104 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND 0071AGE GARDENER. 
[ February 5,1835. 
White St. Crouts. —This has proved itself as good as last 
season, being as robust in every way as the parent. In fact, 
at all times of the year, even in the middle of winter, it 
grows like a weed, and none of the plants have varied in any 
way from white. 
Mrs. Cullingford.— This, too, has proved first-rate under 
all modes of treatment. It does well at all times, growing 
well through the winter. There is little doubt that it will 
become a favourite for supplying white flowers. 
Andromeda.— There are two varieties under this name, 
Andromeda and Andromeda rosea. One is a sport of the 
other, and they are both late Pompons. There is also an 
early-flowering variety sold under the name of Andromeda 
which is really the old Durham. The faults of this are that 
it is an irregular and uncertain grower, besides being rather 
fugitive with me ; but some people think more highly of it, 
their soil and climate probably suiting it better. 
Mrs. Wood.— An old variety, now called Luxemburg by 
many, but it is not the one formerly sold by that name. I 
have seen it very fine this season, and though the colour is 
dull it always was a full flower. It is a dull buff tipped with 
red, which just suits the aesthetic folks. It makes with 
Maidenhair Ferns very fashionable shoulder bouquets, which 
look very novel and refined. 
Frederick Pele.— In some places this has been extra fine 
this season, the flowers being a bright crimson without any 
gold tips, as I have never seen it before. We want a good 
crimson Pompon among the early sorts, for this is not so 
strong a plant or profuse a bloomer as we could wish; still 
in some respects it is the best we have at present. 
As these lines will probably reach far distant parts, and 
some may wish to see these sorts growing before purchasing, 
I may mention that they are now obtainable from most 
nurserymen both in the provinces and around London.— 
W. Piercy, West Road, Forest Hill, London, S.E. 
GUOS GUILLAUME GRAPE. 
I regret to have failed in making myself sufficiently clear 
for “Market Gardener” to understand the points alluded to 
when offering a few remarks upon the cultivation of the above 
Grape. If “Maket Gardener” will again read my remarks, 
page 63, he will find that they refer only to the usual manage¬ 
ment, or rather mismanagement, in the growing of Gros 
Guillaume. As he desires to know something more about my 
treatment of both root and branch, I gladly comply with his 
request. 
In the first place, I may state that the vinery is span-roofed, 
standing north and south 18 feet high, with lantern top 3 feet 
wide, and ventilated at the side. It is 60 feet long, 34 feet wide 
(ouside measurement), and is also ventilated by side lights 2 feet 
6 inches deep, so that in the hottest weather we can easily obtain 
plenty of air, which is of the utmost importance in preventing 
scalding of the berries. I consider it a decided advantage for all 
large late vineries to havfe a lantern top, as thereby the air is ad¬ 
mitted well above the foliage, and consequently the Grapes are less 
liable to rust from exposure to cold draughts. The house is 
wired horizontally, 9 inches apart and 20 inches from the glass 
Borders inside and out 24 feet wide. 
The Vines had been planted ten years last August, and may 
be said to have passed the period of strong rank growth that 
is usually allotted to Vines. n point of fact, they never were 
more vigorous than they are at the present time, and, as 
“ 0. A. M. 0.” remarts, however, pinched fresh growths appear, 
and in many cases they show bunches until September, positive 
proof that the roots are absorbing and the A r ines not overcropped. 
It would be tedious to go through all the details of border-making, 
&c ; suffice to say the first portion of the borders was composed 
of very moderate soil, obtained from the moors, consisting of 
rather heavy marly clay resting upon shale, much of which had 
to be charred to prevent the whole from running together when 
the fibre and bracken roots are decomposed. To this is added a 
liberal supply of half-inch bones, nothing else. Subsequent 
additions have been made to them with somewhat similar but 
better soil strongly impregnated with iron; to this sea sand and 
half-inch bones have been freely added, with two or three 
dressings of lime. In winter, after the Vines and houses have 
been cleaned, an annual heavy covering of fresh cowdung is 
given and well washed in with liquid from the farm tank. 
