568 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 31, 1891. 
every lateral, anl in the space of 6 feet run of rod in several instances 
fourteen bunches of Grapes could be counted, so close that the bunches 
touch, and which Mr. Castle puts, and I think without exaggeration, at 
more than 40 lbs. weight for each rod. This sight drew from me the 
exclamation that the weight was too great; but my guide again pointed 
out the strong leaders, as thick as one’s middle finger, that the Vines 
had made and clothed with plump buds, giving promise for better 
results another year. The remaining portion of this house was planted 
in 1890, and these young Vines were allowed to carry two or three 
bunches of Grapes near the surface of the border, and the deep black 
colour and fine bloom on some of them gave evidence that they had 
plenty of strength. One bunch on a Gros Colman Vine was so much 
like Alnwick Seedling in every particular that if cut and staged as such 
it would deceive the best judge, but strange, the remaining bunch 
exhibited Gros Colman in its true character, and the young rods they 
have made lefo nothing to be desired. 
The borders to this, as well as to the several other houses that succeed 
it, are planted in the natural soil, which is a sandy loam of moderate 
depth resting on gravel. The ground was previously cropped with Potatoes, 
and all the preparation made for the reception of the Vines was to trench 
18 inches deep, no manure or anything else being added. Length, 78 feet. 
The description of No. 4 also applies to No. 5, except that the house is 
rather longer ; and No. 6 is 90 feet long, was planted in 1889 with Gros 
Colman and Muscat of Alexandria, and here the crop was almost as 
prodigious as that in the two preceding houses. No. 7 is 120 feet by 
20 feet, also planted with Gros Colman ; and to give some idea of their 
health and strength a leaf of one of the Vines in No. 7 was measured 
and found to be 15 inches long by 15 inches broad. The whole of the 
foliage look healthy, and have not that parched appearance that marks 
this kind in many places. No. 8 is a large span-roofed house about 
100 feet long by 20 wide, and was planted last March with Gros Colman. 
It was from this house the fine crops of winter Tomatoes were taken. 
The Vines are planted at the front of the house near the hot-water 
pipes, and the Tomatoes are on either side of the pathway near the 
centre, and are up to the roof. No. 9 is a lean-to, and was one of the 
first to be planted with Vines. This house, which is in three divisions, 
is 200 feet long. Many of the rods were carrying 40 lbs. of Grapes. 
Some bunches of Alicante and Gros Colman would turn the scale at 
5 lbs., and to show that there has been no diminution in their strength is 
seen by the leaders, which have this season reached the top of the 
house, and they are apparently as strong as though the Vines were 
carrying no Grapes, at least as strong as it would be safe to be con¬ 
sistent to getting them well ripened. 
The remaining long range, which is 130 feet long in three divisions, 
and probably 30 feet wide, the first division entered was planted this spring 
with Gros Maroc, and the Vines were making excellent progress. Mr. 
Castle made this house the first to point to convince me of the damage 
done by frost last March after the Vines have commenced to move into 
growth, as they were killed to the ground, but this I can readily under¬ 
stand with the imperfect heating arrangement, for which he is not 
responsible, and which it is his wish to remedy (and no man is better 
able to do so) at the earliest possible date. Whatever check these 
young Vines mayShave had early in the season, they leave under the 
able management here nothing to be desired, as many of them have 
grown to the top of the house, a distance of not less than 30 feet. The 
next division is planted with Muscat of Alexandria, and these also are as 
promising as the first division. The last division is planted with Alicante, 
and all are doing well, as there are two sets of Vines in each of these 
divisions, one set on each side close to the pipes at the outside of the 
house and another set on either side of the path, which is down the 
middle, and at the usual distance, 3 feet apart, that being the distance 
allowed here ; each row contains twenty-five Vines, or 100 to each divi¬ 
sion. As I have previously stated, no manure is put into the border at 
planting time, and it must be patent to all that something must be 
given to maintain the strength and vigour of these Vines, and this, Mr. 
Castle assures me, is silicate, for except a little cow manure that has 
been had very recently for mulching purposes, and which has not had 
time to benefit the crop, no other manure has been had on the place. 
The silicate, which has the appearance of sand highly charged with 
ammonia and other fertilising matter, and is in the form of a dry powder. 
This is strewed over the surface of the border, and watered in with the 
hose. It would be useless to attempt any such an undertaking as is here 
seen without a good water supply, which is provided on the spot by 
erecting large galvanised tanks at the highest part of the garden, which 
are filled by means of pumps worked by a gas engine, and stand pipes 
are set at convenient places in the houses, so that every part of the 
borders can be reached. 
Grapes are not the only things grown at these Vineyards, as there has 
already been upwards of four tons of Tomatoes packed off the present 
season, and that they have been fruitful there can be no question, and 
the first bunches have formed within a few inches of the ground. There 
was also a large stock, 1000 plants, of Elaine Chrysanthemums, which 
were looking remarkably well. 
