864 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 19, 1893. 
“ About the Tulips, Mr. Roozen. I hear there is a craze for Tulips.” 
“ I don’t know about a craze, but sure it is that the Tulip trade is 
greatly improving. Especially the rarer and newer varieties are much 
in request, and single bulbs are sold among growers for 2s. and 2s. 6d. 
I wili write down a few of the names for your guidance, should you 
care to try Tulips in your garden. The Queen of Holland is of a rose 
tint, touched with silver, a charming flower ; Pottebakker is true scarlet, 
and the largest Tulip grown. Jenny and Pink Beauty are rich pink, 
Joost Van der Vondel pure white, and Golden Queen is the largest of 
the yellow Tulips. Then there are all the early double Tulips in infinite 
varieties. They are grown in the garden just like Hyacinths, and I 
need not tell you what the effect is of a fine Tulip bed or a clump of 
Tulips among shrubberry in April and May. These flowers require no 
recommendation.” 
“ But you must have Hyacinths indoors, in glasses and pots. You 
want to watch them day by day as they unfold. It is an interesting 
process. First, then, about those in glasses. If you want them to 
flower about Christmas put them in at once ; the rest later on. Fill a 
Hyacinth glass with pure pond or rain water, and put a few grains of 
salt in each glass to keep the water clear. Let the bulb just touch the 
water with its lower surface. Put the glasses away in a cool dark place 
for four or five weeks, by which time the roots have grown strong. 
Then bring them into the light in a living room, but do not let them 
stand over the fire or in a dry atmosphere. Add a little water as the 
first supply evaporates, otherwise don’t touch the bulb ; and if the water 
becomes muddy it must be changed. This is all ; for the rest the bulb 
takes care of itself.” 
“ To grow Hyacinths, or indeed any other bulbous plants for spring 
flowers in pots, you want good light soil; loam, with a liberal mixture 
of old cow manure, a little leaf mould and sand, is best. Provide 
drainage, and keep worms out. Then fill with soil, putting the bulb in 
the centre, so as to allow the point to be on a level with the surface. 
Press the soil firmly down, water well, and cover the pots in an out-of- 
the-way corner of the garden for a few weeks. Then, when the roots 
are well advanced, put the plants in a greenhouse or a room in the 
house where they are to flower. Place them near the light, keep well 
watered, and by February and March you will have Hyacinths in 
perfection,”—(“ Westminster Gazette.”) 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines. —Late Grapes .—Although the principal winter supply con¬ 
sists of what are termed thick-skinned varieties, no one knowing any¬ 
thing of the quality of Grapes will take to them so long as Black 
Hamburghs, Madresfield Court, Foster’s Seedling, and Muscat of 
Alexandria are forthcoming. It is difficult, however, to keep these thin- 
skinned Grapes in good condition. Black Hamburgh and Madresfield 
Court become red when exposed to strong light or sun after being ripe, 
while Foster’s Seedling and Muscat of Alexandria acquire an undesirable 
brown colour by hanging for a considerable time after they are ripe. 
This is due to the changes effected in the berries by the atmospheric 
conditions. The thin-skinned Grapes must be kept in a well ventilated 
atmosphere to protect them from shrivelling by too little or of damping 
by too much moisture. They can be kept on the Vines until the new 
year, or later where the houses are constructed upon sound principles 
for the insuring of a regular temperature and uniformity of moisture. 
But where the houses are not drip-proof or the panes of glass have large 
and bad fitting laps so that the water hangs in them, and is driven in by 
wind over the bunches of Grapes, causing them to spot and decay, it is 
evident that the bottling system must be practised if the thin-skinned 
Grapes are to be kept sound till Christmas or later. 
Of late or thick-skinned Grapes Lady Downe’s is the best keeper, 
retaining its colour better than any other, unless it be Alnwick Seedling, 
which certainly is an excellent vinous Grape, but it is neither so 
free bearing or of such high quality as Lady Downe’s. Mrs. Pince 
Grape will shrivel in an atmosphere where Lady Downe’s keeps plump and 
the berries turn an undesirable red colour. Its quality is unimpeachable 
even when red and shrivelled, and both Lady Downe’s and Mrs. Pince 
have quality which no other late Grapes possess in the remotest degree. 
Alicante is free from the disagreeable earthy taste of such varieties as 
Gros Maroc and Gros Colman, and invariably sets freely, finishes well, 
and is an excellent keeper. It, however, has not the quality of West’s 
St. Peter’s, which is not so imposing in bunch or berry, but the colour 
and bloom amply compensates for any lack of size. It is one of the 
best late Grapes for quality, and keeping up to February. Gros Guil¬ 
laume is the most imposing in bunch of black Grapes, and the berries 
are small, inferior in size to those of Gros Colman, while the quality 
is better. It requires time in ripening, needing to be started 
early in spring, and must not be overcropped, or the berries will not 
colour nor even ripen. Gros Colman is the most magnificent in appear¬ 
ance of all black Grapes. In bunches of 4 lbs. weight and berries 
4 inches or more in circumference, well finished in every respect, it is 
really enough to tempt anyone to purchase it if they can for its superb 
appearance. Well ripened, and allowed time to mature before cutting, 
it loses the earthy taste so characteristic of this variety when fresh ripe 
or coloured. It requires to be started early, so as to finish thoroughly by 
September. 
