January 6, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
13 
30 tons per acre of lime (14 lbs. a sqnar^yard) worked immediate and start¬ 
ling results. It at once became, and has since remained, of great repute 
amongst neighbouring gardens of like character for extreme fertility, 
mainly because of its improved mechanical condition. Will Mr. Taylor 
point to a case of laud rendered sterile by lime—as without nitrogen it 
must be—whilst having a normal and reasonable quantity of manure judi¬ 
ciously applied as well ? Truly lime is sometimes in bad repute as a 
soil exhauster, but usually because it has been applied to land choked 
with sour and inert vegetable matter, which, when rendered sweet and 
suitable for plant food by the lime, has nourished abundant crops. An 
inference has therefore been ignorantly drawn that equal results would 
follow all succeeding applications of lime, and that nothing else was 
wanted. But obviously, when all the previously stored food had been 
liberated and utilised fresh supplies would be required, and the lime may 
not have acted in such case as a food at all. I maintain therefore that 
the 14 lbs. of lime applied by Mr. S. Castle to the Vine borders in 
February had ceased to be able to exert much, if any, injurious effect to 
the food which was given the Vines in May and June—the first time of 
feeding—and that the much smaller quantity of lime then applied, 
though wrong in principle, was not sufficient to neutralise to any serious 
extent the large amount of liquid and other manures. No better proof 
that this was so could be given than was at once evident in the hearty 
and deckled response of the Vines to the dressing, to their general vigour 
throughout the season, and the way they finished their wood and crop. 
Moreover, a Ahne or two under experiment—perhaps it might be difficult 
to suggest many untried experiments of this nature at West Lynn—with 
sulphate of ammonia, showed that the roots had absorbed too much 
nitrogen, which would hardly have occurred in the use of a material so 
very easily robbed of its ammonia, if there had been enough lime to 
dissipate it quickly into the atmosphere. It is true that potash salts 
were applied in excessive doses some years ago to a few A'ines for experi¬ 
ment only. It will surprise Mr. Taylor to know, however, that those so 
treated exhibit to this day the marked advantage they have always 
shown over those having the lighter dressing. Having read the 
experiments of M. Ville with potash on Vines I am not so much surprised 
as Mr. Taylor. If there has been any suffering for want of moderation 
in treatment at West Lynn I should say that it has been shown in too 
heavy cropping. We all have our weaknesses ; and I should say that the 
chief weakness of Mr. S. Castle, as perhaps also my own, is too much 
pleasure in seeing a successful, which means a full as well as properly 
finished crop, with its attendant risks. It is only, however, in individual 
instances that any injury has been done in this respect. My conclusion, 
therefore, is that upon the main question at issue the cause of certain 
unusual local difficulties in the fertilisation of Grapes—which I had 
supposed to be of wider interest—Mr. Taylor cannot at present be said 
to have furnished any very helpful or tenable theories.— 1'eopeietor. 
To Jlr. W. Taylor the thanks of the gardening fraternity are due for 
exposing my errors. My first thought is what a vast amount of igno¬ 
rance, or at least want of thought, there must be to let the question go 
a begging so long. The answer, however, when it did come if in a little 
space comes with great force, especially from so high an authority. 
That AV. Taylor should be the one to detect my weak points I am neither 
surprised nor cast down. Having no pet theory, if by noting particulars 
of practice and its results in reference to the Vines under my charge I 
am constrained to appear in the pages of the Journal, I must expect 
criticism. .Without doubt criticism is good even though at times severe, 
and so with the Editor’s consent I shall be always open to supply a line, 
not necessarily to record my successes, but if needs be the reverse, for 
the general good. The present que.stion is this—AVhy, with- such im¬ 
moderate treatment of them, I should to-day have a bunch of Grapes 
worth so calling to look at ? Yet with no desire at all to speak boast¬ 
fully,' I am not afraid to meet some of the great authorities with several 
bunches now or in the spring. CTimatal conditions vary much I believe. 
AVe have a good salt breeze, especially at high tides with wind from the 
north. ■ All the more reason for being careful in front ventilation at any 
time, but more particularly after the Grapes are ripe. Those who arc 
in favour of front ventilation after Grapes are ripe are welcome to their 
opinion. I emphatically say the soundness of my berries is due mainly 
to the fact of v< ry little air being admitted after the Grapes were 
colourel. This is not an entirely new idea, but represents my practice. 
Having, as I thought, dealt very fully with my details in Ahne culture, 
m'ore especially with a view to obtain perfect berries, I thought Mr. 
Taylor would scarcely desire more information. 1 wish he had to prune 
my A'ines, his hands and shoulders would let him know the wood is ripe. 
I send a few cuttings in order that you can judge for yourself. I take 
it this is the best year I ever had for ripening wood. 1 fancy there is an 
abundance of pollen, and if the rods were gently tapped, as is done by 
most growers, there would be sufficient to dust the immediate leaves 
thickly. I’olien is, I am well aware, a necessity, yet how is it that at 
times a few small bunches on weak laterals show such an abundance of 
pollen, yet these do not produce the best berries ? My son seriously pro- 
po.sed sending, a parcel of fat worms from my A''inc borders for inspec¬ 
tion, this too at the worst time of year; but I daresay the Editor does 
not want any. he can have them if he wishes. This is my answer 
as to the quality of my “ starved ” borders. Once in Sussex it was my lot 
to have a very tenacious clay to deal with, here 1 have a stiff, plastic 
marl that will cut up like pieces of liver. To keep such a material open 
requires more than ordinary measures. 
