98 



THE FLORIST AND FOMOLOGIST. 



" The best compost I have found for them is fibrous peat mixed with a 

 liberal allowance of silver sand. The pots must be well drained when plants 

 are shifted from a small pot to a larger one. The soil should always be made 

 quite solid by ramming it down with a hand-rammer, and a little sand should 

 be shaken over the top of the mould to prevent it from cracking. After 

 potting, the plants should be placed in a moist temperature with a moderate 

 bottom heat, and when placed under such conditions they will soon make rapid 

 growth. 



" While the plants are young they must be trained into the shape they are 

 intended to bear when they have become mature. This may very easily be 

 done by putting a stick to each plant while quite small, even when in a thumb- 

 pot ; and then, after selecting the longest shoot for the centre, tying it upright 

 to the stick. When the shoot has made about 6 inches of growth the top is 

 to be pinched-off, which will cause it to throw out young shoots all up the 

 stem, and thus the plant will become furnished. As it advances in growth, 

 and as soon as the side shoots have reached about 4 inches in length, their 

 tops must be pinched-out also. In this way each plant will be made to form 

 a small pyramid ; and by following up this practice throughout its growth it 

 will always retain this shape. Loose straggling shoots, or those having any 

 tendency to become so, must be pinched back. Should there be any shoots 

 that do not seem disposed to break as freely as the others, they are to be tied 

 down to the stick with thread or small twine, and this will give them a check 

 and cause them to break freely. It will also bring them into a pendent position, 

 and when once the wood is set it will never rise again ; but as the plant goes 

 on growing each shoot will droop over that beneath it, and a very elegant and 

 graceful form will be secured. Only one central stick is to be used, and this is 

 to be introduced when the plant is very young. As the plant grows larger 

 and a longer stick becomes necessary, or when the stick itself decays at the 

 bottom, it can easily be replaced by another of appropriate size. The plants 

 should be frequently and thoroughly fumigated to keep down the thrips and 

 other insects." 



A CAUSE FOR GRAPES SHANKING AND NOT COLOURING. 



The general opinion with regard to Grapes shanking and not colouring 

 appears to be that the fault must be laid to the roots and border. And I do 

 not question it in many cases ; for if the Vines are planted in a cold, deep, 

 undrained border, it is useless to expect a crop of well-coloured fruit. I 

 also think it quite possible, even in an average good border, if a soaking of 

 cold rain falls on the border just as the Grapes are changing colour it will 

 cause shanking, and a continuation of wet will prevent the fruit colouring. 

 But how often do we see and hear of Grapes shanking and refusing to colour 

 on Vines growing in a border made on the most approved plan, and in some 

 cases planted inside the house ; in the latter instance it was surely not caused 

 by the wet cold border. In such cases I could invariably trace it to what in 

 my humble opinion was the cause — namely, want of sufficient healthy foliage 

 to bring the crop to perfection, and ripen the wood for the future season ; 

 without which the crop gets less each succeeding year, until, just as young 

 Vines ought to be in full bearing, they have to be rooted-out, and all the 

 additional labour and expense of making new borders gone over again, to say 

 nothing of the annoyance and inconvenience of losing the crop for several years. 



We often see the wires that Vines are trained to not more than 8 or 9 inches 

 from the glass. The foliage soon gets cramped by the glass, water lodges on 



