190 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 11, 1886. 
myself have recommended, would change the nature of the soil, prevent 
clubbing, and add to the fertility of the land for several years without a 
further application. “ A. L. G.” condemns my method of applying lime, 
but what really is the difference between his system and my own ? Prac¬ 
tically there is none. He writes “ pricked in,” and I say Dig ic in. 
Digging the ground by both is advised, and if manure is to be used it 
should be dug in before the lime is applied. 
I have learned by practice that 12 per cent, of lime reduced to powder 
is not too much to incorporate with limeless soil for Vines. I am willing 
to grant that the fibre of the loam may be decomposed somewhat more 
quickly than would be the case if not mixed with the soil ; but had not 
this better be done than the Vines grown for a number of years without 
sufficient lime in the soil in such a condition that they could take it up 
and utilise it for their support ? Plants only take up by their roots in a 
liquid state what food they require—that is, water, other substances being 
dissolved in it. I do not here allude to what they take from the atmo¬ 
sphere by their branches and leaves. This being the case, how long 
■would it be before the whole or nearly whole bones advised were sufficiently 
dissolved to supply the requisite quantity of lime to the Vines ? I have 
made Vine borders on this principle, not with whole bones, but inch and 
half-inch sizes with the dust left in. This produced wood strong enough, 
but it was always pithy—never had that firmness desirable in well ripened 
canes. When line was applied, as recommended in my first and second 
article on this subject, it changed this state of things, and the process has 
been continued because it has proved advantageous. I think it is of very 
little moment whether bones are used fresh or not, for the loam selected 
for Vine borders is generally, or should be, rich in nitrogenous food—in 
fact, too rich, and failure is not unfrequently the result. Vine borders 
made but a few years ago with flesh and bones freely incorporated 
were, by all accounts, to revolutionise Vine-growing; but the reverse 
proved the case, for the borders were poisoned and the Vines proved a 
failure. 
On page 153 “ A. L. G.” writes—“ If slacked lime is applied it 
would be better as a top-dressing, but not in the way Mr. Bardney ad 
vises;” and further it is stated—“It would be better to give the lime 
first and wash it in before applying the compost.” On page 37 I wrote 
—“ The lime was mixed with water in a tank outside the house, and then 
poured upon the border and washed in with tepid water. In autumn 
several barrowfuls were worked into the border.” How does your correspon¬ 
dent suppose it was worked into the border but into the surface, and what 
would he call this but atop-dressing? Again, at the close of my first 
article, page 38, I write—“ In cases where borders have been made with 
soil from a sandstone formation, and the Grapes are not colouring well, 
or the Vines not satisfactory in other respects, and the quantity of lime 
given them has been small, they might be materially improved by a 
liberal dressing for a season or two, the dressing of manure being dis¬ 
pensed with for that time.” It is needless for me to write further on this 
head. 
The small quantity of ammonia that might be driven off by incorpo¬ 
rating lime with the compost is not worth naming. The whole ingredients 
of the compost when placed upon the border become part of it, and are 
not removed in autumn and winter. I do not believe in putting it on to 
take it oil again, but what is given is taken full possession of annually by 
the roots. Mushroom-bed refuse, or the manure from hotbeds that may 
be used, is placed upon the border as a mulching, so as to keep the com¬ 
post beneath moist. This is removed annually, bat not that incorporated 
with the loam and lime, and which adds humus to the border. If 
A. L. G.” puts manure on Vine borders annually and takes it all off 
again I am afraid the roots of his Vines are not very near the surface, 
or if so he must destroy a great quantity in its removal. Good agricul¬ 
tural soils are supposed to contain from 3 to 10 per cent, of humus, and 
a rich garden at least 25 per cent. This is three times the quantity, and 
if a Vine border is not as rich in humus as the last then it ought to be. 
I do not know what is the condition of “ A. L. G.’s ” border, but mice 
are rich in humus, and so are the majority of others from which good 
Grapes are cut.— Wm. Bardney. 
“T. S.” writes: “Will Mr. Bardney kindly say if he measures his 
lime fresh from the kiln or after slacking ? I presume it is in the first- 
named state, but as slacked lime occupies more space than stone, I should 
like to be clear on the point.” 
Replying to this question our correspondent sends the following 
note :— 
“ The lime used for the kitchen garden was measured as received and 
before slacking, but for Vffie borders after being reduced to powder. We 
generally keep a quantity of lime in an open shed during the winter for 
mixing in the compost for top-dressing and working into fruit tree borders. 
This frequently absorbs sufficient moisture to cause it to fall without 
having to apply any, except perhaps to any lumps in the interior of the 
heap." 
POTATOES FOR EXHIBITION. 
