February 25, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
147 
command a great amount of attention, and the cultivation is simplicity 
itself. 
At the present season, when the old stocks of Fuchsias are being re¬ 
potted, there are always some which may not be thought worth the trouble 
again, and if amongst those may be found such varieties as Mrs. Marshall, 
Lustre, Arabella Improved, or any of a drooping habit, so much the 
better, for these furnish baskets more quickly. Ordinary wire baskets 
may be used, and may be prepared as follows. If moss is abundant, 
place a thin covering at the bottom and sides of the basket, but if it 
cannot be spared some turves cut thinly will do just as well, as what 
grass may grow through can soon be picked off. Then arrange a very few 
potsherds for drainage, and over these place a little of the compost, con¬ 
sisting of three parts loam with a part of well-decayed manure and sand. 
Leaf mould we entirely dispense with, owing to the baskets being more 
exposed to the air than if they are grown in pots, consequently the soil 
being of a stitler character retains the moisture much longer. On this 
compost place three or four old plants, according to size, letting them 
of bearing excellent fruit. The photograph from which the 
engraving was prepared reached us with the following letter : — 
“We have forwarded by this post a photo of our vinery, taken 
10:h August last year. The Vines were planted February 10th,. 
1889 — fourteen are Black Hamburgh, three Gros Guillaume, 
and one Foster’s Seedling. You will see they are a wonderful 
crop—over 400 bunches. The largest bunch weighed 7 lbs. 4 ozs. ; 
the next, 6| lbs. ; the third, 5 lbs. 6 ozs. You will note the Vines 
were planted only two years, and the soil they were planted in was 
garden soil only, which had grown vegetables for ten years, but a 
liberal supply of fish manure was incorporated with it. The Vines 
made fine growth the first year, which was well shortened ; robust 
growth the next, which ripened well, and the result is seen in the 
photograph, which I shall be glad if you think worth engraving.” 
We have thought it “worth engraving.” We also congratulate 
Fig. 22. —MR. C. COLEBROOK’S VINERY : Planted in 1889 ; Photographed in 1891. 
slope well towards the edges. In the centre place a smaller one, and 
fill up with the compost, making the centre slightly concave, so as to 
facilitate the watering. This being completed, place the plants in a 
warm house, and as the growths develop, a few ties to bring the shoots 
in their place, and weak liquid manure about twice a week will be all 
they will require. When showing bloom they may be hung in 
different parts of the conservatory, where they will continue to flower 
throughout the summer. If old plants are not available, cuttings, taken 
as soon as possible and rooted quickly, make useful baskets the first 
season, but nothing like the results attained by old plants or those 
rooted in the autumn.—R. P. R. 
QUICK WORK IN GRAPE GROWING. 
That elaborately made borders are not everywhere requisite 
for growing Grapes satisfactorily the experience of Mr. Charles 
Colebrook of Great Grimsby conclusively shows, nor has he found 
it necessary to proceed by slow and steady steps in allowing four 
or five years to elapse before covering the roof with wood capable 
Mr. Colebrook on his success, and hope to be able to give some- 
details of his practice on a future occasion. 
HELLEBORES. 
It is only within the last few years that these charming hardj 
midwinter flowers have become so popular in English gardens, and 
curiously enough the desire on the part of a few specialists to 
arrive at something like finality in the nomenclature of Helleborus 
niger and its varieties has been the means of bringing to light 
varieties unheard of previously. While the controversy was in¬ 
progress distinct varieties were cropping up all over the country, 
each with its special markings, different time of flowering, &c. 
The varieties altifolius, major, and angustifolius may perhaps be 
taken as the standard ones. They were pretty well known to the 
older botanists, and were the varieties usually found in general 
collections. To these have been added, within recent years, 
vernalis, Riverston hybrid, caucasicus of gardens, the Bath 
