368 Bicton Gardens, their Culture and Management. 



wondered how it was he never had seen red spiders or rust 

 amongst the vines under my charge, as he was continually pes- 

 tered with both. He then had three houses of grapes in dif- 

 ferent stages coming on, and the red spider was making sad 

 ravages with the earliest house, which Avas at the time about 

 stoning. The man asked me how he could expel the pest. I 

 readily told liim to dredge the flues cautiously with sulphur 

 vivum; for, without caution, the remedy would prove worse 

 than the evil. The man used the sulphur on the flues when 

 hot, and also steamed them when hot ; the consequence was, 

 his grapes that had previously been clear from rust were imme- 

 diately affected with it. 



Another gentleman's gardener, of the old school, had a fine 

 large vinery, with the vines trained under the rafters in a com- 

 plete bundle or faggot. His vines were constantly troubled with 

 all the injurious diseases and vermin ; and he attributed it to 

 the bad bottom, which was every thing that a man could wish, 

 lying high and dry, with a subsoil of open loose gravel and 

 sand, to a great depth. That man always made it a rule to 

 water the flues when warm, to keep the red spider down, as he 

 said : which was not only the means of increasing the spider, 

 but brought him the rust into the bargain : and, no doubt, he 

 still continues the same unnatural treatment. 



I have seen rust brought on grapes by allowing the house to 

 continue shut too long without air in the morning, and then, 

 suddenly opening it when the external air was cold and chilly ; 

 the sudden change produced rust on different parts where the 

 current of cold air was strongest. I have seen the rust pro- 

 duced by syringing with cold water; likewise throvigh un- 

 skilful handling in thinning out the bunches, more particularly 

 when thinning has been done late in the morning, and the 

 vapour has been allowed to rise on the fruit before the house 

 has had air given to it. It is sudden checks that produce rust 

 generally, such as we ought to guard against in houses, pits, 

 &c., of all kinds and for all purposes. Out of doors we often 

 see it produced after a sudden change from still, warm, growing 

 weather to stormy, cold, and windy weather ; not only on 

 grapes, but on plums, apricots, pears, &c., more particularly 

 when the fruit has been in a tender, thriving, growing state. 



I have always noticed out of doors, after a storm with driving 

 wind, if the sun break out suddenly on the tender fruit before it 

 is dry or has had one night's repose, the rust is certain to make 

 its appearance ; therefore, I always make it a rule to guard 

 against sudden changes with every thing under glass. 



Some day soon I will write you a letter on the system I follow 

 all through with grape-growing, if acceptable. [It will be par- 

 ticularly so.] 



Bicton Gardens, April 29. 1843, 