The Grape room is not by any means one of the least interesting 
features of this fine establishment. This is situated at the back of the 
range of vineries No. 9, which are lean-to. The range of sheds run the 
entire length of the houses, which, it will be remembered, are 200 feet 
long. The first portion is used as a packing shed, store room, and for 
various purposes ; but the far end for about 30 feet has been made into 
a Grape room, and is a model of its kind, and is another mark of the 
original and practical mind of the Superintendent. The whole of this 
range is heated with a flow and return 4-inch pipe. The division that 
has been fitted up for the Grape room has hollow double front walls, 
and boarded roof covered with asphalt, and being on the north side of 
the vineries it is not affected by solar influence. The entrance to this 
room is provided with double partitions and doors, so that on entering 
the first door may be closed before the second is opened, so as to avoid 
an inrush of dry air. The front and back of this room is boarded up, 
and by means of angular blocks screwed to the boards, on which another 
board is fastened, forming pockets or brackets, are formed the entire 
length, into which small champagne bottles are set at suitable distances, 
a small block fastened at a certain distance up the boards at the back, 
and at the right height to prevent the bottles tipping up with the weight 
of the bunch when that is inserted. The house was empty at the 
time of my visit, but those who have seen this house with a great 
number of bunches of Gros Colman hanging say it is a sight not easily 
forgotten, and it must be good to fully answer the expectations 
of the designer. While many growers have cause to complain that their 
Grapes deteriorate in colour when bottled, Mr. Castle declares that his 
improve considerably for a very long time. His method of testing that 
is somewhat new to me—viz., to stroke one of the berries with his 
finger, and he avers that the mark in question will be almost effaced 
after a time, which is proof that the change in the berries is going on in 
the right direction. The room is perfectly dark, but means are provided 
for ventilation by means of ventilating shafts let into the roof at suitable 
distances. In conclusion I may be permitted to say that however much 
there may be to admire at this Grape-growing establishment at the 
present time there is proof everywhere that greater results are to follow, 
and in the near future too, for Mr. Castle is not one of those men who 
need three or .four seasons to establish Vines in a fruitful state. 
—C. Warden; 
FEEDING OUR FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CROPS. 
Complaints about the ineffectiveness of applications of bonemeal 
or other plain phosphates or superphosphates to orchards, vineyards, 
small fruit patches, and vegetable gardens are nothing at all uncommon. 
Yet such negative results are just the ones that should have been 
expected. Why 1 Because the substances named have little or nothing- 
of value besides phosphoric acid, of which fruit and garden crops 
require very small quantities. 
The following table will show, approximately, what great demands 
for potash fruit and vegetable crops are making on the soil. This table 
gives the number of pounds of the principal plant foods removed in a 
full crop. 
Full Crop, per Acre. 
Nitrogen, 
LBS. 
Potash, 
lbs. 
Phos. Acid, 
lbs. 
Apples, 15 tons . 
30 
45 
3 
Pears, 10 tons . 
12 
36 
10 
Plums, 2 tons . 
16 
8 
o 
Grapes, 4 tons . 
13 
40 
12 
Sugar Beets, 20 tons . 
110 
72 
12 
Carrots, 20 tons . 
70 
150 
24 
Mangolds, 20 tons . 
90 
160 
18 
Turnips, 20 tons . 
75 
110 
25 
Onions . 
32 
26 
23 
In all this we have not yet taken any account of the plant foods 
that have gone into the foliage and the wood of the trees and bushes. 
Here again potash is just the substance needed in considerable quantity. 
The leaves dropping in autumn may remain on the ground under the 
trees and bushes, and thus return their constituents to the soil; or they 
may be blown away by the autumn gales into fence corners, road sides 
and ditches, and thus be lost to the soil. The prunings also may be 
burned up in the orchard or fruit patch, giving their mineral con¬ 
stituents back to the soil; or they may be carted off and burned in 
some back field, where the ashes will do no good to the orchard. Usually 
there is from these sources at least some loss, chiefly in potash, that, 
together with what the fruit crop has taken off, will have to be made 
good again by application of manure. 
The table here given may not be more than approximately correct, 
yet it shows that iu fruit crops we remove from the soil an amount of 
potash, ten, fifteen, and often more times as large as that of phosphoric 
acid. Many farmers imagine that orchards need no manuring. Perhaps 
a crop of grass, with all its large amount of potash, is taken off besides. 
With such great and incessant drain on the potash supply, it will not 
be long before that supply is getting too short to allow healthy growth 
of tree, vine or bush, and a full crop of fruit. 
Phosphoric acid is used in only small quantities. For these reasons 
bonemeal, phosphates, &c., alone, are not what is wanted for a fruit 
tree manure. Potash is needed more than any other substances, and 
unleached wood ashes is one of the best forms, if not the very best, in 
which this can be applied. Where good ashes can be bought at ten to 
fifteen cents a bushel, we will not often be able to get a better or cheaper 
fertiliser. 
y Prof. C. C. James, of Ontario, Canada, recommended at a recent fruit 
