290 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 30, 1886. 
they were too, and these had been out of the ground for at 
least eight months—viz., from July of last year to March of 
the present. In a little less than two months from planting 
time this little batch was a blaze of scarlet flowers, and from 
which not less than 700 or 800 flowers were taken. They 
occupied a warm south border in turfy loam, and were planted 
about 4 incbe3 deep. If this could be followed up it would not 
be impossible to have these brilliant scarlet flowers at all 
seasons of the year. Of this much I am certain, that it can¬ 
not be so much dried or shrivelled as to be useless, therefore 
none should be cast away. I examined these a month ago, 
and judge my surprise at finding the tubers fully three times 
their size when planted, or above the average largest size 
obtainable from bulb growers generally. I find, therefore, 
that they must be lifted, for they will be overcrowded if I 
leave them another season. Almost all the treatment referred 
to for the Anemone will suit the Persian and Turban 
Ranunculus, for these, if ever so shrivelled, will be sure to push 
forth if not decayed. These may be lifted and thoroughly 
dried, after which place on a dry shelf till required for plant¬ 
ing again. This latter may be done for the Turbans from 
October to March, and the Persians from January to April. 
The lovely forms of the English and Spanish Irises are now 
at rest, the bulbs are fully mature, and the roots— i.e. fibres, 
decayed. It is noticeable in these two sections how much 
shorter-lived are the growths of the former compared with the 
latter, which are generally the first to flower, and the last by 
quite a fortnight to ripen their stems. Where any new 
plantings are required these bulbs may be lifted at once and 
dried for a few days or even weeks prior to planting again. 
The “chickens ” may be either detached or remain with the 
mother bulb. I prefer the former, and plant the “ chickens ” 
thickly in small nursery beds for a season or two. Provided 
the bulbs are sound and plump when planted, they will endure 
with impunity a great amount of hard frost; the late spring 
frosts, however, sometimes nip the young growths. There 
are some lovely forms in both sections, and all are charming 
for border decoration in early summer or for cutting. 
The various species of Tulips should be harvested at 
once, and given a fair rest and drying off. This is especially 
needful on cold soils or wet; on very light sandy soils 
they pass the winter very well indeed. All the species 
and forms of Calochortus and Gyclobothra need attention in 
lifting, drying, and storing for the winter season. These 
I invariably find deteriorate if kept in the soil all the year 
round, and as it is natural for them to lose their roots 
annually, in common with many I have herein named, they 
are better out of the soil than in it, at least when they have 
to contend with such a climate as our own.—J. H. E. 
LATE GROWTH AND RESTING VINES AND 
FRO IT TREES. 
I expected that the article upon this subject on page 255 of the 
Journal of September 15th would have brought out some of our fruit 
growers, but they appear to be silent. I trust they are thinking, 
however, and may yet favour us with their views upon this important 
subject. As you think the subject one not unworthy of further dis¬ 
cussion I venture to say a few words upon it, more in hope of gain¬ 
ing something new than in anything new I may advance myself. 
Let us take the Vine, as I think the principle that governs the 
proper resting of the Vine covers most other fruit trees bearing an 
annual crop, whether grown inside or out. To maintain Vines in a 
healthy fruitful condition for any length of time they must have an 
annual season of rest. This rest may be divided into two distinct 
periods. The first is from the time the fruit is off until the leaves fall 
and the Vines are pruned, and may be called “ proper ” or “ strengthen¬ 
ing ’’ rest. The second is from the time they are pruned until started, 
and may be called “ dormant ” rest. The first rest I consider essential, 
the second non-essential, though beneficial when it can be had. Now, 
my experience and observation have led me to the conclusion that 
this matter is not yet thoroughly understood by the majority of 
practical gardeners. What is the prevailing practice ? As soon as 
the fruit is gathered the heat is stopped and the ventilators opened ; 
and Vines that have revelled in a strong moist heat while growing 
are subjected all at once to this unnatural treatment. This is con¬ 
tinued until all the leaves are off, which is not long, as the sudden 
check and a few cold days and nights that we seldom miss in late 
summer and autumn soon bring them down, and the gardener con¬ 
siders his Vines are ripening off beautifully, and he will be able to 
give them a long season of rest, that they may be restored, built up, 
and thoroughly prepared for the work of another season. Such treat¬ 
ment I consider radically wrong and unnatural. How can Vines get 
reinvigorated after exhausting their energies to a certain extent in 
bringing a full crop of fruit to maturity af er their leaves are gone ? 
