September 6, 1893.] 



Garden and Forest. 



375 



back as late as possible by being trained along the outer wall. 

 Cold-grapery grapes can be put on the market from this sec- 

 tion before the California crop comes in, and if well grown 

 should bring a good price. We have some four-pound clus- 

 ters of Black Hamburg, Golden Hamburg and Tokays. These 

 are superb, being the first full crop of young vines. This 

 grapery was planted for cross-fertilizing purposes, and we have 

 Munson's Brilliant planted in it with the best foreign varieties. 

 A grape with a little more size and as good quality as Brilliant 

 will leave litde to be wished for. 



We made an experiment this season with a long trellis of 

 Concord Grapes. Part of the trellis was boarded up on the west 

 side, and a coping built which projects twenty inches. This 

 part of the trellis was not sprayed at all ; the remainder was 

 carefully sprayed. Both were comparatively free from rot, 

 while unsprayed grapes on vines near by all rotted. The 

 protected vines grew more luxuriantly than those on the ex- 

 posed trellises, and the fruit is of larger size. But while I was 

 away at our summer Farmers' Institutes the thrips came down 

 on the sheltered part of the vines, and the damaged foliage has 

 failed to ripen the fruit. Those in whose charge the vines were 

 left attributed the injury to the shelter, but I soon saw it was 

 caused by the enemy I battled with years ago under glass. If 

 taken in time, the attack could have been prevented. One 

 thing, however, seems proved, so far as one season can prove 

 anything, that shelter will keep off the rot as well as spraying 

 will. This was the result of experiments made by me years 

 ago in Virginia, and I am of the opinion that shelter can be 

 provided cheap enough to have it pay to use it. My present 

 shelter is too costly, being made of inch pine-boards, which, 

 though cheap here, are much more costly elsewhere. In the 

 sand-hills about Southern Pines, seventy-five miles south of 

 Raleigh, the rot has not yet appeared to any extent, and as the 

 growers there are planting largely of superior sorts of Grapes, 

 the vineyard interests in that region have a good prospect. 

 Grapes certainly thrive wonderfully in these sandy soils, and 

 Southern Pines is rapidly becoming a southern Vineland. 



We have all of Munson's seedling Grapes planted, and will 

 note their progress with a good deal of interest, while growing 

 some seedlings of our own. The great desideratum here is a 

 good September Grape to fill the gap between the varieties 

 grown for the northern market and the Scuppernong season. 



Raleigh. N. c. TV. F. Massey. 



Preparatory Work. 



A T this season of the year there are many preparations that 

 -^^ should be attended to in every well-conducted garden. 

 This is the best time for repairing the greenhouses and con- 

 servatory, for all but the most delicate species may be removed 

 temporarily, and a thorough clearance effected. Painting, 

 glazing, repairing of benches and walks and a thorough exami- 

 nation of the heating apparatus are among the many items that 

 will readily suggest themselves. 



The renewal of benches is a considerable item in the ex- 

 pense account of a large establishment, and for general pur- 

 poses the more permanent construction of iron and slate is 

 doubtless superior to the common wooden staging. The ques- 

 tion of first cost, is, however, one of much importance to many 

 desirous of having a small greenhouse, and where this ques- 

 tion arises the wooden bench is the general result. The last- 

 ing qualities of such wood-work may be much improved by 

 the use of various preparations. A thorough painting with 

 crude petroleum is an excellent preservative, though for a 

 time it has the disadvantage of being unpleasantly odorous, 

 while a coating of Portland cement applied with a brush, or 

 even a good whitewashing, is also beneficial and will destroy 

 many insects and much of the fungoid growths so prevalent 

 in old structures. Neat and well-made walks add much to the 

 comfort and appearance of a greenhouse, probably the most 

 satisfactory material for the purpose being cement concrete, 

 the color of which may be toned by the addition of some color- 

 ing matter. Such a floor is clean and durable, and can be 

 constructed by any one familiar with the use of tools. A well- 

 laid floor of tiles or of fire-brick is more elaborate and costly, 

 and requires more scrubbing to keep it in good order, while 

 the cheapest of all may be made from fine coal ashes well 

 rammed down. 