During the growing season the inside borders are lightly dusted 
with Thomson’s Vine manure (now manufactured at Clovenfords) 
every fortnight or three weeks, according as the weather is 
bright or dull, then slightly forked over and thoroughly soaked 
with clean water. In this way the atmosphere is kept pure and 
wholesome, a great factor in keeping the berries clean and free 
from rust. 
As stated on page 63, the spurs on the Vine are few and far 
between. I find I was slightly in error in stating seven on either 
side of the rod. One side of the house has seven and the other 
eight. The laterals are trained to every third wire one over the 
other, and when in full leaf there is about a foot of open space 
between the lines of foliage, thus allowing the sun almost from 
rising to setting to spread its rays not only upon the bunches, but 
on the border, which may in some measure account for the dis¬ 
inclination of the roots to wander outside into a home that is 
neither so warm or comfortable. All the late V ines in my 
charge are treated in much the same way as described, only no 
other variety produces anything near the same weight of Grapes 
that we get from Gros Guillaume. In pruning, I cut back to 
one or two buds, as I find the best and most compact bunches 
are obtained from the shoulder bud of the spur. 
For the benefit of “ Market Gardener,” I may add that in the 
case of Lady Downe’s Seedling we take two bunches off each 
very strong lateral.—J. McIndoe. 
TRENCHING GROUND. 
It is pardonable in cultivators when they discuss a practice 
which has been well understood for centuries past, and though 
nothing new is likely to be elicited in the art of trenching, such 
discussions on everyday practice are beneficial to the young and 
inexperienced. The “ rule of thumb ” practice of manipulating 
land for the cultivation of vegetables, &c., still has some ad¬ 
herents, and such imitate only the practice of others, which 
might be excellent in some localities but very injudicious, and 
perhaps ruinous, in other districts. We have known Scotch 
farmers who have held up to ridicule the practice of their 
southern brethren ; and yet, when they have been located among 
the latter, have adopted the methods of cultivation which they 
have formerly severely censured. They found that change of 
soils, customs, and resources (new to them) compelled them to 
change their practice. In the northern fertile districts land is 
more highly rented and labour double the price generally paid 
in east, south, and west of England; and it is well known that 
except cultivation is high—abundance of manure given, deep 
tilth, and good drainage—tenants cannot make headway. 
In horticulture we find cases very similar to these. Deep 
trenching in some soils is attended with the best of results, and 
in other gardens where soil is of a minimum depth, the subsoil 
inert or unwholesome, trenching deeply would be foolish in the 
extreme. A small portion of poor soil brought to the surface to 
mix with rich land (light soil with heavy do., or vice versu) is a 
practice which is attended with good results. On some land we 
have trenched three spades deep, leaving a rough open bottom; 
while on other portions of ground (sometimes in close proximity 
to each other) we could not go more than the depth of one spade 
with advantage. This season, as we often have done before, we 
are trenching one spade deep, leaving a bottom deeply turned 
over, and the trench is filled with trimmings of turf, decayed 
garden refuse, and the top spit placed uppermost. The bottom, 
being a brown sandy mixture, should remain where it is until the 
upper crust requires “refreshing.” While forming foundations 
two years ago for glass erections, the bottom soil was used to 
raise the vegetable plots to a level, while the surface soil was 
spread out on an empty space exposed to weather to be sweetened 
for mixing wdth Vine border soil and general use, which has 
answered the purpose well. On the vegetable ground, however, 
we expect it to be a work of time before the ground is at a high 
state of fertility, the soil placed there being poor; but a mixture 
of vegetable mould and other suitable material pointed into the 
surface has enabled us to crop closely and grow good produce. 
Judicious trenching has, beyond a doubt, been an important 
operation in the leading gardens of the country for many years, 
and in numerous cases distinguished cultivators can point to 
deep tilth as a primary cause of their success, and we might add 
to this —economy. Manure turned just under the surface is 
subjected to much waste by evaporation; but when rich and 
often unwholesome surfaces are amalgamated with soil a yard 
deep or so drought is defied, rooting downward is unimpeded, 
and where drainage is defective the depth of soil to a great 
extent modifies the evils of stagnant moisture. When turning 
attention to the success of distinguished gardeners living in 
