94 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 2, 1882. 
found at the time of potting the main batch of bulbs in autumn that 
the smallest pots that Hyacinths could be grown in would be of the 
greatest convenience. Those 3^ inches diameter were chosen, and the 
result has been most encouraging. When I say the bulbs were potted 
in the last week of October, and that we had the first spikes fully 
developed the second week of January, this note may be found 
worthy of consideration.—R. P. B. 
VINE MANAGEMENT. 
Vines are accommodating if we follow Nature reasonably in 
their treatment. The several articles written by your correspon¬ 
dents I have read with much interest; but it is not my purpose 
to enter into their controversies, I merely wish to give an opinion 
regarding the cultivation and the general treatment of the Vine, 
an opinion based on some practice and on very close observation. 
The Vine we find so peculiarly accommodating that even success 
is secured when opposite systems of treatment are practised. On 
returning to gardening, at which I had spent my childhood’s days, 
a good mother advised, “ Follow thy own common sense in gar¬ 
dening and thou wilt succeed.” This advice I have many times 
found most valuable, but still at times I have had to appeal to 
the good common sense of others ; and then my rule has been, 
when advisers differed in opinion, to choose the system which 
incurred least labour. Naturally the Vine extends, and health 
with extension has the best chance of being secured ; but as with 
judicious pruning generally, so we find it is also successful prac¬ 
tice to restrict the Vine and so secure a seasonable variety of 
fruit in the same space. 
Mr. Hunter we know grew his monster bunches, his Black 
Hamburgh being 21 lbs. 12 ozs., and also his magnificent prize 
bunches when he grew his Vines on the restricted system ; and 
since he has chosen to “ let them go,” he swept the board of 
the chief prizes at Manchester. This, I think, ought to satisfy 
all that in growing Vines our needs ought to chiefly guide. 
My Vines are planted 2 feet 9 inches apart, but if I were about 
to plant now I would have them nearer 4 feet. I have cropped, 
some gardeners say heavily, but certainly nothing in the way 
these last three years that some of your correspondents talk of. 
But regarding the weight of crops perhaps it is not without 
import, my Grapes being all weighed. I have many times proved 
that gardeners are bad judges of weight and also of value. Vines 
planted 2 feet 9 inches apart are, I consider, too close for reason¬ 
able cropping—that is, to allow sufficient foliage in the roof to 
finish the fruit. I have found that by letting the border be covered 
with foliage by allowing laterals to extend from the stems of the 
Vines 1 have all the extension necessary ; but were my Vines 
4 feet apart, then this lower extension I would not consider a 
necessity to practice, as foliage evenly distributed over the roof is 
undoubtedly in its right place. 
That Vines make roots corresponding to the extension of shoots 
may, I think, be taken for granted ; and that Vines will have 
healthy foliage, healthy fibrous roots, and finish good Grapes in 
response to fair treatment including restriction may also, I think, 
be taken for granted ; but to let them extend and then to cut 
them back close, is treatment in which many will fail, and it is 
unnecessary. 
Vines properly attended to cannot become gorged ; but there is 
the danger that attends unrestricted growth where they are 
treated on the short-pruning system. The rods of Vines that are 
planted close and allowed to extend 20 feet must produce some 
leaves that are never properly exposed to the light, and such rods 
are strong and require corresponding heat to ripen them, which 
many growers do not possess. There is the great danger that 
attends this system. The crowded roof seriously risks the supply 
of ripened fruit buds, and the more so where heat is not at com¬ 
mand. To let them grow I admit is a successful way to bring 
back gorged sickly Vines to health, but such are not the result 
of sound treatment, and these excessively long canes past the 
bunch neither add to the size of the berries, to the colour of the 
fruit, nor to the quality. 
My plan is, when Vines are healthy to keep them healthy. 1 
hold it to be most important to only give them the quantity of 
liquid supplies, either water or liquid manure, they can take ; no 
more. The Vine resents too much, and this is seen by sickly 
foliage, unripe wood, and moderate Grapes. Too much liquid acts 
like poison to the roots, and the border becomes sour, and all 
healthy fibrous roots disappear. The Vine requires manure, but it 
is far better to err in giving too little than too much. In these 
northern parts it requires artificial heat, but it is far better here 
also to err in giving too little heat than in the giving too much ; 
but air and light are necessary. If lightly cropped you may 
ripen Grapes without either—that is, in a fashion ; but without 
air, light, and heat it is undoubtedly almost impossible to perfect 
wood sufficiently to secure fruit the following year. On this 
year’s treatment next year’s crop depends. 
