166 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



VIT 



the sap after anj' ordiuar^' pruning can no 

 more hurt the Vine than the blood flowing 

 from a pin scratch would weaken a healthy 

 man. This method of covering up the Grape- 

 vine is not commonly practiced, but we are 

 satislied that in exposed positions it is well 

 worth tlie trouble. I have practiced it with 

 Vines now over twenty years old, embracing 

 some twenty varieties. My soil is a stiti"clay, 

 very unsuitable for the Grape ; yet these 

 Vines have kept clear of mildew when my 

 neighbor's Vines, a few hundred yards off, 

 have been seriously injured by it. I have 

 long believed that intense cold is hurtful to 

 even such plants as we call hardy, but the 

 wonderful vigor of these old Vines seems 

 good evidence of the advantage of our method 

 of treatment. The litter used iu cover' ng 

 (which has become well rotted by spring) is 

 . spread over the border, acting both as a sum- 

 mer mulch and fertilizer. 



Diseases. The Mildew and Black Rot are 

 diseases which most affect the success of 

 grape cultui-e in this coimtry. For the for- 

 mer sulphur is the best remedy, applied while 

 the leaves are wet. On a large scale it is ap- 

 plied by a bellows made for the purpose. 

 Experiments maile during the past few j'ears 

 with preparations of c-opper-sulphate for the 

 prevention of Mildew have seemed to indicate 

 that these mixtures were also antidotes for 

 Black Rot. The preparation considered the 

 best is what is known as the Bordeaux mixt- 

 ure. (See Insecticides.) This mixture should 

 be sprayed on the vines at intervals of ten 

 days to two weeks during the summer. This 

 can be done with any of the force-pumps w'ith 

 a nozzle that delivers the liquid in the form 

 of mist. Many enclose the best clusters of 

 all their grapes in paper bags to preserve 

 them from the spores of the Black Rot, and 

 state that it is very efficacuous. These spores 

 are invisible to the naked eye, but they float 

 about in the air, and lodging on the skin of 

 the grape, are ready to germinate under fa- 

 vorable conditions of moisture and tempera- 

 ture. To prevent their coming in contact 

 with the grapes, the clusters are enclosed in 

 paper bags, the mouth reaching over the cane, 

 folded and secured with a pin. This method 

 also secures the fruit from the attacks of 

 bees, wasps, etc., which ai'e often very de- 

 structive. 



Varieties. There are so many really good 

 varieties now in cultivation, many of them 

 succeeding better in some localities than in 

 others, that it is difficult to make a selection 

 of a few of the best sorts. For hardiness, 

 delicious flavor and size of fruit we consider 

 the following the best in their respective col- 

 ors. (For description see nursery catalogues.) 



White. Niagara, Moore's Diamond, Sa- 

 lem, Martha and Duchess. Red. — Brighton, 

 Delaware, Agawam (Rodgers' No. 15) and 

 Wyomi-ng Red. Black. — Worden, Moore's 

 Early, Concord, Merrimac and Wilder (Rod- 

 gers' No. 9). 



The varieties named in this list have been 

 selected with a view to have fruit in succes- 

 sion from August to October, and, besides, to 

 have a selection of such colors as will be most 

 desirable when dished on the table, which, in 

 the great variety of shades which we now 

 have in this delicious fruit, makes a most 

 beautiful ornament. 



VOL 



Propagation of the Grape is done by nur- 

 serymen in green-houses similar to that used 

 for propagating florists' plants ; but most of 

 the varieties can be grown with fair success 

 by cuttings in the open air. The cuttings 

 (made from the young, well-ripened shoots of 

 the previous year's growth) nui}' be made 

 with two or three buds or eyes, planted in 

 rows, say one foot apart and three inclies be- 

 tween the cuttings, and set so that the top 

 eye or bud only is above ground. The situa- 

 tion wliere the cuttings are placed should be 

 well exposed to the sun, the soil rich and 

 deep, and of sandy or light character. Care 

 must be taken that the cutting is well firmed 

 in the soil ; and if sawdust or some other 

 non-conducting material is sifted over them 

 (covering all up but the buds), success will be 

 greater, as this will prevent the sun from 

 baking and drying up the soil. The cuttings 

 may be made from the prunings at any time 

 during winter, and kept in a damp cellar or 

 buried outside in sand until planted in the 

 cutting-bed in the spring. 



Vitta. Vittae. The oil tubes of the fruit of the 

 riubelUfercc. 



Vitta'ria. From vitta, a riband ; alluding to 

 tlie narrow fronds. A genus of tropical Ferns 

 having grass-like subcoriaceous fronds with 

 free veins. They are very interesting plants, 

 though iu)t of much significance except in a 

 botanical collection. 



Vittate. Striped length-wise. 



Vivia'na. Named in honor of DomeMico Viviana, 

 a professor and botanist of Genoa. Nat. Ord. 

 Geraniacei£. 



A genus of undershrubs and herbs, natives 

 of South America. They havt; opposite ovate 

 leaves, covered with white down on the under 

 surface, and bearing white, pink or purple 

 flowers in terminal panicles. They are pretty 

 green-house plants but are not often seen in 

 cultivation. 



Viviparous. Bearing young plants in the place 

 of flowers or seeds. 



Vochy'sia. Vochy is the Guiana name of V. 

 GidanensiSj- sometimes spelled Vochisia. Nat. 

 Ord. Vochysiacece. 



A genus of generally tall trees, natives of 

 Brazil, Guiana, Eastern Peru and New Gren- 

 ada, the flowers of which are arranged in 

 liighly ornamental panicles and are generally 

 of a yellow or bright orange color. When in 

 bloom they present a magniflcent spectacle, 

 accompanied by a penetrating, often violet- 

 like odor. V. Guianensis and V. tomentosa are 

 in cultivation and are increased by cuttings 

 of the ripened wood. 



Vochy sia'ceae. (Vochyacew.) A small natural 

 ox'der of trees or climbing shrubs, often of 

 great beauty, with opposite, entire leaves, and 

 yellow, white, pink or purple flowers (usually 

 very showy) in terminal racemes or panicles. 

 Little is known of the properties of these 

 ti-ees, beyond the hardness of the timber 

 which some of them supply, and the position 

 of the order in the Natural system is as yet 

 unsettled. 



Volkame'ria. Named for J. G. Volkamer, a 

 German botanist. Nat. Ord. Verbenacece. 



This genus is closely allied to Clerodendron. 

 but is botanically distinguished from it. The 



