86 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 1, 1878. 
then stopped, not at one, nor two, nor three leayes beyond the 
bunch—are not, indeed, pinched on the counting system at all, 
but every leaf is permitted that can expand without encroach- 
ing on space required by its neighbour. That is the only truly 
rational system that can be recommended for stopping the 
shoots. Another important lesson is conveyed by the Lambton 
Vines—they are not oyercropped. The crops are good, bunches 
large and full, and berries fine and finishing well, but care is 
evidently taken that the crops are not of an exhaustive nature, 
or such excellent results could not have been achieved over 
such a long period. Several varieties are fruiting in this house. 
Gros Colman is free and fine—plenty of bunches, and huge 
berries colouring well. It not only looks well, but [ am told 
itis invariably of good quality at Lambton, which is not the 
case everywhere. Alicante is splendid, Calabriau Raisin im- 
posing, Golden Champion attractive by good and full bunches 
and clear berries, only a very few being slightly spotted ; but 
one of the finest crops is on Gros Guillaume. Grafted on 
Muscat Trovéren (Troyéren Frontignan) the bunches are of 
fine shape and noble size, the berries also being very large 
and colouring well. A cane of Alnwick Castle Seedling was 
inarched on one of the Vines in the spring, and a small bunch 
that it produced was allowed to remain; itis colouring excel- 
lently, and Mr. Hunter considers it a Grape of much promise. 
Passing many other varieties on the roof, we glance at the 
back wall. Some years ago a Vine was planted in the cold 
north border behind the house; and its cane being brought 
through two walls into the house it grew freely, and two 
branches were trained horizontally (one each way from the 
centre where the Vine entered) near the base of the wall, from 
which rods were trained vertically at distances of 3 or 4 feet. 
The Vine not only covered the entire wall but has produced 
Grapes of the first quality, and it has further entered the next 
house and has there covered a great extent of space. It has, 
however, nearly done its work, and cannot be expected to con- 
tinue much lcnger bearing well under the densely covered 
roof. Let no one jump at conclusions and request Vines being 
planted for producing fruit on the bare back walls of their 
vineries. It is no use planting Vines in such positions after a 
roof is covered with foliage, but if planted at the same time 
as Vines are planted for covering the roof valuable crops of 
Grapes may be had for a few years from the back walls of 
vineries. I shall shortly notice a successful example of this 
when referring to a wonderful instance of Vine culture by an 
amateur, Mr. Witherspoon. 
Other vineries at Lambton demand notice : it must neces- 
sarily be brief. The Muscat house contains large, full, and 
capital bunches just in their finishing stage. A striking ex- 
ample of sap-diversion is to be scen in this house. A young 
cane brought from the front of the house was inarched to a 
Vine several feet up the roof. After the union was effected 
the inarched cane was severed about 4 feet below its junction 
with the other Vine; but although severed the part below 
the union continued growing, and has there produced a bunch 
of Grapes quite equal to any other on the Vine, proving that 
the sap has flowed in a reyerse direction freely. A modi- 
cum of support is -robably derived from a bottle which Mr. 
Hunter has attached to the severed portion of the cane; but 
undoubtedly the great bulk of nutriment is afforded by the 
Vine on which the cane is inarched. The Black Hamburgh 
house in this “low level” range also contains many fine 
bunches, and large, hammered, and well-tinished berries. Pass- 
ing as a matter of convenience other houses of plants, Peaches, 
&c., in this range, we ascend the upper terrace to glance at the 
Grapes there. The late house may be described in few words. 
It is very lofty, and a totally different system of culture is 
practised than prevails in the other structures, the object 
being the production of a great number of small bunches of 
such Grapes that are required to keep until Grapes come 
again—sound policy, as all know who have such work to do. 
We now linger in a house of Black Hamburghs, which has 
upset some preconceived notions of turfy loamists, and which 
is a standing rebuke against dogmatic teaching on the subject 
of soil for Vines. It has almost become fashionable to advise 
that no manure be placed in Vine borders, but that manure be 
placed on the surface, and where soil is tolerably fertile such 
advice is, doubtless, both safe and sound; yet manure is not 
the dangerous element that is popularly supposed, or the Vines 
in this house would not be in the condition they now are. They 
were planted as an experiment five years ago in a mixture of 
tree leaves and cow dung mixed and trodden firmly to a depth 
of 3 feet. Nota barrowful of soil of any kind was used in the 
border, which is inside the house. The front wall was cemented 
to keep the roots inside. These manure-grown Vines haye 
produced splendid crops, and Grapes are hanging now worthy 
of being placed on any nobleman’s table—good bunches, and 
large black berries of the first quality. The Vines, too, both 
as regards wood and foliage are in a most satisfactory state. 
