Januarj 23, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



65 



spawn were depo3ited, thousanda of little Muehrootus the size 

 of pin heads are pushing themaelves up one above another. 

 I have grown Mashrooma for years, but never before saw such 

 masses together. My question is, Would it be advisable for 

 ma to put more soil on the bed, or will the Mushrooms now 

 pushing up come to maturity without further aid ? My house 

 is about 9 feet wide, lean-to, walk 2 feet wide down the centre, 

 beds each side 3 feet 3 inches wide by 1 foot 4 inches deep. A 

 flow and return pipe runs round the house, inside, at a distance 

 of about 2 feet 6 inches from the bottom of the bod. The beds 

 were made of two-thirds good horse droppings, and one-third 

 maiden soil, well mised. I spawned in pieces 4 inches apart. 

 — D.. W., Sheffield. 



[In such a case the fresh moulding would not be advisable. 

 We would take a clean hard hair broom, leave the knots of 

 young Mushrooms you allude to, and sweep off clean all the 

 spreading spawn besides on the surface of the bed. Most likely 

 the bed will then produce. We have had several such iastanees, 

 and adopted the treatment stated. — Eds.] 



SELECTIONS OF GRAPES.— No. 2. 

 YiNES IN Hbated Houses. — These houses may be of several 

 descriptions — viz., 1, Greenhouses and other structures used 

 for plant-growing and storing plants in winter, the borders 

 being, as a rule, wholly outside. 2, Vineries used as store- 

 houses for plants in winter and for growing them in summer, 

 hut with the borders inside as well as outside, the Vines being 

 planted inside. 3, Vineries proper, by which I moan that Grapes 

 are treated as the sole object, or, if other subjects are introduced, 

 the3e are such as will not interfere with good Grape-calliration. 



1. Greenhouses or Houses Employed for Plant Culture Winter 

 and Summer. — These have tha borders outside, and generally 

 are only suitable for the hardiest sorts and such as may be 

 termed summer varieties, for, from the moisture caused by the 

 plants and the borders being outside, the late-hauging kinds 

 cannot be preserved from premature decay. White Grapes. — 

 Chasselas Vibert, harries round, large ; strong grower, and free- 

 bearing. Foster's White Seedling, berries roundiah-oval and 

 of good size. Backland Sweetwater, berries round, large; great 

 bearer. General della Marmora, berries large, round ; great 

 bearer. Blaoh Grapes. — Franlrenthal, berries roundish-oval, 

 bunches and berries large. Black Prince, berries oval, long 

 bunches. Black Champion, berries roundish-oval, long bunches ; 

 it is earlier than the Prankenihal by about a fortnight. Trent- 

 ham Black, berries large, oval. Black Hamburgh, berries 

 roundish-oval ; free-bearing. 



The above are the kinds I have found succeeding best in 

 entirely outside borders and in houses devoted to plant-culture, 

 but with Vines for shade and utihty. Of course there are many 

 other kinds that succeed tolerably well in outside borders, but 

 from their liability to spotting and shanking I think it best to 

 omit them. I am aware that not very long ago outside borders 

 were the rule, but now they are the exception. No one will 

 advocate outside planting. It may sometimes be a necessity, 

 but in no ease is it advisable. Good Grapes were grown with 

 Vine roots in outside borders ; now we have a better order of 

 things, and if no finer Grapes are grown we know they are 

 obtained with greater regularity and certainty. 



2. Vineries used as plant houses, but with borders partly 

 inside as well as outside, the Vines planted inside. It is almost 

 unnecessary to say that all the varieties named for outside- 

 border-planting will answer admirably, and are what I advise 

 for planting a house intended to afford Grapes in July, the 

 Vines being started early in February ; and to those named I 

 would add— White Frontignan, berries round, medium-sized, 

 with the full Frontignan flavour ; free bearer. Muscat Ham- 

 burgh, berries oval, black, with Muscat flavour. Bowood Mus- 

 oat, berries large, oval. The last two do fairly in the same 

 house with Hamburghs and succeed them, but are best in a 

 house by themselves along with other kinds requiring a higher 

 temperature ; therefore for a supply in August, September, and 

 onwards, if there is a house for an earlier crop, the following 

 are excellent— viz., Muscat of Alexandria, berries oval, well 

 known; Bowood Muscat ; and White Tokay, berries large, oval. 

 These are white Grapes. Black kinds. are Black Muscat of 

 Alexandria (Muscat Hamburgh) ; Mrs. Pinoe, berries oval, a 

 fine late kind, but good in September or when ripe; Black 

 Alicante, berries roundish-oval, bunches large ; Lady Downe's, 

 berries oval, large; West's St. Peter's, berries large, roundish- 

 oval; Mill Hill Hamburgh, berries round, large. The foregoing 



even with plants, keep until the New Year, the best two for 

 hanging being Lady Downe's and Mrs. Pinoe. 