I WAS much interested in Mr. Iggulden’s remarks under this heading, 
but I cannot understand why Mr. Howard should grow Edgcott Purple 
for the last time in 1885 “ owing to the quality being second rate or 
worse and yet farther on Mr. Howard selects it with eleven others as 
“ good for both table and show ” Surely there is a mistake here. I see 
Mr. Bresee is retained. With me, on my very light soil, it is a handsome 
and prolific Potato, but I can only call the quality second rate ; and it 
frequently has streaks of pink right through, which does not improve it s 
appearance on the table. White Elephant has been good with me the last 
two years, but before it was inclined to be waxy. 
I miss two Potatoes from Mr. Howard’s list which I find exceedingly 
good in quality and appearance, Sharpe’s Victor and Matchless. They 
are both great favourites of mine, and I cannot find a fault with them. 
Perhaps they may be of inferior quality elsewhere, for it really is very 
striking how Potatoes differ according to locality. 
We have now had Mr. Marriott on Peas, Mr. Iggulden on Potatoes 
and Melons, and Mr. Abbey on Melons. Is it asking too much to request 
some of your able contributors to give us their ©pinions and experience in 
Cucumber culture, or Beans, or Onions ? So far I find Purley Park Hero 
Cucumber, Ne Pius Ultra and Negro Mammoth Dwarf Beans, and a 
selection of White Spanish Onion the best to grow. Can I do better ?— 
H. S. Easty. 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 
These plants liave been much improved of late years, and as 
a consequence they have become most deservedly popular. Yet 
they are by no means generally so well known as might have 
been reasonably expected. There are few amateur or profes¬ 
sional gardeners who have not made an attempt to cultivate 
Tuberous Begonias, but only a small per-centage succeed as they 
hoped. The true cause of so many failures is an over-anxiety, 
this leading to coddling and other mistaken practices, especially 
at the commencement of the growing season, which ultimately 
reduces the plants to a sickly appearance, and for which there is 
no cure during that season at least. There is really nothing to 
prevent all classes growing these beautiful Begonias, as they are 
essentially everybody’s flowers, being equally as well adapted for 
window as house culture. 
My first serious attempt at the cultivation of Tuberous 
Begonias was made about five years ago with a strain kindly sent 
from Drumlanrig by Mr. D. Thomson, and although the sorts 
obtained are not so showy and beautiful as those raised from 
seed since supplied by Messrs. J. Laing & Co. and Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, they possess much stronger constitution, the 
tubers now being large enough to produce numerous strong 
growths. They are kept for conservatory decoration, and are 
useful for back rows. Home-saved seed invariably germinates 
most surely, but I am disposed to think the purchased seed may 
either be mixed—that is to say, is of two or more season’s growth, 
or the strains are choicer and therefore possessing less vitality. 
It is a well-known characteristic of extra choice sorts to be of 
delicate growth. Instead of grumbling as many do at the small¬ 
ness of a packet of seed, and it must be admitted packets of 
choice Begonia seed are very small indeed, the novice and even 
the experienced ought to be thankful that one cause of disap¬ 
pointment may by this means be averted. It is in this way. We 
sow all the seed, and if fortunate the greater part germinate, but 
as all are not wanted, there being more than can be properly 
grown, only the strongest are pricked off and the best as it were 
left in the seed pan to perish, simply owing to their being passed 
over in favour of their stronger yet inferior brethren. When 
we have only comparatively few seeds we of necessity cultivate 
every plant obtained from the sowing, and thereby secure one or 
several valuable sorts that are worth much more than the seed 
cost, and the remainder perhaps will be also considered worth 
keeping for a time. I have been supplied with tubers of several 
good double varieties, but from one packet of seed we have 
secured several very fine sorts, including two valuable whites, 
really superior to the named sorts I mention this because so 
many complain to me of their “bad luck ” with seed of double 
sorts, and for which they have most frequently themselves to 
blame. We have also raised several very good singles from seed, 
but as a rule they are not equal to the choice named sorts, of 
which tubers are distributed in a dry state. 
1 consider the first week in February a good time to sow 
the seeds, as at this time the sun has not gained much power ; 
whereas if the operation is delayed till late in the spring, a great 
difficulty is experienced in keeping the seed pans uniformly moist 
without also either disturbing the minute seeds or the delicate 
seedlings. A mild hotbed, in preference to any drier heat, 
formed in a forcing house, is the most favourable position for 
raising the seedlings, but many, with a little extra trouble, are 
also very successful with Cucumber or Melon frames only. 
Either pans or well-drained pots are suitable, these being pre¬ 
pared for the seeds by having the drainage covered with any 
rough material, on this being placed sufficient fine peaty soil, or 
failing this sifted loam and leaf soil in equal proportions, adding 
sand freely to fill them up to the rim. This should be made firm 
and quite smooth and level, and then either lightly soaked in a 
tank or tub of warm water, or be properly moistened through a 
fine-rose watering pot. After the water is drained out of the 
pots or pans, as the case may be, the seed may be sown, this 
