378 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 29, 1885. 
Gilchrist, however, rath°r misinterprets the sense of my remarks, espe¬ 
cially with regard to cutting back the laterals that have perfected 
exhibition bunches. What I plainly stated on page 274 was that those 
early and most severely pruned laterals do not, according to my experience, 
produce nearly such fine bunches the following season, but I did not 
express the opinion or imply that the remaining spurs would he also 
weakened. Then if this happens in the case of these particular spurs it 
is quite possible for much injury to be done by a wholesale premature 
shortening back. The instance I gave of such an injury apparently thus 
accruing may perhaps add but little to my theory, as overcropping, as 
Mr. Gilchrist suggests on page 321, may have been the sole cause. There 
is not the slightest doubt, I should say, about the wisdom of the judicious 
shortening of the laterals, and my object in referring at length to the by 
»© means new practice was both to elicit opinions from others more 
experienced in the matter than myself, and also to warn others from a 
reckless abuse of the system. We cut this season about eighteen bunches 
of Black Hamburgh for exhibition purposes, and in some cases we were 
almost unavoidably obliged to cut away the laterals to within 3 or 4 inches 
of the rods, and this from experience I can safely assert will result in the 
iormation of smaller bunches on those particular spurs. They will, how¬ 
ever, be marked and the results duly noted, and next season I hope to 
hear of a good many growers’ experience in the same direction. 
Now that so many of us have caught the “ Chrysanthemum fever ” 
early pruning will be extensively resorted to “ in order that they may let 
in more light to the Chrysanthemums that have to be put insidebut let 
us hope this “letting in of light” may not be overdone, the “Mums” 
being unduly favoured at the expense of the Vines. It must be remem¬ 
bered that it is in the autumn when the latter recoup their nearly 
exhausted energies, and it is at this time that the root-action should be 
particularly brisk, and if we remove the foliage at a wholesale rate we 
greatly diminish both the storing up of food and the formation of fibre. 
On the other hand, if we gradually shorten the laterals so as to leave 
about four or five fully developed leaves, these are sufficient to maintain a 
reciprocal action with the roots, and will store up the bulk of the food 
where it is most desirable—viz., at the base of the laterals. This judicious 
shortening also favours thorough ripening, and lets a certain amount of 
light into the house, but certainly not enough for a bank of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, unless the Vines were either early or more thinly disposed than is 
usually the case. 
In reply to “ J. L. B.” concerning the advisability of an early removal 
of the lower sub-laterals, I can only remark that in tkis as in many other 
cases very much depends upon circumstances. Our main rods are 
42 inches apart, and we can therefore lay in the laterals to a good length, 
which we do, and closely rub out all the sub-laterals. All we aim to 
secure, whether rightly or wrongly, is plenty of fine foliage without 
unduly crowding it, and I fail to see what good the retention of the sub¬ 
laterals would do. Where the rods are only 2 feet or rather more apart, 
the laterals must be necessarily correspondingly short, and in this case the 
removal of the sub-laterals might very probably result in the premature 
bursting of many of the buds. Besides, if it is an undoubted fact that 
the leaves all contribute to the stock of stored-up sap, and if we cannot 
have them in one place we must preserve more in another.—W. IgguldeN. 
THOUGHTS ON CURRENT TOPICS. 
I shall always be glad if any correspondent will advance a few 
ideas for me to think about. If they are good I will endeavour to 
profit by them ; if of the other sort try to make the best of them. 
Our old critic “ Non-Believer ” has been tempted from his obscurity 
once more. Faithful to his nom de plume he only writes to oppose. 
His unbelief appears to be of a genuinely chronic kind, and the 
more attention he bestows on my humble efforts the greater the 
honour—to myself. 
I daresay your acute correspondent thinks he has fixed me on 
a crucial point—the degradation of exhibiting as exemplified in 
promoters of shows having as a main object the attraction of 
visitors and consequently good financial receipts in the form of gate 
money. But I shall survive the soft impeachment (no emphasis on 
the “soft’ please). If the proceeds of horticultural exhibitions 
were appropriated by the managers, then their action would be 
“ low ” indeed and absolutely indefensible ; but as it is not so, as 
numbers of them work zealously and gratuitously, and are out of 
pocket into the bargain, I am prepared to say their procedure is 
commendable. 
