December 27, 1883. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
545 
be cut off and treated as rooted cuttings until established, when they 
are at once fit for use. The following, in addition to the above, are 
very good—C. Johannis elegans, C. Chelsonii, C. Archibaldi, C. 
interruptus aureus, C. Lord Chelmsford, and C. undulatus. 
Draccena Cooperii. —One of the oldest and best of the variegated 
section of this popular genus, possessing colours which I have not as 
yet seen surpassed in any of those of a more recent date. Its culture 
is simple, and propagation is effected by cutting up the stems of the 
old plants into eyes, and inserting them in cocoa-nut fibre in a hotbed. 
But as these young plants do not colour well they ought to be grown 
on until they begin to show their lovely markings, when the tops may 
either be severed from the plants placed in bottles filled with 
water and plunged in the hotbed, apiece of charcoal being placed in the 
water to keep it sweet, or they may be mossed in the same way as 
recommended for the Croton, care being taken that they are well 
rooted into the moss before they are severed from the parent stem, 
as they are very apt to lose a few leaves if they are cut away pre¬ 
maturely. The compost recommended for the Pandanus suits them 
admirably, giving slight feedings with weak guano water when the 
pots are well filled with roots. Thrips are particularly fond of these 
plants, and a fearful havoc they make if left undisturbed. To prevent 
their depredations the plants ought to be sponged at least once a fort¬ 
night. The following are also very good :—U. Bausei, D. superba, D. 
splendens, D. Mooreana, D. Baptistii, and D. gracilis. 
Cocos Weddelliana and Geonoma gracilis. —Nearly all the Palms are 
of more or less value as table plants when in a young state, but I 
do not think any other two arc more popular for this purpose than 
those mentioned above. Happily they are of slow growth, and 
therefore they remain a long time useful. They are increased from 
seed, which method, however, is rarely attempted by private growers, 
although those possessing a propagating house need have no difficulty 
in raising any number of them. The seed should be sown in pans of 
cocoa-nut fibre and sand, and plunged in the hotbed. In about six 
or eight months they will germinate ; prick them out into small thumb 
pots, and plunge again. The compost should consist of peat, loam, 
sand, and charcoal until the last shift, when pure clayey loam and 
sand will be needed. 
Some others which I have found very useful, but will not 
describe at this time, are Aralia Veitchii, A. Veitchii gracillima, 
Asparagus plumosus nana, Dracmna Goldieana, Reidia glaucescens, 
and Curculigo recurvata.— Wm. Marshall. 
LADY DOWNE’S GRAPE. 
So much has been written about this Grape in common with others 
that it may be questioned if there is anything new left to chronicle 
regarding it. However, it may not be known to all your readers that 
Lady Downe’s, though possessed of a good constitution and having 
every appearance of being a very free-fruiting and strong-growing 
variety, has one or two peculiarities that make it less easily grown to 
perfection than otherwise it could be. First of all, then, Lady 
Downe’s requires a high temperature when setting, and is very much 
benefited by having the flowers brushed with a feather when in 
bloom. After the period of setting has passed, and supposing a good 
set has been obtained, another difficulty has to be encountered at 
stoning time, when scalding appears, and unless carefully guarded 
against makes sad inroads on the bunches. During this trying period 
the temperature must be kept low—not above G5° by day if such can 
be managed. This is the great secret in combating the evil of 
scalding, and though generally known to most gardeners, there are 
sometimes found cases where a want of knowledge of this has been 
displayed with disastrous results. 
Scalding is caused both by the direct rays of the sun and by a 
high temperature in the house during stoning time ; and in addition 
to keeping the house cool by the admission of plenty of air, a slight 
shading thrown over the house, when such is practicable, is of much 
use in preventing the sun scalding those bunches that may not be 
shaded by foliage. 
All stopping of laterals and sub-laterals should be discontinued a 
fortnight before stoning time, and not commenced again till the 
first berries have begun to colour. 
The temperature should then be increased, and a good Muscat 
house heat maintained, not a “ cool ” Muscat temperature, but a 
genuine hot one. When the leaves begin changing colour at the end 
of autumn there is often much damping to be met with in Lady 
Downe’s. The sooner the leaves are carefully removed after the end 
of November the better, and a careful watch should be kept for all 
signs of decaying berries, which if allowed to remain soon spread 
and multiply the evil greatly. 
