264 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. f September si, mss. 
for its own worth and sake, and do things well. If they suc¬ 
ceed in growing fruit and plants well they have an immediate 
reward. Their virtues and value are highly appreciated. The 
services of such men and servants are far beyond a money 
value. Young men, then, have much to encourage them to en¬ 
deavour to excel in their profession. — A. Pettigrew, Bowdon. 
WATERING VINES. 
This subject has frequently been adverted to in these pages, 
but it is one of so much importance, and I might say so imper¬ 
fectly understood, that many readers would do well to give the 
matter more attention. In nine cases out of ten, especially with 
amateur growers, I am of opinion that Vines do not receive suffi¬ 
cient water at the roots. Outside borders are frequently well 
watered naturally, but those wholly or partially under glass are 
neglected in this respect. The finest-coloured Grapes I have seen 
this season were on Vines which were almost swamped with water 
from the time the buds were breaking until the fruit was com¬ 
pletely ripe and coloured, and after that they were not dried off 
in any way. On the other hand, the worst-coloured Grapes I 
have seen this or any other season were on Vines growing in a 
border which stood high above the surrounding ground. The 
gardener had his own ideas about watering, and would never 
think of giving more to a high border than to a low drainless one, 
considered that “ two waterings were enough,” one being given 
when the Vines were breaking into leaf, and the other when the 
berries had finished stoning. The result of this was that the 
Grapes assumed a motley foxy colour, and like this they remained. 
All other conditions were favourable to proper Grape-growing, 
but the watering at the roots was greatly deficient, with the 
result I have stated. 
In a contrary case, some young Vines planted last year are now 
maturing a fine crop. In the hands of a painstaking grower they 
were most carefully attended to in supplying them with water. 
The wood and leaves they developed were extraordinary, the fruit 
has coloured magnificently, and the gardener in charge attributes 
much of this success to copious watering. 
Another bad case may be given. In the spring of this year a 
gentleman of our acquaintance put up a fine range of vineries. 
The borders were most carefully made, and the best systems were 
followed in everything. The greatest success was anticipated. 
Good young Vines were secured and planted, and at first they 
gave every indication of making unusual progress ; but now they 
are disappointing, as the long shoots they have made are little 
thicker than one’s finger, and the leaves about the size of our 
hand. On visiting this vinery the other day we found the atmo¬ 
sphere quite arid, the surface of the border dust-dry, and a tank 
was pointed out as having been twice emptied on the border 
during the season. Then we had no hesitation in informing the 
anxious proprietor that his man had given his Vines about fifty 
times less water than they ought to have had. “ But,” says the 
gardener, “the Vines are ripening their wood, and do not want 
water at the roots now ; ” and this also was a mistake, as in their 
state the wood might ripen quickly but it would not be plump. 
Had those Vines been under our care they would have received 
copious waterings every other week, and now they are ripening 
and throughout the winter we would apply it at the same rate, 
and all inside borders would be treated in the same way. Of all 
Vine requirements there are none of so much importance as abun¬ 
dance of water, and wiihout this badly developed wood and inte¬ 
riorly coloured and flavoured fruit can only be expected. With 
ordinary good drainage and waterings of the kind w r e refer to 
there is little danger of any Vines or Grapes failing.—J. Muir. 
DOUBLE PYRETHRUMS. 
These plants are of great value for all purposes where good 
flowers are in demand, whether it be for the decoration of the 
border or for planting in permanent beds, where they make a 
splendid show if a good selection of varieties is procured and 
the colours effectively arranged. They require, too, only a small 
amount of labour and expense, for even the first outlay in the 
purchase of stock is nominal; and there is no need of further 
expenditure unless fresh varieties are required, for they are most 
easily increased by dividing the roots after the season, or any 
time, in fact, so that the divisions can establish themselves again 
previous to sharp weather. During the last fortnight I have 
divided many plants; and as it was desirable to increase my stock 
very largely, they were cut into very small pieces and potted 
separately, and placed in a cold frame, where they will be kept 
close and shaded until root-action is again resumed, when they 
may be gradually exposed and finally planted out. 
The present is perhaps the best time to plant, as after this they 
make very rapid growth until the frost entirely checks it; and it 
is well in the case of young plants to cut away all stems which 
attempt to flower, so as to give the stool the full advantage of all 
the roots ; thus much stronger plants will be the result, and a 
much finer show of flowers will be had next year. To obtain 
good results the ground should be well enriched with decayed 
manure, spent hotbed material being very suitable for them. 
