138 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 3, 1893. 
VINES AND VINE STOCKS. 
Much matter that must have been interesting and instructive 
to practical men has recently appeared in your columns regarding 
the results of grafting certain varieties of Grapes on various stocks. 
To me the subject was very interesting, because for many years I 
have been experimenting in this matter. Perhaps, therefore, a few 
facts chat have cropped up in my practice may be of interest to 
your able correspondents, as their experience and suggestions have 
been to me. I may in the first place say that I have come to the 
conclusion that, in course of time, the stock ceases to have any, or 
next to no influence, either for good or evil, on the scion unless a 
proportion of the stock be allowed to develop stem and leaves as 
well as the scion, and that if the development of the stock be 
rather more than that of the scion, the more pronounced will be 
the alteration produced. 
About thirty years since I planted two Vines of Gros Guillaume 
at the warmest end of mid-season Black Hamburgh vinery. The 
bunches produced by these were larger and looser than I care to 
see in any Grape. The colour, too, was not satisfactory. A 
branch of this variety was attached to one of the Black Hamburghs. 
The transformation was very marked in the more compact bunches, 
increased size of berry and jet blackness of colour, easily dis¬ 
cernible on entering the vinery. One of the experts who saw them 
and said of them, “ What fine Hamburghs ” was the late Mr. 
Henderson, then gardener at Trentham. This Grape on the 
Hamburgh was also much more fruitful than on its own roots 
when pruned closely. 
In order not to unnecessarily burden your columns with a 
tedious story, I will pass over a variety of experiments and refer 
to some of more recent years. On entering on the charge of 
these gardens, which, as you know, are situated in a very wet, 
sunless climate, and in a most unfavourable situation—low, flat, 
and very damp—I experienced the greatest difficulty, not in grow¬ 
ing Muscat of Alexandria Vines of great strength, nor in pro¬ 
ducing fine bunches that set well and went on satisfactorily up to 
a certain stage, but never finished, as I had been accustomed to 
produce this Grape in a drier climate, and with much more sunshine. 
At a certain stage the functions of the Vine ceased to a great 
extent and the foliage gave way prematurely. The border nor 
drainage could not be saddled with the defect. After battling 
without satisfactory improvement for many years, grafting on 
various stocks was resorted to. The stocks being chiefly Black 
Hamburgh, Lady Downe’s, and Gros Colman. It came out distinctly 
that some amelioration of the evil took place where no growth was 
allowed from the stocks except the scion. A marked improvement 
was gained only when a good proportion of the stock was allowed 
to grow as well as the scion. This result led to the inarching of 
Muscats on, in the first instance. Black Hamburghs, where two 
bearing rods were allowed to one of the Muscat. The produce 
from these Vines has been very satisfactory, although in the point 
of temperature I had to make a compromise. The Muscat rods 
have continued for eight years to produce very fine bunches, have 
set exceptionally well, and retained their foliage in good order to 
the last, and finished the fruit very well indeed. In another house 
devoted chiefly to Gros Colman and a few Muscats, a Muscat rod 
has been attached to a Colman with two rods, and the difference in 
the produce has been very marked in the case of the Muscats. 
This latter is a better arrangement, as the Colman rejoices in a 
high temperature, and also requires it for a long season to make it 
worth growing as far as flavour is concerned. 
These two cases led me in 1891 to work several Muscats on 
a strong, healthy Gros Colman in another house, and the Muscats 
produced on these grafts last year were remarked by all who 
watched them to be a great improvement to any previously grown 
in this house on their own roots. In this case the Muscat grafts 
are put on half-way up the roof, and so the bottom half of the 
canes are Gros Colman, and the upper half Muscats. This season 
will develope the experiment more fully, though judging from 
some very weakly “ shows ” that under ordinary circumstances 
would not have been left, I have no doubt as to the results. Such 
tiny bunches set very well, and developed into compact bunches of 
large and well-finished berries. This is the house in which I tried 
all other remedies I could think of unsuccessfully, while the 
Muscats were on its own bottom. Raisin de Calabria, managed in 
this way as a stock, has also produced much-improved Muscats, and 
I have no doubt that any hardy strong-growing stock would greatly 
improve them under similar conditions. Such hardy Vines in an 
indifferent climate retain their foliage later in the season than 
Muscats on their own roots do, and I have proved beyond any 
doubt that the limb of Muscat attached shares in the correspond¬ 
ingly extended season of root activity. 
