180 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ August 26 , isso. 
strictly observed by many as it should be), unless the plants 
are weak. In this case, especially if the plants have been for 
some time in small pots, the foliage is not sufficiently strong to 
swell the stems, and it is, therefore, advisable to allow the 
formation of laterals, these to be pinched back to one joint. 
At the time the autumn-struck plants are transferred to the 
stove the top-dressing is given, into which the stems quickly 
emit numbers of strong roots, Avhich will greatly assist the 
swelling fruit. By the time the third bunches of bloom are 
developed the growth will have reached the prescribed limits 
and is topped accordingly, and as the laterals or sub-laterals 
are kept rigorously rubbed out, the whole strength of the 
plants is thus concentrated on the fruit. They are never 
allowed to become dry at the roots, and liquid manure is given 
at each alternate watering. Some varieties, notably The Trophy, 
do not set freely either in heat or in the open air—not, I think, 
because the blooms are really barren, but on account of a 
scarcity of pollen. I never leave their setting to chance, but 
prefer impregnating the blooms with the pollen of commoner 
freer-setting varieties, such as Keyes’ Prolific and The Conqueror. 
In the spring months, however, the central parts of the blooms 
■when dry are gently rubbed together, each fruit thus being set 
by its neighbour. So well do both plans succeed, that to 
have good fruit I usually find it necessary to thin out the 
bunches. Forced fruits are apt to crack when changing colour. 
Dryness at the roots checks this but injures the later fruit ; and 
the best plan is to cut them on the first signs of cracking, as 
they will ripen well on a dry shelf in the same house or 
temperature. 
This season, probably, we shall have sufficient fruit from the 
open-air plants to carry us well on towards the new year, but 
they are of inferior quality, especially those cut in a semi¬ 
green state and ripened in heat, to those grown under glass, 
and will be handed over to the cook for making into sauce. 
Trophy and a variety evidently selected from it are mostly 
grown under glass here, as they are much superior with regard 
to shape, size, colour, and quality to any variety that I am 
acquainted with, with the exception, perhaps, of Hathaway’s 
Excelsior. The latter is well adapted for culture in pots, and 
is preferred by some to the two former, and it certainly is par¬ 
ticularly good for open air culture. In addition to these I am 
growing both under glass and in the open nearly every cata¬ 
logued variety, and am in a position to discuss their merits, 
for the former work at all events. 
Grown under precisely the same conditions as the rest, Early 
Gem was the first to ripen by about a week ; it is a good cropper, 
but unfortunately the fruits are small. Conqueror is a very 
heavy cropper, growth sturdy, and the fruit corrugated, but 
otherwise good ; Earley's Defiance, a superior fcrm of the 
Large Red ; Dwarf Orangefield; Vilmorin’s Dwarf Early, a 
very dwarf, free-bearing, and improved form of the Orange- 
field, and a variety certainly deserving of general cultivation ; 
Ne. Plus Ultra, a vigorous grower, shy-bearing, and round- 
fruited ; Early Red and Large Yellow. All commenced ripening 
at much the same time. The preference is given to the first, 
second, and fifth in this batch. Scarcely a week behind these 
are Trophy, Stamfordian, Hathaway’s Excelsior, Vick’s Cri¬ 
terion, Acme, Carter’s Green Gage, and Hepper’s Goliath. 
About these I will only mention that Vick’s Criterion, a some¬ 
what small but very free-bearing variety, is particularly well 
adapted for culture in small pots, and that the principal 
merits of the Green Gage are its distinct colour and pleasing 
flavour. The small-fruiting varieties are extremely ornamental, 
but otherwise comparatively of little value. Of those I am 
growing the Cherry Red and the Buighley Pet, both very 
prolific, round-fruited, and of pleasing flavour ; Dickson’s Queen 
of the Tomatoes has pear-shaped fruit produced in large 
clusters ; Nesbit’s Victoria, plum-shaped fruit, prolific ; Grape- 
shot and Sutton s Royal Cluster represent an improved form 
of the Red Currant. —W. Iggulden. 
Cattleya cmspa. —I see mentioned in your paper a fine plant 
of Cattleya crispa at Burston Rectory, with sixteen flower spikes 
an 1 eighty-four blooms. I have a plant now in flower with nine- 
te3n spikes, and 111 blooms, made up thus—two spikes seven 
each, twelve spikes six each, and five spikes five each. Un¬ 
fortunately one other flower spike was broken off some three 
months ago. There are several of the old growths that have this 
year thrown up two growths, and are not strong enough to flower. 
