470 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 30, 1896. 
Among my latest acquisitions are certain plants of Oriental extrac¬ 
tion, and bearing the following remarkable names:—Bmtothrium 
coccineum, Hamamelis Zuccariniana, Eucalyptus ficifolia, E. citriodora, 
and Physalis Franchetti.— David R. Williamson. 
MODERN GRAPE GROWING. 
Planting. 
{^Continued Jrom page 425.) 
We will suppose that a house is ready for planting by the first week 
in March, that it has an inside border, that the soil has been prepared as 
previously directed, and is in good workable condition, neither too wet 
nor too dry. The Vines shall have been grown in the manner I have 
suggested, either on the premises or bought from a trustworthy 
source. They ought not to be of more than one season’s growth, short 
jointed, quite round, moderate sized canes with large plump eyes, and 
thoroughly ripened not later than the previous September. For the 
uninitiated I may say that moderate sized canes should measure about 
1* inch in circumference, and the eyes or buds average about 
4 or 5 inches apart. 
It may be necessary to say once more that although most of the cane 
will be cut off, it is advisable to be thus particular about its condition, 
as it generally affords an index to the condition of the roots. The Vines 
should be procured not later than the beginning of November, and they 
may be ordered much earlier, as growers will always select and mark 
them for early purchasers. If a cold house is not available they may be 
kept outside for a time with the pots plunged or covered in some way 
merely for the protection of the pots, for if the Vines are thoroughly 
ripened frost will not harm either tops or roots. Some time before or 
about Christmas, when the weather will permit, they should be taken 
under cover where the frost can be merely kept from them, and not 
later than the beginning of January they should be cut down to the 
desired length. The length they are to be left is governed by the 
situation in which they are to be planted. For planting in any of our 
houses they would be cut down to two or three eyes, but in some cases it 
is necessary to leave them 4 or 5 feet long. 
If, unfortunately, there is a dead wall in front of where the Vines 
are to be planted, or anything else to obstruct the light, they must be 
left a sufiScient length that the sun will reach the point where 
the new growth of stem commences. Even then they will be 
under a disadvantage compared with those on which the sun can shine 
quite down to their base, but we must do our best with such materials 
and erections as are placed at our service. Mr. Tillery, when gardener 
at Welbeck, while some costly vineries were being built, offered a little 
advice which was unheeded, turned away and said, “ V/ell, if your Grace 
builds me a barn I will grow you some Grapes.” I do not advise any¬ 
one to speak to his employer in this way, though very often there is a 
great tempta'ion to do so, but to try and do his best whether he has 
vineries or barns to deal with. 
The canes being cut to the proper length should still merely be pro¬ 
tected from severe frost, and towards the end of February, or whenever 
there is a suspicion that the eyes are likely to start swelling, they should 
be kept in a light position, and the stems, if any, should be tied erect. 
Early in March they will start into growth naturally, and when there are 
visible signs of movement they should have a minimum temperature of 
55°, and when they have made 2 or 3 inches growth they will be in the 
best possible condition for planting. 
Now as to the position for planting. There seems to be a very 
general idea that the nearer to the front wall of the house you can plant 
the better, but I am of opinion this is about the worst position you can 
choose. If there are one or two hot-water pipes near the wall and 
another set about a yard or 4 feet from it, then the middle between these 
two sets of pipes is the proper place to plant. There need not be any 
waste of room, for it is an easy matter after training the main stem 
upwards to allow a growth from it to go downwards and fill up any 
space there may be ; and even if the position is not good enough for a 
bunch of Grapes to grow, the space will well repay for filling with leaves, 
provided they get the full benefit of the sunshine on them. None of 
our Vines is less than 18 inches from the wall, many of them are 3 feet, 
and I prefer the greater distance. 
Next, as to the manner of planting. The soil should he entirely 
shaken away from the roots, which is an easy matter at this stage, for 
root action, or more correctly, perhaps, root growth, has not yet 
commenced. The roots should be spread out evenly all round, slightly 
covered with pulverised soil, and trodden rather firmly ; then a little 
more loose soil must be scattered over, and when the surface becomes 
suflBciently dry, say in a day or two, according to the weather, it should 
be watered to settle the soil between the roots. If the stem is buried 
an inch deeper than it was in the pot it will be quite sufficient. 
As to distance, ours are very little less than 5 feet apart, and if 
large bunches of fine fruit are wanted this is not too much room, and 
even for ordinary fruit they should not be nearer than 3 feet. Shade is 
seldom required when Vines are planted in this condition, and they may 
be treated as to temperature and moisture at once like established Vines 
—a minimum temperature of 55°, and a damping of the floor at the 
time of opening the ventilators, and once or twice while they are open 
during the early portion of a bright day. 
