256 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 26, .885. 
With, regard to Solar Radiation Thermometers, the successive stages in 
the assumed perfecting of these instruments have been as follows :—An 
ordinary mercurial thermometer acts as a spherical mirror, and reflects the 
rays which fall upon it. To lessen this the bulbs were first made with black 
glass. Moreover, originally the degree marks were put upon the supporting 
slab, then they were put upon the tubes of the thermometers. It was then 
found that in a position where two thermometers with similarly coated 
bulbs were exposed to the sun, but one was exposed to more wind than the 
other, the indicated temperatures varied greatly. To avoid this, it was 
roposed that the thermometer should be inserted in a glass shield ex- 
austed of air. Various forms of mounting have been adopted, but the 
chief efforts have been expended in determining the influence of the amount 
of air left in the so-called vacuum. The next stage was, that inasmuch as 
black glass had a bright surface, there was still much light reflected, and 
therefore the surface was dulled with a coat of lampblack, so that all heat 
falling upon the bulb might be absorbed. Subsequently, owing to the in¬ 
fluence of the lower temperature of the unblackened thermometer tube, 
about 1 inch of it was coated like the bulb. As evidence of the degree 
of exhaustion, a small mercurial pressure gauge was attached to the ther¬ 
mometer, and by other makers platinum wires were soldered through the 
shield, so that the stratification of the electric arc might indicate the 
amount of air still left. 
With regard to Terrestrial Radiation Thermometers the pattern of in¬ 
strument used has varied very little. The Rutherford minimum has almost 
always been used, but its sensitiveness has gradually been increased; the 
spherical bulb was replaced by a cylinder, the cylinder was elongated and 
bifurcated, and eventually, in order to strengthen the forks, they were 
united into what is known as a “ link.” Another plan was to flatten the 
cylindrical bulb into as thin a plate as possible, this giving a maximum 
of surface in proportion to the contents. The bulb was also made double, 
and thus we have the so-called “bottle” pattern, and then the tube was led 
into the side of the bottle, and both ends of the bottle were left open, and 
so we have the “ open cylinder,” a remarkable specimen of glass-blowing. 
Then there have been two patterns of mercurial thermometers, Casella’s 
and Negretti’s. Difficulties have arisen from the degree marks being obli¬ 
terated by the weather. To guard against this, the tube has been enclosed 
in what are known as Leach’s shields, and many attempts have been made 
to render the joint at the entrance of the tube watertight. This is not easy, 
because the thermometer is exposed to a great range of temperature, and 
the air inside the shield varies so much in volume that it forces its way 
through almost every joint. The object is, however, effected when the 
external jacket is sealed on the stem near the bulb. 
In addition to specimens illustrating the various patterns of the above 
instruments, the Exhibition also included a number of new instruments, 
and many interesting photographs, sketches, and diagrams. The photo¬ 
graphs of clouds and lightning w^re very good. At the meeting of the 
Society, the President, Mr. R. H. Scott, F.R.S., read a paper giving a brief 
account of the various instruments and arrangements to be found in the 
Exhibition for the purposes of recording solar and terrestrial radiation, and 
the duration of sunshine, both in regard of its light and its heat, the last- 
named being obtained by means of the sunshine recorders, which are now 
pretty generally used. He exhibited twelve monthly maps showing the 
per-centage proportion of hours of recorded sunshine to the hours the sun 
was above the horizon in the various districts of the United Kingdom. He 
stated that the features which strike anyone on examining the maps of 
sunshine, which are for the most part for the five last summers and for the 
four last winters, excluding January to March, 1885, which has not yet 
expired, are:—First, the broad fact that the extreme south-western and 
southern stations are the sunniest, as has already frequently been pointed 
out. Jersey is undoubtedly the most favoured of our stations in this parti¬ 
cular. Second, that in the late autumn and winter Ireland is much sunnier 
than Great Britain, Dublin having absolutely the highest per-centage of 
possible duration of sunshine in November and December, and being only 
equalled by Jersey in January. The Dublin instrument is not situated in 
the city, but at the Mountjoy Barracks in the Phoenix Park, beyond the 
Vice-regal Lodge. The north-east of Scotland is also exceptionally bright, 
as the station, Aberdeen, lies to leeward of the Grampians. In April the 
line of 40 per cent of possible duration takes in Jersey, Cornwall, Pembroke¬ 
shire, the Isle of Man, and the whole of Ireland, except Armagh. The 
maximum of the year occurs in May, and the amount rises to 50 per cent, 
(nearly to sixty in Jersey) over the district just mentioned as enjoying 
40 per cent, in April. In June there is a falling off, which is continued 
into July, and even into August in the western Highlands. In the south of 
England, however, a second maximum occurs in August, the figure for 
Jersey rising to 50 per cent. This is mainly due to the exceptionally bright 
weather of August, 1884, in the southern counties of England. In Sep¬ 
tember Ireland shows a falling-off, and the greatest degree of cloudiness is 
in Lincolnshire. In October the midland counties of England are the worst 
off. In November the line of 40 per cent, encloses two districts, one Dublin, 
already mentioned, the other the eastern counties (Cambridge and Beccles). 
The absolutely highest monthly per-centages in the period under con¬ 
sideration are in the month of May, 1882, in which St. Anne’s Head, Milford 
Haven, had 62 per cent., while Geldeston (Beccles), Douglas (Isle of Man), 
and Southbourne (Bournemouth), shows 61 per cent. 
The Exhibition remained open till the 20th instant. 
VINERIES, VINE BORDERS, AND VINES. 
(Continued from page 231.) 