I hope to see next year many more flower spikes. The plant 
grows in a basket 18 inches square, and is full of pseudo-bulbs, 
spreading out nearly 4 feet all round. I should say there are 
about 150 pseudo-bulbs on the plant, but I have never counted 
them carefully. It quite fills the house it is in with perfume.— 
B. Dymond. 
THE VINE TORTRIX. 
Although there is no truth in the supposed adage that “ mis¬ 
fortunes never come smgly,” the coincidences in trouble that do 
occur are sometimes remarkable. We have recently had to 
chronicle another appearance of the much-dreaded Phylloxera in 
these islands, and now we find that serious damage has been done 
to some Vines by the larva of Tortrix vitisana. This has, how¬ 
ever, long been recognised as a British insect, but little is yet 
known of its habits by either naturalists or gardeners. It has 
been discovered upon the bunches, attacking these not for the 
sake of the fruit, which is pierced to enable the larva to reach the 
seeds. In habit it appears to be semi-social, and a number of 
them will spin loose threads upon the branches, upon which they 
pass and re-pass. Probably during its early life as larva the 
species feeds upon the leaves of the Vine. The chrysalis state is 
of brief duration, and the moth emerges in August. This is not, 
unfortunately, a conspicuous insect; it belongs to the section of 
moths popularly called Bell moths, because the closed wings 
resemble a bell. The expansion of the wings is about three- 
quarters of an inch. An important check to the progress of the 
species would be the removal or destruction of the eggs, which 
are undoubtedly deposited about this time, probably in small 
patches, however long they may remain unhatched. They might be 
placed either upon the leaves or upon the twigs, and should be 
searched for with assiduity. It has been generally thought that 
this Vine pest dislikes heat, and is therefore not likely to do much 
injury under glass ; but we have recently seen a grand crop of 
Grapes in a very large vinery practically ruined by the larv;e 
puncturing the berries and causing their decay. We have never 
known of a similarly violent attack of this insect, and we allude 
to it now for the purpose of directing attention to an insidious 
pest, which if it spreads cannot fail to prove highly destructive. 
Where the caterpillars are disturbed in the bunches, and they are 
not easy to find, they suddenly let themselves down to the ground 
by a slender thread and find refuge in the soil. 
OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN ROSES. 
Notwithstanding the prevailing rage for such varieties of 
Roses only as are deemed suitable for exhibition purposes there 
are, I venture to say, many rosarians who view with some con¬ 
siderable regret the gradual extinction of so many grand old 
favourites among the summer Roses. It is true that their indi¬ 
vidual blooms are not to be compared either in size or shape with 
the magnificent Hybrid Perpetuals of the present day ; but in 
colour, and equally in perfume, summer-flowering Roses can well 
hold their own, while for vigour of constitution and profusion of 
bloom they certainly stand unequalled. It is more than pro¬ 
bable that Roses of this class will, like the long-neglected hardy 
herbaceous plants, become fashionable again for garden decoration, 
as indeed they well deserve; but meanwhile we are losing sight 
of many varieties which ought to be preserved. Some time 
since I started a collection of old-fashioned Roses, but lost a large 
number in moving them to another residence ; now again I mean 
to make the attempt, and invite all brother rosarians similarly 
interested to co-operate with me. I need hardly add that buds 
of scarce and really desirable varieties will be gratefully received 
and as freely given when possessed by me. 
The following varieties are, I believe, still to be found in some 
of the nurserymen’s lists, and should find places in most gardens 
of any extent, where they will succeed admirably, most of them, 
as pillars or tall standards, and will be found to produce, with a 
little care and attention and a minimum amount of pruning, an 
exceedingly beautiful effect. Among the section known as French, 
Boule de Nanteuil, Kean, Cynthie, D’Aguesseau, Ohl, and Letitia. 
Hybrid China: Blairii II., Brennus, Chencdole, Comtesse de 
Lacepede, Fulgens, Leopold de Bauffremont, Madame Plantier, 
Magna Rosea, General Jacqueminot, and Madeline. Alba: Feli- 
cite, and Madame Audot. Damask: La Yille de Bruxelles, Ma¬ 
dame Hardy, Madame Zoutmann, and Leda. Hybrid Bourbon : 
Charles Lawson, Juno, Coupe d’Hdbd, Paul Perras, and Paul 
Ricaut. Provence : Old Cabbage. Moss: Baronne de Wassanaer, 
Common, the Crested, Lanei, and White Bath. Austrian Briar : 