All fruit grown indoors, we must remember, is grown artificially ; 
and being thus deprived of the aid of healthy breezes and of the 
helps given by insect life to the necessary distribution of pollen, 
necessitates our artificially aiding them. But when fruit buds are 
fully perfected the previous year the question of fruit setting 
is a matter that need give little concern. Grapes of all the varie¬ 
ties I know, if necessary, can be grown successfully in one house, 
and with the artificial aid they will all set at any reasonable heat; 
but if the wood be not ripe then you have the certain forerunner 
of failure, such as non-setting, stoneless berries, shanking, no 
matter what be the treatment at these stages. To young gardeners 
especially I say, Think of this ; and, though they have no need 
to throw science and scientific learning from them, they will find 
that observation and industry guided by good common sense are all 
that are necessary.— JOSEPH WITHERSPOON, Red Ruse Vineries, 
Chester-le-Street. 
FLORIST FLOWERS—THE GLADIOLUS. 
Your excellent and always instructive correspondent, “ D., Deal," 
(page 56), discussing horticulture in the past year, generally 
paints the picture in bright colours, as I think he should, and 
everyone who has seen the famous Show at Manchester cannot 
well think otherwise. Yet I do not quite agree with your corre¬ 
spondent on one point. As far back as my horticultural reading 
takes me, “ D., Deal," has been famous both as a grower and con¬ 
tributor on florist flowers, but especially on the Gladiolus he has 
been accepted as an authority. Now, if I remember rightly, he has 
stated that he saw the famous first-prize collection of two hundred 
blooms exhibited by the Messrs. Kelway at Manchester, I believe 
almost exclusively Langport seedlings, and if this is so they must 
have excited his admiration as an enthusiast. If this supposition 
be correct, how can “ D., Deal," say “ the Gladiolus still remains 
in the shade ?” Its culture may not be extending as rapidly as 
its admirers may wish, but this may be remedied by making its 
beauty and superior merits better known, and even more so by 
plainly stating how easily reasonable success in culture can be 
achieved. No doubt your correspondent has often done this, but 
there are new readers, and what was considered established 
maxims in its culture are now questioned by undoubted autho¬ 
rities. For instance, French seedlings have been found by Mr. 
Douglas almost worthless a second year, and, if I understand 
rightly, he would keep up a stock by a continued succession of 
home-raised seedlings. 
Hitherto it has been accepted as the most judicious and safe 
course to take up valuable hybrids of Gandavensis when the 
foliage has died, and store them for the winter ; but this, too, has 
been questioned, and more satisfactory results are said to have 
been achieved, even such a winter as the last, by allowing them 
to remain in the ground. Then they are said to “degenerate.” 
For my part, though I may have lost a small fraction of my 
limited collection within the last few years, it has risen from 
scores to hundreds. No doubt they were of the hardier and 
cheaper kinds in many cases, of which Meyerbeer and Jupiter are 
types among the red, and Shakespeare and Arundo among the 
white ; but Claribel, Cleopatra, and Marguerite (not particularly 
hardy) did remarkably well too. As I have procured such cer¬ 
tificated seedlings of the past year as Cherub, Mr. Thornton, Sir 
Stafford Northcote, Lord Newport, Vicomtesse Glentworth, and 
some others shown by Mr. Kelway in different parts of England, 
and as I intend to submit them to the same treatment as the 
cheaper kinds above referred to, I shall be in a better position 
next year to speak of degeneracy among the very best hybrids. 
I think I can state as an encouragement to young growers the 
simple and generally accessible system of culture I find so satis¬ 
factory, and to which other readers may kindly add their ex¬ 
perience ; such splendid florist flowers should have their merits 
constantly reiterated. I plant in a mixed border each side of a 
central avenue facing south. It is upwards of 4 feet wide, and 
probably 3 feet deep ; soil, good loam constantly top-dressed with 
old decayed hotbed and other manure. So much for position, soil, 
and manure. I, however, rely very much on liquid manure and 
soot water, especially after the spikes are formed, but even more 
on the full maturing of the foliage, which means also maturation 
of the corm. This is to my mind one of the antidotes to dege¬ 
neracy. Early planting and surrounding the corms with sand, 
and planting less than the accustomed depth, are points I also 
much rely on, though others differ therefrom.—W. J. M., Clonmel. 
Chrysanthemum Mrs. Charles Carey. —lathe Journal of the 
19th inst. Chrysanthemum Mrs. Charles Carey is mentioned as flower- 
