March 11, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
185 
COMING EVENTS 
ll 
Th 
Royal Society at 4.30 p.m. 
12 
F 
Quekett Club at 8 P.M. 
13 
S 
Royal Botanic Society at 3.45 P.M. 
14 
SUN 
1st Sunday in Lent. 
15 
M 
16 
TU 
Manchester Spring Show (two days). [logic.il Society at 7 p.m. 
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Bristol Spring Show (two days). Society of Arts at 8 P.M. Meteoio- 
MIDSEASON GRAPES. 
some cases Grapes will be ripe in April, and in 
numerous instances in May, but all these must 
be included as early Grapes, and it is those which 
ripen in July and August which we regard as 
midseason Grapes. Throughout the best part 
of the season most varieties of Grapes may be 
depended on to ripen in five months after the 
Vines have been started into growth, and, taking 
this as a guide, it will be seen that to have 
Grapes ripe by the end of July the Vines must be started 
early in March. This is an excellent time for anyone to 
start their Vines into growth, more especially amateurs. 
Vines started in December and January require the close 
attention of skilled cultivators; and it is much the same 
when starting in February, as artificial appliances must almost 
be wholly depended upon, but in March, April, and onwards 
the days are lengthening, the sun gaining strength—natural 
advantages of the utmost service to the Vines, and I strongly 
advise all who are not thoroughly experienced to delay 
starting their Vines until March, and natural aids will lighten 
their labours and anxieties, wood, foliage, and fruit being 
produced of such a substantial character as would be quite 
impossible in the short days. If the vinery is closed now 
it will be three weeks before the leaves are visible, and they 
will just be coming out in the early days of April, when 
forcing is a very simple matter and may be accomplished 
by all. 
In places where vineries are not numerous a long succes¬ 
sion of Grapes is generally secured by planting early and late 
varieties together, such as the Black Hamburgh, Foster’s 
Seedling, and Buckland Sweetwater, with Lady Downe’s, 
Black Alicante, and Gros Colman. All these succeed 
admirably when started now, as the early fruit will be ripe 
in July, and if abundance of air is admitted at that time 
the late varieties are brought slowly to maturity and are 
thoroughly ripened in good time in the autumn. Everything 
considered we do not know a better time to start a vinery 
than the present, and the whole of our vineries will be closed 
for that purpose this week. At first fire heat should only be 
employed very sparingly, as the temperature should not 
exceed 60° by night when it is mild, and a few degrees less in 
cold nights. 
Throughout the 
day a temperature of 65° is 
quite high enough by artificial heat, but when the sun shines 
brightly 75° or 80° may be allowed. 
It is a decidedly bad plan to allow the thermometer to 
register 80 Q or from that to 90° before the ventilators are 
opened to admit fresh air, and it is always better to ventilate 
to prevent the temperature rising too fast or too high than 
ventilate extensively to lower it suddenly. Until the leaves 
appear, however, ventilating is not a very important matter, 
but as soon as they begin to develope they are very tender 
and easily scorched, and the brown spots on Vine leaves, which 
we often hear of throughout the season, are frequently the 
result of careless ventilation when the leaves are forming, as 
No. 298, —Vol, XII., Third Series. 
when they are burned then the spots remain the whole of the 
year. 
The first thing requiring particular attention as soon as 
the vinery is closed is the watering of the roots. When the 
borders are inside they are, as a rule, allowed to become very 
dry in winter, with the object of keeping the interior of the 
house free from damp, and a dust-dry border is not easily 
moistened. It cannot be done at one watering, and to do it 
thoroughly it must be watered several days in succession. 
At first we should give a good application of clean water, to 
be repeated until we felt sure that the water had been 
absorbed by the very dry soil at the bottom ; we should then 
follow with a copious supply of liquid manure, and place a 
deep layer of rich manure on the surface. In a week or so 
afterwards much clean water would be poured on this manure 
and be allowed to find its way to the roots ; the Vines will 
then break freely all over, and form very strong shoots and 
substantial bunches. We have frequently had Vines pointed 
out to us which failed to start like the rest, and as they were 
generally at the warm end of the house, where their owner 
thought they ought to be best ripened and the first to start, 
their shyness in bursting into growth was very puzzling; but 
Vines at the hot end of houses seldom receive more water than 
the others, while their chances of becoming dry are greater, 
and an extra soaking of the border would cause them to go 
on right in the majority of cases. 
Outside borders, unless they have been protected from the 
winter rain, are never dry and rarely require watering before 
closing the house, or, indeed, until summer, but a heavy top¬ 
dressing of manure does as much good on an outside border 
as an inside one, and this should be put on not later than 
the time the house is closed. It is almost impossible to over¬ 
feed Vines, and were they more liberally dealt with, as a rule, 
we would soon see them with larger foliage and finer developed 
fruit. A humid atmosphere is also necessary to insure the 
free starting and expansion of the wood, foliage, and fruit. On 
dull days the Vines should be syringed at least once daily, 
and in bright weather they should be syringed twice, about 
9 a.m., and from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The floor of the house 
ought also to be kept moist, and if there are any troughs on 
the pipes they should be filled with water. Under these 
easily applied conditions it is astonishing what rapid progress 
Vines will make, and when the atmosphere is moist there is 
little danger of insects making much headway, which is a very 
important matter, as, if Vines become infested with insects 
during the early days of their growth, all hopes may be given 
up of securing a fine crop of fruit.—A Kitchen Gardener. 
LIME AND TOP-DRESSING LAWNS. 
If one thing more than another adds to the beauty of a 
garden through the summer months it is a perfectly green 
well-kept lawn. The last two summers have been exception¬ 
ally dry, and many lawns suffered in consequence. Last year 
we noticed lawns quite brown, while others in the same 
locality were green and beautiful. The cause of many lawns 
being browned directly dry weather sets in is due to the 
wretchedly poor condition of the soil. Lawns that are kept 
closely mown for years are certain to become exhausted if no 
attempt is made to improve the fertility of the ground. In 
many districts moss seems to luxuriate, and quickly covers 
the surface of the ground if not constantly stirred, and in 
such localities it generally takes possession of the lawns to 
the detriment of all the smaller and finer grasses, if it doe3 
not entirely eradicate them, which is certain to be the case 
if not destroyed. Impoverished lawns in this condition can 
be wonderfully improved in one season, and if the dressing is 
separated for a year or two a thorough renovation will be 
effected. If a rich top-dressing cannot be given lime is cheap 
enough in most localities, and this if freely applied will 
destroy moss, and grasses will spring up in its place. The 
lime if obtained fresh should be exposed to the atmosphere 
No.' 1954.— Yol, LXXIV., Old Serie?. 
