308 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 4, isns. 
encourages plenty of healthy top roots and keeps them in good order 
for many years, but when this fails it is evident something more is 
needed to renew their vigour, and the only way is, in my opinion at 
all events, to dig them up and replant them in a fresh, sweet, suit¬ 
able compost. In 1885 I lifted a house of Muscat Yines here, 
which for several years shanked badly, with the result that the 
following year I was rewarded with a good crop of medium 
bunches which finished well. The year I lifted them I was unable 
to cut a creditable bunch out of the whole house, and notwith¬ 
standing their old age they have wonderfully improved since the 
operation, and are now in a very satisfactory condition. I do not 
prefer the above plan to that of planting healthy young Yines, but 
it must be borne in mind there are some who do not care to have 
their old favourites destroyed, which have for many years yielded 
satisfactory crops of Grapes. Therefore it is to improve these I 
wish to recommend the lifting process. 
The house of Vines referred to was dug up on the 1st and 
2nd of October in the following manner. A trench was dug 
opposite the Yines, using for this purpose four-tined forks; all the 
soil was carefully removed, and every precaution was taken not to 
damage the roots more than possible. We found, however, very 
few of these for some time, but on approaching the stems of the 
Vines I was not in the least surprised at finding nearly all the prin¬ 
cipal roots had penetrated the drainage and reached the subsoil, which 
was undoubtedly the cause of the Grapes shanking, &c. These 
bare thongs we followed as far as we could, severed them, and tied 
them to the stems, damped them well, and covered them with wet 
mats. I need hardly say that while this was going on the Yines 
were very heavily shaded. I then had the drainage put right and 
the border refilled with a compost of moderately heavy loam, 
half-inch bones, and lime rubble, to within 8 inches of the top. 
I made a close inspection of the roots and cut off all that were 
damaged, some of which measure 3 feet or more in length, and as 
free of rootlets as a walking stick. On these I made incisions right 
and left at intervals of 6 to 10 inches, carefully relaid them and 
covered them with the new compost. It was somewhat doubtful 
whether or not the following season these Yines would prove a 
failure, especially considering the few roots we found attached to 
each Vine. As soon as the planting was finished the whole of the 
border received a thorough supply of tepid water. The house was 
kept close for several days, and the Yines syringed several times 
daily. They soon began to show signs of renewed vigour, and 
several of the young laterals which bad been encouraged before 
lifting the roots quickly rambled over the trellis, and we then 
gradually admitted air and reduced the shading. I found on 
examining the border after the leaves had fallen from the Vines, 
which Avas about the usual time, that seA'eral young roots had 
already pushed into the fresh soil, some of which was almost as 
thick as quills. I allowed the following year each Vine to make 
a fresh rod to encourage a plentiful root action, and they were in 
no way hurried into growth, with the results previously stated.— 
H. Markham, Mereworth Cattle Gardens. 
THE SUMMER OF 1888 AND INSECT LIFE. 
Whether the late Admiral Fitzroy was right in a prediction 
he is said to have made—viz., that 1888 would prove to be the last 
in a series of summers mostly unfavourable, can only be decided by 
time. This is certain, that if it be the last it Avas almost the worst 
of the bad seasons we have had for twenty years past, and there 
have been many. The rainfall Avas excessive, especially through 
July, as Mr. Symons has shoAvn in his “Meteorological Magazine,” 
though not unprecedented, but the low maximum temperatures 
have been very exceptional, and it is to the coldness even more 
than to the moisture that our loss and damage in field or garden is 
to be ascribed. The two, hoAvever, are closely connected, the cold 
being the direct consequence of the heaA-y rainfall, the reason of 
which is not apparent. This is to be considered, that in many 
places throughout Britain the spring was, on the whole, a dry one. 
We have not positive data as yet, but I am inclined to hope it will 
appear that the injury sustained will turn out to be less than some 
anticipated ; and there are a number of localities, both coast and 
inland, where the reports as to the average weather of this summer 
contrast markedly with the general aspect, but the London district, 
be the reason what it may, is one that has had a bad time of it, 
hence the lugubrious tone of the leading journals. 
The observation of gardeners throughout the country will bear 
me out in the statement that those insects Avhich are commonly 
troublesome in the months of July, August, and September have 
been less abundant than usual in consequence of the frequent rains 
and the lack of Avarmth. It may be accepted as a fact that un- 
genial summers like that Ave have just endured do tend to reduce 
our insect enemies ; but we must, I think} at once discredit a still 
prevalent notion amongst country folks that thunderstorms destroy- 
a good many insects, for 1888 has been a year of thunderstorms and 
thunder shoAvers ; still, I cannot trace a diminution of insects to 
any electrical disturbances this year any more than in former years. 
