316 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April II, 1895. 
and cannot be covered by trailing plants, they may be not only 
concealed but frequently made ornamental by placing in them 
various plants, such as Encrusted Saxifrages, Houseleeks, Stone- 
crops, dwarf Campanulas, and others which will readily occur to 
the reader. Even if the plants are carefully tended so that one does 
not outgrow another above ground, it is unavoidable that those which 
make large roots should in time encroach on the feeding ground of 
others. This weakens the latter, and it will be found necessary to 
re-make the rockery at occasional intervals. This need only be 
done after a considerable time, but annually some plants should be 
lifted and replanted, fresh soil being placed in the pockets. 
For many Alpines an annual top-dressing of soil is required, and 
this may well be done in the spring, but should these plants have 
become too high above the soil some fresh earth should be added in 
the autumn. The frequent top-dressings eventually raise the level 
of the pockets above that of the stones which support the terrace, 
so that heavy rains or heavy watering will wash away the soil. 
This must be prevented by the addition of stones to retain the 
■earth in position. 
The mention of watering induces me to say a little on this head. 
While the differing conditions under which Alpines are grown in 
•gardens as compared with those which prevail in their native 
habitats make it impossible to lay down any hard and fast rule on 
this question, one is warranted in saying that Alpines do not 
receive enough of moisture in the summer. Too often they have 
•only mere driblets applied instead of the copious supplies they 
require. There is no need for pouring the whole of this on the 
plant itself, but a good supply should be poured beside it. On 
warm evenings, after the sun has gone off them, I frequently 
water not only the rockeries, but also the gravel walks adjoining. 
This raises a genial moisture, which I am convinced is very 
beneficial to the plants. 
There are many little details connected with the erection and 
planting of rockeries and the successful cultivation of the Alpine 
flowers which cannot be fully treated of at the present time. 
Many of these are the outcome of experience, and will 
generally be discovered by anyone possessed of a fair amount of 
knowledge of plant life. In growing Alpines we require to adopt 
Opie’s advice as to how to mix colours—‘‘With brains;” indeed, it 
may well be given to those who wish to grow flowers of any kind. 
—S. Arnott. 
MODERN GRAPE GROWING. 
( Continued from ]}age 294.') 
Ikside or Outside Borders. 
The question is often asked, Which are the best—inside or outside 
borders ? That all depends on the knowledge, skill, and attention 
likely to be at command. 
I believe it is possible with borders confined entirely to the inside 
to grow G-rapes of better quality and handsomer apoearance than it is 
with outside borders only, but there is a considerable increase of labour, 
and they must have the most skilful management. Where quality and 
appearance are the first consideration, and sufficient skill and time to 
use it are likely to be given them, I say make the borders inside, but if 
the necessary operations are at any time likely to be put off for even a 
day or two after they require attention, or if the aim is only to grow 
■such fruit as shall be worth about a shilling a pound, I advise the 
borders to be outside, for these can, to a very great extent, 
take care of themselves. Not only do they catch the rain and the 
sweetening, pulverising action of the natural atmosphere, but also 
require less feeding, because the water from the clouds, as well as bring¬ 
ing fertilising matter with it, is distributed much better than we 
can do it artificially ; it consequently takes less of it to moisten a certain 
quantity of earth, and it follows that comparatively little artificial 
watering is needed, and therefore less of the manurial substances are 
■washed out. Also suitable soils when exposed to the atmosphere have 
the power of absorbing from it a considerable amount of moisture 
■during nights and cool days. 
1 know some amateurs who have their borders entirely inside, and 
succeed well, but they devote a great deal of time to them person¬ 
ally, and some of the work is rather laborious, therefore it should only 
be undertaken by those amateurs who have a real love for the occupa¬ 
tion and abundance of time on their hands, and by those gardeners who 
can afford to put a reliable man in charge, and hold him responsible for 
the vinery before all other work. A great difficulty, especially in large 
establishments where the duties are so varied and numerous, is that there 
is always more work than can be got through, consequently much of it 
has to be put off perhaps five minutes later than it ought to be, and it 
is astonishing how these minutes tell on the life and health of the 
occupants of our houses. 
Besides the border which is confined to the inside, and that which is 
entirely outside, there is the one which is meat general, and I think least 
desirable—part outside and part in. That Vines often do well and 
produce good Grapes by this arrangement I admit, but in ninety-nine 
cases out of a hundred it will be found that it is the outside border 
which does the work, and that all the attention bestowed r n the inside 
portion is thrown away, for there are few or no roots there. 
