94 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 31, 1889. 
EVENING NOTES. 
A SPAKE half hour can occasionally be found after the day’s work 
is done for jotting down a few ideas that reading suggests, when time 
could not be found for writing an exhaustive article on a given subject. 
A few of such notes I send, penned in spare moments, and perchance 
they may find space in the Journal, and it may be prove suggestive to 
others who are situated like myself. 
Looking Forward. —The leading article on page 1 is one of the 
right kind, and is evidently written by one in close touch and sympathy 
with gardeners. The writer’s remarks on the social position of gar¬ 
deners and their remuneration are so pregnant with truth that it is 
somewhat surprising they have not elicited responsive communications. 
That there are others who take the same view as the leader writer is 
shown in the same issue by the communications of Mr. A. Bigliter and 
Mr. J. H. Walker. There can be no dispute as to the fact that good 
gardeners are not an overpaid body of men. That they should be 
classed as “ menial servants ” is, to say the least, scarcely just ; but 
every man is exactly that which he chooses to make himself, either 
directly by his own acts or by submission to the acts of others, or, very 
frequently, by both combined. Any man, or any body of men, tamely 
submitting to be degraded to the lowest order of working people 
recognised by the law—and they are lowered to that position deliberately 
by the makers of that law—deserve no higher position unless they 
themselves take the initiative to raise themselves collectively above that 
position, and to have that part of the law pertaining to themselves 
altered or erased from the statute book. 
Scalding op Lady Downe’s Grape. —This is an interesting sub¬ 
ject, and although much has been written about it I think we remain 
in exactly the same position as we were before. I do not think it is 
possible to prevent it in every vinery throughout the land by any pet 
theory of anybody’s. Very much depends upon the kind and quality 
of glass used, the aspect of the vinery, the system of ventilation as re¬ 
gards the extent and position of the ventilators, the cubical area of the 
interior of the vinery in proportion to the amount of ventilation, the 
cultural details during the stoning period, and possibly the chemical 
nature of the border, and, last but not least, the physiology of the skin 
of Lady Downe’s during the stoning period as compared with the skin 
of varieties not scalded under the same conditions, and as compared 
with the skin of Lady Downe’s after they are fairly coloured, and when 
they may be “ sweated ” almost with impunity. 
The Keeping of Grape3. —Up to the present I have not had a 
decayed berry amongst my Grapes. Is my experience exceptional or 
common this season ? The late vinery has been full of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums and miscellaneous plants. I attribute their good keeping qualities 
to the fact of having kept the firing going from the time they were 
started until I cut and bottled them several days ago, and also to judi¬ 
cious thinning ; none of the bunches were allowed to be crowded with 
berries, but were full and symmetrical. 
Frontignans. — I am glad to see that the neglected Frontignans 
are to be cared for at Chiswick. It would be interesting to know the 
number of private gardens in the United Kingdom in which all three 
varieties, White, Black, and Grizzly, are grown ; and whether the rich¬ 
est of all Grapes, Chasselas Musqud or Jocelyn’s St. Albans, is culti¬ 
vated in any private garden established within the last twenty-five 
years. 
Trenches for Peas.— All who desire to have this delicious vege¬ 
table in the highest state of excellence, and also in quantity, should be 
at the trouble to make large trenches 2 or 3 feet wide and about 2 feet 
deep. The top soil should be placed on one side of the trench, and the 
lower on the other side. Wheel into the bottom of the trench 6 or 
8 inches of garden refuse, then throw in the soil that was taken from 
the bottom of the trench, or the second “ spit ” as it is called, place some 
manure over it, and then return the top spit. Of course there will be 
a ridge, but never mind that; when you want to sow the Peas draw a 
broad drill in the usual way. Peas sown on ground so prepared never 
require watering in our driest summer. In a wet summer- like the last 
they are not starved and water-logged'; the Peas do not ripen pre¬ 
maturely, but remain juicy for a longer period ; and by excavating 
similar trenches every year in different parts of the garden, the garden 
is made richer at the least cost and trouble as compared with trenching, 
and it is warmer and drier in a wet summer, and cooler and moister 
in a hot summer. It has been my practice for fourteen consecutive 
years, and every year makes me a greater believer in the system. 
