October i, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



271 



in keeping with its commanding position, with which also the 

 noble promenade along the top is in perfect harmony. It is a 

 masterly conoeption well wrought out, worthy of unqualified 

 praise and admiration. — Edwakd Lucilhukst. 



(To be continued.) 



THE GEAPE SPOT. 



Judging from the many answers to correspondents on the 

 subject of GrapeB spotting and scalding which appear in the 

 Journal from time to time, it is pretty plain that if the secret 

 of prevention of the injury is found out and turned to account 

 by some cultivators, there are still a goodly number who seem 

 to be in the dark as to how to deal with it. The cause of the 

 spot may probably be traced to more than one source ; at the 

 same time I am thoroughly convinced that a sudden change 

 of temperature is the main cause. Some Grape growers advise 

 a high temperature with dry atmosphere, while others prefer 

 a low or medium temperature with a little moiBture. 



I know no varieties so Bubject to spot as MadreBfield Court 

 and Lady Downe's, especially the latter. I have had a good 

 deal to do with this variety, and my experience is that much 

 depends on the state and condition of the Vines. The Vines 

 being in perfect health, I would advise the following treat- 

 ment : Ab soon as the buds begin swelling provide a little fire 

 heat, keeping the house moist till the Grapes are in flower; 

 then increase the heat and lessen the moisture, admitting air 

 as required, always leaving the top ventilators slightly open. 

 As the berries approach the critical or stoning period endeavour 

 to maintain an equilibrium of heat and moisture, for I am an 

 advocate of both. If the mornings are bright admit more air 

 as soon as the sun strikes the vinery, continuing to increase 

 the ventilation till near noon. Damp twice before noon and 

 once after. If we happen to have a bright spell of weather 

 just when stoning is going on mis some lime putty with water, 

 and with this syringe the glass outside ; it breaks the scorch- 

 ing rays of the sun, and at the same time does not make the 

 house too dark. Still all this trouble will not insure success 

 if all 6lse is not right. An overcrop on delicate Vines is a 

 great and rather a common danger : on such Vines the berries 

 will spot in spite of all we can do. I know of two houses of 

 Lady Downe's. The Vin3s in one house have a very light crop 

 on them, and yet have many spotted berries although they 

 have received careful treatment, while the Vines in the other 

 house have an extra heavy crop with little or none of the 

 berries spotted. My theory is that the lightly cropped Vines, 

 although to all appearance healthy and strong, have not the 

 sound constitutional qualities essential to fruitfulness, while 

 the more heavily fruited Vines have by their real health and 

 vigour not only been able to bear a good crop, but have been 

 able to cope with the spot under the good treatment which I 

 believe they received ; and I observed that what few spotted 

 berries were on the Vines were all on the rods bearing tho 

 heaviest crop, and scarcely any on a rod which carried a light 

 one. 



I believe I have seen it somewhere stated that the cause of 

 spot is the sun's rays coming in direct contact with the berries. 

 This theory will not stand, for I have often observed that 

 bunches entirely shaded by leaves were sometimes quite as 

 much spotted as those exposed to the sun, and my neighbour, 

 a nobleman's gardener, has pointed the same fact out to me 

 on Vines under his charge. A proper equilibrium of heat and 

 moisture, I suggest, is the best preventive of the spot. The 

 subject is worthy of notice, and I hope to hear more about it 

 from those who have been taught in the school of experience. 

 — B. G., Co. Down. 



FLOEAL CONCEET DECOEATIONS. 

 The promenade floral concerts which were inaugurated a 

 month ago at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, appear to have 

 been very popular. It will be remembered that large prizes 

 were offered and were won chiefly by Mr. Wills and Mr. B. S. 

 Williams. At the expiration of the period of the exhibition — 

 a week — the two floral decorators were engaged to embellish 

 the Hall for a longer period. They have done their work well, 

 and have sustained a really extensive and artiBtic exhibition 

 for the period of a month. It is estimated that Bixteen thou- 

 sand visitors were present at the last concert, when it was 

 noticeable that the visitors appeared to derive as much pleasure 

 by inspecting the flowers as by listening to the music. An 



avenue of fine standard and pyramid Bays was formed in the 

 covered approach to the Hall. In the auditorium tall specimen 

 Cordylines were placed at wide intervals, and the margin of 

 the promenade was rendered attractive by valuable ornamental- 

 foliaged plants and flowers ; large raised flower beds were aleo 

 formed in various parts of the Hall. The flowering plants em- 

 ployed were chiefly Liliums, Tritomas, and Gladioluses. The 

 plants which have endured their long sojourn with the least 

 injury are Palms. Crotons have suffered somewhat, as have 

 some of the Tree Ferns, although Dicksonia antarctica and 

 Cyathea medullariB appear about as fresh as ever. The gene- 

 ral condition of the plants, however, denotes that they have 

 not only received good attention, but that the Hall is well 

 adapted for displays of this nature. Amongst the decorations 

 were examples of artificial rockeries and rustic work. The 



Fig. 54. — Artificial Rootery. 



accompanying figure represents the exhibit of Messrs. Dick 

 Radclyffe & Co., which was awarded the first prize in this 

 section of the decorations. Mr. Wilson, ex Crystal Palace, re- 

 mained "on duty " throughout the period, and is now engaged 

 on a show of another nature — dairy produce and poultry. 



CEMENT WALES AND EDGINGS. 



Some three years ago when I took charge of these gardens 

 it became necessary to entirely remodel them. We commenced 

 first with the kitchen garden, which was to be solely confined 

 to fruit and vegetables — no flowers were to be permitted in it. 

 There was one especial subject I was to try to effect something 

 original in, and that was the edgings of the walks, the old 

 favourites Box, Thrift, Grass, Gentians, &c, and also the 

 fancy earthenware edgings, not meeting my employer's wishes. 

 I therefore proposed plain cement edgings ; and then the idea 

 struck me, Why not have cement walks too ? Having received 

 my employer's sanction to this, and after three years' ex- 

 perience of them, I wiBh to state briefly my opinion of these 

 walks. 



Firstly, they are a great saving of labour throughout the 

 year ; secondly, they always have a clean and neat appearance ; 

 thirdly, when once made they require no repairing, no keeping 

 up, and therefore the first cost is the only expense ; fourthly, 

 where a quantity of heavy wheeling is done it is done much 

 easier, aB half the propelling power is not required on them 

 that is necessary on ordinary gravel walks. The only attention 

 these walks require is the sweeping of them. For this purpose 

 we use a fine hair brueh, as it removes all the dust from them. 

 When any adhesive dirt gets on them, which sometimes 

 happens after a quantity of wheeling, all that is required is 

 to apply a bucket of water and a hard whalebone brush, and it 

 soon all comes off ; in fact even that much trouble is scarcely 



