170 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 2, 1882. 
trace of them left to the eye in two years, and of course 
had the effect of feeding a soil which in some respects 
was already over-rich. 
THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH CROPS. 
In the case of the two compartments containing the 
Muscats and the late Grapes, the third year of their 
existence, or when they would he called two years old, 
brought the second crop of fruit. These Vines, too, 
had ample vigour in them, hut apparently not too 
much. They were not cropped heavily for their size, 
although the weight of fruit they bore would be con¬ 
sidered a great one for their age. The Vines now being 
cleared from the middle of the house, the younger ones 
had the full range of it, and they quickly furnished it 
throughout, the terminal shoots on the one side grow¬ 
ing so as to overlap those on the other; but as the 
closest planted were 4i feet apart, the growths had in 
the portion of the house where they overlapped more 
than 2 feet between them, while the Muscats, being 
7 feet from plant to plant, had of course 3^ feet be¬ 
tween their leading shoots. These distances are suffi¬ 
cient for single stems, but I do not consider them 
sufficient for Vines when they are older and produce 
strong side shoots, although it is more than the aver¬ 
age distance given by other growers. The side shoots 
were treated much in the same w r ay as they were the 
previous year, but as there was more room for the 
main stem to extend, there was not quite so much 
difficulty in keeping the shoots to their allotted space. 
The main stems now made splendid growth and ripened 
well, and in the autumn, judging from marks at present 
visible on them, about 10 feet of new wood was left on 
the end of each. 
The two following years, 1873 and 1874, were almost 
repetitions of this, excepting that as there was not much 
chance for extension in length, more growth was 
allowed on the side branches; and w 7 e find on referring 
to the Journal of Horticulture for August 6th, 1874, 
where there is a photograph of the house, that “ the 
Muscats are carrying a crop of six or seven large bunches 
each, the berries of which are so closely packed to¬ 
gether that those w r lio consider the Muscat of Alexandria 
a shy setter might fancy this was another variety.”— 
Wm. Taylor. 
(To be continued.) 
MUSHROOMS FAILING. 
On reading Mr. J. Welsford’s letter on Mushrooms decaying 
(page 110), I felt rather pleased that the subject was brought 
forward in the Journal of Horticulture; and I was in hopes it 
would bring out some hints that would be useful to me as well 
as others, for I, like Mr. Welsford, am more perplexed over Mush¬ 
rooms than any crop I have to do with. 
Last October I made up a bed in the potting shed, and the 
material was, I thought, not in a very good state, being much too 
wet, consequently it became very much heated. I observed the 
heat very carefully until it became sufficiently lowered, and then 
the bed was spawned in the usual way, covered with soil, and a 
good layer of litter was laid on the top. In about five weeks 
Mushrooms began to show signs of coming. I gave the bed a 
good supply of tepid water, and I had from that one bed an 
abundance of Mushrooms for four or five weeks. The bed then 
seemed to be exhausted, and I gave it a good soaking of water 
at a temperature of about 120°, and it continued bearing again, 
and there are some good Mushrooms fit to cut at the present time, 
February 18th. 
In the early part of November I made another bed by the side 
of the first, with what I thought at that time a material in a 
much better state, being drier, and not so likely to become hot. 
This bed was spawned at a temperature about 80°. It has been 
treated the same as the first, yet we have only had two Mushrooms 
from it. Now this leads me to think that the cause of Mr. Welsford’s 
beds failing is the same as my second bed—that is, the material 
was kept too long and turned about too many times before it was 
used, so losing all its Mushroom-producing qualities. 
Two years ago last autumn I made two beds in a cold shed 
with a north aspect. They were spawned and soiled in the usual 
way, and then left all that severe winter. I looked at them some¬ 
times in passing, and found them frozen as hard as a brick wall. 
I never expected to have a Mushroom from either of them, for I 
had always been taught that if a bed became frozen it would never 
bear any Mushrooms. In the spring I told the men to wheel both 
beds into the garden for manure, and I happened to be present 
when the men started, and the first spadeful that was taken up 
showed that spawn had worked all over the bed like a network. 
I immediately stopped all operations and had the beds covered 
with litter, and they turned out two of the best beds of Mushrooms 
I ever saw.—B. M. 
To grow Mushrooms successfully I adopt the following treat¬ 
ment. When sufficient horse droppings have been collected we 
make the bed as firmly as possible. When finished a stick is 
inserted in the bed, and in about eight or ten days the bed will 
be found at a temperature of about 75° and ready for the spawn. 
This should be broken in pieces about the size of a large hen’s 
egg, to be inserted 6 inches apart with a dibber. At the same 
time the bed is covered with about half an inch depth of sifted 
loam, and again made firm and smooth. A moderate supply of 
warm water is then given, and in about a month the bed is covered 
with hay about 6 inches in depth, and another gentle watering 
with a fine-rose pot is given. 
The Mushrooms will be found all over the bed when the hay is 
again removed, the floors being kept damp, and the beds syringed 
about once in two or three days. 
The best spawn I have used here is Messrs. James Dickson and 
Sons’, which produces Mushrooms 8 to 10 inches in diameter. The 
Mushroom house is kept from 50° by night to 60° by day. Should 
your correspondent, Mr. Welsford, procure similar spawn, I feel 
confident he will be equally successful by adopting the foregoing 
practice.—G. Ferris, The Grange , Yard ley, Birmingham. 
HELLEBORES. 
Referring to the note you published about Hellebores at 
page 112, it may be of interest to a portion of your readers to add 
a few cultural notes. The varieties of Helleborus niger are the 
most valuable of all, the large early-flowering variety being par¬ 
ticularly fine. We have had these and the commoner and smaller 
varieties constantly yielding flowers since October. I like these 
much better half opened than I do when further developed. The 
culture is simple. About every two years the beds of these are 
lifted, the plants divided, and again replanted in beds of four 
rows in each. The ground is well manured and trenched or deeply 
dug previous to being planted with the Christmas Roses. The 
beds are covered with old sashes to protect the bloom from rain 
and frosts. During a hard frost they are further protected by 
bracken or other protecting material. I always allow them to 
remain in the open and take the chance of frosts keeping them 
late. 
Of other species, H. atro-rubens is the most beautiful. A soli¬ 
tary plant of this was the only representative I found here. I 
was so much charmed with it when it came into flower that I 
lifted the plant, divided it into small pieces, potted the pieces 
singly, and took all the care I could of them, with the result that 
in the course of two seasons we had abundance. The flowers are 
beautiful when cut, and should be set with their foliage. Un¬ 
fortunately, if cut with long stalks they soon droop, but single 
blooms stand a long time. The other sorts are, though not so 
bright in their way a3 the above, also well worthy of cultivation. 
For several weeks past they have been quite gay in select herba¬ 
ceous borders. Of these and some others not so attractive I had 
some pieces given me by a lady. These I made still smaller by 
division, but neglected to grow them in pots till established, and 
the result was that most failed to grow, and those that did grow 
were two or three years in forming strong plants. My failure 
may prove of use as a warning to others. When I divide now I 
can afford to use good-sized pieces. These also require good treat¬ 
ment, but are quite easy to manage.— R. P. Brotherston. 
Planting Gladiolus gandavensis. —I have been sorting the 
more common hybrids of Gladiolus gandavensis with the view of 
planting them in a previously prepared border to-day (Feb. 22nd). As 
to storage, since last October the corms remained with the foliage 