Of late white Grapes Trebbiano is unquestionably the best when well 
ripened. It is certainly coarse in flesh, yet firm, crisp, sweet, and 
requires thorough ripening. Syrian also needs plenty of time and 
heat, artificial fertilisation, well thinning, and ripening up to an amber 
colour, then its large bunches are very effective, and the flavour not bad. 
Calabrian Raisin has fine bunches, berries of good size when well 
thinned, and the Grapes are sweet when well ripened. With the above 
or other varieties a supply of Grapes may be had from November to 
May inclusive at a great advantage to the Vines and to the grower from 
an economic point of view ; but it is still necessary to start Vines of the 
thin-skinned varieties early, in order to meet the demand for such fruit. 
It is not desirable, however, to start permanently planted-out Vines in 
the autumn or early winter, as this is a great strain upon them through 
their having to make their growth and ripen their crops under dis¬ 
advantageous circumstances, which soon wears them out. 
Earliest Vines in Pots .—Where thin-skinned Grapes are required in 
late March and April, the Vines must now be started, or placed in 
position so that forcing in earnest may commence with November. 
Some persons have a prejudice to Vines in pots, but they produce fruit 
little inferior in size of bunch or berry to that borne by early forced, 
planted-out Vines, and it is generally better in quality through the 
conditions of cultivation being more favourable. Especially is this the 
case where there is the convenience of affording bottom heat. Success 
is then certain, the canes being sufficiently strong, thoroughly ripened, 
duly rested, and of suitable varieties. Of sweet Grapes none excel Black 
Hamburgh and Foster’s Seedling, of Musk Grapes Madresfield Court and 
White Frontignan. The materials for affording bottom heat—that is, 
tree leaves and stable litter, should be in due course of preparation. To 
begin with, the heat about the pots should not exceed 65°, augmenting 
it by bringing up the fermenting materials to the level of the pots, so as 
to raise it to 70° or 75° when the Vines are in leaf. Only supply enough 
water to keep the soil moist in the early stages, as excess of water tends 
to render the soil sodden and sour, hindering root action. Vines in pots 
not intended for early forcing should be placed under cover, an open 
shed with a north aspect being suitable, and the pots protected with hay 
or straw. 
Renovating Vine Borders .—Where the Vines are unsatisfactory no 
time should be lost as soon as the leaves have effected their functions to 
the extent of perfecting the buds and wood, and whilst they are still 
upon the Vine, in removing the soil down to the roots and picking it 
from amongst them, so as to displace as much of it as possible with 
fresh. Where the border is very unsatisfactory, and the roots few and 
deep, it will be necessary to remove all the soil and renew the whole 
border, commencing with the drainage, which should be clear 1 foot 
thick, having a layer of fine material at the top, nothing answering 
better than old mortar rubbish, a 3-inch thickness over 9 inches of 
brickbats or rubble. The drainage must have a 3-inch tile drain under, 
with proper fall and outlet, to carry off superfluous water. Two feet 
depth of soil is ample. Turfy loam, containing a good per-centage of 
small stones and grit, is unquestionably the best. It should be of 
medium texture, that overlying clay being better than that overlying 
sand ; but red sandstone formations give most lasting results. Strong 
loam interspersed with flints or calcareous gravel is excellent. To ten 
cartloads of turf, cut about 3 inches thick, add two cartloads of old 
mortar rubbish, one each of horse droppings and wood ashes, and 4 cwts. 
of crushed ^ to 1-inch bones, mixing well together. The roots should be 
laid out evenly in the top foot, encouraging those from the collar by 
laying any that proceed therefrom only just beneath the surface. The 
whole should be made Arm, and the compost be moderately dry. Where 
the roots are inside and outside, one part may be done one year, and the 
other the next, without any danger of loss of crop, by preserving 
all the roots possible, and keeping them as much as practicable 
from the drying influences of the atmosphere whilst the work is in 
progress. Mulch the surface with a little short, rather fresh, manure, 
preferably horse droppings ; outside borders may be covered with suffi¬ 
cient leaves and a little litter over them so as to exclude frost. The 
work should not be delayed beyond change of colour in the foliage of 
the Vines for falling. Any Grapes then remaining may be cut and 
bottled. 
Melons. —The season as regards manure-heated pits and frames is at 
an end. Any fruit yet remaining may be cut, they being full grown, 
and placed on shelves in a warm airy house. The latest plants in houses 
will require a night temper..ture of 65° to 70°, and 70° to 75° artificially, 
advancing to 85° with sun heat. Sprinkle the paths and other available 
surface about 8 A.M. and 3 p.m. until the fruit is full sized, when a drier 
atmosphere will be more suitable. Cut out all superfluous growth or 
laterals, well thinning the old foliage, so that the fruit may have the 
full benefit of the autumn sun. Do not allow flagging through want of 
water, but keep the foliage healthy until the fruit is ripe, as the quality 
is in proportion to the health of the plants. Maintain a rather high, 
well ventilated and dry atmosphere when the fruit is ripening. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Palms. —All these plants should be carefully examine?, and if 
thrips exist upon them they ought to be eradicated at once. If not 
destroyed now they will spread rapidly and do much damage to the 
WOKK.fo^theWEEK.. 
