800 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 10, 1891. 
one part sand •will suit Pelargoniums if properly used. To every 
bushel of the above compost one pint each of bonemeal and soot may 
be added, also a sprinkling of soot over the drainage. If the com- 
po.st is in a proper state as to moisture it ■will be impossible to pot 
them too firmly, as firm potting helps considerably in securing a 
sturdy gro-wth. 
For cutting purposes "we prefer the semi-double to either 
doubles or singles, as the former are apt to decay in the centre of 
the truss, and the latter, unless gummed, soon fall.—J. H. W. 
THE WINTER AND ALPINE PLANTS. 
The severe ■weather which we experienced during the past winter 
had a decidedly detrimental effect on many delicate alpine plants, 
which are usually wintered in ordinary frames. For many herbaceous 
plants such a frame will suit very well, and indeed affords all the 
protection necessary, but with choice alpines, which in a great 
measure retain their foliage during the winter, these conditions of 
shutting up continually will hardly agree. Fogs in particular play 
serious havoc with some of these, but as we have at present no 
means of banishing fogs we must endure the inconvenience. 
I incline to the belief that the most difficult species to grow 
are quite capable of resisting very severe and long continued spells 
of frost ■w’ith impunity, provided the foliage is dry. Some years 
ago I had what was regarded as one of the most complete collections 
of rare and choice alpines near London, which during winter 
occupied four frames, each about 45 feet long by 4 feet wide. 
These frames were specially constructed for the better class, and 
hundreds of commoner sorts, of which we had abundance, and such 
as were perfectly hardy, remained outside with no protection at all. 
Those that were placed in the frames were not put there because 
we regarded them as tender, but simply to afford them protection 
from rain, and except when high winds were prevalent lights were 
constantly propped up day and night, front and back. Under these 
conditions the foliage of the plants was kept dry, an important 
item as regards the welfare of many a good alpine as we know 
them in English gardens. The constant stream of air which was 
passing over the tops of the plants dispersed all condensed 
moisture. 
Nine-tenths of the valuable alpines may be thus conducted 
safely through our most severe or trying winters, and rather than 
risk them in matted or even closed frames I should consider the 
plants more safe when fully exposed or plunged in the open 
ground. 
Of plants that require immediate attention the genus Primula 
stands first. Many of these will be improved by the removal of 
any dead or decaying leaves that too frequently constitute a 
convenient hiding place for slugs, and which do a great deal of 
mischief in a short time. P. minima, which generally loses the 
greater portion of its leaves in winter time, by the singular 
formation of its tufts offers c^uite a home for small slugs, and in 
clearing away dead leaves look carefully after them. This lovely 
little Primrose should also be encouraged by surfacing with good 
soil, working it well into the tufts, for from the tiny stems 
composing them fresh roots issue in early spring. The forms of 
P. viscosa, P. intermedia, P. nivea, or P. pubescens alba, as it is 
now called, and which so long though erroneously enjoyed the 
name of P. nivalis, with P. marginata and others, will all be 
benefited by cleaning. The deciduous species, such as P. rosea, 
P. denticulata, and P. Cashmeriana, cannot be much improved at 
present, beyond ascertaining that their crowns are free from slugs ; 
others again, such as P. tyrolensis, P. integrifolia, with others 
closely resembling these in habit will be perfectly safe. Slugs do 
not appear to harm these latter forms nearly so much. Any or all 
of these may be surfaced with good soil should they need it, but if 
this be not necessary many will require firming in their pots, 
through having been lifted up by the recent frost. For the present 
and so long as the atmosphere is heavily laden with moisture the 
larger portion of these Primulas will be safest if kept rather dry. 
—J. H.E. 
"VINES AND VINERIES. 
Vine growers will have a busy time for some w'ceks, removing 
superfluous shoots, stoppirg and tying down those retained, together 
with cutting away superfluous bunches and thinning the berries in 
those left for the crop. Upon the manner in which each and all of 
these details is carried out depends in a great measure the weight and 
quality of the crop ultimately secured from the Vines. Of course, the due 
application of water at the roots as well as the distribution of moisture 
in the houses at the proper time are also important cultural details. All 
the weakest shoots must be rubbed off as soon as they appear, retaining 
only one, and that the strongest, on each spur. These may be situate 
about 18 inches apart alternately on each side of the rods. Gros 
Guillaume and Trebbiano require a space of 2 feet between the latcra .■?y. 
stopping the individual shoots at a joint beyond the bunches. 
