540 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 20,1813. 
in all gardens. A thick layer of ashes on each side of the Pea rows, sprinkled 
occasionally with petroleum, is a good barrier against slugs. Answers to 
your other questions will be published next week. 
Pruning Young Vines ( R. G. M .).—It is not unlikely that your young 
Vines that produced “ a splendid crop of Grapes on 6 or 7 feet of wood ” 
have been much overcropped. When such is the case bold eyes cannot be 
expected, as the strength of the Vines is exhausted in maturing the crop ; 
still there may be buds at the base of the laterals that you cannot clearly 
distinguish. You had better prune the laterals at the lowest eye that is 
clearly visible ; then in the spring, if another should break below it about as 
strong, and showing an equally good bunch, rub off the shoot the furthest 
from the rod, as one lateral from a joint will be quite sufficient. We fear, 
however, you will not have such a splendid crop of Grapes next year as you 
have had this. It is a great mistake to seriously overcrop young Vines, 
being, in fact, akin to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, and no¬ 
where has the practice been more frequently condemned than in this Journal. 
Bottling Grapes (A Lady Gardener ).—As you are a total stranger to this 
practice you will better understand the sound instructions on page 510 last 
week by a glance at the annexed figure (fig. 107). We have only to say that 
the wood bearing the bunch should be inserted quite in the water, and the 
bottles may be placed in any cool room having an equable temperature of 
about 40°, and a not very dry atmosphere. The bottles are simply fixed in 
Fig. 107. 
a slanting position in order that the Grapes may hang clear. Any ordinary 
wine bottles will do, and you will easily devise a simple method of fixing 
them. Some gardeners place a little charcoal in the water to keep it pure, 
and stop the necks of the bottles with cotton wool. Your Grapes have 
presumably been kept too warm and dry. If you cut them at once, if you 
have not already done so, treat as directed by Mr. Barker on the page 
quoted above. We will in an early issue show a ready method of fixing the 
bottles to the edge of shelves in a fruit-room. 
Small Brussels Sprouts ( J. C .).—The Brussels Sprouts that your employer 
had in Brussels, and which he describes as being “ very small, firm, and* of 
delicious flavour, far superior to those grown in this country,” are not so 
produced by climatal influences, but the qualities pertain to the variety that 
is grown. It is the typical form of this vegetable, and was plentiful in this 
country many years ago, but has almost been “ improved ” out of existence— 
that is to say, seed of the true stock is not easy to procure. Not a few per¬ 
sons esteem this as the best of all Brussels Sprouts, as being more delicate 
in flavour and having a more agreeable appearance at table than the large, 
lighter green, newer varieties. The old form alluded to has smaller, much 
bullated, and rounder leaves than most of the strains now cultivated, hence 
the plants can be grown closer together. We have seen fine breadths where 
the plants were only 18 inches apart, the stems upwards of 3 feet high being 
densely studded with small glaucous green knobs. We saw this variety, or 
one closely resembling it, last year at Mentmore, and perhaps if you were to 
send a return post card to Mr. Smith he would inform you where he obtained 
the seed. 
Plants for a Hall (Af. C. B .).—All the plants you name—Latania bor- 
bonica, Rhaphis flabelliformis, Phormium tenax, and Aralia Sieboldi—are 
well adapted for hall and room decoration, and if they have been gradually 
inured to a dry temperature before being taken from a plant house will 
remain fresh for a considerable time. They will, however, decline in health 
and vigour more or less, according to the positions they occupy, gas being 
injurious to them, and cold draughty corridors. The soil in the pots must 
always be kept moist, not saturated, but as soon as the soil slightly crumbles 
when rubbed with the finger tepid water should be applied, and always in 
sufficient quantity to moisten the entire bulk. A damp sponge drawn 
carefully over the foliage twice a week will also conduce to the health of 
the plants. They will not need potting until spring, but if the present pots 
are crowded with roots they will need liberal supplies of water. 
Unhealthy Vines (77. S .).—It is very difficult to advise you in this 
matter, since you neither state the age, size, nor character of the Vines ; yet 
as you say they have been planted four times with no improvement follow¬ 
ing, but rather the reverse, it would appear to us very undesirable to risk 
further loss and waste further time in attempting to renovate them, as in 
all probability they are practically beyond recovery. The roots sent, by 
being packed in cotton wool, arrived in a dry and shrivelled state, yet we 
have no hesitation in saying they were very unsatisfactory when severed 
from the Vines. In our opinion it would be far better to make a new 
border and plant young Vines than to lift and replant the old ones. 'Well 
ripened and rooted, young Vines would, under good management, be certain 
to flourish ; but it is extremely unlikely that the others would ever be made 
healthy and fruitful. A border 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep would be quite 
large enough the first year, and could be added to yearly as the roots 
extend. 
