108 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t February 9, issj. 
permanent plants were being trained for the production 
of future supplies. 
The larger Vines were also planted with the balls of 
roots entire. The holes being made to receive them, 
they were placed in position while still in their pots; 
the pots were then broken with a hammer, the sides 
pulled out, and the bottom part left in. The soil was 
then rammed as tightly as possible round about them 
as in the case of the younger Vines, and they also went 
on growing without a check. The new soil, keeping 
moist from the continuous decomposition going on, did 
not require much water during the first season. 
I have no doubt the distance I have given for Mus¬ 
cats—viz., 7 feet, will seem great to those who have 
only seen them planted 2 or 3 feet apart, but I may 
tell my readers that 7 feet is not too wide for the rods 
to be apart, and possibly 10 feet would be better. 
Black Grapes may be grown well with the rods only 
4 feet apart, but Muscats, to do them justice, for 
reasons which I will endeavour to give, require double 
that room. It hardly signifies how dense the foliage 
is immediately over a bunch of black Grapes of any 
variety: provided there is sufficient of its foliage ex¬ 
posed to the light and air, and the treatment is fairly 
good in other respects, that bunch will colour. But it 
is not so with Muscats—they will not colour properly 
under crowded foliage. It always seems to me that 
this fruit must have a certain amount of diffused light 
reaching it through all the season, or it will never 
assume that beautiful soft amber colour which is always 
desired but seldom attained. It is quite as profitable 
to grow Muscats thus as it is to grow black Grapes the 
other way, well-grown Muscats being always worth 
double as much as other Grapes ; and I may say that 
if my Muscats were all sent to market they would pay 
better than any crop in the garden. — Wm. Taylor. 
(To be continued.) 
ACROSTICHUM CRTNITUM. 
Acrostichum crinitum, or the Hog’s-ear Fern, as it is 
sometimes called, is rarely seen in good condition. It is a hand¬ 
some Fern when well grown, but I think its cultivation is not 
thoroughly understood. I have had strong plants produce good 
stout fronds which properly developed, but in a short time they 
have turned brown at the tips and edges. Some say it is caused 
by being kept too dry, others that it has had too much water. 
But I do not think either is the cause, but that the Fern is potted 
in too heavy a material. I have a good plant now placed some 
time since on an old Tree Fern stem about a foot long. I made 
a hole at the top of the stem large enough to admit the ball of 
the plant, and since then it has grown very rapidly. The fronds 
are not disfigured now as they were when grown in soil. Probably 
this species is one of the many Ferns which is found growing 
exclusively on trees or rocks. The barren frond is often from 
12 to 18 inches long and from 6 to 9 inches broad, the base is 
rounded, and the apex blunt. Both the upper and under surfaces 
are covered with long hairs or bristles, which is very suggestive 
of the hog’s ear. The fertile fronds are much like the others 
in form, but smaller and destitute of hairs on the under side. It 
is a native of the West Indies and Mexico, therefore requires a 
stove temperature.—W. K. 
Potatoes Sprouting — A New Early Bound Potato.— 
Permit me to say a word on each of these subjects, and first to 
thank Mr. Iggulden for the information imparted in his two com¬ 
munications. The subject is of considerable importance, as undue 
premature sprouting—prevalent this year more than usual, owing to 
the comparatively high temperature and humidity—deteriorates the 
sets, except you intend to use them sooner than lose the growths made. 
I have chanced planting from boxes some valuable early varieties, 
and they have grown on almost unchecked. I do not agree with 
some of “ Single-handed’s ” theses, but Mr. Iggulden has disposed 
of most of them. I have received tubers of Carter’s new early round 
Potato, “Eight Weeks,” and with them what seems a solution of the 
sprouting difficulty. They seem to have been puddled and then 
dried in retentive clay, and are only slowly moving even now, as the 
puddling or claying-over seems equivalent to a hermetical sealing. 
The point is worth notice.—W. J. M., Clonmel. 
HORTICULTURAL LITERATURE. 
