82 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 4, 1686. 
ditions. Sulphur dusted on the leaves and painted on the 
pipes is sometimes resorted to in order to check the ravages 
of mildew; but I would say in this case as in others pre¬ 
vention is better than cure. Shanking may be caused by 
overcropping, sour borders, or sudden checks, and it should 
be the endeavour of all cultivators to avoid all these evil3. 
The question of the temperature necessary for the proper 
culture and ripening of Muscats has been in past years the 
subject of much controversy, some writers maintaining that 
they can be properly ripened under a cool system, and others 
—and I think the majority—maintaining that an extra 
amount of heat is required to properly finish all Grapes be¬ 
longing to the Muscat family. The experience I have gained 
makes me decidedly of the opinion that heat in an extra 
quantity is required for the ripening of Muscats. This has 
sometimes prevented people undertaking their culture, but I 
can assure them that the extra heat and care required will 
be well repaid, for a quantity of Golden Muscats is the result. 
Taking it with all its peculiarities and extra requirements, 
this Muscat is a king among Grapes; it always commands 
due homage when displayed in regal splendour, and the many 
votaries of Horticulture who attend the numerous exhibitions 
throughout the country are ever ready and willing to express 
admiration when this Grape is exhibited in prime condition. 
We know that some hesitate to attempt its culture through 
fear of not being able to provide some of its requirements, 
and to aid these the foregoing notes have been penned. 
For packing and standing a railway journey the Muscat 
is first-rate, as it also is for the dessert table. Its keeping 
qualities are of the best, and altogether it combines such 
excellent and valuable qualities that no one should rest con¬ 
tented who cultivates Grapes and has not successfully grown 
the noble Muscat of Alexandria.— Hortus, 
THE PLEASURE AND PROFIT OF AN AMATEUR IN 
VEGETABLE GROWING. 
The heading was written easily enough, but now how to go 
on I scarcely know. 1 feel that much may be written, but not 
having the fluent pen of “ D., Deal I fear that I cannot do 
justice to my subject. 
Some ten years ago when, living in the country and fresh 
from London, with a small garden attached to my house, I felt 
that it would be healthy amusement to do my own gardening. 
This was the commencement of my interest in horticulture, and 
my first Potato planting followed. I was soon anxious to see 
the product of my labour - too anxious indeed, for I began lifting 
" ben the tubers were but the size of marbles. I was thus taught 
that patience was required, but my heart was in my work, and I 
soon managed to have a constant supply of fine vegetables in my 
garden, obtaining thereby credit from my friends and satisfac- 
tion to myself. Of course this increased my desire to do better, 
and the taste grew on me, as it always will on others, so that I 
began to think of exhibiting. My first attempt was a failure, 
out I now manage to take my fair share of prizes in the vege¬ 
table and fruit classes at the local shows. Year by year I try to 
produce something better than the year previous. As in my 
case so is it in others You begin to take a slight interest and 
dabb.e in the garden, and it soon grows into a never-ending 
pleasure to you. Raising seedling Potatoes, new Melons, 
or Cucumbers never fails to give satisfaction to the man who 
loves his garden. 
Turning to the Brassicas, I believe that there is an open field 
for amateurs with plenty of time, patience, and perseverance 
into which many may tread. Peas, Potatoes, and Beans are so 
good now that we cannot hope for much better; but if Mr. 
Gilbert can produce not only an entirely new vegetable in the 
famous Chou, but improvements on existing varieties, such as 
v ictoria Broccoli, Chou de Gilbert, and Universal Savoy, is it 
not possible that some other vegetables may be produced by 
careful and persistent experiments? For instance, a Sprout 
b aring miniature Cauliflowers all up the stalk in the place of 
miniature Cabbages, as in the Brussels Sprout. Surely it is 
possible. I find that fine Caulifiowers, of which I may feel proud, 
do not find acceptance in the kitchen, but hints are thrown out 
that smaller produce is better for the table, so why cannot we 
try to produce them small, but in great abundance, on one stalk? 
