March 16, 1S71. ] 



JOUENAIi OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



195 



the middle, to keep the rails in their position ; the end section 

 of the troughs thus formed is therefore V-shaped. All that is 

 necessary to make the whole secure, and yet facilitate removal 

 as may be necessary, is a small nail in the end of eaeh of the 

 rests, to which a Willow may be fastened rigkt across the rails 

 and secured to the nail in the rest on the opposite side. 



Before sowing, the ends of the troughs are closed with small 

 pieces of turf, and the whole length is half filled with good loam. 

 The Peas are sown as thickly as they would be in the open 

 border ; more soil is added and slightly pressed until it is level 

 with the edges of the troughs, when these are removed to a 

 vinery newly started, where they remain until the Peas are a 

 couple of inches above ground. Then they are removed to a 

 late vinery to harden off for a few days, after which, when a 

 fine day occurs, the Peas are planted in their permanent quarters 

 in the border. 



This is done as follows : — A trench is cut the length of the 

 troughs, and the latter placed close to its edge. The back of a 

 knife is then run close along the inside of the rails to detach any 

 roots which may have adhered to the wood ; the Willows are 

 cut, the rests removed, the Peas slip in an unbroken line into 

 the trench prepared for them, and a little soil is drawn up to 

 them. They are it once staked with a slight screen of branches 

 to protect them from frosty nights and cutting cold winds, they 

 receive a watering or two if the weather is dry, and by this plan 

 earlier Peas are obtained than by sowing in autumn, and that 

 without risk or disappointment.^HuoH Bose, The Gardens, 

 Granr/emuir, Fife. 



PROTECTING GARDEN CROPS FROM 

 RAVAGERS. 



As seed time has pretty generally commenced, I offer to your 

 readers a few suggestions which, if carried out, will prevent 

 many of those disappointments we are subject to in cultivating 

 the various products of the soil. Many are the enemies of the 

 gardener — unsuitable soil, mice, birds, insects, &c., but these 

 difficulties may all be overcome by experiments made by our- 

 selves and by the experience of others. For the last forty 

 years of my life I have carried on experiments in horticulture, 

 some of which have proved very successful, and which, for the 

 benefit of the readers of our Journal, I ask you to insert. 



The subject of red-leading seeds has been very fairly made 

 known, but I have been amused by the very delicate manner in 

 which the use of red lead is sometimes recommended. I have 

 employed it for horticultural purposes for upwards of sixteen 

 years, and I find neither danger nor inconvenience in that use. 

 As red lead is insoluble in water, the rootlets of plants cannot 

 take it up. The advantages "E. E." speaks of are not over-, 

 but under-rated. Much time and annoyance might be saved 

 by extending the use of red lead to seed corn, especially where 

 soils abound in wireworms. The expense is very trifling. 



Then there is the woodlouse infesting the crevices in heated 

 and other houses, causing great devastation. Carbolic acid in 

 liquid, mixed with a portion of soil and spread round the in- 

 side walls, will cause woodlioe to quickly disappear. Young 

 Turnip plants in their early stage are often devoured by the 

 saw-fly, whereas if a quantity of flowers of sulphur were put 

 into a flour dredger and thus distributed over the plants as soon 

 as they appeared, the odour of the sulphur being offensive to 

 the insect, the latter leaves the plants for other prey. The 

 same application to the Onion crop, when the plants have pro- 

 duced two leaves, will save the crop from the " grub." 



I have always found a single thread of black worsted pre- 

 vents sparrows from taking the buds of Currants and Goose- 

 berries, also the young Pea plants. — The Original Red Lead, 

 Knutsford. 



GOLDEN CHAMPION GRAPE. 



I WISH some of your correspondents would state their candid 

 opinion as to the merits of this highly-recommended Grape. 

 Perhaps Mr. Thomson, who is, I believe, its father, may tell us 

 not only its good qualities, but exactly how to grow it success- 

 fully. 



My own experience ia this. Two years ago I purchased a 

 very nice well-ripened £2 2s. plant of Messrs. Osborn, and a 

 better-rooted or better-looking young Vine I never wish to buy. 

