April 18, 1895, 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUhE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
341 
lengthwise of the house, and where the Vines are to be planted at a less 
distance apart than ours are perhaps this is the best plan, but as 
none of ours are much less than 5 feet apart we have a simpler, more 
convenient, and less expensive arrangement. Half-inch gas pipe is 
fastened at the proper height by screws to the wall or mullions, as the 
case may be. Another pipe of the same size is suspended from the 
T iron, which forms a purline about 9 feet up the rafters, and small 
galvanised wires are stretched between these two pipes, and continued 
to the T iron on the opposite side of the span. Three of these wires are 
used for each rod—one for the rod itself, and one on each side, 16 or 
18 inches from the centre wire, to tie the branches to. I find this is all 
that is necessary, and it makes it an easy matter to get up between the 
Vines, and look over them in any part of the house. As the wires are 
merely twisted at the ends on to the gas pipe, we find it very convenient 
to be able to shift one a little one way or the other, when it happens to 
be in the way of a favourite bunch. 
The Water Supply, 
It is a cruel thing to build costly vineries and expect a man to grow 
Grapes without giving him an adequate supply and means for using 
water. Making bricks without straw is, I believe, not an impossibility, 
but attempt to grow Grapes with an insuflSciency of the commonest yet 
most precious of all liquids and you will fail. At Longleat provision 
was made for catching and storing a large quantity of rain water. This 
1 now consider was not neceBsary, for spring water is probably the best 
for fruit trees, only it should not be applied too cold. Mr. Chaffin has 
fixed two large brewer’s tubs capable of holding upwards of 7000 gallons 
at an elevation of perhaps 200 feet above the vineries. These tubs are 
supplied by a never-failing spring of ample volume, and they are con¬ 
nected by pipes and taps with all the houses, where a supply of 
960 gallons an hour can be had, so that with a hose watering in the 
summer becomes a very simple matter. 
For use during the spring months we have a separate and smaller 
supply, which can be drawn at the requisite temperature in any one of 
the houses. This is used till such time as the water in the large tubs 
reaches a temperature of about 55°, which it generally does at the end 
of May or beginning of June, by which time the wants of the Vines are 
greater. 
Where the requirements are not large a cistern supplied by a tap 
inside each compartment would be sufficient to afford water during the 
early growth of the Vines, if care was taken to keep it filled and 
water a portion of the border each day, or whenever the water had 
become sufficiently warm that it would not lower the temperature of the 
soil when applied to it. Some writers, I know, have said in the Journal 
that it is not necessary to use warm water at all; but I do not intend to 
take their advice. On the other hand, I do not like to use it too warm, 
as it takes too much out of the soil.— Wm. Taylor. 
(To be continued.) 
Baffling Earwigs. 
On page 311 of last week’s Journal of Horticulture I see an account 
of an earwig “ trap ” in the form of a 9-inch pot with a water-holding rim 
IJ inch wide by 1 inch deep. I should like to say that several years 
ago I had a few similar pots made, but found there were several 
drawbacks to the same, such for instance as price, clumsiness, absorption 
of water in dry weather, and thus not serving their object, stagnation 
at the base of the pot during wet weather, also holding water when 
the plants are housed, another strong objection. I therefore invented 
a stand to hold water, which I patented some years ago (as per enclosed). 
A good substitute, however, at a trifling cost, is a saucer or seed pan 
without holes, placing a smaller one inside inverted, then filling with 
water. The plant when stood on the inverted pan is thus surrounded 
with water. My experience of the results of this protector I mentioned 
at the Centenary Conference of the National Chrysanthemum Society. 
I am now residing in a pottery district and use bowls glazed inside, 
and place therein 48-size pots inverted. To secure the plants in case of 
wind wire tightly drawn back and front is fixed to the posts to come 
just under the rim of the flowering pots. The original idea is seen 
in the old Dahlia ring, but now other systems are followed, and in some 
cases trenches filled with water. 