One of your correspondents has lately related how he found 
Gros Colman much improved in flavour when grafted on the 
Muscat. I do not say that his deduction is incorrect, but may the 
improved flavour not be credited, in part at least, if not altogether, 
to the Muscat temperature and long season’s firing ? I have had a 
limb of Gros Colman on Muscat roots, and a limb of the Muscat 
in bearing from the same roots. The produce of the Gros 
Colman in this case never coloured well, nor was the flavour better 
than in the same variety on its own roots in the same house, and 
the berries were almost jet black long before the Colmans on 
Muscat roots were half coloured. My own experience is that Gros 
Colman is good or bad in flavour in proportion as it gets a long 
season of high temperature.—D. Thomson, Drumlanrig. 
TASTEFUL GARDENING. 
What is tasteful gardening ? It is the touch of art applied so 
skilfully to Nature that a picture is evolved (often many pictures) 
which gives pleasure to all who see it. Even the mere superficial 
observer regards it with pleasurable emotions, paying involuntary 
homage to the impress of harmony and beauty which it bears, 
without any thought of how the effect is produced. It is to the 
higher intelligence, refined taste, and deeper culture of the more 
sensitive artistic temperament that it appeals with a force of 
meaning—a power of expression, which exalts it to a level with the 
highest works of art, and which it is the peculiar privilege of the 
true artist to appreciate fully. This latter is by far the more 
uncommon feeling, and that is precisely why the vulgarity of 
fanciful display is so common, the expression of good taste so rare. 
By this reasoning it is not intended to insist upon a quietness of 
tone at all insipid ; far from it. Individuality, and the most 
striking contrasts, are all the more effective in combination with 
the repose which imparts dignity if they are not mere freaks of 
fancy or of fashion. 
Taking some examples we may turn first to a rockery. When 
in harmony with its surroundings it is a feature of prime 
importance, always attractive, always growing in interest, whether 
it is on a large or small scale. When plenty of large masses of 
rock can be had, and the surroundings of the site are expansive, 
then the aim is to impart the effect of a natural outcrop of rock, 
very much broken it may be, yet always having the effect of 
regular strata, even when huge masses stand out singly. This is 
not at all difficult if only attention is given to stratification, how¬ 
ever irregular in outline, and to placing every stone upon its natural 
bed, never allowing one of them to be set on end. The planting 
of such a rockery must have equally bold treatment. The tapering 
forms of Conifers, the pendant growth of the Silver Birch and 
Mountain Ash, the more compact forms of Holly, Berberis, Box, 
Tree Ivy, and Laurustinus are all in keeping ; so, too, are Yucca, 
Pampas Grass, Phormium tenax, Arundo, and certain flowering 
shrubs. Of trailers only those of vigorous growth and striking 
characteristics are admissible, such as Ivy, Clematis, Cotoneaster, 
Escallonia, and Virginian Creeper. 
On a smaller scale or in a more confined space the strata may 
be continuous without severe formality, avoiding the effect of or 
the broken joints of masonry, but having natural fissures, ledges, 
pockets, and nooks for alpine plants. The number and thickness 
of strata, form and extent of the rockery, must depend upon the 
available materials, the position, and its surroundings. The two 
most important points are natural effect and the provision of 
suitable places for the planting—neither of them such simple 
matters as they seem. It must be attractive without being obtrusive, 
an adjunct, a subordinate feature, of quiet tone, in perfect harmony 
with everything near it, really ornamental as a whole, and so rich 
in alpine growth as to well reward one for the close inspection 
which it invites. 
Rock beds and borders, too, are, when well arranged and 
skilfully managed, very attractive, both by the exquisite beauty 
of form in miniature of the plants, and the novelty and change 
which some of them present throughout the year. Natural outcrop 
is the key to the successful treatment of them ; portions of strata 
protruding out of the soil with the rock always on its natural bed. 
Very seldom indeed is this well done. The conception which the 
ordinary maker of suburban gardens has of such work is either a 
chaotic stone heap, or long rows of stones set on end. He alto 
gether ignores strata or natural formation ; refinement, harmonious 
contrast, and repose affect him not. His aim is novel, even start¬ 
ling effects. He is undoubtedly successful, for his mountain peaks 
in the guise of long pieces of stone set on end, often cocked up on 
a mound of earth, present themselves at every turn, and pre¬ 
sumably gratify their proud possessor. Nor are such freaks of 
fancy confined to suburban gardens. They may be met with upon 
a much larger scale in certain public parks and gardens, where they 
certainly answer to the description of chaotic stone heaps. For 
obvious reasons one cannot point to any one of them in particular ; 
