1G2 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 28, 1884. 
“ disqualified,” which may have been placed on a box 
through the confusion consequent on these frequent removals 
in order to make a box look more symmetrical. 
The increase in the number of growers and embryo 
exhibitors, and the enlargement of the roseries of those 
who are already such, indicate that we shall have no lack of 
interest in the coming campaign, and if all goes well there 
will no doubt be an exciting Rose season.—D., Deal. 
DIGGING—A CHAPTER FOR BEGINNERS. 
As the plough is the first requisite on a farm so is a spade 
the most important implement in a garden. I am afraid, how¬ 
ever, that gardeners as a rule do not strive to surpass each other 
in the use of the spade, as ploughmen do in turning up the 
square straight furrows so pleasing to the eye of a farmer. I 
daresay some nursery foremen, who see as much spade work as 
most men, would be able to say that not a few head gardeners 
who come under their eyes are not over-perfect in the use of a 
spade, and it is therefore less surprising to find many young 
men use it in an indifferent manner. But few gardeners get 
far through life without having to avail themselves of that often- 
welcome shelter—a nursery. The experienced eye of the nursery 
foreman soon gauges a man’s capacity for digging when he has 
him a few times across a square amongst some dozen others. 
In such a position the man who is not skilled in the art will 
soon find that mere brute strength will not enable him to cope 
with his more weakly neighbour who has had more practice. 
Digging is hard labour to anyone, and nothing but actual prac¬ 
tice will perfect a man in the art of doing a certain amount of 
labour with the least exertion. 
The necessity of digging and trenching, when it is best done, 
and the reasons for doing so, are frequently written about; but 
is the simple operation of turning up the soil of so little account 
as to receive only a passing notice ? 
In the first place let me point out the desirability of evei’y 
youth accustoming himself to work his spade with either hand. 
When he first starts to dig he will find it quite natural to lift 
he spade with one hand only. Sometimes it is the right, while 
in others it is the left; and if he goes on without making an 
effort to use the other he will find it the more difficult to practise 
afterwards. Apart altogether from the fact that a man who 
can work with either hand has an advantage in that while one 
arm is lifting the other is resting, it does not look workmanlike 
to see men digging backwards across a square. This is espe¬ 
cially noticeable when a few men are at work together and 
following each other. 
A young spadesman often makes the mistake of not keeping a 
sufficient opening. He allows the soil to come forward so as to 
interfere with the lifting of the next spit, and then he finds he 
must throw some back on the top of the other, which may not 
improve the levelness of his work. When digging ground about 
to be cropped it must be well broken up, not only on the top but 
at the bottom also. Never dig with a spade amongst fruit trees 
or shrubs; always use a fork, and that carefully not to break 
surface roots. In turning up the soil in the autumn or winter 
the great object is to expose as great a surface to the action of 
the weather as possible. It should therefore be left rough. 
When trenched it is left in ridges. After these have been 
frozen, and when sufficiently dry, they should be levelled down, 
using digging forks, and again left rough. A few late frosts 
and drying winds will make soil so cultivated into the best 
possible state to receive the seeds and perfect a crop. All 
kitchen garden ground should be regularly trenched every three 
or four years, and by breaking up the bottom the soil is 
gradually made deeper without bringing much of the subsoil 
to the top. 
Simple ridging is sometimes practised on heavy lands. This 
I have discontinued. It involves little more labour than 
ordinary rough digging, and does not give a proportionate 
advantage. Having great faith in deep cultivation I prefer 
double digging. A good opening is first taken out about 
15 inches wide and two spits deep. No line is used, as in 
trenching, but it is slightly nicked with the spade, only a couple 
of inches wider than the spade, keeping as straight as possible 
by sight. The ground is then dug over the same as in trenching 
two spits deep, the only difference is in the treatment of the 
bottom spit. Instead of tossing it down roughly, as in ordinary 
rough digging, we set them up leaning against each other corner- 
wise on the generally more loose top spit. To get these little 
miniature ridges to stand requires a little practice. The work¬ 
man must stand in the trench, so that the hand he is lifting 
with is towards the dug ground. He must only lift moderate 
spadefuls, and set them gently but firmly down on one corner, 
leaning against the last spit. Ground so dug is quite as well 
exposed to the weather as in any other way; it looks neat, and 
it does not require any second moving before being cropped, as 
it is generally done when trenched or ridged. 