I can thoroughly recommend the two-pan system or the bowl and 
inverted pot, and would add that it is desirable to attach rag soaked in 
petroleum at the bottom of the posts, or adopt some means to prevent 
earwigs crawling along the wires and so reaching the plants. To those 
who have limited means, space, or time a considerable saving is made, 
and much trouble, annoyance, and disappointment spared when adopting 
some arrangement after the principle I have mentioned. 
Perhaps I may take this opportunity to say that in regard to the 
movements of the earwig I think there need be little fear of its flying 
upwards, as after having watched this insect very closely for some years 
the only object of its wings, so far as my experience tells me, is to 
check rapidity when falling—serving as a parachute as it were.^When 
an earwig drops it would seem as if it must have fallen to the ground, 
but on a close examination, as all mummers know who tenderly watch 
their plants, the insect will be found to have clung to the edge of an 
underneath leaf or stem, and as a somewhat curious fact I may mention 
that I have invariably observed that if when using a bull’s-eye lantern 
and tweezers I have failed to seize an earwig on the first occasion, the 
next night the insect will fall immediately the light is cast on to the 
plant.— Henry Briscoe-Ironside. 
[We are obliged to Mr, Briscoe-Ironside, and have returned his 
enclosure- His patent differs, as he intimates, from the rim barrier,, 
which appears similar in character to that forming part of a seed pan 
of Mr. Wm. Moody Bell, of Cheltenham, and which we figured in 1891, 
It is shown as plunged in the engraving (fig. 58), and protected by a hand- 
light. The channel is an excellent barrier against slugs and woodlice.l 
CULTURE OF DELPHINIUMS. 
As seen in many gardens in which a few of these plants are repre¬ 
sented, the Delphinium would appear to count for little, giving no true 
estimate of these easily cultivated and perhaps the most noble of our 
hardy border flowers. Would that I could fully describe the effect 
produced on my mind by some 300 to 400 plants in flower, grown so- 
admirably by Mr. Robertson, gardener to W. S. McMillan, Esq., 
Ardenholm, Maghull, near Liverpool, not feeble little plants, but giants 
of strength, from 4 feet to 8 feet high, clothed with foliage down to the 
ground. 
In dealing with their cultivation it will perhaps be more to the 
point if the preparation of the ground is first dealt with. If there is 
no stint of good cow manure so much the better, as the bed can be 
properly made in the first instance ; and with good feeding and top¬ 
dressing will give the most satisfactory results for some years. ^ The site 
determined, remove the old soil to a depth of about 3 feet, placing at the 
bDttom 9 inches or a foot of good cow manure, filling in the remainder 
with a mixture of old turves, decayed manure, and lime rubbish, 
levelling all ready to receive the plants. 
A stock can be easily raised from seeds which may be sown at once 
in pans or boxes filled with good sandy soil, covering them slightly, and 
remove to a warm house, where the seedlings will soon appear. When 
large enough to handle prick into small pots or boxes, using good loam, 
leaf mould, and silver sand for a compost. Keep them growing steadily 
and harden the young plants previous to planting, which may be done 
when danger from frost is over. If raised from seeds they may be planted 
somewhat closely for the first season, as a vigorous weeding out is certain 
to take place if only the best are to be retained. The following season 
a distance of from 3 feet to 4 feet apart should be given. They may also 
be propagated by division, the latter being recommended where good 
varieties are to be increased. 
Before staking it is well to determine how many spikes ate to be left 
consistent with the strength of the plants. The inside shoots may be- 
secured, first giving sufficient room to show the spikes to advantage. 
By a little judicious management foliage disfigured by cold winds in the 
early part of the season may be almost covered. 
When the plants are about a foot high feeding may commence, with 
rather weak supplies of diluted liquid manure given twice a week, in¬ 
creasing the strength as the spikes appear, boot and lime act^ as 
fertilisers, and are great preventives against slugs. After flowering, 
a good sprinkling of bonemeal round each plant will be found beneficial; 
continue the watering until the plants show signs of rest, when a 
