266 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 27, 1883. 
perhaps a little less economical in respect to fuel and space 
than the drying-off plan. Finally I would recommend 
abundance of sunlight, plenty of ventilation, and clear and 
if possible running water for all tropical Water Lilies.— 
W. Watson, Kew. 
GEAPES SHANKING. 
Notwithstanding that one or two persons who have nothing 
more to learn on the subject of Grape-growing complained some 
time ago of so much of your space being occupied with matter 
relating to it, queries come thicker than ever, as may be seen by the 
answers to correspondents every week. The point which most 
puzzles both amateurs and professionals is shanking, and although 
many able articles have been written on its cause and prevention 
there is still something of a mystery about it, and it probably occurs 
more or less in ninety-nine vineries out of a hundred in this country. 
A correspondent says that, by closely following the advice given 
in a treatise which lately appeared in these columns, he is now able 
to colour his Grapes. He has no pink ones, such as lie formerly had, 
but still many of them shank after they are coloured. His border 
is outside ; he has a good depth of soil, which is well drained by a 
good fall from the house ; he has good foliage of a dark green colour 
and leathery texture, but still his bunches are rather small, and he is 
annoyed by a considerable amount of shanking. 
It so happens that there are two cases very similar to the above 
which I have been called upon to inspect and give advice on during 
the present season ; but although appearances are alike, I believe 
both cases are not exactly the same. One border w T here shanking 
occurred has been already operated on. It was found to have been 
very carefully made, but rather too porous, and I have no doubt that 
at times it has been too dry. It contained a great quantity of what 
are generally called roots, but which are really, as “ Single-handed ” 
puts it, “underground stems” clothed with decayed and decaying 
bark. Feeding roots with greenish tips and bristling with hairs were 
scarce ; but still there were a few, just sufficient to prove that there 
was nothing deleterious in the soil, and these were of very recent 
formation. 
The plan adopted was to cut a trench 7 feet from the front wall 
and 3 feet wide (the border was previously 17 feet wide), severing 
scores of stems thicker than one's thumb, clear out the drainage and 
relay it in the bottom of the trench, place a layer of turf over it, then 
fork down another 2 or 3 inches on the side of the trench nearest 
the house, and cut all the roots through close to the soil with a sharp 
knife. The trench is then filled up with some new turf tumbled in 
roughly and fresh as it was dug up, with some of the best of the 
surface soil from the part of the border which is cut off to fill up all 
interstices. A liberal sprinkling of half-inch bones and a still more 
liberal one of old lime rubbish are given to every 4 or 6 inches of 
soil, and where the new soil meets the old on the side where the roots 
are cut with the knife it is trodden very carefully and firmly, so as 
to prevent the possibility of a crack for the water to escape. Great 
care will be taken of the foliage, and for a time all growth wherever 
formed will be encouraged, and as soon as the fruit can be cut the 
house will be kept rather close and moist, but not so much so as to 
unduly excite the lower buds which have to produce fruit next 
season. 
The other case which has come under my personal notice is pro¬ 
bably a case of the Vines being buried too deep and the border being 
water-logged. That remains to be proved. But the plan of com¬ 
mencing operations would be very similar ; only if I found the soil 
was sodden and sour, I should after cutting the trench and securing 
good drainage remove the greater portion of the remaining soil, notch 
freely the old naked roots, and lay them in something sweet and 
tempting made very firm—say a mixture of partially decayed loam, 
lime rubbish, half-inch bones with a little wood ashes or charcoal, and 
a little road grit or coarse sand, placing rougher and more substantial 
soil under and above them. 
All this sort of work must be done while there is plenty of healthy 
foliage to induce immediate root-action. If the borders are outside 
it should be done not later than the middle of October, and September 
is better still. In some cases where the Vines have not many fibrous 
roots it may be necessary to shade the foliage for a time from bright 
sunshine, and if the fruit is cut it is advisable to keep the house well 
damped down. 
1 would again urge on all cultivators the necessity of getting their 
Vines perfectly clean before the foliage falls. Insects and parasites 
are much easier to kill now than they are when in a semi-dormant 
state during winter, and spring we know brings plenty to do without 
insect-hunting ; besides at that season, owing to the foliage being 
tender, such drastic measures cannot be used. 
There is, I believe, still nothing so good for the purpose as 
petroleum, and when the leaves are tolerably hard they will bear two 
ounces to the gallon of water used in the way so often described in 
this Journal— i.e., one syringeful forced violently into the pot, and 
another in the form of the finest spray on to the plants. The syringe 
should be used with the tube, not the rose, and the finest possible spray 
is made by pressing the first finger of the left hand on the end of it. 