The propagating-bed should be renewed, with either sand or 

 cocoa-fibre refuse, according to the class of cuttings for which 

 it is to be used. This will soon come into use for some early 

 cuttings of Geraniums and for Coleus and other bedding 

 plants which should be secured before the first frosts check 

 their growth. These early-rooted Geraniums often prove 

 useful for conservatory-decoration during the winter and spring. 



and the young plants of Coleus, Achryanthus and other plants 

 of like character are much more satisfactory for producing 

 cuttings for spring stock than those from old plants lifted in 

 the fall. Named varieties of Verbenas should also be propa- 

 gated in the same way. The best method of securing the 

 cuttings being to shear all the flowers off the stock plants, then 

 give them a good soaking of water if the weather is dry. In a 

 few days an al:)undant young growth will be secured, of just 

 the quality for satisfactory cuttings. Of course, none but per- 

 fectly healthy plants should be selected for this purpose, or an 

 attack of Verbena-rust, so-called, will ensue. 



The early bulbs of Lilium Harrisii are now being received, 

 and if required for the holidays must be potted at once. 

 Small bulbs are decidedly the best for early forcing, those 

 measuring from five to seven inches in circumference being 

 the most suitable size ; these may be potted into five-inch pots. 

 Chrysanthemums will naturally demand much attention during 

 the next four months. First-quality flowers require careful 

 cultivation, disbudding alone taking a great amount of time. 

 Watering and fertilizing require constant exercise of judgment. 

 Carnations outdoors will not need any further pinching at pres- 

 ent, and can be lifted as soon as convenient after September 

 1st. The question of lifting Carnations while the ground is 

 dry, I think need cause no anxiety on the part of the cultiva- 

 tor, the main point being the after-care that the plants receive, 

 such as frequent syringing and care in ventilation for a few 

 days after the transplanting, in order to allow the plants to 

 recover from the shock. 



Bouvardias also should soon be lifted, and require the same 

 kind of treatment after the operation, the outdoor growth 

 being usually somewhat rank and soft. 



Among the bedding plants that should be remembered in 

 preparatory work for the following season is Begonia Vernon, 

 one of the semperflorens group, and one that stands exposure 

 to the full sun very well, its bronzy foliage and bright red 

 flowers being noticeably pretty. For winter flowering, Be- 

 gonia incarnata and B. Gloire de Sceaux should not be omitted, 

 there still being time to prepare useful plants of these varieties 

 providing they are given reasonably good treatment. 



Still another matter of importance at this time is the prepara- 

 tion of a compost heap for next year. The basis of which 

 should be tliick sods from an old pasture, these being neatly 

 stacked with a reasonable proportion of good stable-manure 

 between the layers. This old-fashioned compost is quite satis- 

 factory for the majority of gardening operations. 

 Holmesburg, Pa. W. H. Taplitl. 



How to Grow Vigorous Carnations. 



AT the late Convention of the Society of American 

 Florists, Mr. C. H. Allen, of Floral Park, New York, 

 read an essay on Carnations, from which the following' 

 passages have been selected for their practical value : 



In the propagation of the Carnation, selection as a means of 

 increased vitality is sadly overlooked. When any plant has 

 been grown for a long series of years under unnatural condi- 

 tions, as in the case of Carnations from cuttings, instead of 

 from seeds, there will be a natural tendency toward deteriora- 

 tion, which will manifest itself in various ways, the more com- 

 mon being an impoverished vitality. This is attributed to the 

 too commonly expressed opinion that varieties run out. Va- 

 rieties do run out, but this is from neglect in a majority of cases. 

 When the same care is used to perpetuate a variety that was 

 given by the systematic hybridizer to produce it there will be 

 no deterioration. When varieties like Silver Spray, Buttercup, 

 William Scott, Edna Craig and numerous other excellent sorts 

 are produced it should be the great object to perpetuate them. 

 To that end the greatest care in selection should be observed, 

 health being the important consideration. Cuttings should, in 

 all cases, be taken from plants showing the greatest vigor in 

 growth, color and substance of foliage and a tendency to free 

 flowering. 



It is the ultimate object of all plant-life to produce seed, and 

 the plants showing the greatest tendency to bloom show, as a 

 rule, the greatest amount of vitality, and from such plants 

 should cuttings be taken. Hence has arisen the general 

 opinion that cuttings should be taken only from stems bear- 

 ing flowers. With due respect to disseminators of new varie- 

 ties, it is our opinion that the tendency of the trade is to make 

 the most of a variety rather than the best. The effort has not 

 been to select with a view to developing health and strength, 

 but to produce as many plants as possible, while they bring a 

 high price because of their novelty. 