. believe there are no bounds to Nature’s possibilities when 
assisted by man's care and patience- How I envy floriculturists 
What a boundless field they have. 
After all this rigmarole you will naturally ask, What is the 
profit ? I added above “ of an amateur.” As a profitable under¬ 
taking in a monetary sense I will not venture to give an opinion 
in these bad days. The profit I allude to is the employment of 
your mind in a groove far removed from your everyday business 
cares and domestic anxieties, combined with physical labour of 
the healthiest kind, which will go far to give you an enjoyment 
of your meals, and an elastic feeling of superabundant energy. 
What other pleasure, what other hobby, what other occupation 
will pleasurably employ your mind and healthily exercise your 
body? None, save horticulture. How you can enjoy sowing 
the seed, watching the crop gradually growing to maturity, and 
when ready for use do not your own vegetables, which you 
have yourself tended, taste far better for the interest you have 
taken in their production ? 
I do love my garden, and I heartily thank our Editor and 
our Journal’s contributors for fostering the love of horticul¬ 
ture in the hearts of so many of their readers.—H. S. Easts. 
CARNATION MISS JOLLIFFE. 
This is now a comparatively old variety, and is so well known 
that to praise it would be superfluous I shall therefore endeavour 
to point out some qualities which may have escaped the notice of 
some of its admirers. It is so well known as the best variety 
for supplying flowers during the darkest days of winter, that its 
value as a flowering plant at other seasons may well be over¬ 
looked, especially when the ordinary method of propagating 
young stock every spring with the concurrent dismissal of the old 
plants to the rubbish ground forms the general method of culture. 
If those who have healthy plants of this Carnation flowering, 
say in 6-inch pots, will take care of (hem, placing them into 
8-inch pots in April, the blooms these will provide in early summer 
will be most valuable. They do moderately well in the same 
6- inch pots, but as compared with the shifted plants these 
are much inferior. And the same plants will continue flowering 
more or less all through the year. Indeed, the most floriferous 
plants in midwinter we have seen have been some of these plants 
so treated. I like to grow them in good loam and cowdung, and 
when they reach the period for extra food to be supplied it is 
regularly given them. 
Reverting to these as summer-flowering plants, it may be 
added that they are excellently fitted for arranging amongst 
Pelargoniums and other greenhouse plants, while for furnishing 
vases of cut flowers few can excel them. A good branch ought 
to produce four good blooms at the point of the shoot and several 
smaller blooms down the stem. These cut the full length of the 
stem make quite a feature in an arrangement of cut flowers. 
The best time to propagate this and other Carnations is not 
in spring in heat, but in summer. Sturdy side shoots taken off in 
July, inserted in the open garden and covered with handglasses, 
strike very freely. An efficient method of shading these hand¬ 
glasses is to dip each one into water, then sprinkle fine sand over 
its inner surface before it has had time to become dry. This 
shading will last good in all kinds of weather until it is removed. 
When the cuttings are rooted the handglasses are removed and 
the plants left to grow until September, when they are placed 
into 3-inch pots and left out of doors until the middle of October, 
when a cold frame is the best place for them, in which they 
remain until spring, of course plenty of air being admitted in 
favourable weather. All varieties of tree Carnations are best 
propagated as above. The variety Souvenir de la Malmaison 
strikes with certainty, andjstrong plants are secured to begin 
with the spring, as those which escaped pinching in the autumn 
are ready at this season, many of them bristling with growths 
close to the base ready to advance with the return of genial 
weather.—B. 
THE BEST 'MELONS. 
Nearly every grower has his special favourites, but it does 
not follow that these are best for all persons, one reason for this 
among several being the important fact that so much depends 
upon the conveniences of the cultivator, as well as the taste of 
those for whom the fruit are grown. At the same time, a few 
remarks on the various sorts that have come under my notice 
may be of service to intending cultivators who may yet be un¬ 
decided as to which to select. The Committee of the Foyal 
Horticultural Society undoubtedly adjudicate impartially upon 
the many seedlings submitted to them, but after all it is by no 
means certain that the certificates are awarded to sorts that are 
likely to become popular. The raisers fully understand the 
