October 27, 1881 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 375 
liumbei of species represented. Throughout, the healthy condition 
of the plants, the cleanliness and neatness everywhere prevailing, are 
creditable in no ordinary degree to the gardener, Mr. Smith, who 
takes as much interest as his employer in the welfare of the collec- 
tions.—L. Castle. 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS—THE AIGBURGH. 
As this vegetable is an all-important one to gardeners who have 
to keep up a supply, the above-named variety is a great ac¬ 
quisition. Although it has not been in commerce long, it is valued 
by many as a standard variety. Novelties now arc so plentiful 
that when any variety of vegetable proves really good it is worth 
recording. The middle of March is a good time to sow the seed, 
choosing an open position away from the shade of trees. The soil 
for the seed bed if at all stiff should be dug some time previous to 
sowing the seed. Sow it moderately thick and protect with a 
net, as bullfinches and linnets are very troublesome about that 
time of the year. Treading the soil lightly, or patting with the 
back of a spade, is also an advantage—it helps to retain the 
moisture so essential to germination. 
At the end of May or first half of June the plants will be ready 
for their permanent quarters, when the soil should be rich and 
deeply dug. In planting, 2 feet apart each way is a suitable dis¬ 
tance, and when the plants are well established and growing run 
the hoe amongst them to destroy small weeds. The hoeing should 
be repeated about three weeks after, and w hen the plants are about 
fi inches or a foot in height, earth them up in the same manner 
as rows of Peas. These hoeings, even supposing the land to be 
entirely free from weeds, will prove very beneficial. The earth- 
ing-up helps to steady the plants. It is also an advantage to 
tread or roll the ground firmly before planting, as, if the soil be 
very loose and light, the first rough wind in the autumn will 
often blow them almost out of the ground. In light soils, and 
when the previous crop, say such as winter Spinach or winter 
Onions, has been well manured, I have often found it best not to 
dig the land at all, but to plant when it is softened by rain. 
This useful vegetable can be had in season for at least five months, 
being as hardy as most of the Brassicas, and the variety above 
named has succeeded well with me, each plant being furnished 
with large handsome sprouts.—A. Harding. 
THE USE OF FIRE HEAT FOR GRAPES. 
As “ Single-handed” says on page 317, facts must be dealt 
with, and mere assumption left out. It is now sixteen years 
since I grew a house of Grapes without fire heat, and that was 
twenty or thirty miles south of London. The Vines were allowed 
to start of their own accord. Sun heat was turned to the best 
account when the Vines were in flower, and every advantage 
was taken of closing the house early. I cannot call to my recol¬ 
lection what the temperature was during night, but I am sure it 
was never as low as 30° or even 40° from bud-swelling onwards. 
The setting was generally similar to other houses where fire heat 
was employed. If there was any difference the fire-heated house 
bad the advantage. The produce of the unheated structure was 
what would be termed passable, but not to be compared to the 
adjoining house with fire heat from starting. The Grapes in the 
former house were very late in ripening, and about one-fourth of 
them damped-olf in the late autumn. The varieties were Black 
Hamburgh and Black Prince. 
I consider it a very simple matter to set Grapes without fire 
heat provided the sun shines for a couple of hours in the middle 
of the day when the Vines are flowering. By giving the rods a 
few strokes with the hand the pollen flies, and the setting is 
almost instantaneous, and not, as many suppose, a slow process. 
Anyone that has paid attention to a few individual berries the 
day after the operation will see they have doubled in size—a sure 
sign the berries are set. Stoning is another subject. 
1 can see no reason why Grapes cannot be grown without fire 
heat, or even a vinery, if the climate is hot o:.ough. We might 
even have Pines without it; but it so happens our climate is not 
warm enough, although the setting of Grapes can be done. For 
growing them to perfection in our country they must have fire 
heat rather strong (G5° for Hamburgh and Sweetwater, 70° for 
Muscat and lates) or else, I fear, disappointments would be 
common. In my opinion “ Single-handed ” strikes the nail on 
the head when he says saving a ton or two of coals in spring or 
summer, to be compelled to burn as much or more to no purpose 
in autumn, is not economy. How Mr. Simpson managed to carry 
off first prize in the summer for two bunches at Sheffield with 
Alnwick Seedling grown without fire heat surprises me, and also, 
I daresay, many more. If I am rightly informed this is as late a 
Grape as Lady Downe’s. In that case, if there was any compe¬ 
tition, his principal point was wanting, whatever other points he 
had. It is a great mistake to give a prize at any show to unripe 
fruit, let its appearance be what it may. The proof of the pudding 
is the preeing o’d.— A High Temperature Competitor. 
