406 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 450. 



Grapes under Glass. 



T3R0BABLY the most common mistake in the cultivation ot 

 ■^ grapes grown indoors is overcropping, though in the case 

 of private gardens the fault is not always that of the gardener. 

 The employer requires a large crop, and, in consequence, the 

 finish of the grapes must be sacrificed. Finish is the end that 

 every good cultivator strives to altain. By good finish we 

 mean perfect color, richness of bloom, large, well-foimed ber- 

 ries and good flavor. The vines contain but a certain amount 

 of vitality, and if compelled to carry an overcrop they will 

 carry it only so far and stop before a proper finish has been 

 attained. Liberal feeding will certainly assist, but grossly fed 

 vines never produce properly finished grapes. It is impossi- 

 ble to lay down a hard-and-fast rule of how many bunches a 

 vine ought to carry, as the varieties vary so much in vigor and 

 in size of bunch. It is considered by some good authorities 

 that one pound to every foot of fruiting vine is sufficient, but 

 we find vines capable of carrying considerably more. Much, 

 of course, depends on the age and condition of the vines. 

 Considerable difference of opinion exists among grape growers 

 as to the stage at which syringing should be withheld, but our 

 experience is that finish is always best when syringing has 

 been discontinued after the time of setting. Some argue that 

 syringing is necessary up to the time of coloring to keep down 

 thrip and red spider. We find that this practice is rather pro- 

 ductive of spider, as it tends to weaken the foliage and leaves 

 it more susceptible to the attacks of insect pests when syring- 

 ing must necessarily be withheld. It also hurts the bloom of 

 the grape in the early stages of its formation, a period when it 

 is easily damaged. Should red spider appear it may be expe- 

 dient to give an occasional thorough syringing to the infected 

 parts. This is not so hurtful as continued sprinkling, for, if 

 the bloom is fixed, it will shed the water from the berries, 

 providing it does not strike with full force on the bunches. 

 The syringing should only be done when plenty of air can be 

 given, as the shorter time the water is allowed to remain on 

 the bunches the better. Airing is probably the most important 

 of all details, and is especially troublesome during the spring 

 months. The increasing brightness of the sun on the one 

 hand, and the cold air on the other, make it somewhat diffi- 

 cult to keep the house at the proper temperature and at the 

 same time avoid cold draughts. As the season advances the 

 extremes become less marked, but when the grapes are color- 

 ing and it is necessary to leave a little night air on, there is the 

 greatest danger from mildew. We make it a practice with the 

 span-roofed houses to leave the air always on the west side, as 

 we find that mildew makes its appearance generally during 

 the prevalence of easterly winds, and by leaving only the west 

 side open the cold draught is somewhat avoided. Toward the 

 end of the season, when the leaves have become harder in 

 texture, they are less subject to the attacks of mildew, and 

 more night air being required for the ripening of the wood, it 

 can be given with more safety. But full night air should not 

 be given until the fruit is cut. 



Watering is another important point, and the amount must 

 be controlled to a great extent by the mechanical composition 

 of the soil of the borders. If of a loose, open nature the supply 

 should be large ; if close and retentive, a smaller amount is 

 required. In either case, when the grapes begin to show color 

 a good watering must be given, and watering should then be 

 stopped. If the soil is loose and open, much benefit is derived 

 from a mulching of hay inside the house. This serves not 

 only to retain the moisture in the soil, but helps to keep the 

 atmosphere of the house dry. It is often found necessary to 

 give the borders a thorough watering after the crop has been 

 cut, when there is danger of the roots being too severely dry. 



Tarrytown, N. Y. William Scott. 



Carnations, New and Old. 



CARNATION growers in this vicinity have set their plants 

 indoors for winter blooming. On the whole, the season 

 has been unfavorable for Carnations in the open ground. 

 August, when the plants usually make most of their growth, 

 was very dry. Insect pests were numerous, and, despite the 

 dry weather, fungoid diseases took such serious hold of sev- 

 eral varieties that growers have hesitated to risk space for 

 them indoors. Calculations are generally made in spring at 

 planting-lime for ample stock of the most desirable kinds, and 

 it is likely to prove a serious loss to have to substitute less 

 desirable kinds or surplus plants of other sorts for such as 

 have failed. William Nicholson, of Framingham, Massachu- 

 setts, last season had a splendid lot of Eldorado, Shelmire's 

 beautiful yellow of the Picotee type, which proved to be among 



the most valuable of fancy varieties. Unfortunately, the plants 

 in the open were so badly affected with rust this season that he 

 would not risk taking them in. Bacteriosis is affecting some 

 varieties badly, notably the new Delia Fox and Alaska. The 

 latter variety was a complete success everywhere last winter. 

