April 4, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
299 
Among the hardy plants which many of them require but little 
attention are Doronicums with their bright yellow star-like flowers ; 
Anemones of several varieties, all free-blooming and useful; Saxi- 
fragas, Primula cortusoides amoena, and others ; Myosotis, Alyssum 
saxatile, Scillai, and Aconites. These are but a few in the great many, 
each and all of which add so much to the floral beauty of our gardens 
in the spring.—G. H. H. 
SHORTIA galacifolia. 
At a recent meeting of the Koyal Horticultural Society Mr. 
F. Cornish, gardener to the Dowager Lady Bowman, Joldwynds, 
Dorking, staged a magnificent example of this charming plant and 
was deservedly awarded a cultural commendation, for it is seldom we 
see plants of it so profusely bloomed. S. galacifolia (see illustration, 
fig. 52) is a hardy herbaceous perennial of a dwarf tufted habit of 
growth, with leaves and flowers as represented in the engraving. 
The latter are pure white, with a tinge of pink when about to fade. 
It is a native of the mountains of Carolina, and though it has been 
known for some time is still not widely grown. 
VINES AND VINERIES. 
An opinion which differs from another need not be altogether 
antagonistic. The conclusions which Mr. Kemp, your able corre¬ 
spondent, sustains on page 269 with regard to the damage which the 
scorching rays of the sun often inflict on the foliage of the Vine under 
glass can be obviated by an efficient system of ventilation and proper 
attention, therefore the cause of the injury lies not in the sun, but in 
the construction more than the position of the vineries, and perhaps also 
to the overtaxed energies of the cultivator. 
It has frequently been observed in lean-to vineries that the scorching 
of the foliage is generally most severe near to the apex of the house, 
and under the glass where there is no immediate ventilation, therefore 
such houses should possess a continuous system of ventilation, and not 
merely every other light. Horticulturists, as a rule, worship the sun in 
all its brilliancy, and must have the most favoured position for the 
vineries, where the first rays of the morning sun are not observed and 
the meridian bright, and where the temporary gleams of sunset cast the 
shadows of the glorious fruit along the rafters. 
There is no other fruit than the Grape Vine that requires greater 
skill and more studious attention to bring the produce to anything like 
perfection, and for that purpose abundance of sunshine, no less than an 
abundant supply of fresh air on all favourable opportunities, not only 
to give to the fruit the best colour and highest flavour, but also to give 
to the foliage a robust, leathery nature. When the Vines have been too 
much coddled the foliage is apt to be deficient in substance, and the evil 
of scorching may be intensified. 
It is always interesting to read and have something to say about the 
cultivation of the Grape Vine. Whether this popularity of the Vine 
arises from the sacred incident of “ Noah ” being an eminent and 
successful cultivator of the “generous Vine,” or that there be some 
potent spell about the plant, it is an acknowledged fact that the culti¬ 
vation of the Vine was well known to the ancients, for do they not say, 
“Never offer to the Gods wine produced from the Vine unpruned.” 
In the mind’s eye one can see the adventurers spying out the land, and 
their wondrous surprise in beholding the gigantic bunch of Grapes, and 
their determination to carry it back with them as a proof of the great 
virtue of the locality, and how to do so without bruise or blemish to the 
fruit if not the blooms, they hit on the happy medium which is so well 
known to readers of sacred history. 
Modern Grape growers have not sufficient data to prove that they 
can make a record against primaeval culture beyond the deducible fact 
that the Escholian bunch of Grapes must have been of a most remark¬ 
able character, and without information as to colour, weight or dimen¬ 
sion, as such it must remain ; nor are we told whether the fruit had 
been fostered by the hands of Nature, or cultivated by some peace- 
loving member of ancient society, who possibly might have sat at the 
feet of the great horticulturist. If he did so or not, through course of 
time he would learn that the mysteriousness of the capabilities of the 
Vine lay in a careful and studious attention to all the requirements of 
the plant, and would naturally come to the conclusion that before he 
could have good fruit, whether on the spur or long rod system of cultiva¬ 
tion, the young wood must possess a robust nature and be thoroughly 
ripened, and for that important factor in good Grape growing to be 
accomplished, no one can say that we have too much sunshine any¬ 
where in the British islands.—A. M. 
THE DESTRUCTIVE GALE. 
Never do I remember a more damaging wind than occurred about 
■midday on March 2-lth. In some villages in this neighbourhood hardly a 
house escaped damage ; indeed, with some, the roofs were blown entirely 
off. In the fen country adjoining, the reports coming in of the sad 
havoc to buildings are appallinv. The Wheat plant in many places is 
blown out of the light peaty soil that abounds there. Churches and 
public buildings in the towns have also suffered. 
In the gardens here I am sorry to record a heavy loss of fine Conifers. 
Large Cedars of Lebanon are completely destroyed, only one left out of 
many. Three large Abies princeps, one 63 feet high, all handsome 
specimens, were uprooted. A very fine tree of Abies lasiocarpa, 65 feet 
high, with an upright trunk 8 feet round near the base, was completely 
destroyed ; also large specimens of the Californian Cypress, C. macrocar pa, 
several C. Lawsoniana, Pinus pinaster, large Scotch Pines 60 to 70 feet 
high, P. strobus, and many others. 
There are six large specimens of Libocedrus decurrens, but only one 
succumbed. Large trees of Ash and Elm in hedgerows lie about in all 
directions. Larches of from twenty to thirty years’ growth were swept 
down in a wholesale manner. Many of the trees in the pleasure grounds 
noted above fell like ninepins. It will be heavy labour to clear away, 
for many that are left standing are badly broken. 
The trees that stood the test of the gale best are the Wellingtonia 
gigantea, for out of 300 large specimens only one has blown aside. One 
of the best of the Conifers, Thuja gigantea, has stood well, not one being 
FIG. 52.—SHORTIA GALACIFOLIA. 
shifted or broken. It makes fine upright trunks and splendid foliage 
here. A great many are close on 60 feet high. Others that have stood 
well are Taxodium sempervirens, Cedrus atlantica, C. deodara, Salis- 
buria, Taxodium distichum, Abies Nordmaniana, A. amabilis, A. Douglasi, 
A. grandis, A. morinda, Pinus ponderosa, P. macrocarpa, P. austriaca, 
P. Jeffreyi, and P. Coulteri. Some that were only partly blown over we 
have raised upright with strong ropes and pulleys and supported with 
long props.—A. Harding, Orton, Gardens, Peterborough. 
iftX I i ir 
WOK1^foi\.theWEEK.. S 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Crattingr Fruit Trees. —The operation of grafting can be per¬ 
formed somewhat later th*n usual this season, owing to the protracted 
rest all fruit trees have had with the severe winter. In consequence 
the sap takes longer in actively circulating, though with mild, favour¬ 
able weather it will rise strongly, and probably quickly when once on 
the move. It is, therefore, imperative that all preliminary details be 
completed, so that when the opportune moment arrives the scions can 
