190 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March o, isss. 
am sorry to say I failed to appreciate) cut tlie growths 
off close to the stem of the largest Vine up as far as 
the trellis, and only two or three shoots have since 
started from there. Now I always consider that the 
rapid enlargement of the stem was mainly due to these 
growths, indeed they were left there for that purpose, 
and I am not surprised that without them the circum¬ 
ference should not increase at the same rate as it had 
done. 
UNDER A CLOUD. 
Till 1870, the year in which the photograph last 
alluded to was taken, the Vines had done well with the 
exception of what I have noted about the Hamburghs ; 
but now, although the fruit was good and it finished off 
well, there were signs that the Vines were not receiving 
all they wanted, for they made very little growth after 
the stoning of the Grapes. They had done very well 
till then, but the stoning seemed suddenly to have 
brought a check on them ; and although I do not think 
any stranger would have noticed it at the time, it was 
too plainly visible to me to allow me to feel comfort¬ 
able. It is not, of course, to be wondered at that Vines 
should show signs of exhaustion when they have grown 
fast and fruited freely for half a dozen years while their 
roots are confined to a small space, and they have had 
very little besides water applied to them from the time 
they were planted. But in this case the collapse came 
on without any warning, for only a year before every¬ 
body was remarking how strong they were, and as I 
had received a lesson from the Hamburghs in that 
direction I was naturally anxious to avoid another of 
the same sort. Up to the present it had seemed as if 
the little soil they were growing in was inexhaustible, 
now all at once it showed unmistakeable signs that 
something was deficient. 
All that could be done was now done in the way of 
applying liquid manure; and in the autumn, as soon as 
the fruit was coloured and while it was still hanging, 
the brick partitions were pulled out, a trench a yard 
wide was made and filled up with new turf, to which a 
good sprinkling of bones and some charcoal was added; 
assistance was also given to the surface of the border 
by means of a good top-dressing, and liquid manure 
was applied once or twice before spring. This had the 
effect of making the Vines grow better the following 
season; but with the exception of the Hamburghs, which 
had been treated in the same way, although they had 
not gone so far on the down-hill road, the fruit was not 
satisfactory, the flowers did not set well, the berries 
were irregular in size, and many of the bunches were 
ragged-looking. However, the Vines made excellent 
growth, giving us good hopes of better things the 
following year, and in that we were not disappointed. 
"We now continued the top-dressing and supplying 
liquid manure, hoping to prevent anything like such a 
disaster occurring again. But it did occur again, and 
this time there was no new soil to remedy the evil, the 
supply having already been limited to twelve loads a 
year, which is not sufficient to grow Strawberries, 
Melons, and flowering plants, and, besides, these twelve 
loads are not of such a quality as I should choose 
myself. Weil, we know that necessity is often only a 
friend in disguise, and in this instance it set me think¬ 
ing and looking out for some other plan to overcome 
the evil. The Vines had certainly made wonderful 
growth at first, and had produced good fruit. This led 
us to believe that it was the best soil in which Vines 
ever grew, but it had shown signs of exhaustion very 
suddenly, and the new material we added had not 
lasted as long as I had seen soil last before under similar 
conditions. Perhaps after all there was not so much 
in the new soil of this neighbourhood as it had been 
credited with since my arrival, and this idea was con¬ 
firmed when it was remembered that good Grapes had 
not been grown here for at least many years before my 
time. It was quite possible that the extraordinary 
vigour was the result of the general treatment given, 
which I was quite aware differed in many respects from 
that practised by other growers, and that in reality the 
same thing would have happened had any tolerably 
good soil been used. When one has signal success 
in the cultivation of any plant or fruit it is always 
supposed to be the soil or some peculiarity of the 
neighbourhood which is the primary cause of the 
success. Of course the cultivator receives credit for 
making the most of such advantages, but it seldom 
occurs to anyone to think that the success is the result 
of any special system of culture, and, indeed, the culti¬ 
vator himself if he is not without modesty (and I do 
not think a successful man ever is), although he takes a 
certain amount of credit to himself, generally feels that 
there is something which favours him more than others, 
and that possibly were he to try his hand under other 
conditions he would not succeed so well. At one time 
I was not altogether without this sort of feeling, and, 
indeed, said something like the following, “ I have the 
best vinery and the best soil in the country; if I.fail to 
grow good Grapes it will simply be through a want of 
skill.” Well, I did fail temporarily, and undoubtedly it 
was owing to a want of skill. But although I still 
believe in the statement about the vinery I have 
changed my opinion as to the character of the soil, and 
have altered my tactics accordingly.— Wm. Tayloe. 
(To be continued.) 
REPOTTING FERNS. 
The season having arrived for the above operation, a few words 
regarding it will probably be acceptable to many of your readers. 
The best part of the year to repot Ferns is early in spring, as soon 
as the young fronds have commenced growing in the crown of 
the plant. This is a sure sign the roots are becoming active, and 
the plants may then be repotted with safety without breaking the 
old ball of soil in pieces or injuring the roots in any way ; but 
should the plants be in an unhealthy state through bad drainage 
and require the greater part of the old soil removed, they should 
be attended to immediately the roots commence growing, or there 
is great risk of damaging the first fronds. 
Ferns do not require much root room if plenty of water is sup¬ 
plied during the growing season, with weak liquid manure made 
from cow or sheep dung twice a week, when they are well esta¬ 
blished in the pots; so that, unless large specimens are wanted, 
it is best only to give a small shift. 
Good drainage and plenty of it is absolutely necessary. As 
regards soil, many people have an idea that Ferns will not succeed 
unless potted entirely in peat; but this is a great mistake. A 
compost composed of three parts moderately light turfy loam, two 
parts good sweet leaf soil, about one-tenth of the whole good 
sharp sand, and a good sprinkling of pounded bricks or charcoal 
to keep it open and sweet, will suit most of the larger kinds. 
Pot firmly, and place them in a close and moist temperature 
until they are well established in the new soil, at the same time 
being very careful not to give too much water.—W. H. Diveks, 
Uvrghley. 
The Effect of Salt on Peas—A New Pea. —I recently received 
some Pea3 of a very promising variety, “Bruce Findlay,” not yet in 
commerce, for trial; and, in order to correct the results I should 
attain by one system of growth, gave a quantity to one of our most 
intelligent local gardeners to grow by a different method. Those 
have failed, and how may be instructive. He sowed them an inch 