The ground should be deeply dug, or even trenched, and the 
manure deeply buried, as they are deep-rooting plants, which is 
a great advantage during very dry weather, and if the manure is 
well buried the plants are benefited twofold. Pig manure I con¬ 
sider very prejudicial, as I have known the plants to suddenly 
die on more than one occasion where such was used without any 
other apparent cause. 
The nature of the soil need not be an obstacle in the way of 
their much more extended cultivation, for I have known them 
to thrive in all kinds of soil. Very heavy damp soils are least 
suitable to them ; they will make rapid coarse growth in such, 
but flower very poorly, and usually die suddenly. Light well- 
enriched soils are the best, and a sunny position, when they make 
much more roots and are more floriferous, and can consequently 
be much more largely increased. Good strong plants well esta¬ 
blished in pots are the best to begin with, and when once planted 
they will require no further attention until the flower heads 
appear next season, when stakes will be necessary for their 
support, or their weight will cause the stalks to bend to the soil. 
The number of varieties is very large, but many of them are 
very similar. Those named below are selected from a collection 
of nearly a hundred, and they are certainly distinct and very 
showy, and others might be added without exhausting the good 
varieties. Niveum plenum, a very fine wbite-flowered kind, very 
free, and the flowers are full of good petals, pure white, with 
slightly yellow centre. Mont Blanc, more robust than the last; 
flowers not quite so double, pure white, less yellow in the centre ; 
a splendid kind. Virginale is another white, very free, and the 
flowers are very large, with rather long outside florets. The 
above are the three best white-flowered varieties in my opinion. 
Dr. Livingstone is an extremely free variety, with large spreading 
and very double flowers of a delicate flesh colour. La Vestale 
has richly blush-tinted flowers, large and numerous. Madame 
Munier is in the same way, but deep in colour and very free, the 
flower stems being rather more freely branched than most kinds. 
Panorama is a delicate blush, with the tip of the outermost florets 
yellow ; a very double and large flower. Aurora has sulphur- 
coloured flowers, very double, with deep yellow centre. Madame 
Benary is also a yellowish-coloured variety with a good flower 
and free disposition. 
Among the very numerous rose-flowered kinds there are five 
extremely good—viz., floribundum plenum, rich rosy pink, very 
double and free ; Herman Stenger, rich lilac rose, a very finely 
formed flower and very robust, one of the best varieties ; Module, 
bright rose, very free ; Mons. Barral, rich rosy red, very conspi¬ 
cuous, and certainly a leading kind ; Nemesis, deep rose, with 
the outer flowers distinctly tipped with crimson, very showy 
indeed ; Spectabile, light rosy lilac, very floriferous, and certainly 
distinct in colour. Among the deeper shades of colour are Cap¬ 
tain Nares, rich purplish crimson flowers of excellent form and 
profuse ; a leading kind. Emile Lemoine, flowers large, deep 
crimson edge with yellow ; very distinct and handsome. Fulgens 
plenissimum, rich carmine ; excellent form, and very free both in 
growth and flowering. Gloire d’ltalie, a grand variety ; flowers 
intense crimson, and very freely produced. This is very largely 
grown. Michael Buchner, almost equally good flowers, deep 
magenta crimson and very large ; in fact I have known it larger 
than any. Haage et Schmidt, a very floriferous kind, similar 
in colour to the last; very dwarf and robust. Purple Prince, 
a splendid variety with purple-carmine flowers. These deep- 
coloured kinds are extremely showy when well arranged. In 
clumps they are particularly effective either when wholly com¬ 
posed of one variety, or so arranged with the white and light- 
flowered sorts that the flowers are intermingled. If the different 
colours are arranged in lines, as we frequently see them in nur¬ 
series where they are largely grown, the effect is unique, and the 
abundance of flower is astonishing.—N. 
POTATOES AND PEAS. 
Potatoes .—We have not had many kinds this year, and never 
had fewer diseased tubers. This is not owing to cultivation, but 
to selection. Two or three years ago, when we had scores of sorts 
on trial, it was difficult to save the seed of some of them ; but those 
we soon discarded, and by degrees we reduced our stock to the 
