September 1, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
185 
uniform number of immense shapely bunches I have never seen 
before nor since, and the weight of fruit per square foot of glass 
roof is not often seen on Vines of the same age combined with 
good colour. 
It must be admitted that a crop consisting solely of large 
bunches, although demonstrating the height of cultural ability, is 
not so useful for providing a continuous supply as a large number 
of smaller bunches, but a few large bunches are always prized by 
all classes of cultivators. The distance at which Vine rods should 
be trained apart ought, therefore, in my opinion, to be determined 
by the purpose for which the Grapes are required, and for general 
purposes 4 feet apart, as Mr. Iggulden advises, is doubtless about 
the right distance for many varieties. Give Muscat, Gros Guillaume, 
and Trebbiano in all cases another foot of space. 
In dealing more particularly with sub-laterals, I cannot alto¬ 
gether agree with Mr. Iggulden that they should be chiefly valued 
as affording a safe outlet for superfluous energy, for I maintain 
that to keep Vines healthy and vigorous year after year the roots 
must be kept in an active state, and I opine that the best way to 
do that is to have a little growth continually going on till the 
Grapes are ripe, rather than by persistently pinching it back after 
the primary leaves are formed. I have always adopted the practice 
of allowing a continual extension of Vine shoots carrying excep¬ 
tionally large bunches, and am confident that such a practice does 
much towards helping them to finish the berries properly. This, 
I contend, is caused by the vigorous circulation and elaboration of 
sap thus kept up on those portions of the Vine where the greatest 
strain is felt. I maintain, therefore, that the best course to pursue 
is to stop back closely all sub-laterals on shoots not carrying a 
bunch, and to allow the strongest sub-lateral beyond every large 
bunch to grow unchecked for a time, merely taking out the point 
when it shows signs of becoming very strong. There ought to 
be no difficulty in disposing these growths between other leaves 
and shoots without producing overcrowding. 
This is a far different matter from allowing growths to develop 
on the back wall of a vinery, where but little light and scarcely 
any sun reach them. They are, moreover, wrongly placed, as it 
is on the extremity of shoots carrying bunches that extra growth 
is so beneficial.—H. Dunkin. 
SWEET PEAS. 
I have read with much interest the notes on the culture of 
these most charming annuals appearing in your last issue, and 
hope to follow in the coming season some of the good advice 
therein given with advantage, though I cannot but think that 
the quantity of soot recommended is somewhat excessive and 
enough to smother the plants. 
As I have made these attractive flowers a special study for 
the last two years, I can most strongly recommend to all growers 
of them the use, for their support, of the light and compara¬ 
tively inexpensive wire hurdles, 6 feet long and 5 feet high, 
supplied to me by Messrs. Hawkins & Co. of Birmingham, who, 
at my suggestion added legs to each end to drive into the ground 
and keep them in an upright position, which had previously to be 
effected by lashing a stout bamboo cane to each end of the hurdle. 
These supports do not seem to be known to your correspondent, 
as he still seems to use the clumsy and untidy Pea sticks to support 
them. 
I quite agree with Mr. Brotherston as to the great beauty of 
Mrs. Eckford and Her Majesty, both sent out for the first time 
this year, but am not inclined to give so high a position as he does 
to Countess of Radnor, as though undoubtedly a delicately pretty 
and uncommon shade of colour, it is unfortunately of a weak and 
delicate habit of growth, and but seldom makes a perfect or fully 
developed flower, the back petals usually lying down on the front 
ones instead of standing upright as they should do, which gives 
the flowers a withered and unsightly appearance from the first. It 
is also an extremely shy seeder, hardly any of the seed it does give 
filling thoroughly as other sorts do, and being consequently of most 
uncertain germination. In Dorothy Tennant, a very beautiful 
variety, sent our, I think, for the first time this year, a most 
admirable substitute for the last named variety might, I think, be 
found ; it has, moreover, two entirely distinct and different shades 
of colour, one on opening, changing to the other and deeper shade 
after being open for a day or two. 
