October 21, 1875. ) 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIGULTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



357 



a period of rest ; and of the eame free-blooming character ia 

 H. marginata conspicaa, and its variety snperba, both with 

 white crounds and crimson Btripes, and are of the finest, 

 especially for early flowering. The finest of all for early or 

 winter blooming ia H. robnstam. H. regina), deep red, is fine 

 from its orange and white marking ; reticulata striatifolia is 

 good either as a flowering plant or for its leaves, which have 

 a clear white band down the centre, and these have a grand 

 effect interspersed with Amaryllis blooms for the table, for no 

 flower has given it so fine a setting as its own foliage. Prince 

 of Orange, Graveana, crocea grandiflora, and Cleopatra are 

 useful and much alike ; but of late there has been some grand 

 additions, and these have, of course, " fancy" values. 



The above are all stove plants. They will succeed, it is true, 

 if they are started in a hotbed and continued there until far 

 advanced for flowering, and then removed to a warm green- 

 house, or a house where forcing is carried on. A warm green- 

 house is only another name for a cool stove. I am told the 

 H. vittata and varieties may be grown planted at the foot of 

 a south wall, protected with litter in severe weather. It would 

 be interesting to know if this has been practised in England 

 and where. 



If dry pot the bulbs in fibrous yellow loam three parts, 

 one part each leaf soil and old cow dung, and a sixth of sand, 

 and good drainage. This may be done in January, and the 

 pots should be placed in a light position without water until 

 the bulbs begin to grow — the scapes appearing first or simul- 

 taneous with the leaves — water then should be gradually 

 given, increasing the supply with the growth. If the pots are 

 placed in a bottom heat of 70° to 75' it will facilitate the 

 growth of roots, and is a desirable method of treating bulbs 

 which have been dried. The temperature should not be less 

 from fire heat than 55° at night and 60° day, and 15° rise from 

 Bun heat ; but the usual stove temperature after January — 

 i.e., 65° to G0° night, 70° to 75° day, and higher in bright weather 

 ia more suitable ; in fact, stove treatment is neeeseary, and if 

 this be not afforded start the plants in a hotbed, removing them 

 to a warm greenhouse when advanced for flowering. After 

 flowering keep them well but not overwatered, and in aU their 

 stages they require to be near the glass and have all the light 

 practicable with moderate ventilation. In June, especially 

 if the plants cannot be kept near the glass, they may, the 

 flowering being over, be placed in a cold pit, and that will 

 be a stove by early closing and admitting air judiciously. In 

 this position the plants wUl be the better from gentle showers, 

 and by the middle of August they will need maturing treat- 

 ment, water to be given only to prevent flagging, removing 

 early in September to shelves in the stove, where they will 

 speedily mature. No water then to be given, the moisture of 

 the house will be ample to prevent flagging of the foliage. 

 If the leaves die-olY, as the present race do, a light damping 

 of the pots occaBionally from a syringe will prevent loss of 

 roots, and if these are maintained sound there is no need 

 of bottom heat at starting ; but if the roots are lost from 

 overdrying the bottom heat is a necessity for speedy rooting 

 and vigorous flowering. The most favourable time to repot 

 is when the maximum of growth is reached, taking care not 

 to break the ball, picking-out the soil from amongst the roots, 

 removing the surface, and placing fresh soil at the bottom 

 of the pots, the plants then may be returned, with some 

 fresh soil aU around, pressing it firmly. A good watering to 

 follow the potting, and gentle sprinkling overhead two or 

 three times a-day, with a close atmosphere, and slight shade 

 if the weather be bright will enable the plants speedily to re- 

 cover the potting, and plants so treated will give flowers very 

 superior. Shade ia not needed for these plants, except those 

 of weak growth, which cannot stand the sun, and such should 

 have slight shade, and a warmer and moiater atmosphere. 

 — G. Abdet. 



CARRION FOR VINE BORDERS. 

 The other morning my employer came tome and said, " We 

 have a cow dead, and I want it buried in the Vine border. Is 

 it not a good thing for the Vine roots ? A gardener told me 

 that it was, and that Vine roots would go half a mile to it." 

 I gave him, as my reason for objecting, my opinion that Vine 

 roots do not readily penetrate a mass of putrid matter, if they 

 penetrate it at all, and that it is an unnatural element for Vine 

 roots ; but still, I added, " the place ia yours, not mine, and I 

 will obey your orders." " No," said he, " your reasoning is 

 conclusive, and I give np my theory to your practice." 



