92 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[August 3, 1893. 
given by some cultivators during the ripening period is calculated 
to bring about a rapid spread of these pests, which revel in a 
parched atmosphere such as many consider it necessary to maintain 
during that stage. Indeed, I will go still further, and maintain 
that it is the one weak point which in many instances prevents 
black Grapes finishing well. Vine leaves which are perfectly 
fresh and healthy when colouring begins, after being subjected to 
an unnecessary amount of fire heat and but little atmospheric 
moisture for a few weeks, become dry, brittle, and altogether devoid 
of freshness, under which conditions they cannot properly perform 
their functions. If we take a lesson from Nature’s book we find 
that Grapes on walls in the open air which colour during the damp 
cold nights of August and September usually become as black as 
Sloes. 
In order to maintain the foliage in a healthy condition, and 
thus promote good colour, the floor and stages of the house should 
be damped three times daily during bright weather, and once on 
dull days when fire heat is constantly employed. Houses in which 
Vines of Madresfield Court are growing must have less atmospheric 
moisture to prevent the berries cracking. The hot-water pipes 
should be heated sufficiently to maintain the night temperature 
between 60° and 65° during the next month. Later on, when 
colder nights prevail, it is better to allow the thermometer to fall 
5° lower than to overheat the hot-water pipes to keep up a given 
temperature. The great consideration is to employ a little 
artificial heat constantly during the night and on dull days, 
then the exact degree of temperature kept up is not of much 
consequence. 
All white Grapes require a somewhat drier atmosphere during 
the ripening period than is good for black ones, otherwise the berries 
became spotted, or “cloudy.” Muscats should also have a far 
greater amount of fire heat than black Grapes. A night tempera¬ 
ture ranging between 65° and 75° with a rise of 5° from fire heat on 
dull days is not too much for them. It is also important that a few 
of the leaves be tied aside to allow the sun to shine directly on the 
bunches, but this exposure ought to be done gradually, otherwise 
browned or shrivelled berries may be the result. Some growers 
advise Gros Colman to be grown in the Muscat house. In my 
opinion this is the wrong place for it. I have never seen perfectly 
coloured Colmans produced in a house in which Muscats were 
well grown, as the king of white Grapes requires a much greater 
amount of artificial heat to bring it to perfection than does the 
most imposing of black ones. Any cultivator whose experience 
differs from mine in this respect will confer a benefit upon readers 
of the Journal by recording it.— Vitis. 
PRUNING SHRUBS—CLIPPING HEDGES. 
It is well known that shrubs pruned during the winter or early 
spring retaliate by producing an abundant crop of shoots. True, it 
is often most convenient to do the work connected with shrubberies 
when the season is least pressing, but in my experience it generally 
occurs that it requires doing over again before the autumn is 
reached. I have seen pruning undertaken periodically during the 
month of April, but this is too late, as the plants operated on are 
made more or less bare at a season when one expects freshness and 
beauty. The same results accrue if pruning is delayed till too far 
in the autumn. There is certain to be a long-standing eyesore, 
ending only when new growth commences the year succeeding. 
I find that the month of July and the early part of August 
comprises the most suitable period of the year in which to prune 
shrubs profitably. In practice I am not particular as to the exact 
moment, and, indeed, the time varies according to the exigencies 
of each season. The chief thing to be observed is that the work 
be overtaken at a time when growth for the season is practically 
completed, so that no roughness may appear before another year. 
At the same time a little growth is made ensuring that fresh 
appearance which is so delightful in a garden. 
There are, however, exceptions. Privet when employed as 
a hedge requires trimming more than once a year. If left till 
the general pruning, the growths made during the season are so 
strong that after being cut there is but little foliage to be seen. 
The plan with Privet is to cut as often as possible. I have seen 
it done three times a year with good effect. The oval-leaved form 
is, perhaps, less unsightly after hard cutting than the common 
sort, but I clip it also twice a year, in spring and at this period. 
Hedges of Taxus elegantissima also require bi-annual pruning ; if 
left too long the green has to be cut into, and the beauty of the 
hedge destroyed for a time. Young Yew hedges are improved by 
cutting often, therefore it is wise to trim these also twice a year. 