Cypripediums. —Mr. Castle’s paper is exactly what I should expect 
from such a close observer and careful writer, and he evidently is never 
more, happy than when writing about Orchids, unless it be when ex¬ 
amining and criticising them. Interesting as Cypripediums are, I 
cannot say that they have altogether satisfied me with their beauty, 
notwithstanding their “ quiet harmonies in shades of brown, green, and 
purplish crimson, and I yield to none in admiration of harmonious 
tints and colouring. I can even appreciate Whistlerian Nocturnes in 
black, indigo blue, and aureolin yellow, although I had to survey the 
“ composition ” for some moments before I could assure myself that the 
gallery cleaner had not rubbed her blacklead brush over the canvas, and 
then pursuaded the muffin boy to throw the yolk of an egg at it, a 
little towards the top, to represent the moon. I should like to see a 
greater quantity of brighter colours in Cypripediums, broad “ washes ” of 
crimson, scarlet, ultramarine, or yellow, and less of the “ streakiness ” 
and “ spottiness.” Our hybridisers should go in for broader and bolder 
colouring, get some of the yellow of C. Calceolus into the tropical ones* 
I prefer C. spectabile and C. Calceolus to the others.— Hugh Dale. 
V/QRK.ew™ WEEK.. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Gooseberries. —Whether these should be pruned now or not till the- 
spring ought to depend upon circumstances. If birds, notably bull¬ 
finches, are very troublesome pruning ought to be deferred till 
near the time the buds are bursting into leaf, or even till they 
are in full leaf. In some few instances no pruning is done 
till the fruit are large enough for use, and in this case the 
superfluous branches or shoots are cut away with the fruit attached, 
the latter being subsequently gathered and marketed. Where the 
bushes are protected with wire or fish netting, as well as in gardens- 
where the buds are not interfered with by birds, it is advisable to com¬ 
plete the pruning at once. Commence by first cutting away all the 
lower underneath branches or shoots, the fruit from these rarely 
keeping clean enough for use. Next, fore-shorten or cut back all 
straggling young shoots with old wood attached, to a well placed young 
shoot, after which al] that is necessary is to freely thin out the young 
bearing wood. Unless this thinning out is annually practised the 
bushes soon become an impenetrable thicket of weakly growth, and two. 
or three seasons’ neglect complete their ruin. Gooseberries bear freely 
both on the young growth and also at the spurs on the old wood. It is 
not advisable, however, to closely spur back all the young shoots on open 
bushes, but this plan must be adopted in the case of either wall or trellis- 
trained trees, only the leading shoots if required being retained at about 
half their length and laid in. 
Protecting Gooseberry Bushes. —A permanent wire netting- 
covered framework is the cheapest and best form of protection in the 
long run, this being available for saving both the buds and the fruit 
from the birds. As the latter will soon be busy among the bushe3, it is 
advisable to at once close the doorways and shutters of wire-covered 
structures, and where these are not erected to protect the bushes in some: 
other manner. Strong black cotton plentifully strung about the outer 
branches of the bushes serves to check the birds somewhat, but is of 
little service where they are very plentiful or voracious. The plan of 
gathering all the branches up to a close and impenetrable head is a 
rather rough undertaking, but it answers well. Two persons are re¬ 
quired for accomplishing this properly, and tar twine is needed for 
binding. When the buds are about half expanded the bushes can be 
let down to their natural position and pruned. Bushes thus treated 
never fail to bear well. The least that can be done is to well coat the 
branches and shoots of the bushes with soot and lime, or the latter only. 
The quickest way of effecting this is to mix the soot and lime into- 
paste, and afterwards add sufficient water to thin it sufficiently to admit 
of its being applied through an old syringe. The bushes may also be 
fairly well coated if a mixture of dry fine soot and lime, or the latter 
alone, is shook from a bag among the branches when these are damp. 
When the rains have washed off these dressings more must be applied. 
The Gooseberry Caterpillar. —Few need to be told how very 
destructive this proves in many gardens, especially where birds, large 
and small, are either scarce or are excluded. Preventive measures are 
in all such cases most imperative. Late broods of the grubs descend 
into the ground, and after changing to the cocoon state remain dormant- 
throughout the winter. These change to a chrysalis in the spring, in 
time for the sawfly to emerge and deposit their eggs on the newly 
formed Gooseberry and Red Currant leaves. Half measures are of little 
avail. Removing the soil down to the roots and freely mixing newly 
slaked lime with it as it is returned will destroy many, but not often all' 
the grubs, especially when the latter descend to a depth of 6 inches. A 
heavy mulching of fresh tanners’ bark sometimes acts as a good preven¬ 
tive, either the cocoons or the flies being unable to withstand the ]uice 
from the bark. The most effective remedy consists of the complete- 
removal of as much soil as can safely be forked away from the roots,, 
and which will contain most of the cocoons, this being wheeled away, 
and either burnt or buried deeply, a mixture of good manure and fresh 
soil replacing it. The latter plan, in addition to exterminating most of 
the cocoons, also otherwise greatly benefits the bushes. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Y ines. —Early Vines .—In the earliest house attention will be neces¬ 
sary in tying the shoots and stopping them to one or two joints above the 
show of fruit where space is limited, the auxiliary growths below the 
bunch being removed, except those from the lowest joints, which, with 
those above the fruit, must be stopped at the first leaf and subsequently 
as made. It is of the utmost importance that the principal foliage be 
