126 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 15, 1878. 
with a 23 feet length of rafter. The Vines were planted in 
March, 1876, and the crop now hanging is altogether splendid. 
The permanent Vines trained up the roof were planted 2 feet 
Sinches apart. They have made wonderful growth and quite 
cover the roof, save a few feet left for the advantage of the 
fruit on the back wall, but are only cropped about one-third of 
the way up. Lach Vine iscarrying from six to twelve bunches, 
which for size, shape, and regularity of berries are worthy, at 
least a hundred of them are, of being staged at any exhibition of 
Grapes in the kingdom, while not one inferior bunch is to be seen 
inthe vinery. It is not somuch a few fine bunches as the high 
average excellence of the whole that impresses on the minds of 
visitors the superiority of the crop. The lower part of this fine 
roof, covered from end to end with noble bunches, is nothing 
less than a grand sight ; but not less striking is the crop on the 
back wall. This wallis 14 feet high, forty Vines are planted 
at its base, and the whole wall is covered from top to bottom 
with bunches that would be a credit to any man if they were 
hanging from the roof. Knowing that when the roof is covered 
densely the Vines on the back wall will deteriorate, their owner 
is acting accordingly by cropping the wall Vines heavily ; and 
those on the roof what many would call heavily too, but, con- 
sidering their great vigour and extensive terminal growth, 
lightly. Such is the crop on the back wall and the character 
of the bunches, that there can be little doubt in one year the 
commercial value of the Grapes will equal the entire cost of the 
structure. As an instance of the crop on the wall let us take 
one Vine of Dr. Hogg, carrying seventeen buaches, which will 
certainly average 25 tbs. in weight, or upwards of 40 tbs. on one 
Vine. Another “nursing” Vine of Black Alicante has still a 
much heavier crop, having twenty-nine splendid bunches; but 
this is one of six Vines planted at intervals along the centre of 
the house, and trained with two rodstothetop. The total num- 
ber of Vines in the houseis ninety-nine. Almostall the popular 
varieties of Grapes are trained both to the roof and the back 
wall, the best for the last-named position being, in Mr. Wither- 
spoon’s opinion, Black Alicante, the vigour of this Vine and 
its free-cropping and good-colouring qualities being its recom- 
mendations for such a position. 
Gros Colman both on the wall and the roof is bearing noble 
‘ounches freely, the berries measuring 33 to 33 inches round. 
Some of the bunches will weigh from 4 to 5 tbs. Dr. Hoge 
on the roof has seven bunches 15 to 19 inches long, and berries 
1$ inch in circumference before showing colour. Golden 
‘Champion on the wall has six bunches, which will weigh from 
3 to 34 Tbs. each, the berries being fine and clear. This Vine 
happens to be in the most moist position in the house—near the 
tank, and it is to that circumstance that its satisfactory condi- 
tion is attributed. Black Prince is bearing handsome bunches 
13 inches long, and Syrian has three bunches weighing in the 
ageregate about 20tbs. Black Alicante on the roof is in every 
instance splendid. Mrs. Pince very good, and Black Ham- 
burgh fine. Golden Queen has made a grand cane, and so has 
‘Waltham Cross, the latter bearing fine but rot full bunches. 
The berries of this and another Vine or two near it not having 
set well owing to having been shaded by a large tree, which 
impeded the ripening of the wood last year. 
The bunches in this house are not more remarkable for their 
size and shape than for the regularity of their berries. They 
have been carefully and admirably thinned. At the first 
glance the crop on the permanent Vines appears a heavy one, 
fout when the system of thinning is considered the crop is not 
so exhaustive as it looks. Mr. Witherspoon’s mode of lighten- 
ing a crop is by the removal of berries from the bunches rather 
than cutting off the bunches themselves. The berries in the 
dark crowded centre of a large bunch cannot, he assumes, be 
of such high quality as those exposed to light and air, conse- 
quently all the interior berries are cut out, and only those are 
Zeft which can have full exposure ; the result is fine berries 
symmetrically arranged and highly finished. Great care is 
taken never at any time to touch the berries either with the 
hand or with water from the syringe, in order that they may 
ripen in the best condition as to bloom. The Vines are never 
syringed. The borders are heavily watered periodically, and 
are regularly sprinkled two or three times a day according to 
the weather, so as to prevent any dust rising ; thus both Grapes 
and foliage are fresh and clean. 