When kept till February or March Lady Downe’s has a good 
flavour, and is possessed of a very refreshing crispness, which makes 
it much appreciated by some. Not possessing the grand appearance 
cf Gros Colman, it must, in my opinion, be placed before that 
noble-looking Grape in regard to table qualities ; and though in 
some cases, notably in the case of Mr. D. Thomson’s noble employer, 
Gros Colman is preferred for table use, still a census of opinions 
would show a decided majority in favour of Lady Downe s. Grown 
in a house where all things favourable can be bestowed and things 
prejudicial guarded against, this Grape is unequalled for quality 
by any other in use as a late variety, except Muscat of Alex¬ 
andria, which is facile princeps, and will, when thoroughly ripened, 
keep as long as Lady Downe’s. 
Then, to all intending cultivators of the Vine who have not 
practical experience of the Lady Downe’s Grape as a variety ranking 
A1 as a late source of supply I would say, that when a few extra 
precautions are taken in the culture it will reward its cultivators by 
hanging well, looking well, and, above all, eating well. 
Muscats may be put alongside of Lady Downe’s in regard to the 
scalding, as they not unfrequently suffer therefrom. So our favourite 
black Grape is not alone in this drawback, and therefore cannot be made 
to bear all the odium. As there is nothing perfect under the sun, it 
cannot be expected that Grapes would prove exceptions to the in¬ 
fallible rule ; the great matter is to weigh carefully and well the 
various shortcomings of different kinds, and thereby endeavour to 
arrive at just conclusions.—S. 
TRANSPLANTING SHRUBS. 
The most important point in connection with the transplanting of 
shrubs which have for several years grown in the same spot is 
securing a good ball of soil with the roots. In some soils there is no 
difficulty in thus lifting shrubs. Last winter, for instance, I had 
some removed from one part of the estate to another, and from one 
portion of ground the men had nothing more to do than to cut around 
the ball with their spade, then two or three of them worked well in on 
one side, while the others palled the shrub, and thus very easily 
raised specimens G feet high and as much in diameter. Some others 
growing in pure sand had to be lifted with all the rootlets possible, 
and it is wonderful how well those have done. One of them is a 
Portugal Laurel 9 feet high and bushy. The roots were all carefully 
spread out, and a compost of half soil, half leaf mould, placed round 
them, with the result that another season’s growth will make it better 
than ever it was. 
The grea l er part of the soil here, however, is very friable, and 
there is no use in attempting to move even such an easily trans¬ 
planted shrub as the Box without making sure that the ball will not 
fall to pieces at any moment. We almost invariably take the extra 
trouble of excavating deep enough to allow for getting broad planks 
underneath the ball, on which the shrub rests securely, and by which it 
is carried. One broad short plank is sufficient for a small shrub of, 
say, 4 feet in height; for larger shrubs two planks may be sufficient, 
and for those of i5 cwt. or a ton weight it is necessary to employ, in 
addition to the two planks next the ball, other two cross planks on 
which the others rest, and these cross planks again rest on cross 
bearers of oak or larch. Birch planks, it may be stated, are particu¬ 
larly well fitted for this work. We have a low-wheeled truck for 
carrying shrubs with balls up to 2 tons weight. In the case, of those 
averaging a ton, after the planks and cross-bearers are in position, one 
of the bearers is grasped with a chain, and the other end of the chain 
lifted with a lever until it is raised about a foot. It is there kept in 
position by wooden blocks, when the other bearer is raised in the 
same way and also blocked. The shrub is thus raised by degrees 
until the trunk can be run underneath it, when it is let down till it 
rests on the body of the trunk, and then removed to its destination. 
If the shrubs have to be taken a distance of half a mile to two miles 
thin deal boards are placed round the sides and surface of the ball 
and kept lightly in position by means of chains and screws. The 
shrub is also firmly fastened to the truck. 
Balls of roots weighing a coup’e of tons we do not attempt to 
raise. It is just as expeditious to throw out the light gravelly soil 
deep enough to allow the truck to be run underneath them as it 
stands. In this case, besides allowing sufficient space at what we will 
call the back of the shrub to excavate under the ball, it is also 
necessary to make a sloping road for the truck to be drawn out after 
the specimen is fixed on it. The way we manage these is to work 
down to the required depth at the back and front, then cut under¬ 
neath the ball both at the back and front, so as to allow two broad 
planks to be fit.ed close up to the bottom of the ball ; these are kept 
in position with wooden blocks. A narrow gallery is then driven 
through underneath the centre of the ball, and a strong batten pushed 
through. The two cross planks rest on their centres on this batten 
each end of which is kept tight up with blocks. The soil underneath 
one side of the ball is then taken out and a long plank fitted into its 
place, so tha tone end of each of the cross planks rests on it. These 
are also blocked up, and the other side done in the same way. 
The centra batten is taken away, and al 1 loose soil cleared out so 
