JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 1, 1882. ] 
441 
main in such a condition at any season of the year the 
Vines will suffer for it. I am not alluding to the sur¬ 
face of the border, that I prefer to have nearly as dry 
as dust at least once a week; hut at G inches, 1 foot, 
and 2 feet deep it must never become really dry at all. 
The nearest approach to being dry may be when top 
growth commences in spring, and knowing the habits 
of the roots I allow my borders to become rather dry 
at this time, so as to insure their remaining sweet; but 
on no account must they be allowed to become dry 
during autumn or the early part of winter when the 
leaves are falling or for some time after they have 
fallen, for the roots then are almost as active as they 
have been at any time. They have very important 
work to perform, and any stint of supplies will tell its 
tale during the following summer. 
The directions now given for watering are very 
simple. The upright sashes of the side of the house 
are 4T feet wide, the roots of the Vines at present ex¬ 
tend from the outer wall a width of 13 feet towards the 
centre of the house, so that each sash marks off a space 
of about 58 square feet, and this space at each water¬ 
ing gets forty potfuls, or 120 gallons. The average 
space occupied by the roots of each Muscat Vine now 
is the width of five of these sashes, or about 290 square 
feet. This space gets just 600 gallons at each water¬ 
ing, and as it is watered on an average ten times a 
year it will be seen that each Vine receives annually 
about 6000 gallons, or nearly 21 gallons to the square 
foot. 
I used to water the borders once or twice during the 
winter, as I had become fully alive to the fact that the 
roots were active during a good part of that season, 
and that dry borders at such a time were almost as 
injurious as during summer ; but since I have had the 
courage to continue the watering through the autumn 
while the ripe fruit is hanging, there has been sufficient 
moisture retained in the border to last till after start¬ 
ing time in spring. Watering is now generally com¬ 
menced the first week in April, by which time the 
Vines are in full leaf, but have scarcely started root- 
action, and is continued at intervals of about three 
weeks till the end of October, especial care being taken 
that the borders are abundantly moist at flowering 
time and during ripening. 
I prefer the water to have a temperature not lower 
than 60°, which is something near the height to which 
the border gets in summer. To secure this it requires 
a little warm water added during the early part of the 
season, say to the end of May, and after this time warm 
water is not used. 
I do not wait for a fine day to do the watering while 
ripe fruit is hanging, as is so often recommended, but 
frequently utilise a wet one by employing a gang of 
labourers to do that when they cannot -work outside. 
I have often noticed the surprise of visitors who were 
supposed to know something about Grape-growing, 
when they saw us deluging the borders during fog and 
rain in autumn, while ripe fruit representing hundreds 
of pounds in value was hanging above. The fact is 
fruit will keep as well over a wet floor or over water 
itself as it will when all around is dry as dust, if the 
warming and ventilating are managed in the way I 
have more than once pointed out, so as to prevent dew 
forming on the fruit; and on the other hand, if the house 
appears as dry as dust there is always sufficient mois¬ 
ture in it to spoil a crop of fruit should the warming 
and ventilating be mismanaged. 
It will be seen from the foregoing that I have no 
objection to keeping other plants lhan Vines in a 
vinery ; and, in point of fact, the plants I grow there 
are of nearly as great value as the Grapes. The plants 
grown are mostly such as can be turned outside during 
the summer, at which time a full house would prevent 
our getting about the borders as freely as is required. 
Previous to watering each time, the crust of the 
border, having become “ as hard as a turnpike road,” is 
broken up to the depth of 1 or inch with a fork. 
Even this little disturbance breaks off a few small roots. 
It is, however, necessary to do this much for the sake 
of getting the water into the border regularly, but it is 
never moved to a greater depth. A plank is then laid 
across the pipes and the water is applied from the 
plank, the whole side of one compartment getting a 
fourth of its quantity at first, and then the operation is 
repeated again and again tiil the regular allowance is 
given. Trampling on the border is prevented as much 
as possible till it gets partially dry, after which it is 
rather beneficial than otherwise. 
I have been advised by many that I ought to have 
hose for watering, but I prefer having it done as it is, 
feeling sure that the water is evenly distributed ; and as 
I have said I often make use of wet days for the pur¬ 
pose, and it is always done by labourers whose only 
recommendation need be honesty in word and deed, 
and whose salaries are not very high, I do not think I 
should gain much by the change.—W m. Taylor. 
(To be continued.) 
COLUMBINES. 
Meteorologists tell us that for a few days before the middle 
of May a cold wave passes over the latitude of our island with 
wonderful regularity. This year has been no exception to the 
rule, and May flowers have suffered accordingly, and amongst 
the sufferers no plant fares worse than the Columbine. In open 
situations the flower stalk becomes stunted and the buds abortive. 
This is especially the case with the seedlings transplanted during 
the winter and spring. Those which were moved to their flower¬ 
ing place early in autumn have fared better, especially if that 
place is sheltered and the soil at once open and retentive. 
For the successful cultivation of Columbines it is necessary that 
the cultivator should grow them from seed. The seed should be 
sown very early and thinly in pans. Before they are crowded 
the seedlings should be transplanted into sheltered borders of rich 
fine soil, and growth encouraged all through the summer by water¬ 
ing, and, if required, by rich top-dressing. The successful flower¬ 
ing in the second year (and no Columbine ever flowers the same 
year it is sown) depends upon the luxuriance of their growth 
during their first year, and the plants cannot be too large ami 
forward by autumn. I have found this to be so with all Colum¬ 
bines, but especially with those which have a tendency towards 
a biennial habit, such as A. glandulosa and A. coerulea. Good 
cultivation during the first year will produce large and ornamental 
plants for the next spring, especially in A. chrysantha and its 
varieties, which are the most rapid growers amongst the genus 
Aquilegia. 
When the year’s growth of the seedlings is completed and the 
leaves show signs of withering they must be transplanted without 
delay to their flowering places and not again moved. These 
places should for all Columbines be sheltered from cold winds 
and hot suns, and if spring frosts cannot reach them they will 
flower all the better. 
Some kinds of Columbine suffer far more than others from 
spring frosts. Plants which naturally inhabit a climate in which 
the difference of seasons is marked and regular suffer most from 
the irregularities of an English spring. The varieties of Aquilegia 
canadensis, especially that fine form known as californica hybrida, 
are always much injured here in exposed situations. A. eserulea 
also becomes stunted by spring frosts and does best in a late 
