August 4,1881. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 99 
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berry ; if so, the roots should be lifted wholly or partially, and the 
border renewed with fresh soil. This might prove very beneficial 
and produce the desired effect. Vines that have been restricted in 
growth for a number of years often produce small bunches and 
berries. The growth should be allowed to extend at the top and 
bottom, which would increase the root-action, and add vigour and 
energy to the Vines.—W. B. 
Mr. Robinson thinks it absurd to shade Vines to prevent them 
scorching. It is seldom that shading is necessary ; but under the 
extreme heat that has been lately experienced, together with the 
insufficient provision for ventilation of the vineries under notice, 
a little whitewash sprinkled on the glass would have been a very 
wise proceeding, or at any rate far less absurd than allowing the 
Vines to be injured. It is not at all rare for the most accom¬ 
plished of Grape-growers to shade the Vines slightly when they 
are endangered by extreme heat, and certainly a film of white¬ 
wash does not obstruct the light any more than the clouds do on 
a dull day. It is questionable if the ventilation described was 
advised by Mr. Rivers. His system, if I remember rightly, applied 
to span-roofed houses, where the circulation of air is much greater 
than at the top of a lean-to, where the radiation of heat from the 
wall above is very considerable. Rather than have a house so 
close as that described I would break a few of the top squares, 
and also shade if it were needed, as the lesser of two evils. 
—Grape-Grower. 
I remember some years ago, when Blondin the celebrated tight¬ 
rope walker came to Cirencester, about half the Grape-growers 
had their Grapes badly scalded. It was an unusually hot day, 
with the thermometer registering over 90° in the shade. On a 
bright sunny morning, whilst many amateurs had gone up into 
Earl Bathurst’s park to see the performance, the mischief of 
scalding was done. I put every ventilator in my house open to 
the fullest extent, also the door, and escaped with only one bunch 
scalded. This was ten or twelve years ago, and we have not had 
another day to equal it since. We have had a day or two with 
the thermometer about 90° this year, and I kept a sharp look-out 
on the vinery, but, as there was plenty of foliage at the top, did 
not open all the ventilators to the fullest extent. I think that in 
all probability many years will pass before Mr. Robinson’s Grapes 
are injured again, but if they are it will be a sure sign that the 
ventilation is not sufficient. It evidently was not sufficient for the 
exceptional weather we have lately experienced. I think there is 
no doubt his second house would be improved by more shelter.— 
Amateur, Cirencester . 
Possibly many of your readers will take a lively interest in 
the statement of Mr. Jacob Robinson concerning the scalding of 
Grapes, for without doubt this has been a most trying season for 
amateur Grape-growers, and perhaps, too, for some others. Your 
correspondent has a lean-to house 20 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 
12 feet high, built against the south side of his dwelling-house. 
The front sashes are 3 feet deep, and every other one opens for 
ventilation. The roof is fixed, and top ventilation can only be had 
by means of the triangular pieces which open under each end of 
the roof to the depth of 2 feet. The ventilators were open to 
their full extent on the 4th ult., and had been partially open 
throughout the previous night, yet every bunch on the upper half 
of the rods was badly scorched, and your correspondent naturally 
wants to know the reason, and how to prevent a recurrence of 
such a misfortune. 
We will first confine our attention to this house, and see why 
the Grapes should scald there, and possibly at the same time some 
light may be thrown on the opposite side of the question as to 
why they did not scald in the other house, which was simply a 
continuation of the building in which the injury took place. 
Your correspondent quotes from Mr. Rivers’ book that “ Grapes 
can bear any amount of sunshine,” which is possibly correct 
when the air in which they grow is not confined, also in ordinary 
summers and ordinary vineries it may be said to be almost correct 
if we except one or two varieties of Grapes. But Mr. Rivers, 
although he lived a long and noble life, did not experience many 
such extraordinary ranges of temperature as we have done during 
the last six or seven months—viz., from below zero to 97°, and it 
is probable that had that good and honest man lived to this time 
he might have seen occasion to modify some of his ideas, as I have 
some of mine, relating to this subject. 