Let us think the matter over calmly before passing a verdict of 
condemnation on the managers of exhibitions who strive to do their 
duty. In the first place “ where does the money go ” that is re¬ 
ceived for admission ? First to the necessary administration, then 
in the form of prizes to successful competitors. If gardeners were 
content to show for smaller prizes, and esteem the honour of 
winning a reward in itself, plus costs incurred, persons who are 
responsible for the success of societies would be delighted, as they 
would be relieved of a great cause of anxiety in respect of the 
The fact of the case is this—nine-tenths of those who make 
themselves responsible for the success of exhibitions of garden 
products are imbued with a deep love of gardening, and are 
animated with an earnest desire to induce others to love it too. 
They are willing to work almost night and day in what they believe, 
and I believe, and what I think the majority of the readers of these 
notes believe, is a worthy object, and the efforts they make to 
obtain the necessary means for achieving their end is, I respectfully 
submit, in every way creditable and not degrading. 
The greater the number of visitors who attend shows the 
better in every way—the better for the visitors, who not only derive 
pleasure from inspecting the products of skilled cultivators, but are 
animated with a desire to become cultivators too, and thus a wider 
and deeper interest is taken in the art of horticulture. The more 
visitors the more money ; the more money the larger the schedules 
and better the prizes ; the better the prizes the greater the com¬ 
petition ; and the greater the competition the better the products 
must be to secure honours. Thus it seems to me that superior 
culture is the most encouraged by those societies that are the most 
financially successful. When gardeners are willing to exhibit as 
well for small prizes as they do for large, and when the affluent will 
defray administrative expenses, it will be soon enough to denounce 
“ gate money ; ” but such a millennium is not yet arrived, and 
judging by past episodes is not approaching. Instead of gardeners 
magnanimously ignoring money, I could tell of more than one who 
in their view had not received their “ pound of flesh,” threatened 
managers of shows with actions, and of disputed cases being settled 
under protest to avoid proceedings that would not have tended to 
the promotion of horticulture. I doubt very much if even “ Non 
Believer ” will non-believe that. 
I thought it a little curious that, with the object of drawing up 
a “ protest,’’ the weight of the names of such once-eminent per¬ 
sonages and old-time horticulturists as Mr. Knight, Mr. Wedgwood, 
and Sir Joseph Banks should be invoked. By the association of 
such personages with himself your correspondent may have given a 
literary finish to his production ; but however eminent the 
quartet the trio at least knew little more about the management of 
horticultural shows of the present period than did old Mother 
Hubbard, and far greater authorities on the subject are the 
secretaries of Horticultural Societies now established, who know 
very well that without good financial support they are powerless 
to “ encourage horticulture ” in a satisfactory manner. They there¬ 
fore exert themselves to obtain that which is a necessity of the very 
existence of societies, and those which are the most flourishing 
reward merit the best and advance the art and industry of horticul¬ 
ture the most effectually. 
After this defence of a body of men who are accused of being 
engaged in a “ low ” calling, “ Non-Believer ” may have some sort 
of excuse for rivetting me to a creed. He had none whatever 
before, and the critic who cannot discriminate between a narration 
of circumstances—the acts of others, and the formulation of a creed 
by the narrator, is either wanting in perception or is animated by an 
object of not a particularly elevating character. The credit of the 
suggestion, that I do not care whether fruit and flowers are well 
cultivated or not, rests with him who advanced it, and I have an 
impression that he will not have a rush of followers who will covet 
a share of the “ honour.” I have the happiness of entertaining a 
better opinion of others who may differ from me on sundry points, 
and envy not the disposition of any person who derives pleasure 
in searching for and attributing to others motives of professional 
disloyalty. 
As to the question of exhibiting summer Grapes only at late 
summer and autumn shows, I have as yet seen nothing to induce me 
to alter my expressed opinion, and if “Non-Believer” is in a 
position to say that he has never exhibited Grapes that were not 
ripe and in the best condition for table, and on that account received 
no prize for them, I shall attach more weight to his remarks than 
I am able to do at present. As I expect no declaration from others 
I am unwilling to make myself, I at once say that, whatever disad¬ 
vantages I happen to labour under, I am at least not a disappointed 
exhibitor, and am absolutely without prejudice in discussing this 
matter. 
Nor do I think all the writing that is indulged in will result in 
any satisfactory Grape competition in the winter on the lines that 
have been suggested. It will do good if it impresses on managers 
of shows the importance and even the necessity of greater care in 
the appointment of Judges ; and if, as was previously mentioned, 
a line of guidance were appended to certain classes in the schedules, 
neither exhibitors nor Judges would have any excuse for any mis- 
