March 16, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
223 
manner, but in what was obviously a private move against Mr. George 
Gordon ; and yet, once more, “ there is no cliquism 1 ”—W. J. Godpkey, 
E.vmonth, 
The N.C.S. Annual Meetinh. 
A SHORT time since the Floral Committee decided to hold their 
meetings in private, the reason apparently being that its proceedings 
were of such a character that, if made public, would add nothing to the 
credit of the Society. Judging by the report given of the late annual 
meeting, would it not be well for the Society to consider the advisa¬ 
bility of holding all meetings in private? As the Secretary appears to 
favour “ private ” methods, he may be expected to fall in with my 
suggestion for increasing the prestige of the Society. — Country 
Deleoate. 
SUMMER PRUNING YINES. 
I HAVE no desire to criticise Mr. Stephen Castle’s practice in Vine 
culture, as there is no man who grows Grapes better than he does, or 
who has obtained better results from a commercial point of view. 
Having seen his work I am in a position to know that the practice of 
pinching Vines in summer, which he recommends in the Journal of 
Horticulture (page 155), he carries out in the way he describes ; but 
that does not prove that the same method is always the best. Most of 
us are willing to allow that circumstances alter cases, and this is a case 
in point. 
Mr. Castle plants his Vines rather closer together than most people, 
so close in fact that he has not room for an extended lateral growth. 
There is another thing he does with evident benefit to young Vines. 
They are cut down much lower than most gardeners care to do, accord¬ 
ing to their strength at the time of planting ; but that his practice is 
sound I have had ocular demonstration. The secret of his success in 
pinching Vines—if it is any secret—consist in the fact that he does it 
judiciously, just as one might expect such a skilful grower would do. 
Mr. Castle’s practice, as he explained to me, is not to pinch back the 
lateral growth until the second or third leaf was well developed. When 
such is the case we can quite understand thit there is sufficient leaf 
growth left to carry on the functions of the plant, and that the future 
fruiting buds are secured because of the well-developed leaves being 
present to foster and sustain them. 
While, however, I agree with your correspondent that this close 
pinching is right enough in some cases, I am equally as certain it is not 
suitable to all. If the cultivator starts with a weakly Vine, and if he 
wishes to keep it in that condition, he cannot do better than to follow a 
persistent course of pinching back the lateral growth ; on the other 
hand, if a weak Vine is to be converted into a strong one in the shortest 
possible time, it must be allowed to make all the growth possible. This, 
of course, is a fact well known to experienced gardeners ; but I am 
afraid if this difference regarding the strength of the Vines operated upon 
is not pointed out, that it might lead to some mistakes.—J. C. Clarke. 
BIRDS AND FRUIT BUDS. 
Currant bushes that had their branches tied closely together and 
further protected by a few decayed annuals have not a bud touched by 
the birds. I have for a long time observed that birds do not molest our 
fruit bushes unless previous to or during rainy weather. December and 
January were on the whole dry months, and the birds did not interfere 
with the buds. February, on the other hand, has been stormy, and the 
bluetits made their appearance, and in a short time did great havoc to 
some Gooseberry bushes. 
Mr. J. Hiam and others do not believe the tits peck buds, but they 
may have a surprise some day. Dissecting the craws of birds, unless 
very carefully done, is not a satisfactory way of proving whether they 
peck buds or not, for they swallow the embryo blossom only, and it 
being of a friable nature may not be easily discovered ; but there is 
no mistaking they are the depredators. If the bushes are examined 
immediately the tits leave them, it will be found that the buds are 
gone from the branches, and with the exception of the pleasing morsel 
the rest lie like chaff on the ground. As I have witnessed their 
depredations in about half a dozen counties, coupled with the fact that 
I have been asked often by different persons if I could suggest some | 
plan to prevent the “ zaupets ” (their local name) destroying the fruit j 
buds of Plums, Currants, and Gooseberries, I am firmly convinced that 
the tits do cause injury to fruit buds.—W. T. 
FLOORS CASTLE GRAPE ROOM. 
If Mr. Barnes (page 203) has not already read the history Mr. 
McKelvie gives of the Floors Vines on the same page, I have only to refer 
him to it to make him aware of the fact that I have not to go very “ far 
afield” in search of corroborative evidences to prove ” the fact ” that 
Grapes were both well grown and kept before the clever invention of 
the celebrate! Grape room at Floors, about which Mr. Barnes seems 
desirous to raise some peevish argument as to whom is the most entitled 
to claim the patent. 
On referring to my so-called “ briefs,” which were published in the 
.Journal, I find the first on page 31 of January 12th ; the second on 
page 79 of January 26th. The former is a plain readily understood 
system of keeping (Jrapes successfully, while the latter is an undisguised 
piece of sarcasm not so readily understood. 
I am not an employed advocate to any clan, neither do I aspire to be 
a light to the talented ; it remains quite optional to Mr. Barnes to read, 
much less digest, any note from my pen, and quite unnecessary to repeat 
any already well known history such as he supposes my short references 
to Penrhyn to be. But as Mr. Barnes now has opportunities to show his 
genius, it may be in his power to achieve some high feat beyond our reach, 
and thus place his patent beyond dispute ; yet I hope Mr. Barnes may 
possess more grace than to charge those who “smile on the plan he 
adopts” with “ idiosyncracy.”—J. H. Goodacre. 
PLATYLOBIUM FORMOSUM. 
Like many other hard-wooded plants, the Platylobiums are not 
grown so extensively as they formerly were, notwithstanding their 
decorative merits. There, however, are several species well worthy of 
the attention of plant growers, and that shown in the illustration 
(fig. 46) is deserving of universal cultivation. 
When well grown P. formosum is a most beautiful object, and will 
thrive well under the conditions generally assigned hard-wood plants. 
It is a free branching plant, and the stems are slightly hairy. The 
leaves are dark green above, paler below. The buds are deep crimson, 
and when expanded the back of the whole flower retains this colour, 
whilst the front side is rich orange yellow, saving a reniform belt of 
radiating crimson lines near the bottom of the standard. The flowers 
are produced during the summer. 
SCIENTIFIC CRITICISM. 
Most certainly kindly intended, but still apparently incomprehensible, 
was the criticism passed by the Editor of the “ Gardeners Chronicle 
on a couple of remarks in Mr. J. Wright’s little Horticultural Priiner, 
which was under review. The statement that the stored sap in a cutting 
is first utilised to form a callus at the base, and from that callus roots 
are developed, a fact which all who have ever put in cuttings of any 
