September 28, 1876. ! 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



2S3 



Scotch shows, and it ia to be hoped that it may be succeeBf al. — 

 D., Deal. 



CAPE AMAEYLLIDS. 



Bktjnsvigia (properly Amaryllis) Josephinaj, A. Belladonna, 

 Brunavigia multiflora, the Guernsey Lilies (Nerine), and the 

 section of Hteinanthus represented by the old H. coccineus, 

 require the same treatment with but slight variation. 



All the above South African bulbs agree in flowering about 

 September in our English climate. Soon after flowering the 

 leaves push and continue growing during the whole winter, 

 dying off finally in the month of May. From this time till 

 September again the plants may bo set out of doors in a warm 

 aspect, upon a hard bottom to keep out worms, and be left ex- 

 posed to sun, wind, and rain as the case may be. They will 

 all keep perfectly healthy under this treatment, but as they 

 differ in hardiness the following difference in management 

 must be observed : The Belladonna Lily and Nerine flexuosa 

 will succeed simply planted out under a warm south wall even 

 in our midland counties, also in favoured spots Nerine Fother- 

 gillii, but infinitely better with a glass light over them. 



Amaryllis Josephine, however, Brunsvigia multiflora, and the 

 Hajmanthi must be wintered in the greenhouse. A. Josephine 

 and B. multiflora are greatly benefited by a little bottom heat 

 about a month before-the flowering period, say during August, 

 when they may be either plunged in a Melon bed, or placed 

 upon a warm flue or other warm berth indoors. This is not 

 necessary for Hamianthus. When their buds push the plants 

 may be taken into the greenhouse, where they must remain 

 till May. During the leafing season they will require plenti- 

 ful supplies of water. In fine seasons the Hsemanthi put 

 on their most glorious colours out of doors. A huge mass of 

 Haamanthus coccineus with twenty-two heads is now in flower 

 at Walton, and positively dazzles the eyes with its blood-red 

 blossoms in the sunshine. 



I hope I have been sufficiently explicit in endeavouring to 

 give the real treatment of these plants, which is very little 

 known though so simple, and I shall be happy to give any 

 additional information if requested. — E. Tkevoe Clakke. 



KEEPING GEAPES IN AUTUMN. 



Most late Grapes will now be approaching maturity. Until 

 they aro quite ripe, or nearly so, damp or decay are seldom 

 troublesome ; but when they are thoroughly ripe it is a difficult 

 matter with many to prevent them from decaying throughout 

 October or November. These aro the two months when it is 

 generally found that Grapes are most subject to damp and 

 decay. In December and further on the malady is, as a rule, 

 greatly modified, and I have known instances where the greater 

 part of many of the bunches rotted during October, and espe- 

 cially November, and after that time not a single berry decayed. I 

 do not think this was owing to any atmospheric change, but the 

 fruit appears to become tougher in the skin after it has hung 

 for six week3 or two months. It is thus evident that if Grapes 

 can be kept in a perfect state of preservation for the next two 

 months their keeping after that time will be an easy matter. 

 I will only, therefore, note the requirements of Grapes during 

 October or November. 



Grapes are often cut and preserved with their stalks in 

 bottles of water throughout the winter, but this plan is seldom 

 practised until well nigh the new year, and therefore further 

 reference to it will not form part of these notes. Lady 

 Downe's, although very thick in the skin, is one which gene- 

 rally suffers very much from damp; I have found it worse 

 than Black Alicante, or even Gros Colman, although the latter 

 is very thin in the skin. Grapes which are well thinned do 

 hot generally decay so much as those in firm clusters ; and as 

 a partial guard against damping, all Grapes that are to hang 

 over October and November should be more thinned-out than 

 those which are to be cut before that time. 



For the next two months the atmosphere of vineries in which 

 Grapes are hanging cannot be kept too dry, but at the same 

 time a warm atmosphere must be avoided. When a vinery is 

 always kept at a roasting heat, as many are with the idea of 

 preventing damp from rising, the fruit very soon begins to 

 shrivel ; and although the fruit is not lost through this taking 

 place, it loses much of its value. The vinery should always be 

 kept as dry as possible without the aid of fire heat, and when 

 it is applied care should be taken that the top ventilators are 

 open sufficiently to allow the moisture as it rises to escape freely. 