If a house has to be planted at any time after the beginning of April 
a different mode of procedure is necessary. One plan is to have 
one-year-old Vines cut down to one or two eyes, started into growIJi, 
repotted into 10 or 12-inch pots, and grown on till such time as the 
house is ready for them. 
If this is any time before July the roots will not have become 
matted, and it is best to plant the balls entire. This is done by making 
a hole sufficiently large to lower the pot into it; then break the sides 
of the pot with a hammer and take out the pieces. It will do no 
harm to leave the bottom in. Then press the soil carefully round the 
ball as if repotting a plant. Water when necessary, and the Vine 
ought to go on growing without feeling the shift. 
Young plants of the current year’s rooting are also very suitable for 
planting from May onwards, and if planted in a growing condition 
before they become pot-bound they should also be planted with the 
balls entire, and being in smaller pots they may be turned out into the 
hand and the pots saved. 
If the planting has to be deferred till August or September, plants 
of the current year’s rooting that have been kept in small pots and 
have their lower part ripened are very suitable. In this case they 
should be shaken out of the soil and have their roots well spread about, 
and they will make sufficient new roots before winter to establish them¬ 
selves and be in the best possible condition in spring to make a good 
and early start after being cut down at the new year to one or two eyes. 
When the Vines have to be planted in an outside border the opera¬ 
tion is best performed at the end of February or beginning of March 
before the buds have made much progress. It is best to have good, 
medium sized, well ripened canes for this purpose, and cut them to the 
required length about Christmas time. In this case, too, all the soil 
should be shaken off the roots and the latter well spread out in the 
border, which it is presumed will have been covered to prevent it 
becoming too wet.— Wm. Tayloe. 
(To be continued.) 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
As it was suggested a few weeks ago that some readers might 
possibly like to indulge in a little home exercise in answering the 
questions propounded by the Royal Horticultural Society to students in 
the recent examination, I have been trying my hand at the task, and 
send the results. I will deal with questions in Division B another 
week.—E, D. S. 
Division A.— Elementary Principles. 
Questions. 
1 (a), What substances do plants absorb by means of their roots? 
Explain the process of absorption by the root; 
(5) , What elements do plants obtain from the air, and by what 
agency do they obtain them ? 
2, Explain the effect on flowering plants of an adequate, a deficient, 
or of an excessive amount of heat. 
3, How are “ cuttings ” made ? Describe the changes that occur 
during the process of “ striking.” 
4, What are the objects sought to be obtained in digging the soil ? 
5, Write as full and orderly a description as you can of any plant in 
common cultivation, through all stages of its growth, from the germina¬ 
tion of the embryo to the formation of the seed. 
6, What organs of the plant are represented respectively by an 
Onion, a Cabbage, a Potato, Beet, Turnip, and a pea-pod ? 
7, Describe the mode of growth of the common Mushroom. 
8, What is meant by “ green fly 1 ” What is the best application to 
rid plants growing out of doors of this pest ? 
Answers. 
1 (a), Plants absorb by means of their roots organic and inorganic 
elements consisting of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen, sulphur, 
potash, lime, iron, magnesia, silica, and soda. These elements are either 
absorbed alone or enter into combination with one another, forming 
chemical compounds, which enter the roots by their surfaces, root hairs, 
or spongioles, at the extremities, passing upwards through the stems to 
the leaves, where under the action of sunlight certain changes are 
undergone, some elements being retained and others given off again into 
the atmosphere. 
(6) , Plants obtain the organic elements, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, 
and nitrogen from the air, chiefly in a gaseous form, but also in a liquid 
state, as well as by chemical combination of organic with inorganic 
substances. The leaves absorb a certain amount of the organic 
elements in a gaseous form, but the bulk is absorbed by the roots. 
2, When plants have an adequate amount of heat at the flowering 
period, with the roots healthy and numerous, moisture sufficient in the 
soil and atmosphere, as well as a due supply of air, the flowers develop 
boldly and in a perfectly regular manner. 
When heat is deficient the roots are comparatively inactive, hence 
the forces which sustain and nourish the blooms are incapable of 
developing them to the fullest extent, which may cause their decay 
prematurely. 
An excessive amount of heat incites the development of flowers 
unduly, but frequently produces wood growth at the expense of bloom, 
and this will be of a weak unripe nature. It may also, especially in the 
absence of a due amount of moisture, invite, if not cause, the attacks 
of insects, 
3, “ Cuttings ” in the majority of cases are prepared by securing 
suitable portions of wood with foliage, young and succulent in m»iy 