Your Journal always reaches me on Thursday evening. On 
the 26th ult. my family attended a village concert, leaving me at 
home in my glory reading the first horticultural news of the week. 
The leader on page 65 by Mr. Iggulden is an excellent one, full 
of sound sense and practical information. I quite agree with him 
respecting carrying the flues inside the house. I have worked 
many of these flues and know their usefulness, and in these times 
of depression it behoves all of us to practise economy to the letter. 
I am delighted this subject of heating is taken up by such a com¬ 
petent man, and I feel sure that to many of your readers his note3 
will be equally welcome. 
Turning over the pages I come to Mr. Taylor, who so ably 
describes how to make Vine borders. Seldom has so much been 
said in so few words. It is the very essence of good practice that 
all will find successful if they will give it a trial. Mr. Taylor 
observes that some may say 2 or 3 inches of rubble with so many 
drain pipes afford sufficient drainage ; but what a forcible truth is 
the answer !—“ We make Vine borders to last a century.” There 
is no man that writes to the horticultural press who says so much 
in such few words as the able gardener at Longleat; although 
some of his practice differs from my own, nevertheless, I look 
upon him as having a brilliant future before him. 
After reading two such excellent papers I came across the book 
review, “ The Kosarian’s Year-Book, 1882.” The graphic descrip¬ 
tion of “ Our Flower Show ” is both amusing and interesting; 
and if the good old Scotch doctor speaks the truth when he says, 
“Whenever I see a dancing bear come into the town no more 
practice do I get for a fortnightin consequence of making all 
the doctor’s patients laugh they suddenly become well. Let us 
hope the description of “ Our Flower Show ” will have the same 
effect on your readers. The fact is there are no better gardeners 
than clergymen. They can crack a joke amusing, interesting, 
and to the point ; they are also good judges of men, and the 
worthy Editor of “The Rosarian’s Year-Book ” has made a happy 
selection of coadjutors to aid him in his work.— R. Gilbert, 
Burghley. 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
Best Early Pea. —Of the early varieties of Peas I have grown 
the preference is given to Harbinger, a comparatively new variety 
raised by Mr. Laxton. It was, I believe, generally distributed in 
the year 1871, yet strange to say it has failed to gain favour, and 
now is not catalogued. I have annually saved seed, and I am 
surprised to note that whereas William I. is annually becoming 
later, Harbinger is becoming more precocious. The spring of 
1881 was far from being favourable to the earliest crops, yet we 
had abundance of Harbinger fit for use during the third week in 
May, while William I., under precisely the same treatment, was 
fully nine days later. Harbinger grew to about 3 feet in height, 
was very prolific, and the pods well filled with peas of fairly good 
quality. William I. grew to 4 feet in height, and was inferior in 
other respects with the exception of colour. Earliest of All, being 
distributed by Hooper A Co. of Covent Garden, London, was 
kindly sent by the raiser, Mr. Laxton, for trial. Unfortunately it 
was not received in time to give it a fair trial, and I can therefore 
only say it much resembles Harbinger, and for this reason I 
strongly recommend it to the Pea-loving public. It is, however, 
considered by its raiser fully a week earlier than Harbinger, and 
I hope he is correct in his assertion. 
Two Good Cabbages. —These are Hill’s Incomparable and 
Suttons’ Reading All Heart. The former, first received from 
Messrs. Osborn of Fulham, I have grown for three seasons, and it 
invariably proves profitable and good. It can be planted closely, 
as it is close-growing, and the conical heads are very good in 
quality. All Heart, received from Messrs. Sutton as a novelty 
last season, proved a decided acquisition to our list of varieties. 
It is of quick growth, forming good-sized conical heads with but 
few outer leaves. Quality all that can be wished. Owing to its 
smoothness of leaf probably it was the least infested by cater¬ 
pillars. The latter were much too plentiful, Ellam’s Dwarf being 
completely riddled by them. 
Giant Zittau Onion.—I am pleased to note the good keep- 