Temperature and Atmospheric Moisture.—T he water should 
be kept sufficiently warm in the pipes to maintain the temperature at 60° 
by night and 70 by day, raising it to 85° or 90° with sun heat, and plenty 
of atmospheric moisture at closing time. Syringe the Vines and the 
house generally, especially underneath and between the hot-water pipes 
and the wall morning and afternoon with tepid water to promote a genial 
temperature and to keep the leaves free from the attacks of red spider. 
With this object in view, also have the evaporating troughs tilled with 
strong liquid manure, the vapour from which will be beneficial to the 
Vines. During bright sunny weather the surface of the border and 
pathway should be damped about midday. 
Ventilation. —The time of admitting fresh air to the vineries in 
the morning and stopping it in the afternoon must be regulated in 
accordance with the weather at the time, as the temperature recorded 
in each house, and not the particular hour or minute, should be the guide 
in this important matter. Hence the ventilators may be slightly 
opened a9 soon as the thermometer registers 80° on bright mornings, 
afterwards increasing and decreasing it with the rise and fall of the tem¬ 
perature until closing time. This should be varied from three o’clock in 
the afternoon in April to 4 30 towards the end of August, after which 
date air may be given more freely day and night to ripen the wood. In 
the event of the vineries being of modern erection, and, consequently, 
nearly air-tight, the top and front ventilators can be opened slightly late 
each evening from April to the end of August and closed early 
in the morning, when the Vines and house should be well syringed. 
Watering. —The Vines will not require much water at the roots until 
the latter have pushed well into the soil in all directions, when they 
should have liberal supplies of clear water, following with a few tubfuls 
of liquid manure or Beeson’s manure at the rate of 3 lbs. to 10 gallons of 
water to each strip of border. 
Stopping. —As soon as the Vines have started into growth and 
furnished the first 12 or 18 inches of the trellis stop them, and pinch 
out the laterals resulting from this stopping as soon as they appear. 
This will cau=e the latest bud at the base—which, if the laterals were 
allowed to grow, as is frequently the case, would not move until next 
year—to push into growth after the lapse of eight or ten days, the 
sap, in the meantime, being necessarily directed to the development 
of both stem and buds below. Thus treated, a uniform plumpness 
of the buds is secured the entire length of the rods. When the Vines 
so stopped have each made a couple of feet of fresh growth stop them 
again in the manner indicated, and repeat the operation to the end 
of the growing season, except in the case of the temporary Vines, 
which are to be cut down after they have been fruited next year. These 
may be pinched hard at 8 feet from the bottom of the trellis ; but should 
there be any danger of the buds in the axils of the leaves bursting a few 
of the laterals and sub-laterals at the top of each rod so disposed can be 
allowed to grow to draw off the sap, and thus prevent the fruit buds 
pushing into growth. In order to concentrate all the energies of the 
Vine to the thickening of the rods and the enlargement and consolidation of 
the buds proceeding from its base, the lateral shoots springing from the 
same source must he stopped at the first joint, as also should the sub¬ 
laterals, and those which may afterwards appear should be pinched close 
back. These remarks are also applicable to that portion of the Vine be¬ 
tween the ground and trellis to insure thickness of main stem from its 
base. Better results will be secured from Vines thus treated than would 
be the case from rods, the laterals of which have been allowed to grow 
uninterruptedly during the past season with a view to encouraging a 
corresponding amount of growth at the roots. I have tried both methods 
of stopping and non-stopping the shoots side by side on eighty-eight 
Vines here a few years since to prove which one was right, and the result 
of the experiment was in favour of the one recommended. I know that 
I am on delicate though perfectly safe ground in this matter. Some may 
aver that by following this close-pinching system in preference to that of 
free lateral growth root-action is somewhat impeded, but if young Vines 
produce thicker and more consolidated canes furnished with large filbert- 
like buds in the axils of their leaves than would otherwise be the case the 
condition of the roots may be considered highly satisfactory. 
Pruning. —There is not much to be said on the subject of pruning 
Vines the first year. The spurs should be removed from both temporary 
and permanent Vines, and that the latter, instead of cutting them down 
to within a couple of feet of the bottom of the trellis—a practice deservedly 
becoming a thing of the past—should be shortened to 9 or 10 feet 
from this point, and the former to 7 feet. 
Disbudding and Cropping. —As soon as the Vines push into growth 
the following year they must be disbudded. Of course, tbe strongest and 
best placed shoots may be retained diagonally on each side of the rods at 
from 15 to 18 inches apart. Six bunches on each rod—one more or less 
according to the strength of the latter—will be sufficient crop for the tem¬ 
porary Vines to ripen satisfactorily. If it is necessary to take three or four 
bunches off each permanent Vine the first year after planting they should 
be distributed equally over each entire length of rod ; but though the 
laterals may show two or three bunches each, if the permanent welfare of 
the Vines is to be considered, as it should be, do not be tempted to allow 
them to carry a greater number of bunches than that indicated. Thus it 
will be seen that Vines treated as I have endeavoured to describe, will fill 
the house with fruit-bearing wood within two years from the time the 
eyes were inserted in 3-inch pots to root.—H. W. Ward, Longford Castle , 
Salisbury. 
HOW WE HAVE GROWN OUR SEEDLING GLADIOLI. 
Early in February, 1881, we sowed the seed in boxes, placing them 
in a dung frame, where there was a little bottom heat. When tbe seed¬ 
lings had grown about 2 inches high they were hardened and placed in a 
sheltered position, where they stood all the summer. At the beginning 
of October many had completed their growth, but most of them were 
still fresh and growing. At that time we shifted them under glass to 
help them to finish their growth, as the soil in the boxes was saturated 
with the autumn rains. Many of the earlier-ripened corms at once started 
growth. In November the boxes were removed into the potting shed, 