 Some growers pronounce it the best white- flowered Carnation 

 up to date, and have discarded some of the hitherto standard 

 varieties in its favor. With bacteriosis so prevalent, it would 

 have been better to have grown a good supply of Mrs. Fisher as a 

 reserve. Carnations have proved decidedly local in their re- 

 quirements, and but few are universally floriferous. The 

 variety William Scott is a notable exception. William Nichol- 

 son grows the variety which bears his name, perfectly, and in 

 the Boston market it has always been a great favorite, and 

 brought high prices. But he is almost alone in this success. 

 Mrs. Fisher, though nearly yielding to Alaska in popular favor, 

 is again in the foreground. The veteran grower, Joseph 

 Tailby, of Wellesley, considers that Mrs. Fisher would be the 

 ideal white-flowered variety if the stem were a trifle better 

 than it now is. Mr. Tailby is an experienced and successful 

 raiser of seedling Carnations, and now has several new white 

 varieties of his own raising on trial, which, although excellent, 

 are not his ideal. A cross between Lizzie McGowan and Mrs. 

 Fisher is a magnified Lizzie McGowan, a type which is not suc- 

 cessfully grown in the neighborhood of Boston. The flower 

 and stem are magnificent. Another is Daybreak x Mrs. Fisher, 

 and nearly intermediate in character between the parent plants. 

 Its defect, if any, is in showing a creamy centre. So indifferent 

 have many new varieties proved (though probably locally 

 successful) that growers have invested sparingly. Delia Fox, 

 the heavily tinted and so-called improved Daybreak, has been 

 given a more extended trial than usual. Tailby & Son have 

 a whole bench of it. As shown by the introducers, Myers & 

 Santmann, of Philadelphia, it left nothing to be desired. The 

 plants are, unfortunately, everywhere unhealthy. They are 

 infested largely with bacterial disease, the most insidious 

 and most difficult of all to eradicate. While we have no 

 certain remedy as yet for these diseases, no grower need now 

 be at a loss to know what ails his plants, thanks to the Car- 

 nation Society and their specialists. It is well known that 

 spot, and, for that matter, all diseases of like character, increase 

 rapidly when the soil is saturated with moisture, and, through 

 imperfect drainage, does not dry out quickly. It is not eco- 

 nomical to save coal when a little fire-heat, with plenty of 

 ventilation, would keep the air moving and help to correct 

 unfavorable conditions. It is better to have shallower benches 

 and use water oftener, if need be. This is especially true on 

 heavy soils. Cleanliness, above all things, is the best preven- 

 tive of disease. It is hoped by all, and with good reason, that 

 by attention to these details, as experience has shown in the 

 case of Daybreak, Delia Fox will come out free from disease 

 as the season advances. 



There have been fewer varieties of the distinctly maroon 

 shade, of which Ferdinand Mangold is a good example, than of 

 any other color. Ferdinand Mangold is so near the ideal that 

 it is hard to improve upon it. Mr. Butterwortb, grower for 

 Mr. Powers, of South Framingham, has a good Carnation of 

 this color on trial ; but it is somehow peculiar in its needs, 

 for even the originator has discarded it. It is exceptionally 

 free and perfectly healthy, but not robust, and this is its weak 

 point. The flowers are of good size, perfect in form, decided 

 in color, fragrant, and the stem is ample and strong. Mr. 

 Nicholson has a new crimson, which for size and beauty of 

 form excels any I have seen. It is too early to decide what it 

 will prove, but at present it appears too much set after the old 

 border Clove Pink type. If it conies up to Mr. Nicholson's 

 expectations, it will be named for Sir Henry Irving. A beautiful 

 companion pink, William Scott x William Nicholson, will be 

 named for Ellen Terry. This is a success beyond all question. 



Mr. Tailby and Mr. Nicholson imported some plants of 

 Uriah Pike, the invincible English crimson, which they saw in 

 England. Though peerless in that country, neither grower 

 expected it would succeed under American methods, nor was 

 it in any way a success. Mr. Tailby's purpose was to use it as 

 part parent in some new types. Ferdinand Mangold x Uriah 

 Pike were his crosses, and out of 108 seedlings only four were 

 single. All proved crimson, and, contrary to the rule which 

 Mr. Tailby has almost invariably found to prevail, all the 

 seedlings showed a marked preponderance of the charac- 

 ter of the pollen parent. This was not desired, and only a 

 better constitution was wanted. A dozen of the seedings have 

 been taken indoors for trial, but probably only one will be 

 found of especial merit. For this he has already received a 

 tempting offer from a notable English firm, who are thinking 

 of taking up the American plan of culture. The flower is per- 