It may be stated that, anticipating the failure of the Vines 
that are now carrying such a remarkable crop on the back 
wall, Camellias are planted at intervals. The Vines will be 
cut away as the Camellias grow, and eventually the latter will 
cover the wall, Although comparatively slow-growing shrubs 
Camellias are specially suitable for the back walls of vineries, 
and eventually are about the most satisfactory and profitable 
plants that can be grown in such positions. The Vines on the 
wall will produce valuable crops for two or three years longer, 
and by that time the Camellias, now well established, will 
have covered much space. It is not difficult to cover the back 
walls of vineries in a profitable manner, provided the same 
plan is adopted as above described—that is, by planting for 
covering the wall the moment the roof is glazed and the 
border made ; but on the contrary, if the roof is first allowed to. 
be covered, then it is a most difficult matter to furnish the 
darkened back wall satisfactorily. 
The other vinery is a small structure, and was planted in 
July last with Vines presented by Mr. Hunter, anda good crop 
is now ripe. They demand no further notice, but a plan for 
protecting the Grapes from nocturnal visitors may be alluded 
to. It is rather novel. Stout wires are affixed to the back 
walls of the vinery at both ends of the house; the wires are 
taken along the front near the outer edge of the Vine border, 
where they lie on the ground. Every night two savage dogs 
are looped to the wires by rings in their collars, and these two 
sentinels traverse the wires from end to end, so that it is im- 
possible for anyone to approach the Grapes without Mr. 
Witherspoon being apprised of the fact, his residence being 
close to the vinery. 
Besides the above vineries Mr. Witherspoon has erected a 
Peach house and vinery combined. This structure is 200 feet 
long, has a great length of rafter facing south, and a short roof 
admitting light to the back wall from the north. Vines have 
been planted along the front this spring and are making excel- 
lent growth; Peaches being planted and trained to the back 
wall, and are also thriving in the best manner. The varieties 
are Royal George, Condor, Magdala, Goshawk, Large Early 
Mignonne, and Merlin. They were selected by Mr. Rivers, 
and were obtained from, as indeed most of them were raised at, 
Sawbridgeworth. The purchased Vines, which are doing so well 
in the house first referred to, were chiefly procured from Mr. 
W. Thomson of the Tweed Vineyard, Galashiels. Mr. Wither- 
spoon also grows several fruit trees in tubs, and grows them 
well—Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Apples, Pears, Figs, and 
Mulberries—as those for which he obtained a special prize at 
the late Newcastle Show bear witness. 
The “field’’ outside, as Mrs. Witherspoon will persist in 
calling it, but in reality a highly cultivated garden, will even- 
tually be a garden of fruit. Bush and pyramid trees of the 
best sorts have been planted liberally, and will in time occupy 
almost the whole space. At present much of the ground is 
cropped with vegetables, of which the owner prides himself in 
having carefully selected strains. Certainly the bed of Red 
Cabbages both for dwarf growth and high colour is an excel- 
lent one, the plants being true, even, and very fine. 
Tt should be mentioned that Mr. Witherspoon has himself 
made and erected the extensive glazed structures, which are 
light, plain, durable, and well ventilated. But the work was 
not done without an obstacle. A tornado during the progress 
of the work lifted off half of the vinery roof after it was glazed 
and smashed a ton and a half of glass—a valuable hint, the 
owner coolly observed, that he must build more securely in 
future, and now the houses are safe. He has also erected a 
convenient and substantial house pleasantly situated. It over- 
looks the picturesque valley of the Wear, has a full view of 
Lumley Castle in the immediate foreground, and the woods 
of Lambton crest the distant hills. 
It is a real pleasure to visit the home of one who has worked 
to such a good purpose and succeeded so well, and one who 
has taught as well as worked. The owner of the Red Rose 
Vineries has occasionally enriched the pages of this Journal, 
and his writings on horticulture generally, and on fruit and 
Grape culture particularly, must in future be accepted as those 
of one who has done more than he is ever likely to tell, yet 
one whose works entitle him to be listened to with that confi- 
dence which success inspires—J. WRIGHT. 
EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS AT MUCKROSS. 
Ir is truly encouraging to notice how this tree thrives at 
Muckross Abbey. The progress it has made since my last 
remarks in the columns of this Journal is most satisfactory. 
We have some fine specimens of the above, and it may interest 
some of your numerous readers to give the dimensions of it. 
One specimen, a very fine plant, has attained the height of 
45 feet; girth 1 foot from the ground, 26} inches; at 3 feet 