Fragrant Roses (IF. S., Quebec). —The following rank amongst the most 
fragrant of the Hybrid Perpetual Proses :—La France, Charles Lefebvre, 
Louis Van Houtte, Alfred Colomb, Marie Baumann, Bessie Johnson, Abel 
Grand, Senateur Vaisse, Camille Bernardin, Madame Knorr, Pierre Notting, 
Richard Wallace, Madame Victor Verdier, Mdlle. Marie Rady, Jules Mar- 
gottin, Madame Furtado, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Comtesse Chcile de Cha- 
brillant, Franijois Michelon, Gdnhral Jacqueminot, Duchess of Edinburgh, 
Xavier Olibo, Rev. J. B. M. Caram, Duke of Edinburgh, Madame Fillion, Madame 
C. Joigneaux, Dr. Andry, John Hopper, Antoine Ducher, Baronne Louise 
Uxkul, Duke of Wellington, Annie Wood, Beauty of Waltham, Centifolia 
Rosea, Mons. E. Y. Teas, Harrison Weir. Madame Gabriel Luizet, Marchioness 
of Exeter, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Miss Hassard. If any of our readers can 
add to the list of highly scented H.P.’s we shall be obliged if they will send 
us the names of the varieties. 
Order not Executed —Sample Post ( Idem ).—Strictly speaking the florist... 
to whom you refer is light. In the first regulation under the sample post, 
published in the “ Post-office Guide,” it is stated that packets containing 
goods for sale, or in execution of an order, however small the quantity, are 
not actually samples or patterns, and are treated as letters and in the sixth 
regulation we find “ samples of saleable value must not be sent to any foreign 
country or to any of the British possessions that are comprised in the postal 
union.” Nevertheless, we have no doubt it is quite true that you “ have 
received hundreds of plants through the sample post.” The date of the 
letter in which the money was returned is October 8th, and we did not send 
you post card to the florist in question until a month after that. Everything 
appears to have been satisfactorily settled now. 
Painting a Conservatory ( Fifteen-years Subscriber). —Although we believe 
that the interior of the large temperate house at Kew was painted with anti¬ 
corrosion paint, and the occupants of the house, many of which are per¬ 
manent, received no injury, yet we have found the same kind of paint affect 
the plants injuriously in a small greenhouse. We have also found this paint 
so rough after being dried that it cannot be washed clean the same as paints 
can that produce a smooth surface. We are not able to recommend any 
paint that can be used with safety in a conservatory in which such plants as 
Pelargoniums, Camellias, Callas, Chrysanthemums, and bulbs are flowering", 
as at this period of the year the ventilators cannot be left open to any con¬ 
siderable extent night and day as in summer. If any of our readers have 
found any paint quite safe to use in a house of flowering plants in winter we 
will readily publish their experience. 
Heating a Stove ( Bosa ).—Owing to the raised banks at the sides of the 
house it would not answer to have the pipes there, as they would not only be 
unsightly, but dry the atmosphere to an extent injurious to the plants, be¬ 
sides not making the walls available for the growth of plants, which we pre¬ 
sume it is your intention to cover. The pipes would be best placed in the 
pathway, having an open flue, and covered with an iron grating so as to 
form part of the floor. You will need six rows of 4-inch pipes up each walk 
—viz., three flows and returns, arid the one over the other, taking two 
branch pipes from the main flow after it enters the house, one of necessity 
being taken along the boiler end of the stove. The pipes along the walk of 
the stove on the side next the greenhouse should be taken to the full extent 
of the walk, also along the other side as far as can be done for the curve ; 
or you may have the pipes to go all round in the pathway, but it will be 
necessary to have pipes cast so as to correspond with the curve of the walk, 
which last arrangement would be the most complete and satisfactory, but a 
little more expensive. The “ banks ” at the sides would be much too steep 
to hold up themselves,” and would be best formed into rockwork, which 
would look much better than having the sides bricked up, and the rockery 
would form a good position for Ferns and Mosses. Orchids would not da 
well in the pockets in the wall, but you could have brackets to stand the 
pots on, or a shelf at a suitable distance from the glass, whilst those in 
baskets could be accommodated over the pathway sides, suspended, of course, 
from the roof. A tank in the centre of the centre bed would be available for 
the growth of a few choice aquatics, and the pillars covered with climbers 
would enhance the appearance of the structure. 
Propagating Chrysanthemums (A. Tyro). —Chrysanthemum cuttings may 
be inserted at any time when they can be obtained and when conveniences 
for striking them are afforded. The best are those that spring from the 
roots and severed within the soil, and if a few white rootlets bristle from 
near the base of each of the suckers will be the more readily established. 
These if taken when about 3 inches long, inserted in light gritty soil, kept 
moist and close in a gently heated frame or propagating case, will soon 
become small healthy plants. For cuttings or suckers of this kind a 
temperature of about 55° is ample, and immediately they are established 
they require air and a graduating reduction of temperature to 45°, with 
abundance of light. When the tops of young growths are cut off and 
made into cuttings in spring they require a little more heat to strike freely, 
but they seldom make such sturdy plants nor produce such fine blooms as- 
the others. The suckers referred to may be successfully established at any 
convenient time between now and next March, but for the production of 
large specimen plants the sooner they are established the better. 
Mushroom Bed men Orchard House ( E. A.). —Provided the manure is 
well prepared and sweetened before you take it into the house, and the top 
and front ventilators are thrown wide open day and night for some time 
after the bed is made, we do not apprehend that any steam rising from it 
would do any injury whatever to the trees when they are leafless. After 
the bed is spawned and cased with soil there will be no appreciable amount 
of moisture from it, and any little there may be can be dispersed by extra 
ventilation. Unpurified manure should not be taken into the house. We 
cannot tell you the smallest length a bed may be, as this depends vesy 