Not long ago I held the opinion, and many a good cultivator 
shared it, that what was called scalding was the result of too rapid 
evaporation, and was in fact a chill rather than a scald. Now, 
although I have no doubt that a similar effect to scalding is often 
produced in this way, yet I have had ample proof that in a 
certain stage of growth actual scalding is liable to take place 
independent of the state of the atmosphere as to humidity. The 
stage at which this is most likely to happen is during stoning, 
when there is no visible growth of the berry ; and as Grapes grown 
in an unheated house will generally colour simultaneously with 
their last swelling, the danger is often not passed till colouring 
has commenced. Before stoning, and also immediately after, 
the Grapes will bear with impunity, as far as scalding is concerned, 
a much higher temperature than they will during that process. 
If the thermometer is kept in the shade, as it always ought to be, 
it is not advisable to allow it to rise much higher than 80° during the 
time of danger. Of course, with the tropical weather we lately 
had the temperature could not be kept so low, but in my case 
every available ventilator was open, sometimes including the 
doors ; and although Mr. Jacob Robinson says “it seems absurd 
to think of shading Vines,” yet we pocketed the absurdity and 
sprinkled some whiting and water over the roof with a syringe, 
and had we such a sun trap as Mr. R. to deal with, we should 
probably have added a handful of soot. 
Your correspondent’s house, standing as it does against the 
south wall of the dwelling-house, which probably rises 20 or 
more feet above it, and catches and stores up the rays of sun all 
day long, will at midday, on such a day as that mentioned, have 
a sun temperature of 140° or 150°, which is thrown bark with the 
reflected light on to the Vines. Is it, then, a wonder that they 
should suffer ? The end ventilators under such conditions would 
be of little use, as the air outside above them would be nearly, or 
quite, as hot as that under the Vines. I certainly advise Mr. 
Robinson to have more top ventilation, which, although it might 
not have the effect of keeping the temperature lower on such a 
day as that under consideration, would cause a greater circula¬ 
tion of air, and that alone would lessen the danger. Removing 
the glass to the width of 6 or 9 inches at the top, and placing a board 
on hinges there similar to what he has on his other house, would 
probably answer the purpose. Also he must not be afraid to shade 
a little during stoning, and also during flowering, should the 
weather be excessively bright. A little whiting and water put on 
the glass with a syringe is as good as anything, as it is easily and 
quickly applied and comes off with the first shower. The reason 
scalding has not taken place in previous years is that we have 
not before had so high a temperature so early in the season. Four 
years ago we had the thermometer above 90° one day in the middle 
of July, and once again in the middle of August; but I think 
there was nothing like the continued sunshine which we have this 
year experienced. 
And now, why did not the Grapes scald in the other house, 
which is merely a continuation of the same range and the same 
border '? Because there the ventilation is thorough, and it is not 
so much required. A mere 9-inch wall at the back, only rising to 
fie height of the house, which is but about 8 feet, will not husband 
up any heat when shaded by the Vines, and a 6-inch board 
running the entire length at the highest point and opening to 
the north will, in conjunction with a similar ventilator running 
along the front, generally be quite sufficient. To the further 
question, Would building a stable or a coach-house at the back 
make the Grapes as early and as fine as those in the other house ? 
I should say, Probably not, unless the roof is carried to the same 
height as the other house, and the wall of the coach-house or stable 
is also carried up as high as that of the dwelling-house ; but un¬ 
doubtedly a building of any kind, or even a brick screen run up 
behind the 9-inch wall, leaving a hollow air-tight space only 3 or 
4 inches between, would assist considerably in keeping up the 
temperature in spring, and thereby forward and improve the crop. 
—-Wm. Taylor. 
ALPINE AURICULAS. 
" In the spring of the year few flowers are more lovely than the 
above, and they are worthy of every care and extensive cultivation. 
The Alpine varieties are very easy to manige, and can be readily 
obtained from seed or by dividing the plants after flowering. The 
seed on established plants outside will now be ripe, and should be 
sown at once after being gathered in pans filled with any light 
compost. The seeds should be sown on the surface ; covering is 
not necessary when the soil is made even and smooth, well 
watered, and covered with glass until the seed germinates. The 
pans containing the seed will do in a cold frame, or better still if 
they can be placed where a gentle heat can be given, as under these 
circumstances the plants make greater progress. It is judicious 
to encourage the seedlings as much as possible, so that they will 
be strong before winter. When in cold frames they only grow 
slowly at first, find are very small when winter approaches, and 
in consequence are liable to damp off. Great advantages are to 