AVhat I am still hoiting to see solved is why stoning should be so 
generally defective. Lime was to be the panacea for all my faults in 
this respect, and I was told we could not use too much. That I have 
benefited the borders mechanically I am well aware, and the A^'ines are 
healthy. Any further writing will, I hope, be less beside the mark. I 
sha'l leave caustic lime alone, and use gypsum in future for stoning. Had I 
only one house I could not be so sure, but have no doubt now the fault 
of defective fertilisation was in the temperature or atmosphere. Seven 
houses should present a variety, not a conformity of results. It is a very 
general complaint, no matter how large the berry, that stones are needed. 
How many think to examine for this question of stoning? Until I get 
a majority of four-seeded berries I shall not be content. It may interest 
the Editor to know I have one small bunch of Buckland Sweetwater in 
the Grape room now, cut last week, plump, and yet having very few 
berries with more than two stones. If Mr. Taylor’s very inquiring letter 
is the cause of others entering the field I shall be glad, even though 
the evidence may be against me. Setting, stoning, and swelling of 
Grapes cannot but be very important subjects. A’'entilate the whole 
matter thoroughly. Surely some goo i maj' come of it. 1 cannot help 
wondering if the great authorities always succeed in producing the 
normal quantity of stones.— Stephen Castle, Manager, Wed Lynn. 
[The wood sent is good ; perhaps Mr. Taylor will send a sample for 
comparison. The worms will be better where they are than at this 
office.] 
The letter of Mr. AVm. Bardney, in your issue of the 15th instant, is 
not to my mind conclusive as against challenge trophies. If money 
prizes are sufficiently large, why object to challenge trophies ? If Mr. 
Bardney’s contention was carried out to its logical conclusion, the prizes 
in the premier classes in an exhibition would be unfairly large in com¬ 
parison with the remaining classes. Instances are not wanting where 
societies have been eventually injured by too much attention being paid 
to sensational prizes, to the exclusion of sufficient encouragement being 
given to the local and general classes. It is questionable if the popu¬ 
larity which these great prizes would give to an exhibition would not be 
counteracted by the damping effect which their strain upon the resources 
of a society would have upon the general classes. Each exhibitor in 
the latter has his circle of friends, who take greater interest in his 
success than perhaps they do in the premier classes, and a more healthy 
rivalry is created by sufficiently encouraging all classes of exhibitors 
than by giving undue prominence to the larger classes. One of the 
most encouraging signs of the permanence of the interest in Chrysan¬ 
themum growing which has sprung up in recent years, is the hold it has 
taken upon the masses. By all means let the principal prizes be suffi¬ 
ciently large to induce eminent growers to exhibit, and thus put a high 
standard before the rising cultivator, but if a prize of £10 or £15 and 
a challenge cup, with a chance of winning valuable prizes in the other 
classes, is not sufficient, it is questionable if a large prize, such as would 
be the case if the cup were to be finally won at the first competition, 
would have that effect. The letter of the Secretary of the Hull Society 
seems to have the true ring in it, and at the risk of being opposed to the 
opinion of such a competent authority as Mr. Bardney, I must give my 
opinion in favour of challenge vases.— Beverley. 
AMY FURZE—A NEW CLASS WANTED. 
If “ T. AV.” cannot perceive any material difference between his 
suggested plan of relegating hybrid and flat-petalled Japanese to classes 
of admittedly reflexed blooms of Chinese origin, and the counter pro¬ 
posal to fonn a special class for the two former, his perplexity is not to 
be wondered at in respect to decisions arrived at under the present rules 
and schedules. 
Your correspondent does not appear to understand how a bloom of 
Amy Furze may, when young, be considered as a reflexed, while when 
developed it is regarded with less favour as such. AVhen this variety 
was first exhibited and certificated at Kingston it was regarded by all 
who saw it as having a closer resemblance to that type than to any 
other, hence was described as a reflexed variety in the reports and in 
catalogues. The true character of the variety was not then developed. 
Last November Amy Furze was certificated in two collections of plants 
at the Crystal Palace, and though the blooms on the plants were small 
and had not displayed their full character the variety was not certi. 
ficated as a reflexed, but because of its distinctness and attractiveness. 
Some developed examples in stands of rcfle.xed blooms weakened those 
stands without a doubt, and must have done so in the estimation of every 
competent judge in the kingdom, simply because -whatever of the 
reflexeil character they may have displayed when young had departed 
from them, and they then showed unmistakeably their Japanese origin 
and properties. AVhen blooms are staged as reflexed, as such they must 
be judged, and to act on any other basis must, obviously, be to act 
erroneously. 
I have workcil with upwards of a dozen of the best judges in the 
kingdom this year, and not in one instance has there been any evidence of 