I see no objection when the wall is built with arches, or pillars with 
spaces between, to having just sufficient width inside, say 18 inches, for 
planting the Vines and allowing the roots free scope to the outside 
border; the stems of the Vines are thus protected, and the planting can 
be done at any time of the year. The narrow space should be securely 
walled off to confine the few roots that may be produced there, and 
allow all the rest of the floor to be used for other purposes. 
If the Vines are planted outside there is another way of protecting 
the stems—viz., by having small holes cut obliquely through the wall 
just below where the surface of the border will come to, so that all the 
outside portion of the stem can be covered by the soil. 
I prefer either of the last two systems to the “ go where you like ” 
plan of having borders both inside and out. I like to know where the 
roots are, although it must be owned that one sometimes gets deceived, 
for it is not always that bricks and mortar will prevent them getting 
outside when we think we have made them prisoners. 
The first thing to do in connection with border-making is to secure 
Good Drainage. 
We must decide where the surface line is to be, then reckon not less 
than 2 feet or more than for soil, 6 to 10 inches for rubble, and then 
a 3-inch drain pipe should be laid in a trench not less than G inches 
lower still. 
In finishing the necessary excavating we make the bottom slope 
slightly towards where the drain pipe is to be; 1 inch in 2 feet is 
sufficient. We next make the trench and lay the pipe, giving it a slight 
fall to the outlet. A layer of rubble, or whatever is used for drainage, 
is placed over the part intended for border, and including the drain 
pipe, using something small on the top, say cinders, small stones, 
crocks, or whatever is handy, to prevent the soil running amongst the 
drainage. 
Although I do not find it necessary now to take all this trouble in 
providing drainage for any new Vine border or a portion that may be 
added to an old one here, the first was made in this way, and I should 
advise anyone commencing to follow the same plan, for it is better to 
do too much than too little for the first portion of the border, especially 
when the soil is of such a nature that it does not provide a quick 
passage through it for the water ; and no one, however skilful in this 
respect, can be quite sure of the behaviour of a soil till he has actually 
practised on it. In my former treatise is given another reason for using 
so much rubble, which I cannot do better than quote, 
“ A Vine border is made to last a century, and it is well to make 
doubly sure that a stoppage cannot possibly take place under anything 
like fair management. But this is not by any means the only or the 
principal reason for placing 8 or 10 inches of rubble under it. The sub¬ 
ject of aeration is a very important one, and possibly not fully understood ; 
but this much we know, that the roots of plants cannot live without 
air ; that air follows each supply of water given to the border, and 
that a system of drainage which allows a great amount of water to be 
applied necessarily secures abundant aeration. Brickbats and similar 
material also have some effect on the temperature of the soil above 
them, not only from the warmth contained in themselves, but from the 
body of air stored in the interstices, and which, being cut off from 
direct contact with the atmosphere of the house and that outside, must 
vary but very slowly. I consider that those who insert drain pipes 
vertically through their borders to connect the air of the drainage with 
that of the ordinary atmosphere make a mistake, and neutralise to some 
extent the good offices of the rubble, because they make it possible for 
a circulation of air to take place otherwise than through the soil.” 
If a layer of turf can be obtained for placing over the drainage it will 
keep all secure for a generation. If no turf is forthcoming then some¬ 
thing else must be used as a substitute—say a little litter or a few 
leaves. If the soil is prevented from falling amongst the drainage at 
first it will keep all right afterwards unless disturbed. 
We will now assume that a suitable soil is at hand agreeing with the 
conditions I have named, and that it is neither too wet nor too dry. If 
any of it is in the form of turf that does not break up easily with 
shifting about it is advisable to chop some of it into pieces not larger 
than half a brick. First place a layer about a foot thick for the lower 
portion of the border, and with the upper portion mix some bone dust 
and half-inch bones, about equal parts of each, say 1 cwt. in all to about 
G cubic yards of soil. The bones should be simply ground, not chemically 
treated in any way, and should be freed from fleshy matter before 
grinding, either by boiling or drying. 
The soil should be allowed to settle naturally. If the border is 
outside it must not be allowed to become too wet before planting. The 
surface is best kept nearly level, or there maybe a difficulty in watering. 
In some situations where the drainage and soil are both good, and 
only ordinary fruit is required, no elaborate preparation of border is 
necessary. Simply digging in some bones and bone dust, and giving an 
occasional top-dressing of manure may be all that is necessary, but 
it has never been my fortune to have to do with such a soil.— 
Wm. Taylor. 
(To be continued.) 
DOUBLE PRIMULAS. 
The beauty and utility of double and semi-double Primulas for 
cutting purposes cannot be over-estimated. For those who have to supply 
flowers during the winter and spring they are invaluable, but I 
cannot help thinking that their merits are often ignored, the single 
varieties taking up too much attention. Even for decorative purposes, 