This is what many expect their Vines to do during the season of 
“dormant'’ rest, too many considering this period of rest the all- 
important one, and ignoring the other altogether. How many 
thousands of plants are forced annually for the production of cut 
flowers or for decoration, and how many of them are ruined, or at 
least crippled beyond the possibility of forcing the following season, 
simply through neglect after they have flowered ? I am afraid a 
similar fate annually overtakes thousands of our fruit trees after the 
hard and trying work of maturing their fruits. 
After the fruit is gathered is the time to treat our Vines kindly. 
Fire heat, except under unusual circumstances, should not be turned 
off ; but rather, in the case of Peaches and such-like that may have 
been grown throughout the season without artificial heat, it ought to 
be applied to make sure of the perfect ripening of the wood. The 
same remark applies to Vines. Perfectly ripe wood must be hard 
and brown, but all brown and hard wood is not ripe in the sense of 
having a sufficient quantity of material stored up for the production 
of first-class fruit. Therefore keep the fires going, and ventilate 
freely but judiciously, the aim being to keep the foliage fresh as long 
as possible. Feed liberally. If the Vines are in good health and 
have plenty of good leaves late growths should not be troublesome, 
as the temperature here advocated is not a “ growing ” but a ripening 
one. I do not think that the few small and weakly growths that 
generally push in autumn are of much consequence either off or on, 
tut if allowed to remain they must on no account crowd the principal 
foliage. As no fruit is on the Vine to exhaust its strength, every 
particle of elaborated sap must go to build up the strength of the 
Vine, plumping the buds, and thickening the rods. I believe the 
whole secret of successful fruit culture lies in the autumn treatment. 
I have known a Black Hamburgh Vine with one rod produce 50 lbs. 
of splendid fruit, bunches averaging 5 and 6 lbs., rod 15 feet long. 
The Grapes were generally all cut by the end of July. It then 
received about four months of the treatment advocated. I think it 
was your correspondent Mr. Bardney who some time ago contributed 
an article to the Journal upon the setting of fruit, attributing the 
failure not so much to the want of pollen as to improper treatment 
the previous autumn. I agree with Mr. Bardney on that point, as 
I believe the autumn is the time to prepare for a good set, a good 
crop, and good finish.—D. B. 
THE REV. CHARLES P. PEACH. 
IN ME MORI AM. 
In common with, I venture to say, all who knew him, the in¬ 
telligence of our dear friend's death came with mingled feelings 
of sorrow and thankfulness—of sorrow for one who was in his 
days of health and strength ever the cheery companion and kind 
friend, and of thankfulness that his years of suffering were over 
and that he had entered into rest, and I feel that I should like to 
throw my small pebble on the cairn which many will seek to 
raise in their memories to one whom they so loved in life. 
It is now some years since I was enabled in my wanderings to 
visit the beautiful vicarage of Appleton-le-Street, and there 
found not only the hospitable welcome for which Yorkshire is 
proverbial, but also much to interest me in its garden and sur¬ 
roundings. The bedding out system was then in its full glory, 
and although the slight murmurings which precede the storm 
were heard, our friend would have nothing of it. True, his 
bedding out was different from that of most people. There was a 
most careful eye to colour, an exact arrangement of the various 
shades of the same colour, and a careful selection of the varieties 
most suitable for the purpose that tended to give it an appearance 
of unusual harmony. This, however, was but a small portion of his 
work as a horticulturist. His fine trees, his houses, ferneries, 
borders, &c., all showed that he did nothing by halves, that he 
held to the maxim that whatever was worth doing at all was 
worth doing well; and combining with his practical skill a 
thoroughly sound scientific knowledge, he was able to master 
many difficulties and to initiate new modes of culture. He never 
took anything on the mere ipse dixit of another, but was ever 
prepared to prove all things, and was ever ready to impart from 
his stores of knowledge any information that might be needed. 
The readers of the Journal in past years knew well the 
signature of “ C. P. P.,” and were always sure to meet something 
