232 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 19, 1835. 
above the front wall, and so be under the direct influence of the sun. 
But by way of substantiating the correctness of this statement as much 
as sounding a warning note to others, I may say that nearly four years 
ago in planting the new vineries here with Vines struck in February, I 
was induced (having plenty of home-struck Vines from eye3 kindly sent 
me by that veteran gardener, Mr. Gilbert of Burghley) to plant the Muscat 
house on the 18th of March with Vines from 9 to 12 inches high. The 
result was, that those planted under the full influence of light and sun¬ 
shine against the back wall, which, moreover, retained some of the heat 
imparted to it by the sun’s rays, grew most satisfactorily, while those in 
the shade of the front wall were at a standstill for ten or twelve days, and 
a few of them had to be moved and stronger-growing Vines planted several 
weeks later. Profiting by this experience I planted the remaining three 
vineries towards the end of April and early in May, and every one of the 
two sets of Vines (back and front) grew splendidly. The Vines, however, 
should be either planted or shifted into larger pots before they become 
root-bound. 
Preparatory to planting the Vines make a series of holes 2 feet 
apart, beginning at 2 feet from the end, between the front wall and the 
hot-water pipes, the entire length of the border ; then see that a sufficient 
quantity of rather fine soil is provided of about the same tempera¬ 
ture as that in which the young Vines are growing in the pots to 
place around them when being planted, so as to prevent the plants expe¬ 
riencing any check in consequence of their roots coming in contact with 
a compost less warm than that in which they are growing. Turn the 
Vines carefully out of the pots and plant them—the permanent ones 
midway between the rafters, and those for yielding a crop of fruit the 
following year between them—disturbing the roots as little as pos¬ 
sible, about 1 inch deeper than they were in the pots, and make the 
soil firm about them in planting ; then put a stick to each plant for sup¬ 
port and secure them to the trellis, but leave them sufficiently long to 
subside 6 or 7 inches with the soil. Bearing this in mind, tie the sticks 
loosely to the trellis, so that sticks, Vines, and soil may all subside 
together. This being done give sufficient tepid water through a rose to 
settle the soil about the roots, and afterwards give a surface dressing of 
2 or 3 inches thick of horse droppings or decayed manure. In the event 
of cut-back Vines—that is, Vines one year old—being planted it will be 
necessary, unless they were shaken out, the roots cut back a little and 
repotted at the end of February or early in March, to disentangle the roots, 
shorten the latter a little, and then spread them in every direction over the 
soil with a slight inclination downwards ; cover with about 6 inches thick 
of soil; water, &c., as set forth above. 
As regards varieties, I should like to make a little alteration in the 
list given at page 47 of your current volume by classing Gros Maroc as a 
first-rate late-keeping Grape, as well as being a good midseason variety. 
The reason for this is that a bunch of this handsome Grape, which, as I 
stated in your number for November 27th last, was cut and bottled in 
August and kept after the crop from the same house had been consumed 
to test its keeping qualities, is still in fairly good condition in the Grape 
room, notwithstanding the fact of its having been cut nearly seven months. 
Hence there are good grounds for supposing that if this Grape were 
grown, as it should be, in a late house, and the crop cut and bottled at the 
usual time (towards the new year) it could be kept in good condition 
until the end of May or the middle of June.—H. W. Ward, Longford 
Castle, Salisbury. 
(To be continued.) 
DRAINING FLOWER POTS. 
Now that potting is general, all who wish to excel in plant culture 
will do well to pay the utmost attention to draining the pots. Beginners 
appear to think that the more material is placed into a pot the better it 
will be drained; but this is a mistake, as properly arranged drainage to 
the depth of 2 inches in a large pot is more effective than much more 
carelessly placed in it. Broken pieces of pots, oyster shells, or broken 
bricks, form the best material for drainage in pots. All are good, but I 
prefer the first and second named. One large piece should be placed 
over the hole at the bottom of the pot; more rough pieces may be placed 
over this, and smaller on the surface. When they are thrown in some of 
them will stand on edge with vacancies between, and it is this form of bad 
drainage which allows the soil to fall amongst them and stop the passage 
of the water before the plant has commenced growth. The large potsherds 
should never be thrown in, but each one must be placed down separately 
with the hand, and arranged so as to fit closely. The smaller pieces must 
be spread over the larger ones, and it will then be impossible for the soil to 
interfere with the operation of the drainage. 
In draining pots for many Orchids, or any plant which produces large 
fleshy roots, it is a good plan to place a little pot upside down at the 
bottom of the larger ones, as there is no danger of the drainage being 
filled when this done, and the roots enjoy working around and clinging to 
such material. Charcoal, too, may often be used with advantage. 
Drainage which is to be used again should be washed before it is re¬ 
turned to the pots ; and apart from being clean it must also be quite dry. 
