it 

 very difficult to keep up the desired heat at night with top air 

 on, but none whatever with front air. Throughout the whole 

 growing season, unless when it is frosty, or cold cutting winds 

 are blowing, he leaves 1 to 4 inches of air on along the whole 

 front, and whenever the Grapes begin to colour a little air is 

 left on at both front and back by night. 



The border is annually dressed with about 3 inches of turfy 

 loam and inch bones, which tend to keep the roots near the 

 surface. A great number of people are of the opinion that 

 when once they have made a good border it requires no more 

 than a little water. That may do for ordinary Grapes ; but to 

 grow first-class Grapes Mr. Dickson says wo must be liberal 

 with bones and liquid manure. 



During the growing season he gives the borders a good 

 watering with liquid manure taken from a tank in the stable 

 yard. This dose is generally given at three different times 

 before the Grapes begin to show colour, aud as soon as the 

 Grapes are all cut he gives a further good watering, as he 

 thinks it is very unfavourable to the growing of fine bunches 

 to keep the border dry in winter. His opinion is that if good 

 and efficient drainage is provided, and the soil everything that 

 can be desiied, that it would be no easy mutter to give Vines 

 too much water in the growing ^tusou. 