I have been favoured with some further particulars respecting 
the Grapes at Longleat mentioned last week as having been grown 
on the cool system, and send them with this. They are kindly 
furnished by Mr. Taylor himself on request, and his statements 
may possibly cause those of your correspondents who are commit¬ 
ting themselves so positively against the cool system to reserve 
their opinions for the present. There is more to be said on the 
subject evidently. Thomson’s book on the Vine is my authority 
generally on Vine culture, and may be said to reflect general 
practice fairly ; and I find Mr. Taylor’s temperatures are very far 
below Thomson’s, and yet he grows and ripens splendid Grapes 
in good time. 
SHADE” TEMPERATURES FOR MUSCATS, &c. 
For starting. 
Flowering period. 
After flowering. 
An almost even 
temp, of about 55° 
night and day. 
57° to 60° night. 
65° to 70° day. 
75° to 80° sun. 
63° to 65° night. 
70° to 73° day. 
80° to 85° sun. 
*' The above is something like the instructions given to my young 
men for temperatures for Muscats and thick-skinned Grapes ; but I 
do not pay so close an attention to figures as most people do, and am 
more afraid of high temperatures than low ones. I do not know 
anything about the cost of the stewing system, having never practised 
it. Were my house a lean-to and facing south I should be content 
with a minimum temperature of 55° at all times ; but with large 
panes facing east it is a little more difficult to manage the ventilation 
at sunrise, and rusty berries are apt to follow if there has been much 
rise before air is given. I am a cool-system man, and it will be found 
on reference to the Journal of Horticulture for 8th January. 1874, 
2nd July, 1874, Gth August, 1874, and 25th March, 1875, that I have 
always advocated what is called the cool system.— Wm. Taylor, 
Longleat Gardens.'” 
Assuming Mr. Taylor’s Grapes and temperatures are a fact it is 
as plain as any simple subtraction sum, from the above figures 
and statements, that Grapes of the best quality can be produced 
by the cool system, and at a great reduction in the cost of fuel.— 
Correspondent. 
LIQUID MANURE FOR FERNS. 
Having been in the habit for several years past of applying 
the above to Ferns, I can endorse all Mr. Gilbert has said about 
it. The liquid used here is from a farmyard tank, and is applied 
in a weak state about twice a week. We have some specimens of 
Adiantum cuneatum, A. farleyense, and several others that have 
not been repotted for three, four, and in one or two instances for 
five years. All these plants are in excellent health, which I 
attribute mainly to the watering with liquid manure. Small 
Ferns that are used for dinner-table decoration are often com¬ 
pelled to be grown in very small pots, and for such plants liquid 
manure is especially valuable.—W. W. 
I can quite endorse what Mr. Gilbert says about giving Ferns 
liquid manure, as I have practised it for a number of years ; it 
produces wonderful results on all Adiantnms, particularly A. 
farleyense. We divide most of our Adiantums every second year, 
when they receive only clean soft water until they have well 
filled their pots with roots. When the first fronds have been cut 
and the succeeding fronds not quite matured, and perhaps rather 
delicate in colour, which is mostly about the month of July, we 
commence supplying weak liquid manure. The liquid is taken 
from what is made up for the Chrysanthemums, a mixture of 
sheep’s and cow’s manure and soot. The next year we commence 
supplying the liquid manure as soon as the young fronds start 
growing. I have used ammonia for Ferns with success. The 
quantity I used was as much as would cover a shilling to a quart 
of soft water. We purchased it as a powder, in appearance like 
nitrate of soda, however. My reason for discontinuing it was, I 
thought, it had too much of a forcing effect. Lycopodiums in my 
experience do not require liquid manure.—H. Elliott. 
Jasminum revolutum and Econymus near the Sea.— Passing 
through West Brighton recently we saw a very fine plant of the old 
Jasminum revolutum climbing up the front of a house, and in its 
progress upwards entwining itself in a graceful manner amongst the 