I know that years ago there was much said in tome quarters 

 in favour of carrion for Vines to luxuriate in, but I never 

 believed in it, nor do I now, but I would ask whether you think 

 I am right or wrong in the matter. I am open to conviction, 

 and it you choose to lay the matter before the readers of " our 

 Journal" I should esteem it a favour to have the opinion of 

 any of our practical men through the medium of ita columns, 

 as Grape-growing is weU to the front at the present time. — 

 InyuiEEB. 



GRAPES AT THE EDINBURGH SHOW. 



I HAVE been very much interested in reading the discussion 

 respecting the merits of the two large bunches of Grapes 

 which were exhibited at the Edinburgh Show. Mr. Dickson's 

 letter clears up matters considerably, and explains why his 

 bunch appeared tarnished. It certainly does seem very strange 

 that Mr. Dickson should have been excluded while so many 

 others were allowed to witness the process of weighing ; and 

 the feelings of Mr. Dickson may more easily be imagined than 

 described when he saw the bunch of Grapes which had cost 

 him so many months of anxious care defaced almost beyond 

 recognition, and that before the public had an opportunity of 

 inspecting his production. I consider Mr. Dickson ia entitled 

 to the sympathy of all lovers of fair play. 



I trust the suggestion of your able correspondent, " J. W.," 

 in his description of Arkleton, that some token of respect for 

 such distinguished ability would be fittingly bestowed upon the 

 man who has accomplished such wonders in Grape-growing 

 may not be allowed to lie dormant, but that a committee may 

 be appointed to carry out the project, and to whom I will 

 gladly give my mite. 



With respect to Mr. Dickson's query. What constitutes a 

 bunch of Grapes ? my own opinion is that a bunch of Grapes 

 must proceed from one stem, and that two or more stems pro- 

 ceeding from a Vine shoot, however close together, must be 

 considered as two or more bunches of Grapes. — A. K. 



Aa an outsider in the discussion going on of weighty Grapes 

 you will, perhaps, allow me to suggest that in future it would 

 be wise to give permission to exhibitors of weighty Grapes to 

 assist and scrutinise at the weighing. If this were allowed, 

 and a set time appointed for ita performance with the Judges 

 by the Secretary, much annoyance, heart-burnings, and mis- 

 nnderstanding would be prevented. — Heney EInight, Floors. 



After what has been stated it ia incumbent on the managers 

 of the late Show to atate officially whether the Judges care- 

 fully examined the bunches before weighing them, and were 

 cognisant of the particular formation of each bunch before they 

 awarded the prize ? It the awards were made after examina- 

 tion, and with a full knowledge of the state of each bunch, 

 then the matter is settled so far as regards this Show. But if 

 this examination was not made, and any peculiarities were from 

 any cause overlooked, then it is beyond all doubt the duty of 

 the Committee to thoroughly investigate the case. This may 

 be unpleasant, but it is nevertheless a duty, and on that ac- 

 count they must do it, both for the honour of Edinburgh and 

 in deference to the opinion of a world of Grape-growers. I 

 write not as a partisan. I care not who obtains the prize, but 

 I do care to know if the bunches of Grapea which have recently 

 startled the world are really what we expect them to be — viz., 

 fair single bunches, and not accidental monstrosities. 



Mr. Dickson has plainly told us that Mr. Curror'a bunch 

 waa " two bunches," and atates that he holds testimony to 

 that effect. I ask him to produce that testimony. — An English 

 Gkape-Gboweb. 



Has not the time come when the question as to what is a 

 bunch of Grapes should be authoritatively settled ? Surely this 

 should no longer be an undecided question, and yet it ia a 

 question — though apparently simple — not easy to answer. One 

 good Grape-grower and judge says, "A bunch to be beyond 

 dispute (and this he considers a vital point) should have a 

 smooth and perfectly round stem, showing no signs of a cica- 

 trix such as the union of two bunches might be expected to 

 show, whether caused naturally or artificially." Another says, 

 " Provided a bunch comes from a single eye, no matter what 

 the form of its stem, it is one bunch and one only." Now 

 which of these two definitions is right ? There is this to be 

 said on the part of the former — that it cannot be wrong. As 

 is well known, a cane will burst two eyes, and the stems and 



