November T9, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
483 
VINERY IN 
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\ WEEK rarely passes in which questions relating to Vines are 
jOL not sent to the Editor, whose guidance is sought on various 
points connected with their management. This shows, if anything 
can, that well as Vine culture is admittedly understood by many 
persons, there are still more in doubt as to the best methols to 
pursue for gaining the desired end—healthy fruitful Vines and 
fine bunches of their coveted fruit. It is not for teaching the learned 
that the Journal of Horticulture exists, though these delight in its 
pages and enrich them by their contributions ; but for conveying 
information that may be of service to the inexperienced, whether 
these are gardeners in difficulties, and whose livelihood depends on 
the surmounting of them, or amateurs whose gardens give them 
pleasure, and not the less because obstacles are occasionally met 
with and overcome. It is wonderful how much enjoyment can be 
derived from a vinery by those who delight in growing Grapes 
when all goes right ; but on the other hand, when things go wrong 
in some perplexing way, the anxiety is correspondingly great. The 
real lover, not of Grapes as such, but of growing them, takes pri le 
in his Vines at all times—in winter as well as in summer. He can 
see in the hard brown canes, bold firm buds, pithless wood, and 
general cleanliness much to admire, knowing that such conditions 
are precursors of success. 
Good work can be done in the vinery at this season of the year, 
and ought to be done without needless delay. It may not be so 
urgent that important outdoor work should be neglected when the 
weather is favourable for its prosecution ; but days unsuitable for 
profitable outdoor occupation have not usually to be long waited for 
at this period of the year, and when they occur prompt action 
should be taken to put Vines and vineries in order for the winter 
and spring. The work here should be thorough as regards cleanli¬ 
ness, more especially when the Vines have suffered from the attacks 
of insects, no matter of what kind, in the summer. Those pests are 
to a large extent the outcome of neglect or inaction on the part of 
cultivators in winter. Too many are content with half cleansing 
their Vines and vineries. Where that most objectionable insect— 
the mealy bug—is prevalent, as it is in hundreds of vineries, it is 
not possible for the work of cleansing to be too exhaustive. A 
mere washing of exposed surfaces is wholly insufficient. Those 
that are hidden must have at least equal attention, and indeed more 
time must be spent on them than on the parts in sight. Every 
chink and nook must be sought for, for these are the hiding places 
of the enemy. Every particle of refuse, every empty flower pot, 
every bunch of sticks and matting must be cleared out. Every 
plant infested at branch or root must be rendered absolutely clean, 
or it should have no place in the vinery. Clean plants do no harm 
to Vines, though the Vines often do harm to them ; but as the 
plants are moveable and quickly producible, while Vines are not, 
there ought to be no difficulty how to act in an apparent conflict 
between them as regards their requirements. When good Grapes 
are expected the Vines must be the first objects of consideration ; 
and the better their wants are supplied the better possibly will the 
plants flourish that are suitable for growing in the structures, and 
those that are not suitable have no business there, as they cannot 
be cultivated satisfactorily, and attempts to provide what they need 
may result in injury to the Vines that are of immeasurably greater 
value. 
“ But why connect plants with the subject ?” s me reader may 
fro. <40.— Vol. XVII., Third Series. 
ask, on the ground that they are better in houses to themselve=, 
leaving vineries for the production of Grapes alone. Granted, the 
advantages of the separate system, yet the fact has to be recognised 
that the combinafion plan is forced by circumstances on the great 
majority, and the majority cannot be ignored in or out of Parlia¬ 
ment, but has a way of asserting itself and commanding attention. 
Facts, then, have to be dealt with, and there is no doubt about the 
existence of this one at least—that where there is one vinery free 
from plants always, there are twenty crowded with them over the 
greater part of the year. What, then, is to be done in vineries 
now under those circumstances ? That is what many an anxious 
gardener—or man in charge of Vines—(for there is a difference), 
and many a zealous, but not over-experienced, amateur wants to 
know. They can only be told generally, for there are peculiar 
conditions requiring peculiar treatment, and obviously this cannot 
be suggested till the exact circumstances are known. Those, 
persons, therefore, who do not find what they want in these notes 
will know what to do—namely, state their case, objects, and means 
at disposal clearly, and someone will be almost certain to come to 
the rescue and endeavour to be helpful. 
As regards work in the vinery generally which at the same time 
contains plants, and the leaves of the Vines changing, also more or 
less infested with mealy bug, as thousands are, are we to wait for 
those leaves to fall before taking steps to extirpate the enemy ? 
Certainly not. It is true numbers of Vines have cast their leaves, 
and these cannot be pruned too soon ; but many have not done so, 
as the leaves of not a few are “ hanging on ” longer than usual 
this year. When these leaves are turning yellow or brown, and 
are at the same time supporting insects, it may be in myriads, they 
should be taken off and burned. Allowing the leaves to wither and 
fall, as is customary, amongst plants or on the floor or stages, is the 
best possible way of distributing those insects and of insuring a 
greater abundance of them another year. Not one infested leaf 
should be allowed to fall, but before they wither sufficiently for 
that, all should be removed, not tearing away the stalks entirely, 
but snapping off the leaves alone. In this way a horde of insects 
may be cleared away, and more execution done in an hour than can 
bo accomplished by days of after labour when the insects are 
allowed to be scattered in the house. Some persons hesitate to 
remove the changing leaves lest the Vines may be injured or 
deprived of something which it is vaguely thought the leaves 
secrete in them. There are no substantial grouuds for any such 
fear of injury resulting from taking off the leaves a week or so 
before they would fall naturally. They have done their work then* 
and the removal of them when quite yellow deprives the Vines of 
nothing but insects, and that is a great deal. Complaints of the 
presence of mealy bug on Vines, and in bunches of Grapes, have 
been so numerous during the past two or three months, that 
decisive action is imperative for the extirpation of the scourge ; 
and in no other way can this be so effectually accomplished as in. 
the simple manner indicated. 
A week or ten days after the fading leaves are removed the 
Vines will be ready for pruning. Possibly a little moisture may 
exude from the “ cuts,” but no alarm need be felt on that score. 
It will only amount to mere dampness, for it will be a wonder if 
a drop forms and falls, and if it did there would be nothing to fear, 
for the “ loss ” would be infinitesimal, as it would consist of water, 
nothing but water. Immeasurably greater harm is done to V inf s 
by deferring the pruning too long, then by completing it too soon 
after the leaves fall, or are removed when withered as suggested. 
After pruning comes the work of cleansing the Vines, the plants, 
and the house, for it is of small use doing one without the other 
Each plant should be examined carefully, and if there is a suspicion 
of insects, should be laid on its side and drenched—syringed over 
and over again with an insecticide. It does not much matter which 
or what, provided it is forced through the syringe at a temperaluie 
of 130°. If insects remain alive after the application, it will be 
No. 200 «.—Vol. LXXIX., Old Serihs. 