 I planted it carefully along with Golden Hamburgh, Muscat of 

 Alexandria, Bowood Muscat, Muscat Escholata, and Black 

 Hamburgh in an inside border made of the best materials. It 

 broke slowly and badly, and was a long time in making a fair- 



sized shoot, but eventually I managed to get a tolerably good 

 cane. I cut this back, and have treated it from the commence- 

 ment much as I did the others, only giving it rather more 

 water, as Mr. Thomson some time since in your Journal said 

 that it needed more water than many other varieties. The 

 next year it broke badly again, showing no bunches, and carry- 

 ing yellowish unhealthy-looking foliage. Still I again suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining a fair cane, which appeared to be well 

 ripened by the autumn of last year. Now, it has broken again 

 without a bunch showing anywhere. The leading shoot is very 

 strong and gross, so much so that I have stopped it to one leaf, 

 hoping to make the other shoots stronger, but all to no purpose, 

 for, as these appear no trace of a bunch is to be seen. I have 

 several other Vines of the same variety, some in pots and 

 some planted out, and they all go on in the same way. Golden 

 Hamburgh, generally thought to be a weak grower and not over- 

 fond of showing bunches, growing next to it, has a promise of 

 plenty of fruit, and all the other Vines in the house are doing 

 very well, showing two or three fine bunches at every eye. 



Now, as mine is not an isolated case of failure, every friend 

 I have spoken to, without exception, having the same tale to 

 tell, I think I am justified in saying that under ordinary treat- 

 ment the Golden Champion is a very shy bearer. One of our 

 largest Grape-growers told me that when it first came out he 

 planted a house with it, and was so disgusted at its growth that 

 he grubbed every Vine up. After one more year a good many 

 more will do the same, unless some plain method of treatment 

 can be laid down which will insure success. — Heney Nicholls, 

 Hawklmrst Lodge, Horsham. 



[We sent this communication to a very good authority, and 

 this is his reply: — "My experience of this Vine is, I regret 

 to say, not so satisfactory as I could wish. Planted out on 

 its own roots it did not show fruit very well last season, but 

 grafted on the White Tokay it bore tolerably well. It grows 

 luxuriantly, but fails to ripen the side shoots well, so that the 

 buds are in no condition to start the following year. Grafted 

 on the Black Hamburgh, as Mr. Thomson has it, it does re- 

 markably well, and is altogether a noble Grape. I would 

 suggest this as the best means of growing it. There is no 

 question about the fine qualities and noble appearance of the 

 Golden Champion when it is grown well, but there is just as 

 little question about its being of a very peculiar constitution, 

 and by no means easy of cultivation."] 



"WHO MOST PROMOTED MODERN ENGLISH 

 GARDENING ? " 

 The above is a question put to us in the expectation that a 

 very different reply would be elicited than that which we give. 

 Our answer is 



■CL 



^^T^ 



OTZ 



The man of whom it is the autograph, though little known by 

 his posterity, was one of the most remark-Worthy men of the 

 seventeenth century. William III., the Duke of Marlborough, 

 the seven Bishops, Addison, and many others appear promi- 

 nent on the historian's pages, for all were prime influencers of , 

 public affairs in every department of the State. But in all 

 ages — and especially, in their age — men in a lower grade were 

 at work quietly but most effectually ministering to the improve- 

 ment of the tastes and comforts of the entire community. 

 They were labouring not to change dynasties, to maintain 

 creeds, or to ameliorate the laws, or purify our literature, but 

 they were advancing gradually and rationally on branches all 

 leading to one terminus — the improvement of our domestic 

 arts ; among these is gardening, and George London was its 

 chief improver. 



There was a general desire for better horticulture ; men of 

 high attainments, such as Compton, Bishop of London, Sir 

 William Temple, and Evelyn, wrote and expended liberally to 

 promote the attainment of that better horticulture ; yet de- 

 spite these efforts, Evelyn was justified in remarking that, 

 " Some Monsieurs, new come over, think we are as much 

 obliged to follow their mode of gardening as we do that of their 

 garments, 'till we become in both ridieuIouB." To oppose this 



