February 14, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
133 
out the cause of canker, and devise means to prevent it. We know that 
dressing with much stronger insecticides than that recommended will not 
in all cases prevent the evil; but we shall be glad to learn that it will do 
so in the case of the trees immediately referred to. Insects are almost 
invariably found in cankered wood and bark just as they are on decayed 
roots; but is that sufficient evidence of their being the cause of the decay 
either below or above ground ? Correspondents are quite at liberty to 
express their opinions on this subject.] 
VINE ROOTS. 
There can he no reason for doubting that the cultivation of Vine 
roots so that they can be maintained in quantity near the surface of the 
border is of much importance. When near the surface much more 
can be done in the way of periodical assistance in the shape of liberal 
dressings of manure, cow, horse, or artificial, or some of both. This 
is best done by forking up the surface and applying the artificial 
manure mixed with the fresh soil which is being added to the border, 
then a top-dressing of either cow or stable manure. The latter should 
not be applied in as heavy a dressing as the cow manure ; 2 inches of 
stable dung is quite thick enough, 3 or 4 inches of cow dung may be 
safely applied. 
A thorough watering should be given, and the border be main¬ 
tained throughout the season in such condition as regards surface 
moisture as will induce the roots to remain and even come to the 
surface, where they can be more easily managed and supplied with 
nourishment, which in due time they will return with interest in the 
form of a good crop of fruit. 
When a border is allowed to get dry near the surface, depend upon 
Fig. 27.—Adiantum ciliatum (see page 130). 
it the roots will descend in search of moisture, and often enter a sub¬ 
soil that can afford them little nourishment, though finding more of 
the moisture they love so well. Vine roots will penetrate walls, go 
through below pipes, paths, and all sorts of obstacles in order to 
obtain moisture, therefore it is a great pity when they are denied what 
they so much require by those whose interest it is to supply their 
wants. 
Hand-watering, especially when the “ chief ” is not present, are 
often too superficial. It is astonishing what a quantity of water a 
border can absorb before it is thoroughly soaked, as it should be where 
the drainage is good. A hose therefore should be used wherever 
practicable, the water being allowed to run for some time on one por¬ 
tion of the border, and then the hose shifted along. This can 
be managed and other work cariied on by the man in charge, and a 
great saving in labour affected. The danger of chilling Vine roots by 
a too liberal supply of water is enlarged on by some cultivators, but 
the writer is inclined to think that far more Vines suffer from insuffi¬ 
cient water than from excess, always remembering that good drainage 
is of much importance. 
When a border is so situated that the water cannot pass freely 
away, and more than the soil can take up be given, every effort 
should be made to remedy the defect or water should be more care¬ 
fully applied. When top-dressing a border, as many of the roots 
as possible should be taken up and laid among the new soil, some 
of the largest of them being nicked with a knife; they will then send 
out more young roots to feed on the good viands supplied. 
When long fibreless roots are formed some of them should be 
pruned, so that they will emit numbers of young roots. This is the 
great advantage of Vines grown on the root-pruning system. Instead 
of a coil of large roots, which have to be unwound and laid out 
when a Vine grown on the ordinary system is planted, we have a 
ball bristling on all sides with short fibry roots, ready to work their 
way steadily into every portion of the border. 
Vine roots, in common with those of many other plants, attach 
themselves to bricks, stones, pieces of charcoal, &c., though it is 
not advisable to put too many of these in a border, as the space is 
better occupied by substances calculated to yield more nourishment. 
If good fibry loam is to be had, that and a mixture of horn shavings, 
ground bones, and wood ashes form a capital compost for success¬ 
fully growing Vines in. 
By some it is supposed that lifting Vine roots, subjecting them 
to a good pruning and relaying them in new soil, is such a hazardous 
operation that it is better left unattempted, and annual top-dressings 
are put on borders where there are no roots within 2 feet of the 
surface. However, the number of those v r ho entertain these ideas 
is every year growing smaller, and Vine roots are pretty generally 
considered as capable of being manipulated to an extraordinary 
extent, and brought entirely under the control of cultivators. 
The question of inside v. outside borders has been often discussed, 
and it must be said that good results have been obtained from both. 
If, however, I were compelled to choose which I would be restricted 
to, certainly inside borders would be chosen. 
With ample means of watering, drainage as it ought to be, good 
soil, &c., inside borders seem to have the advantage, and grand 
results have been obtained from them. 
Some who commence Grape-growing, especially when the Vines 
are in outside borders, commit the mistake of making-up too great a 
width of border at once. Far better add a little yearly than have a 
great mass at once, which the roots, when they have not been sub¬ 
jected to the pruning system, run right through -without staying to 
search out the good things provided for them. Root-pruned Vines 
planted in a narrow border, carefully top-dressed, sufficiently watered, 
and only allowed an extension of border wffien it is apparent that 
they have filled the first portion with numerous fibry roots, are sure 
to produce better results than Vines with long roots planted in a 
wide border and allowed to run right through at once.— Reader. 
HARDY PLANTS AND THEIR SYNONYMS. 
Your correspondent, “ Specialist,” who writes on this subject at 
page 84, will do a great service to gardeners if he can persuade 
nurserymen to adopt anything like uniformity of names for the 
plants they send out ; and perhaps for specific types no more con¬ 
venient standard could be adopted than that of the Ivew herbarium. 
At the same time it must be borne in mind that it is not practicable 
or convenient in horticulture to be limited to the use of botanical 
specific names. There are multitudes of instances in which the 
botanical specific type is a comparatively worthless plant, but varie¬ 
ties of it, developed by cultivation, are highly ornamental. This 
remark applies to not only what are properly called florists’ flowers, 
but also to a very large proportion of other species which have been 
long in cultivation. On going through any class in the herbarium 
at Ivew we shall find that often a varietal name is recognised there 
in addition to the specific name. It is perhaps too common for 
nurserymen to adopt this varietal name as specific, dropping the 
intermediate or true specific name. As an instance of the confusion 
caused by this we may particularise such additions as “ alpina ” or 
“maritima,” so the true Campanula alpina is a dwarf plant not unlike 
a diminutive Canterbury Bell in appearance. I never knew it sent 
out true to name by any nurseryman except Froebel of Zurich, and 
I never knew anyone who could keep it alive in England, ihough it 
is perennial, for more than one or two years ; but though 1 have 
never known C. barbata sent out as C. alpina we receive several 
alpine varieties of C. rotundifolia and C. rhomboidea under the name. 
“ Specialist ” says he writes for those who have not a large col¬ 
lection, and besides that his list might be profitably supplemented. 
I have a very large collection of hardy plants and their varieties, 
and with every wish to support and assist “ Specialist ” in his laud¬ 
able endeavours to promote correct naming, I must say this, a very 
large proportion of the names contained in his second column have 
something to be said in their favour, though I may add that in many 
instances I know by experience that the plants sent out by those 
names are not the true varieties to which they properly belong. I 
will select twelve synonyms taken from this second column to illus¬ 
trate my meaning, though that number might be very largely 
increased. 
Campanula garganica .—The varieties now classed together under 