In digging avoid that slovenly way of pushing the spade 
into the ground anglewise; send it straight down, and the spit 
will come up the easier. Also avoid stooping as much as pos¬ 
sible. In rough digging the workman should stand up to Ins 
full height, or nearly so, every time he lifts his foot to take a 
fresh spit. It is the continual stooping more than the weight 
of the work that makes the back ache. Another practice to be 
avoided is the cutting of heavy soils into great square blocks, as 
I have often seen done. In ordinary or double digging let the 
spits be only about 4 or 5 inches thick; and in trenching it is 
preferable to lift it in triangular pieces without any after 
chopping.— R. Inglis. 
KEEPING VINE ROOTS NEAR THE SURFACE. 
I was pleased to see Mr. Thomson’s description of his excellent 
method of treating Vine roots on page 58. I had the pleasure of 
seeing the Grapes at Drumlanrig a few years ago just when they 
were finishing, aud they were simply splendid, fine-sized bunches 
with enormous berries, and what was more remarkable it did not 
matter whether the bunch was held horizontal or perpendicular, the 
berries never shifted, and the bloom was first-rate, especially of the 
Black Hamburghs, which is the favourite variety there. 
Perhaps a few remarks upon my experience with Vines may not 
be out of place. 1 entered a situation over six years ago where 
there were two large vineries, in which the Vines had been planted 
seven years previously, but had never given satisfaction, and my 
instructions were to grow them better or pull them out. As the glass 
house accommodation was rather limited I resolved on doing some¬ 
thing at the foundation and give them a fair chance. T waited 
patiently until the last week of February, and was favoured with 
fine miid weather. The Vines had been planted far too deep, and 
the roots had grown straight out into the border. I could not find 
a root nearer the surface than 20 inches. The soil was taken out 
at the end of the border to within 3 or 4 inches of the bottom, and 
the whole of the outside border was turned over, lifting the roots 
very carefully and relaying them again among fresh loam within 
9 inches of the surface. The border was then covered with manure 
from the farmyard to the depth of 10 inches. One foot of the soil 
at the top of the inside border was then drawn carefully back to the 
roots, and some fresh loam applied to encourage them. 
The Vines started their lateral growths very slowly until the 
fruit was seen, then they rested for about fourteen days. At this stage 
the vineries were kept rather close and syringed lightly several times 
daily. Then they started again and did wonderfully well considering 
the ordeal they had passed through, and the result was the bunches 
were rather small, but proved satisfactory when sent to table. The 
inside border roots were lifted in the following spring rather nearer 
the surface (within 6 inches) ; and I have since treated our Vine 
borders annually something similar to Mr. Thomson’s method, 
except that the ingredients were not quite the same. I am now 
using the Vine and plant manure sent out by the Liverpool Ilorti- 
cu’tural Company, and without doubt this is a useful manure for the 
Vine. It is applied occasionally the same as we apply guano, 
stirring up the surface first and washing it well in. 
Another important matter is watering \ine borders, especially 
those inside. I quite agree with all Mr. Muir said in these pages 
some time ago about giving copious waterings. The tank here measures 
9 feet long. 4 feet broad, and 5 feet deep, and this is emptied within 
15 inches of the bottom frequently during the growing season (the 
dimensions of the borders being 30 feet long by 15 feet wide), but 
the water is first warmed to the temperature of 70°, sometimes above 
but never below it. There is a large furnace pot adjoining at the 
back, which answers this purpose admirably. Tepid water I consider 
a great boon to Vines, and more especially in the early part of the 
season. I would like to ask your readers what is the use of making 
such deep borders (except it be to retain moisture), seeing that Vines 
do well with their roots near the surface, where they can be fed 
annually, and it so happens that suitable soil is sometimes difficult 
to obtain. Of course the rainfall for the district should be taken 
into consideration ; the rainfall here is very heavy. I would like to 
hear what Mr. Thomson and other good Grape-growers have to say 
on this point—depth of border.—J. J. C. 
EARLY PEAS. 
Peas which were sown in pots the last week in January and treated 
during the interval as recommended at page 61, will now be ready for 
transplanting in a warm border in rows 4 feet apart, which, for dwarf- 
