THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



to time, until its present dimensions are 138 feet in 

 length and 20 feet in width. The circumference of 

 the stem is 3 feet 6 inches where it branches into 

 two rods. Each of these agaiu break into two stems, 

 which extend the whole length of the house, and 

 cover every part of the trellis with branches. These 

 branches are pruned on the close-spur system, the 

 space, 2,500 feet, of trellis for extension having 

 long since been filled. Some seven years ago it was 

 my privilege to be present when the first box of 

 grapes of the season was cut, to be forwarded to the 

 Queen, then in Scotland. Many of. the bunches, as 

 well as the berries, were remarkably fine, and ap- 

 peared to be the counterpart of the produce of the 

 vine at Eastnor ; but they were slightly deficient in 

 colour. I have since learned that this produce ex- 

 ceeded 1,200 lbs. The houses in which these two 

 veterans are gi-own are heated by flues, but the 

 vines are allowed to come on with the increasing 

 warmth of the season, consequently little fire-heat is 

 used. 



A worthy descendant of the Hamburgh at Cum- 

 berland Lodge may be seen at Sillwood Park, near 

 Ascot. It is upwards of fifty years old, and fills a 

 house 120 feet in length, with a rafter of 12 feet. 

 The vine, planted in the centre, is about three feet 

 in circumference, and throws out eight lateral 

 branches, which are trained Horizontally the whole 

 length of the house. These rods furnish the bearing 

 wood, which covers 1,500 feet of trellis, and pro- 

 duces about 1,800 bunches of grapes annually. 



The celebrated HamBurgh vine at the late Mr. 

 Kay's nursery, Einchley, now more than a quarter of 

 a century old, filled a house 90 feet in length and 18 

 feet in width by the time it was seven years old. 

 Being much younger than the preceding vines, and 

 its branches having been so rapidly extended, while 

 its roots are in a good grape soil, the produce, as 

 may be supposed, is superior to that obtained from 

 the older vines. It must not, however, be inferred 

 that great age prevents vines from producing first- 

 class grapes, as the horticultural journals record 

 yearly proofs to the confa:ary. So long as fresh 

 food can be given to the roots, and the branches can 

 extend, old vines will produce magnificent bunches 

 and berries by the hundredweight from generation 

 to generation. 



In addition to the preceding, there is a vine at 

 Shardloes, Bucks, nearly one hundred years old, 

 filling a house 80 feet in length ; and the vine at 

 Eastnor, seventy-five years old, and filling a house 

 72 feet in length. This vine, like the Muscat at 

 Harewood, was supplied with ^esh soil and drainage 

 twenty years ago. A new house was built over it, 

 30 feet longer and 3 feet wider than the old' one; 

 extension was at once indulged in, and the effect 



produced by the combination of now compost, better 

 drainage, and a larger house was marvellous. 



The Muscat at Harewood just referred to is un- 

 doubtedly the finest of its kind in Britain. It is 

 now over one hundred years old, having been 

 planted in 1783. It is pruned on the long-spur 

 system, and the produce a few years ago averaged 

 400 bunches of 1 lb. each. 



Mr. Thomson, in his excellent book on the vine, 

 speaks of vines over one hundred years old at 

 Moredim, Edinburgh. They are planted in outside 

 borders, and the roots have travelled under the 

 foundations of brick walls in search of suitable food. 



He also describes a Hamburgh growing at Kennell 

 House, Breadalbane. This, like the Finohley vine, 

 is comparatively young, having been planted in 

 1832. The produce, some 600 bunches annually, is 

 said to be very fine, and quite free from shanked 

 berries. It now fiUs a house 1 72 feet long and 2i> 

 feet wide. Combined with extension training, the 

 keystone of success, it appears, exists in the form of 

 an old Asparagus-bed, into which the roots have 

 foimd their way. So long as the juvenile of fifty 

 odd summers exists, we may safely predict that the 

 Asparagus-bed will be sale from molestation. 



The sister island does not seem to be noted for old 

 vines, but there are a few. When at the viceregal 

 lodge thirty years ago, Mr. Smith was training a 

 very promising young extension Hamburgh, which 

 went on well for some years, but has since died. 



At Castletown, the seat of the late T. Conolly, 

 Esq., near Celbridge, an old vine filled a house 

 which, to the best of my recollection, must have 

 been nearly 80 feet in length. It bore immense 

 crops of black grapes, but being an inferior variety, 

 a Hamburgh had been planted at the opposite end 

 to take its place, and, judging from the way in 

 which it was then progressing, there can be but 

 little doubt that the veteran has long since been 

 removed. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



Bt William "Wilbsmith. 



WINTER BEDDING. 



THIS phase of flower gardening is not nearly so 

 lai-gely practised as it ought to be, though why 

 such should be the case it is difficult to sm-mise, unless 

 it be on the ground of the expense of material and 

 labour. This, after all, is not nearly so formidable 

 as at fii-st sight appears, particularly now that there 

 ai-e so many species of plants which are equally well 

 suited for summer as winter, so that one planbng ol 

 such kinds of plants suffices for the two seasons. 

 We shaU hope to show that thei-e is really but very 



