512 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 9, 188S. 
their scheme more widely known, as they would then have 
gained the confidence of a greater number of exhibitors and 
cultivators. —L. Castle. 
PRUNING EARLY VINES. 
All Vines which are intended to be started into growth in 
January shou’d be pruned at once, and if the February Vines are 
now destitute of foliage they should also be pruned. It is a mistake 
to prune any of them when they retain much foliage, especially if the 
leaves are green, as this is a sure sign that the sap is still plentiful in 
the rods, and to prune then would allow much of this to escape and 
prove very injurious ; but when there are only a few leaves on, and 
these are quite brown and lifeless, pruning may be done without 
injury, and in cases where the time for starting the Vines is close at 
hand pruning must sometimes be done before all the leaves have 
fallen, as mentioned above. Vines to be started at Christmas time or 
on New Year’s Day would be pruned by us now, although they might 
be carrying a few leaves ; but if they were not to be started until 
February we should not prune until the last of the foliage had fallen 
naturally. It is not common, however, for Vines started in January 
to keep any of their leaves until December, and as a rule all early 
Vines will be leafless now and present no obstacle to pruning. 
Where the Vines are old and rather uncertain of starting into 
growth at every spur, two or three buds should be allowed to remain 
on each piece of young wood that is left at the end of the old spurs, 
and some of them will be sure to start, whereas if reduced to one bud 
this might fail and cause a blank. In the case of young healthy 
Vines this long-spur style of pruning should not be practised, as one 
bud is quite enough to allow on each of their spurs, and close pruning 
prevents their forming those long horn-like growths which should 
never disfigure any Vines. It is often a difficult matter to induce 
Vines to start freely into growth in January, and pruning must be 
done very carefully, as anything which tends to weaken the Vine 
soon shows itself in early forcing. 
Bleeding is more common in the case of earty Vines than later 
ones, and they cannot affurd to lose much sap in the shortest days. 
For this reason all Vines pruned now and started early should have 
the cut parts dressed with Thomson’s styptic. One dressing must be 
put on immediately after pruning, and another in two or three days 
afterwards. There is one form of pruning we entirely disapprove of, 
and that is where the Vines are pruned this week and started into 
growth the following one. It is almost impossible to prevent bleed¬ 
ing then, and the sap begins to rise so soon after pruning that a 
weakly growth is sure to follow, and the crop will be unsatisfactory. 
Where the roots of the Vines are inside and away from autumn rains 
the wood ripens sooner, and the leaves fall earlier than when the 
roots are in the open soil and subject to all the rain that falls. In 
the latter case we have known Vines which were started in February 
retain their leaves until the end of December, and then there is not 
much time left to prune and clean before restarting again ; and all 
early Vines bearing foliage now should be kept rather dry at the 
roots, allowing plenty of air to reach the branches, and give a little 
fire heat if possible that the foliage may fall soon from maturity, 
and the wood become thoroughly hard and ready for immediate 
pruning.—A Kitchen Gardener. 
TOBACCO CULTIVATION. 
Having grown this plant with the exception of a few seasons 
in several parts of this county for the past twenty-six years, the 
following remarks may be useful to some of your amateur and 
cottager readers. Professional gardeners, of course, 1 do nob 
pretend to teach. 
Obtain a 6d. packet of seed, which will produce thousands of 
plants, sow early in April in a pan or box in gentle heat, using a 
mixture of loam, leaf mould, and sand. Prick off the seed¬ 
lings in boxes, exposing gradually to a lower temperature, and 
finally plant out the last week in May or thereabouts. To have 
strong healthy plants the ground must be in good condition, and 
if a south border or other sheltered position can be afforded they 
will grow taller and the leaves will possess a much better sub¬ 
stance, which is essential for the improved quality of the 
Tobacco Until this season I have usually dug the plants early 
m October and hung them up by the roots in an airy shed, 
stripping the leaves off when withered, placed in a box, and 
pressed; but this plan did not succeed in all seasons alike, 
mould very often inteifering with the quality of the leaf, which 
was very apparent when used with rag or tobacco paper for 
fumigating purposes. That the plant can be grown in this 
country (if properly manufactured) sufficiently good to compete 
with much of the foreign importations I have not the slightest 
doubt, and I only wish to see the praiseworthy endeavours of 
Lord Harris and others to stimulate in the smallest degree 
British industry at once recognised by the Government of the 
day, and all restrictions during another year’s experiment entirely 
removed. 
