JULY. 



it, and the sun soon burns it in blotches ; the laterals are dried and scorched 

 at the points from the same cause, and the fruit suffers from the want of the 

 support it would get from plenty of healthy foliage. I have seen houses of 

 Vines planted inside, the roots confined for space, and, from the appearance of 

 surface soil, the border was well supplied with water; but, on examining 

 below the surface, have found it as dry as dust, although a very little discern- 

 ment would tell from the colour of the foliage what was going on below. Still 

 we hear of surprise at Grapes not colouring and shanking ; but I should be 

 more surprised if they did finish off well if the foliage was not good, as I never 

 yet saw an instance of Grapes ripening well if not plenty of healthy foliage on 

 the Vines. If the roots of Vines are in a well-prepared border and trained not 

 less than 15 inches from glass, there is then space for air to circulate between 

 glass and foliage ; or, in short, the foliage not high and the roots not low. 

 I do not advocate leaving the laterals to grow wild ; but after Grapes are 

 thinned until ripe I do not keep the laterals stopped so close as is generally 

 done, as I find they rather assist than rob the fruit. I have seen part of the 

 shoot as well as lateral cut away to admit light and assist colouring, when 

 evidently it was the want of sufficient healthy foliage prevented colouring. 



I hope before many years to see the system of heating borders to both early 

 and late vineries become general. Where it is done it is little trouble to keep 

 Grapes in good condition till March ; and Muscats may be grown, with as little 

 trouble, and as perfect in bunch as Black Hamburghs. C. C. 



LATE vbkstjs EARLY GRAPES. 



Not having received the May Number of the Florist and Pomologist, I 

 did not see friend Thomson's challenge to show his winter-ripened Grapes 

 against late ones in January and February, until noticed lately in the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle. I shall be quite prepared to do battle with him during 

 these months at the several meetings of the Fruit Committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society. I am glad the question of late and early Grapes has led 

 into the discussion such excellent cultivators as Mr. Henderson, of Trentham, 

 and Mr. Thomson, of Archerfield. Their articles on Grape-growing in the 

 last Part of the Florist and Pomologist are interesting communications on 

 the subject, and cannot fail of being useful to the uninitiated in Grape- 

 growing. 



William Tillery. 



BLIND DAHLIA ROOTS. 



I have lately heard complaints from several persons who purchased Dahlias 

 last spring, that although these plants flowered and the roots are perfectly 

 sound, and even make fresh roots when put into a gentle heat, yet they show 

 no signs of pushing. The only two that I purchased are in a similar state. I 

 attribute it to propagators being too anxious to make stock, and propagating 

 from improper cuttings. The true cutting should, in my opinion, be taken off 

 as soon as the leaves expand close to the roots. In this state it is solid, and 

 round the base of it you can plainly see small buds, which, I suppose, remain 

 dormant until the following spring, and from them you must expect to furnish 

 a fresh stock of plants. What I designate improper cuttings are the tops of 

 cuttings and cuttings taken off above the dormant buds which cause them to 

 push, and from which you get a quantity of stock, but being without the 