Many people err in firing Btrongly at night when the venti- 



lators are closed, and in the morning the dew may often be 

 rubbed off the fruit. This is a fertile source of decay. When 

 it is necessary to apply fire heat, which it sometimes is, espe- 

 cially in damp weather, the fire should be lighted on a fine 

 day when both top and bottom ventilators can be opened wide 

 to admit of the house being thoroughly dried ; and on dull 

 damp days give no fire heat, but keep the ventilators shut and 

 the atmosphere as quiet as possible, and very little damping 

 will then occur. In frosty weather when a little fire has to be 

 kept up the ventilators should be constantly left slightly open, 

 that the damp which rises at such times may escape and not 

 rest on or about the fruit, and then the temperature should 

 never exceed 40° at night or 45" during the day. As tbe days 

 are generally fine when the nights are frosty no fire heat should 

 be used during the day, and while the sun shines on the vinery 

 the ventilators should always be opened much wider than at 

 night. The temperature must not be kept high at one time 

 and low at another, as this is also productive of decay. 



During the time all these precautions are being taken the 

 bunches should always be looked over twice or three times 

 a week, and any berry which shows the slightest sign of decay 

 must be at once removed, as one rotten berry soon affects tho 

 one next to it, and if not taken in time half of the bunch may 

 be lost in a very short time. In houses full of plants and 

 where Grapes are hanging it is no easy matter to keep the 

 atmosphere dry ; but careful airing and firing, as above indi- 

 cated, are the only and best means of proceeding under such 

 circumstances. — Vms. 



THE PABKS OF LONDON. 



REGENT'S PAEK. 



Regent's Park was commenced arranging in 1810 from plans 

 suggested by Mr. W. Fordyce, who at the time was surveyor 

 of the national woods and forests. 



The south side of the Eegent's Park is about half a mile in 

 length, and parallel to the New Eoad, which is to the south of 

 it. The east side, nearly at right angles with the south side, 

 extends northward to Gloucester Gate, a distance of almost 

 three-quarters of a mile. The west side, forming an oblique 

 aDgle with the south side, extends in a direction west of north 

 to Hanover Gate, a distance of half a mile. The northern 

 terminations of the east and west sides are connected by an 

 irregular curve nearly coinciding with the sweep of the Eegent's 

 Canal, which passes along and within the northern boundary 

 of the park. A sheet of water extends from Hanover Gate in 

 a south-east direction, parallel to the west side of the park, 

 and, curving round at a south-west angle, continues in a direc- 

 tion parallel to the south side to about the middle of it. Oppo- 

 site the middle of the west side, an arm of this sheet of water 

 extends at right angles to the very centre of the park. The 

 bottom of the valley, through which Tyburn rivulet flowed in 

 days of old, stretches from its termination up to Primrose 

 Hill, which is nearly due north of it. Nearly two-thirds of 

 the park, forming an oblong parallelogram, slope down on the 

 eastern side of the valley to the former channel of the stream, 

 and the north-east and south arms of the artificial lake which 

 is formed by its collected waters, and which resemble, to use a 

 simile more accurate than dignified, the arrangement of the 

 three legs on an Isle of Man halfpenny. Within the horns 

 of the crescent formed by its north-east and south armB is the 

 Eing, the interior of which is occupied by the Garden of the 

 Botanical Society. On the eastern slope, at the north end of 

 the park, is the Garden of the Zoological Society. On the 

 east side of the park, a little south of Gloucester Gate, are the 

 enclosed villa and grounds of the late Sir Henry Taylor ; on 

 the west side, a little north of Hanover Gate, those of the 

 Marquis of Hertford. 



Eegent's Park is thought by some people to rank as the first 

 of our metropolitan parks. It is at any rate the largest, cover- 

 ing as it does about 470 aores, and the centre is to a great 

 extent an open green plain, free almost from trees. It is set 

 apart for pedestrians only. Vehicles are kept on the outskirts, 

 where there is as good a road as the lovers of equestrianism 

 can deBire. This oentre is in many respects well adapted and 

 often UBed for military display, policemen's drill, and a cricket 

 ground for the people. It has a most beautiful surrounding 

 of trees, clamps of shrubs, some fine pieces of ornamental 

 water, with islands clothed with evergreen shrubs, and the 

 banks with weeping trees, forming excellent cover for the 

 waterfowl to retire into. The margin of this park is very 

 much diversified — wood and dale, and at intervals noble 