Another very fine Pea is H. M. Stanley, which is, I believe, to 
be sent out next spring or this autumn for the first time. This is, 
in my opinion, by far the finest dark variety that has yet been seen, 
and has been at once noticed and remarked as such by all friends 
who have seen it in my garden during the summer. This fine 
variety should, I think, quite throw into the shade such older 
and once highly esteemed sorts as Boreatton, Monarch, and others. 
Another most beautiful Pea sent me this year by Mr. Eckford is 
named Gaiety, and is white, clearly streaked with rose colour. I 
saw an almost, if not exactly, similar flower at the Drill Hall 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, on August 9th, in a 
group sent in from the gardens of the Society at Chiswick, having 
been sent there for trial and comparison with others, and bearing 
the name of The Queen. It was sent by Messrs. Barr. 
A careful examination of this large group of blooms quite 
convinced me that there are far too many varieties bearing separate 
names, which only leads to confusion, as many of them are so 
slightly different from others as only to be distinguishable by the 
most practised eye. Another fine and most distinct variety, 
though by no means new, and not mentioned by Mr. Brotherston, 
is Orange Prince, also raised by Mr. Eckford, which I think should 
be in every choice collection. — W. E. Gumbleton, Belgrove , 
Queenstown , Ireland. 
THE RESTING OE PLANTS. 
This is a very important point in the study of gardening. It 
too often occurs that when plants — especially bulbous kinds — 
have finished flowering they are removed into out of way places 
until sought for again. I am alluding now to Amaryllis, 
Begonias, Gloxinias, and such like plants. It is certain that 
during the time of flowering there must have been a great 
strain upon them, so it becomes clear that to be successful year 
after year with the same bulbs we must pay great attention to their 
requirements immediately after flowering, so as to encourage them 
to store up sufficient strength previous to going to rest that they 
may, when started again in the spring, give full satisfaction. A 
careful study is requisite in bringing about a gradual state of rest, 
to which most plants are subjected by withholding water at the 
proper season. 
The mention of Amaryllises, as requiring especial care as to 
watering after flowering, should not be passed without comment. 
We all are aware of the wonderful progress that has been made in 
the development of this gorgeous family of plants of late years, 
and their growing popularity. This makes us anxious to know- 
something more of their requirements. The plants have their 
season of growth after the flowers fade. The rapid production of 
leaf and flower from the bulbs seems to exhaust them so much that 
they shrink considerably by the end of March or beginning of 
April, and in consequence a season of growth should be encouraged 
from them until about the end of August, when the bulbs will be 
found to have plumped again. During that period the process of 
development is very rapid, and any check to the growth would not 
be easily recovered from. 
In September we gradually withhold water. In October, 
November, and December the plants are kept without any. In 
January the bulbs are plunged in gentle bottom heat, but we give 
no water for at least three weeks, provided the soil is moderately 
moist at the time of potting. I have found that an excessive 
atmospheric moisture in the house will engender decay of the 
bulb above ground, and the same process goes on at the base of 
the bulbs if too much water is applied to the soil. 
To bring about a gradual rest in plants it becomes necessary to 
lower the temperature they have been growing in at the time the 
water is being*withheld from them, but sometimes we are not fully 
aware as to how far we may go in the matter of low temperature 
until we have lost some of our plants by being kept too cold whilst 
at rest. Take for instance Orchids, the East Indian section. To 
bring these to a state of rest we endeavour to maintain for them a 
temperature of 60° by night and 65° by day generally, from 
November till about the middle of February, a little air being 
given on every fine day to dry the atmosphere. The cultivator 
must study and apply the needful rest to others of this class, 
lowering the temperature in proportion as the case may be, 
considering the climate and conditions under which these are 
found growing, always being careful in applying water to the plants 
in the lower temperatures. 
I believe there are more Orchids lost by over watering than 
from any other cause ; although not showing it at the time, it will 
surely tell upon them afterwards. In their own native habitats 
we are told they receive a great deal of rain during the growing 
season, but we must not forget how very different are our houses 
to their home. With us they are closely confined, and evaporation 
does not take place to such an extent as where they are growing 
in nature on rocks and trees, in positions where the wind 
quickly dries up the superabundant moisture. Thus we musf 
study the importance of rest to this and other classes of plants, 
and imitate as near as we can the natural rest to which they are 
subjected. t 
In the case of greenhouse plants I think the resting period may 