Holly and Box require trimming once a year only, and if the 
hedges are old and large a year may be passed without pruning. 
and that to their benefit. Some plants require to be treated 
differently than is usual with most hedges. Thus we have a 
long hedge of Laurustinus. To prune this with shears would be a 
sure means of destroying all prospect of flower the year succeed¬ 
ing, therefore growths are taken out as they trespass beyond the 
general contour required. So also with common Mahonia. It is 
necessary to trim this with judgment, as both flower and fruit 
are beautiful. We have also a long hedge of White Spruce. 
This is cut twice a year. All the young growths are shorn at 
present, and during the spring the hedge is again looked over and 
any shoots out of bounds pruned. 
Rhododendrons should on no account be left unpruned later 
than July, and the sooner it is done after flowering so much the 
better. Rhododendrons may be kept in bounds and flowered pro¬ 
fusely by cutting out a few growths every year, or every second 
year. These shoots ought to be cut fairly well back, so that they 
may break behind those left and in due course take their place 
when they also have grown beyond their limit. I cut in Laurels 
and most other shrubs in much the same way. When once a man 
gets into the method it does not take more time than cutting back 
the whole face of the shrubs, and it has the advantage of being 
less unsightly.—B. 
SPRAYING VERSUS INSECT PESTS AND 
FUNGOID DISEASES. 
Continuing my remarks from page 73, it should be borne 
clearly in mind that spraying with fungicides is preventive rather 
than remedial. The fungus cannot possibly develop upon leaves 
which have been treated with the concoction, as it is poison to it. 
This fact then gives us a good idea as to the time of application. 
True, the prospect of disease this year is not great, but it has made 
a start. The weather at present is exactly suited to its develop¬ 
ment, and there is ample time for its ravages. As we have found 
disease in leaves and tubers contaminating spores will soon fill the 
air, and to take due precaution in assisting our plants to resist the 
attack is our main chance of escape. 
Now is the time to apply the solution of blue vitriol and lime, 
choosing a dry day with as little wind as possible. On no account 
must spraying be commenced until the dew is off the leaf, as the 
mixture is thereby diluted, and, moreover, will not stick to the 
foliage. Two dressings, with an interval of one month, will be 
sufficient, and the cost does not exceed 18s. to £1 per acre for 
each dressing, resulting probably in a gain of at least twice that sum. 
A man cannot do thoroughly more than half an acre a day, unless he 
has a lad to fill his machine, fetch water, and assist in mixing the 
stuff. He should also start work with his back to the wind. The 
dressing, when dry, should appear of a whitish-blue colour upon the 
leaves. For a day or so it may seem to retard growth, but ex¬ 
perience teaches me that the vitality of the haulm is ultimately 
increased, hence the improvement in weight of the crop. 
The efficacy of the mixture is already beginning to show itself. 
We have three acres of land under field cultivation, and two acres 
are planted with about forty varieties of Potatoes in ^th acre plots. 
At the top end of the field a long patch of “ The Daniels ” was 
planted by the tenant, and these are very badly diseased. We 
purposely left undressed one perch of each of our forty varieties 
immediately opposite (a four-yard pathway intervenes) this long 
strip of “The Daniels.” On July 26th no trace of disease could 
be seen on the plots, but on walking round on the 29th disease 
spots could be counted by the dozen upon the undressed perches of 
White Elephant, Surprise, Cosmopolitan, Windsor Castle, Satis¬ 
faction, Abundance, Perfection, Stourbridge Glory, Holborn 
Abundance, Magnum Bonum, The Triumph, and The Daniels. 
We searched most carefully for spots upon the dressed portion, 
but none could be found below the line of rods. We dressed 
again on the 31st as our month was up. 
I may in passing give one or two practical hints in preparing 
and testing the mixture. Be sure and use fresh lime, and slake it 
just before mixing, as it then sticks so much better to the foliage ; 
use it when warm, and pour it through the strainer of the Eclair 
into the tub. Never mix in iron vessels, and especially do not 
dissolve the copper in such, as a chemical action is involved, which 
gives the mixture a dirty green colour, instead of which it should 
be a beautiful blue (royal blue). 
In preparing the ferrocvanide of potassium for testing take 
half an oz. of the lemon-yello ’ crystals and dissolve in 5 ozs. of cold 
water. The solution will be ready for use in twenty minutes, and 
will last for a very long time. 
With regard to the dressing upon Tomato plants, it is almost too 
late now to apply it with safety, for fruit has in most cases formed 
and is ripening fast. Such plants should be sprayed before 
the blossoms fall, as the disease usually first shows itself upon the 