Bedding plants, and others that only occupy the pots for a short time, do 
not require such care in draining as Orchids, Pine Apples, or hard- 
wooded plants, which will remain in the same pots for many months or 
years. Besides placing the larger pieces of potsherds at the bottom, and 
the smaller portions over them, it is a good plan to put some rough soil 
over this before the general soil is placed in. Plants requiring peat must 
have the roughest parts of this soil placed over the drainage, and those 
needing loam must have the turfy parts used in the same way. Moss, 
especially sphagnum, is also very suitable for the purpose, but leaves 
decay too soon to be introduced where the plants have to remain long in 
the pots.— J. Muir. 
SELECT ANNUALS FOR STOVE AND 
GREENHOUSE. 
(Continued from page 191.) 
The Balsam (Impatiens balsamina). —This is so well 
known and so commonly grown that no description is requisite- 
It is included in the natural order Balsamacese, and was in¬ 
troduced from the East Indies in 1596. The generic name 
refers to the elasticity of the valves of the seed-pod, which 
discharges its seeds when ripe or on being touched. The genus 
contains upwards of thirty-six species, nearly all of which are 
annual or biennial; the majority are natives of the East Indies 
and Ceylon, and the remainder are found in China, Cape of 
Good Hope, Madagascar, and North America. The perennial, 
I. Sultani, is becoming nearly as popular as the annual species, 
I. balsamina; a few of the other species are found in botanic 
gardens, but they are not likely to become popular. 
In order to have fine plants of the Balsam, say 3 feet high 
and as much in diameter at the base, seed should be sown about 
the middle of March in light rich soil in pots or pans, and placed 
in a warm moist place, such as a two-light frame on a gentle 
hotbed. If the place can be entirely devoted to the Balsams so 
much the better, and a piece of glass placed over the seed-pan 
will assist germination. As soon as the seedlings can be handled 
they should be placed in small pots, using slightly richer soil 
than that the seed was sown in. Keep them plunged in the 
frame with their foliage not more than 6 inches from the glass, 
for the object is to promote a quick and sturdy growth, and the 
warmth in the bed will incite a healthy and rapid root-action. 
Shade them from strong sunlight, and afford a little ventilation 
so long as the temperature can be kept above 70°. Do not 
allow the plants to become root-bound, but transfer them into 
5 or 6-inch pots a3 soon as the roots are working freely round 
the sides. This remark applies with equal force to the future, as 
any check at the roots will cause a premature formation of 
flower-buds, and thus render it almost impossible to obtain a 
large well-flowered and symmetrical specimen. At this potting 
the soil should be rich, but neither too light not too heavy. If 
the loam at hand is light, then all that need be added will be a 
fourth of its bulk of dried cow manure passed through a sieve, 
but should it be stiff and heavy in texture then a third of the 
bulk must be leaf soil, or, failing that, sand. Let the drainage 
be perfect, but not necessarily bulky. The soil on all occasions 
ought to be warm when used, and the plants sunk deeper at 
every potting operation. Keep them plunged in the hotbed, and 
not too close together; apply water carefully, and allow a free 
circulation of air according to the temperature. 
Subsequently pots 9 inches in diameter may be used, and 
soil as before described. If there is no longer suffic : ent head- 
room in the frame, let the plants be placed close to the glass in 
a warm greenhouse, taking care to maintain an atmosphere as 
near like that of the hotbed as possible. As the side shoots 
develope tie them down close to the pot. It is a good plan to 
pass a wire or string round the pot underneath the rim, to which 
strands of matting can be tied from the shoots above. Occa¬ 
sional weak supplies of liquid manure may be given as soon as 
the roots have taken to the new soil. If flower buds show, keep 
them picked off for the present until the plants are established 
in their largest pots, which need not be larger than 12 inches in 
diameter. The soil for the final potting ought to be sound fibry 
loam—if it has been stacked nine months and had a layer of 
manure between each two layers of sods it will be just right—three 
parts; cow manure one part, and a dash of sand. Let the plants 
be potted rather firmly. Stake and tie out as the potting is 
completed, and return to their growing quarters. Take care to 
shade at all times from strong sunshine, and as the plants come 
into flower give them a cooler atmosphere and feed with liquid 
manure as they require it. Keep all seed pods picked off. Those 
who possess them may place a few crushed bones over the crocks 
at the final potting. 
Mignonette (Reseda odorata). —Though not an annual 
in the botanical sense of the term, as it is easily transformed 
into a biennial or even perennial by encouraging growth and 
keeping the flowers picked off, yet it is usually grown in gardens 
as an annual. The genus Reseda is much lai-ger than many 
people suppose (though few will care to make the acquaintance 
of any but the Mignonette) comprising thirty or more species, 
mostly distributed throughout Europe and Africa, one or two 
being found in Persia and China. Reseda odorata is a native of 