For the sake of appearance the border is slightly covered with 
soil. Free permission is given by Mr. Hunter for any visitor 
to dig down as deep as he likes to examine the border, and a 
fork is kept in the house for that purpose. Many trials have 
been made, and all with the inevitable result that nothing but 
manure is dug up and masses of fine healthy roots, no roots 
being found in the surface soil. The border is not a pasty mass, 
but has simply changed as manure in heaps invariably changes, 
to a mouldy bulk of rich humus. The Vines evidently enjoy 
it as much 2 and 3 feet deep as they do when spread on the 
surface in the form of heavy top-dressings. The distance is an 
impediment, or Grapes from this house would probably be 
submitted to the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society. As a result of the experiment it may be stated that 
in new Vine borders projected at Lambton manure will be 
mixed with the soil freely. It may be mentioned incidentally 
that manure is liberally employed by the market growers of 
Grapes near London for incorporating with the soil of their 
Vine borders, and heavy crops of excellent Grapes are pro- 
duced. 
Lambton, too, is famous for Pine Apple culture. The plants 
are grown in light and lofty—too lofty—span-roofed houses. 
They are chiefly grown in pots. but some are planted out. All 
are in admirable condition, and good fruits are plentiful ; but 
it is to the seedling Pines that most interest attaches. In the 
raising of new varieties, as the result of artificial fertilisation, 
Mr. Hunter has had great success. Of one of the finest of the 
Lambton seedlings—Lady Beatrice, a good stock of plants is 
raised, and propagation is being conducted as quickly as 
possible with a view of their distribution to the public, Lord 
Durham haying kindly and generously placed the stock of 
these seedlings at Mr. Hunter's disposal. The raising of a 
stock of new Pines is a work of patience, for though a seedling 
Pine may be fruited within two years any considerable number 
of the same variety cannot be produced under several years. 
All the plants, old and young, are remarkably healthy and 
very clean. 9 
A new Fig, the Lambton Castle Seedling, in one of the 
houses arrests attention by its prodigious crop. Fruit is pro- 
duced at every axil, a large tree being simply wreathed with 
fruit, and plants not more than 6 inches high in small pots are 
also bearing fruit in clusters. This Fig is not only by far the 
most prolific of all the Figs grown at Lambton, but it is 
esteemed by the Earl of Durham’s family as the best of all in 
quality. Ni ‘ 
Large houses are devoted to Peaches and Nectarines. One 
large structure was particularly noticeable. Standard trees 
coyer the back wall, and a large trellis is also covered with 
trees. Under the trellis, which is lofty, a row of Plums is 
planted near to the walk, which is at the back of the house, the 
trees receiving light from the glass over the pathway. All the 
trees in the house, Plums included, are bearing excellent crops. 
The Plum trees grow in theirnatural manner, and receive very 
little of either pinching or pruning. They cannot fail being 
useful, producing as they do many valuable dishes of fruit. 
Cape Gooseberries are also grown in the same house. Cucum- 
bers and Melons are largely grown, and at the back of some of 
the highly heated siructures Tea Roses are planted out in 
troughs, and grow and flower admirably. They are not trained, 
and appear to receive little pruning beyond that given by 
cutting the blooms. 
Nothing as yet has been said on plant culture. Many plants 
are grown, and grown well—not large symmetrical specimens, 
but fresh healthy plants for decorative purposes. The con- 
servatory is in the centre of the “lower level” range of glass, 
and reaches back to the higher terrace, necessitating a flight of 
steps in the interior. This structure was undergoing alter- 
ations, and the Tree Ferns, Cycads, Palms, &c., were disposed 
for convenience rather than for effect. In addition to the two 
long ranges of glass alluded to, some large preparing plant 
houses are erected still higher up the hillside. The centre bed 
of one large house was covered with a luxuriant growth of 
Fittonia argyroneura, which not only had a pleasing effect, 
but prevented the soil in the pots of the plants placed amongst 
it drying so speedily as if the pots wereexposed. Many plants 
in small pots had their pots placed in larger, the space between 