The petroleum-and-soap mixture is as much used as ever, but not 
on paint or glass. —Wm. Taylor. 
PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 
VEGETABLE PRODUCTS FOR 1885. 
I HAVE read with much interest and satisfaction the comments which 
appear in the Journal of Horticulture of this date (September 20th, 
page 247), and fully concur in most of the suggestions contained therein. 
Before commenting generally on the article before me, I think it right to 
explain why the two contradictory announcements appeared in the Journal 
referred to. I had sent a letter to each of the horticultural papers con¬ 
veying the intelligence that the proposed International Exhibition would 
be held next year. A few hours after I had dispatched that intelligence I 
received the letter, a portion of which appears at the end of the article 
before me. Directly I received Mr. Birkbeck’s letter of the 13th I at once 
telegraphed to each of the Journals, but my message only appears to have 
reached two of them in time to stop the publication of the letter. 
The horticultural resources of this country I maintain are amply 
sufficient to fill all the space now occupied by the Fisheries Exhibition at 
South Kensington, but I readily admit that if confined to horticultural 
products alone, the public might tire of the display ; but add the vast 
number of other available exhibits so graphically suggested in the article 
before me, and the measure is more than full, and contains abundance of 
subjects to gratify the public, and will contain sources of instruction 
for all. 
I am thoroughly of opinion that a continuous display may be kept up 
and fully maintained from the middle of April to the end of June, and in 
that case valuable collections of such plants as Orchids need not remain 
on exhibition longer than three days ; these could be easily replaced by 
other plants of equal interest, the change inducing visitors to the Exhi¬ 
bition to repeat their visit. The same thing would occur all through the 
first part of the Exhibition. August might be allowed to pass without any 
exhibition of tender plants and flowers ; it would only be a question of 
timely arrangement to fill the space with implements and horticultural 
sundries, and these in turn could be removed to other positions to make 
room for autumnal flowers and fruits during September and October, to 
be followed in November by a grand display of Chrysanthemums, fruits 
from the colonies, and numerous hardy plants suitable for winter 
decoration, horticultural and agricultural roots, &c. No doubt the 
numerous Chrysanthemum and other kindred societies would amalgamate 
if properly treated with, and the prizes they offer severally might, with 
the prizes the Fisheries Committee shouldjoffer, become a common fund 
for the benefit of all exhibitors. The same reasonable suggestion should 
apply to all exhibitions held earlier in the year, the Royal Horticultural 
Society joining in the same way with the amounts they offer every year 
in prizes for their shows, they alike participating in the benefit that 
would be gained by the amalgamation. In this way a sufficient fund 
could be produced to cover all expenses, and so enable the conductors of 
the Exhibition to organise the finest and most comprehensive and instruc¬ 
tive exhibition of horticultural products the world has ever seen. A 
portion of the proceeds could be applied for the founding of a horticul¬ 
tural college, and institutions for decaying and decayed horticulturists. 
The buildings being all ready for the purposes of the proposed series 
of exhibitions, an enormous expense is saved, and with a continuance of 
the evening fetes which have proved such an attraction this season, 
success will be certain. In succeeding years the fetes will no doubt be 
earlier, during the height of the London season. 
I have had frequent opportunities of seeing during the past month how 
much the public appreciate the gardens under the present arrangements. 
The crowds which nightly go there are of the most orderly character, and 
I think the fact of not a single police case having been reported since the 
Exhibition opened speaks volumes in favour of nearly two millions of 
people as well as the careful management under which they are controlled. 
All this offers a guarantee for the success of the promised horticultural 
Exhibition, and proves that no doubt need be entertained of its proving a 
great success. The great thing needed now is a speedy, formal, and 
definite announcement by the International Fisheries Committee that the 
Exhibition shall take place during the year 1885, and that full details 
shall be furnished with as little delay as possible.— John Wills. 
HAEDY HEEBACEOUS PLANTS. 
Geranium Traversii. —Of all the species of Geranium that have 
as yet come into cultivation G. Traversii is probably one of the most 
remarkable. G. armenum, G. ibericum, Gr. Endressii, G. pratense 
flore-pleno, and one or two others stand pre-eminent for general 
decorative purposes, but G. Traversii is distinct in its habit of growth, 
and is most adapted for the rockery. It is perennial, forming a 
rather dense crown of leaves of a silvery hue, especially in their 
earlier stage of development. The fully developed leaves are 3 to 
4 inches across, round, and cut half way down into seven three-lobed 
segments, with a petiole 6 or 7 inches in length’ The flowering 