Although plants may be grown in a vinery, there are times 

 when it would be better both for the plants and Vines if tha 

 former were removed ; indeed it is hardly possible to ripen Grapes 

 perfectly without a dryness of atmosphere which is unfavour- 

 able to plant culture. Therefore, as soon as the Grapes change 

 colour remove all plants in active growth, but such subjects as 

 Gloxinias and Achimenes, which need heat with a drier atmo- 

 sphere for ripening the growths, may remain with advantage. 

 I find no place so good as a vinery in which Grapes are ripen- 

 ing in July and August, for ripening off Amaryllids ; and these 

 do not interfere with the ripening of the Grapes, for they need 

 no water, or but little. It is also the best place for ripening the 

 growths of winter-flowering Begonias. The moisture necessary 

 for plant-culture is not only detrimental to the ripening of the 

 Grapes, but also injuriously affects their keeping and the ripen- 

 ing of the wood. If the wood were properly ripened we should 

 hear less of the^bunohes car iiij' up like tendrils and of bad- 

 setting kinds needing artificial aid. As a rule, there are but 

 few evils to which the Vine is subject that do not originate 

 from the immature growths of the previous year. 



3. Vineries. — In these the borders are inside and outside the 

 house, the Vines being planted inside. The varieties may be 

 divided into three sections — viz., Early, Midseason, and Late. 



Early varieties, or those which bear forcing well, and can be 

 depended on to give Grapes of fine quality by forcing from 

 Miroh to July inclusive, are the following : — Buckland Sweet- 

 water ; Foster's White Seedling; Troveren Frontignan, berries 

 roundish-oval, large bunches; White Frontignan, which ripens 

 in th§ same house a fortnight before Biickland Sweetwater, 

 but is not so fine a Grape as the Trov6ren, which is, un- 

 doubtedly, the finest of all the Frontignans ; Golden Ham- 

 burgh, berries roundish-oval, large; Golden Champion, very 

 large bunches and berries, and as free-bearing as the Black 

 Hamburgh; Black Champion; Black Hamburgh; Franken- 

 thal (Pope's, or Victoria Hamburgh) ; Duo de Magenta, berries 

 oval, large bunches ; Boyal Aacot, berries oval, bunches not 

 large, but very free-bearing. All these force well. I have 

 omitted the Royal Masoadine, as I consider it superseded by 

 Foster's White Seedling. For the successful forcing of Grapes 

 I consider it well to have heated borders, especially if part of 

 these are outside. For very early forcing, and where there 

 are no heated borders, have the Vines in pots. Those which 

 answer well for early forcing in pots are Buckland Sweetwater ; 

 Early Smyrna Frontignan, berries round, not large, but very 

 early ; White Frontignan ; and Early White Malvasia, berries 

 oval, but somewhat rounded, a great bearer. These are white 

 Grapes. Of black kinds I would have B'rankenthal, Black 

 Hamburgh, Black Champion, Royal Ascot, and Duo de Magenta. 

 It is desirable that pot Vines for early forcing should have the 

 pots about three parts plunged in a bed of leaves or other 

 fermenting material, but it will answer if the pots be set on hot- 

 water pipes, though in a bed of fermenting materials the roots 

 extend beyond the pots, and the produce is larger and finer. 



Midseason Grapes, or those affording a supply from July 

 to October, I would divide into three sections — viz.. Muscats, 

 Frontignans, and those having none of the Maseat or Fron- 

 tignan flavour. 



Muscats can hardly be produced in good condition before July. 

 I would have Bowood Muscat, Muscat of Alexandria,_ Muscat 

 Eicholata, perhaps identical with Muscat of Alexandria, but if 

 there is any difference, it is in the berries being more even- 

 sized, and the bunches stouter; Tynningham Muscat in no way 

 different from that excellent Grape the Bowood Muscat, but 

 with berries larger than the Muscat of Alexandria, very often 

 pear-shaped, and deeper in colour when fully ripe ; Black Muscat 

 of Alexandria (Muscat Hamburgh) ; Mrs. Pinoe ; and Madresfield 

 Court Muscat, berries, oval, large, jet black, with a splendid 

 bloom. The last two are very valuable for hanging late, 

 exquisite in flavour when fully ripe, and never finer (nor, 

 indeed, are any of the Muscats) than they are in Augnst and 

 September. 



Of Frontignans — Trovgren Frontignan, the finest of all. 

 Duchess of Buccleuch, berries round, not large. White Fron- 

 tignan. Chaaeelas Musqug, berries round, undoubtedly the 

 richest-flavoured Grape in cultivation. It is liable to crack, 

 but that may be obviated by grafting on the Grizzly Frontignan. 

 Black Frontignan, berries round, small, bunches long and 

 tapering. Purple Constantia, berries round, larger than Black 

 Frontignan. Grizzly Frontignan, berries round ; free bearer. 

 The Frontignans require a dry, warm border, especially when 