If insects are killed in storms it is not by the lightning, but by the 
frequently heavy rain accompanying. What, then, occasions the 
death of insects or the suppression of broods Avhich might have hatched' 
out in such seasons as 1888 ? There is a double influence, upon the 
food of insects and upon the insects themselves, and we may take 
just two instances of the former as an illustration. Some insects- 
in their larval stage feed upon the flowers of Avild or cultivatedl 
plants. One peculiarity of this season has been that Avith many 
species the weather tended to encourage a profuse growth of 
leaves, but checked the development of blossoms, thus subjecting 
the flower-eaters to short commons, possibly even to starvation,, 
where the envelopes have been washed off by rains. Then, again, 
with certain root-feeders ; some roots have this year in consequence 
of the moisture been so decomposed that other species have come 
into rivalry, and the caterpillars or grubs winch subsist upon, 
healthy roots have been ousted by others which live upon them 
when decaying. 
But it is rather upon the insects themselves that the influence 
of a Avet and cold season are perceptible. In the egg state they 
sustain no injury, yet it may happen that the emergence of the 
young larva; is so far delayed as to render it less easy for them in 
hatching to obtain their appropriate food. Thus I have noticed a 
Lilac-eating caterpillar of the Tortrix family come out late some 
seasons, and in consequence many were starved from the shrub 
losing its leaves suddenly and rapidly. Still, to a great extent 
plants and insects keep pace together, a check to one proving also a 
check to the other. It is in the larval or second stage of life that 
the effects of an ungenial summer tell chiefly on insects. Beetle 
grubs suffer little ; those-of butterflies and moths are very suscep¬ 
tible, dying off from diarrhoea or a fungoid disease ; also in the 
order to which the plantlice and scale insects belong, it is noticeable 
that nearly all the species thrive best during warm and dry, but not 
excessively dry, weather. The pseudo-caterpillars of the saw-fly 
group, however, seem to flourish in showery weather. Insects of 
all orders Avhile in the pupa or quiescent state, should they be in 
the earth, are likely to be killed when the soil is super-saturated 
with moisture and they are more exposed to the attacks of bird or 
molluscous foes. Cocoons of insects fastened to twigs or walls are 
frequently damaged by the high winds of summer, and the contents 
fall out to be eaten by other creatures. Lastly, in their final stage 
of life, during wet summers, multitudes of insects with tender 
Avings and bodies are, even if they survive for a while, unable to 
accomplish the work of depositing eggs to produce a future brood. 
I venture to think we may not be much troubled with insects next 
year. - Entomologist. 
POTATOES. 
The present is a busy time with farmers and gardeners in 
lifting and storing Potatoes, and a few notes may not be out of 
place. In a season like the present great care should be exercised 
in lifting and storing the tubers so as to preserve them in the best 
condition until they are wanted for use. I remember when I was 
a lad my father used to grow some excellent crops of Potatoes,, 
and his plan was always to get them up as soon as ripe, and in as 
dry a state as possible, and then store them in pits on the ground, 
covering them with thin turves or straw, and about a foot in depth 
of earth, making the pit smooth and even with the back of the 
spade to throw the rain off. 
Since those days I have helped to lift and store Potatoes in 
different parts of the country, and have seen it done in 
various Avays, but still I think where several tons of Potatoes 
have to be stored away for use through winter and spring no plan 
with Avhich I am acquainted is better than the one I have just 
mentioned. Where good cool sheds exist and plenty of room, and 
where the frosts can be kept out, then I should by all means use 
them, taking care to have the tubers always well covered up in 
frosty weather. 
Where they are stored in pits out of doors, and when wanted 
for use the pit should be opened on a fine day, and enough taken 
into a shed or some handy place to last a fortnight or longer. 
Sometimes in a long spell of frosty weather it will necessitate 
breaking into the pit to obtain Potatoes for present use. In this 
case I would open it in the middle of the day, have the tubers 
taken in as quickly as possible, and the pit closed again without 
delay. I have seen this done in very severe weather with no bad 
effects resulting. 
In cases where the tubers are affected with disease they should 
be well sorted, and no tubers that are in the least diseased should 