The number of bunches to be left on each Vino must he determine 
by the size and vigour of each Vine as well as the variety, ia ’ing 
1 lb. of Grapes per foot length of Vines extending the full length o 
19-feet long rafters as a fair crop from healthy vigorous Vine?, tha 
weight should be regularly distributed over each Vine into from ^x o 
eight bunebes as a crop for such varieties as Black Hamburgh, Buc 
land Sweetwater, Muscat of Alexandria, Foster’s Seedling, Mrs. 1 ince s- 
Black Muscat, Golden Queen, Alnwick Seedling, Gros Colnian, 
Maroc, Mrs. Pearson, Alicante, and Madresfield Court, allowing abou 
half that number to remain on Gros Guillaume, Trebbiano, Syrian, an 
White Nice, as these varieties usually produce large bunches. In the 
case of well conditioned Vines of Lady Downe’s ten to twelve bunches- 
will not be too many for a crop. Eetain the best shaped as well as t re- 
best placed bunches for the crop, choosing single in preference to double 
bunches or clusters. In addition to being more compact and symme¬ 
trical in appearance, these ripen and keep better than the clusters, ihe 
sooner the superfluous bunches are removed after the most desirable- 
ones 10 retain have been ascertained the better it will be for those let 
to form the crop as w’oll as for the Vines. The same remark holds 6®°^ 
as regards thinning the bunches. This should be done as soon as the- 
berries are set, retaining the “ crown ” berries and allowing a space or 
1 inch between them, giving rather more room to the variety Gros- 
Colman, this being the largest berried Grape in cultivation, and rather 
less to Mrs. Pearson, which is the best late white Grape we have, and in 
point of flavour and colour of berry is only slightly inferior when well 
grown to the Muscat of Alexandria. 
In order to secure a good “set” the temperature and atmosphere- 
when the Grapes are in flower should be 70° to 76° at night for Muscats- 
and 65° to 70° for other varieties, and 5° higher by day with a moderately 
dry atmosphere, the Vines being tapped once or twice a day to distribute- 
the pollen until the berries are all set. If the above conditions are: 
observed and the Vines are all right at the roots no difficulty 
will be experienced in securing a good set of Grapes. In the case of 
Vines growing in borders which have not been renewed for several ycars- 
give frequent surface dressings of Thomson’s or other fertilisers during 
the swelling of the crop immediately before applying w-ater at the roots_ 
Alternate waterings of liquid manure and clear water, applied as 
desciibed, will greatly tend to increase the weight and quality of the*, 
crop. If the drainage is good there need be no fear on the score of over- 
watering inside Vine borders, nor those outside either. The fact that- 
Vines growing entirely in outside borders succeed so much better during: 
a wet summer than they do in ordinary fine seasons affords sufficient 
proof of the correctness of this assertion. Hence it is that Vines grow¬ 
ing in outside borders in many cases do better, and consequently ripen 
more satisfactory crops of Grapes, than are obtained from Vines having: 
their roots confined to inside borders under the same management. I 
have frequently noticed instances of this kind, first in Vines under iny 
own charge some fifteen years ago. If Vines are kept uniformly moist 
at the roots during the growing period, with a free circulation of fresh 
air through the house during the heat of the day, and the borders, walls,. 
and trellis paths well damped morning and afternoon at closing time, a, 
sturdy, clean, healthy growth in both Vines and crop will follow. 
A gradual increase in the quantity of fresh air admitted into the- 
vineries, and a corresponding diminution in the distribution of 
atmospheric moisture, should be observed from the time the bernes- 
begin colouring until they are ripe to give flavour and colour to them. 
In our principal range of four vineries the Vines are all planted in the 
inside borders, between the front wall and the hot-water pipes, with- 
access to the outside borders. Last autumn I opened a trench 3 feet 
wide at 5 feet from the stems of the Vines, both inside and but the- 
entire length of the four houses, cutting all the roots clean aw.ay within 
that space with a sharp knife, and filled up the trenches with sound 
fibry loam, with a liberal addition of wood ashes, soot, charcoal, and 
hydrate of lime. I also treated similarly one of three vineries, whose: 
Vines are all growing in outside borders, and I am pleased to say that 
the Vines so treated have all started strongly and regularly, giving 
promise of the operation having produced the desired effect—namely^ 
fresh vigour, the roots having pushed into the new soil before the fall 
of the leaf as was intended.— H. W. Ward, Longford Castle, Salisbury^ 
CULTURE OF THE GLOBE ARTICHOKE. 
This hardy perennial jr’ant is a native of Barbary and the south of 
Europe, and is cultivated, as everyone know-s, for the immature flower 
heads, of which the base of the leaf, or scale, and the fleshy receptacle,, 
are the parts used. The soil which the Artichoke prefers is a deep free 
soil, such as a sandy loam, and an open situation. The ground in which 
it is intended to be grown being liberally manured, and trenched at- 
least 2 feet deep, mixing the manure with the soil in the process of 
trenching. If the natural soil be of a heavy, clayey nature, it would be 
advisable to open a few trenches at 3 feet from centre to centre, 2 feet 
■wide, and the same in depth, some time between October and January, 
and fill them with a mixture of dung, leaf mould, road sweepings, wood 
ashes, and similar corrective materials preparatory to setting the plants, 
therein in the spring. From plants thus grown some of the finest 
“Chokes” I have seen were produced. The Large Green Globe and 
Large Purple Paris are the best varieties. 
The plant is propagated by suckers, which spring freely from the old 
stools or plants early in April, Usually from six to twelve suckers are 