As to the dressing or preservation of the leaf, I will not 
profess to give lessons, further than to say that I found out only 
this year by mere accident a better system than any I had 
hitherto adopted. We left by accident a few not very valuable 
Apples in a Melon pit. The fruit having been all used no further 
notice was taken of the usual ventilation, the lights being closed 
for several days, and when opened the Apples were found almost 
scorched, but of a beautiful colour, similar to what a well-pre¬ 
served Tobacco leaf ought to be. We at once cut from the 
plants as they stood in the ground the lower leaves of the 
strongest plants and spread them on the soil in the pit (the 
Melon being still there, but quite withered), the sashes were shut 
day and night, and opened only for the purpose of sprinkling 
the leaves occasionally with a fine rose. The result was a decided 
improvement both in the colour of the leaf and quality of the 
Tobacco. I beg to enclose for the Editor’s inspection a small 
specimen cigar made by a youth in the gardens here from the 
home-grown weed as cultivated by us, but so simply described 
above. I may further add, that this season we had Tobacco 
plants appear in the kitchen garden borders f self-sown) which 
reached the height of 4 feet, with strong stems and stout healthy 
leaves.—W m. Chisholm, Own Heath Gardens, Tunbridge. 
[The cigar is well made, but too fresh for testing its quality. 
It shall be preserved to become “ seasoned.”] 
FERMENTING MATERIALS—AMMONIA VAPOUR. 
In these days fermenting materials are less esteemed than formerly. 
Tan, leaves, and stable litter were largely used at one time for forcing 
purposes and furnishing bottom heat to Pine Apples, Cucumbers, and 
Melons ; but a great difference would be made in the fuel account if 
leaves were collected, properly stored, and used for bottom heat, or where 
practicable, for top heat in early forcing operations. Fire heat, instead 
of being the principal, would only be required as auxiliary in the case of 
forced Vines, Figs, and Peaches. A ridge of fermenting materials in 
houses started before and up to March, turned, and added to as required, 
would so n decrease the coke or coal bill. This is a matter worth attending 
to, but there is another equally important question, Is it not desirable to 
increase the supply of manurial matter ? The leaves collected and used 
in the manner indicated would be a two-fold gain—viz., effect a saving of 
fuel, and afford a supply of rich fertilising material, such being the best 
of all for mulching crops indoors or out, and for potting purposes vegetable 
mould is the best of all. Those, of course, that do not believe in fer¬ 
menting materials will be prepared to argue that the sun’s heat is no 
better than that of a furnace, and that the heat from fermenting materials 
is no better than that radiated from hot-water pipes. 
We may, [ think, exclude tan as a generally obtainable material, and 
are left solely with leaves and litter. Tan has to be purchased, but even 
then it is doubtful if we get as much heat out of the same value of coal or 
coke. A fermenting bed of tan will keep up a suitable bottom heat for 
Pine Apples for many months, a good depth giving as much heat as a 
4-inch hot-water pipe per square yard of surface. It would be interesting 
to know what is the comparative cost of heating a Pine bed with tan 
30 feet by 9 feet and with hot-water pipes for twelve months. I much re¬ 
gret not having taken notice of such an important matter, but I have 
observed that the results are more certain and superior where tan was 
employed. The moisture given off all along with the gases evolved by 
fermenting materials cannot do other than enrich the atmosphere. A 
notable instance of this is seen in Seakale, Rhubarb, and Asparagus 
forced by fermenting material and by the heat of flues or hot-water pipes 
whether the roots are taken up for forcing or forced where grown. The 
results are more decided still in the case of Mushrooms—they being more 
fleshy and heavier than when forced with a dry heat. 
Bottom heat is essential in the cultivation of Pine Apples, Cucumbers, 
Melons, early-forced Figs in pots. This much is admitted, also that no 
materials are so good for the purpose as leaves and stable litter. Some 
advocate a discontinuance of the covering of Vine borders outdoors, 
alleging that as good results are had from a thin covering of protective 
material as from a covering of warm leaves and litter. According to their 
view it does not matter if the Vine roots are in a border with a tempera¬ 
ture of 36°, 38°, 42°, 47°, and 53° respectively those of the earth at 1 foot 
depth in January, February, March, April, and May, whilst the Vines are 
subjected to a temperature of 55°, 65°, 70°, 75°, and 80°, the house being 
closed about the middle of December to have Grapes ripe by the end of 
May. But who has the roots of Vines in outside borders nowadays ? 
True Vines are mostly planted inside, which makes a difference, only the 
chief of the roots are found in the outside border. That certainly does 
not prove the roots have a decided preference for a cold wet border. I do 
not hold with our friend, ‘‘ A Thinker,” in keeping a few facts in reserve. 
The fact is Vine roots are generally more plentiful in an outside than in¬ 
side border, from the difference in the moisture and the changes it effects 
on the soil as compared with hard water or even rain stored in tanks. 
It has been contended that Vine roots, as a rule, do not become active 
