February 17, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HO r,n 'ICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
129 
together with the grass side down, sow the seed in the groove, and cover 
with good soil. They should then be placed into a gentle heat, where the 
Peas will soon appear through the soil. As soon as they are 2 inches 
high they will require moving to a cool frame, so as to harden off before 
being planted out. 
If sown in pots ten or twelve seeds should be placed into 3-inch pots 
and treat in the same manner as advised, but when planted out they may 
be placed about 0 inches apart, as they will fill up as they grow and 
make the row complete.—C. Collins. 
GRAPES WITHOUT HEAT FOR THE MILLION. 
( Continued from j>age 105.) 
Temperature and Yentilation.— The heat is such as the 
sun furnishes, and is plentiful when we want it— i.e., from spring 
to autumn. We need not look for any activity in the Vines before 
the vernal equinox, and our fruit will be all ripe before the autumnal 
equinox. The case and house are ventilated from the fall of the 
leaf until the buds swell, whenever the temperature outside is above 
freezing, or when the sun acts powerfully upon the house so as to 
raise the inside temperature over 50°. In mild weather ventilate to 
the fullest extent. In cold frosty weather the structure may 
remain closed. When the buds are swelling ventilate at 55°, and 
keep through the day at 65°, closing at the latter temperature. As 
the leaves expand, admit air at 60°, closing at 75°. When the 
foliage is fully out ventilate at 65° a little, and increase it with the 
ascending heat. In dull weather we shall have a lower tem¬ 
perature ; in bright weather it will rise much higher than the 
degrees mentioned, and it will do good, only we must not have a 
close, but a freely ventilated atmosphere. We want firm wood and 
well developed foliage. 
When the Vines are in flower freer ventilation is advisable ; a 
little constantly will do no harm. With the Grapes set and swelling 
ah- should be admitted at 70°, and increased above 75°, so as to have 
it full when the temperature is between 80° and 85°. Keep that 
whenever opportunity offer as the day temperature, but do not 
allow an advance to 80° or 85° before admitting air, for under no 
circumstances must the early morning ventilation be neglected. 
Close sufficiently early, and before the temperature has declined 
below 80", to cause the heat to rise a few degrees, or to 85° or 90°. 
It may even rise to 95° without danger. In all cases admit a little 
air at the top of the structure before nightfall. It allows the 
pent-up vitiated air to be changed, and it is a capital safeguard 
against scorching in the morning. In summer, after the Grapes are 
swelling, increase the ventilation early between 70 Q and 75°, keeping 
a temperature of 80° to 85° with a fair amount of top ventilation. 
That is the regime to be followed until the Grapes are ripening, 
when we increase, or rather divide, the ventilation, using both top 
and bottom about equally, so as to insure a circulation of dry warm 
air, and though this has the effect of causing the night temperature 
to be lower, it only rests the Vines and insures a more satisfactory 
finish ; in other respects the temperature is the same as when 
growing. When the Grapes are ripe admit air more freely, a little 
constantly, except in dull foggy weather. 
Difference in Ripening. —The varieties will differ somewhat 
in ripening, but not more than a fortnight in those we have named. 
Some Grapes ripen quickly, other are rather slow, or take a longer 
time. This need cause no anxiety. Continue the temperature 
advised until the latest are thoroughly ripe. The other ripe ones 
will mature— i.e., they will be better for it, for though we consider 
Grapes fit to eat when they are black, or yellow, or amber to the 
shank, they get mellow with a little more time, losing the sharpness 
so characteristic of fresh ripe Grapes. 
Keeping.* —We have really only three in our list that can be 
termed keepers, and they are not of the thick but tough-skinned 
type—viz., Foster’s Seedling. Trentham Black, and Gros Maroc. 
The most we can expect are Grapes for the festive season. Cut 
them in November, or earlier, with sufficient wood for insertion in 
bottles of soft clear water with a few pieces of charcoal. The 
bottles should; be fixed in an inclined position so that the bunches 
hang clear. The leaves, if not off, should be removed, otherwise 
place the lower end of the shoot m the bottles. An empty room, 
dry, and from which frost is excluded, will answer for keeping. 
Examine the Grapes occasionally for decayed berries, and remove 
them, keeping the water as required. 
Frames.— Place span-roof frames with the ends north and south. 
Allow a space of 3 feet bA^een the frames. To increase the depth, 
take out the soil G to 9 inches deep, sloping inwards from 3 inches 
less than the size of the frame, the base of the slope corresponding 
to the height. Make the border at the north end G feet wide con¬ 
tinued the length across the ends of the range of frames. It need 
only be made 3 feet wide in the fust instance. Plant the Vines at 
the side next the end of the frames and corresponding to the centre 
of each. Make an aperture in the end of the frame from the 
bottom upward to admit the stem of the Vine about 9 inches by 
lj inch. It can easily be enlarged. The frames may be in lengths 
of 6 to 8 feet, prepared for joining end to end. One length is 
sufficient the first year, adding a length each year or every other as 
the Vines extend. How long the Vine would extend is matter for 
trial, but I do not advise the frames to be more than 24 feet. Stand 
the frames on a course of bricks. Train the Vine up the centre 
Treat it as advised for a single cane or rod. A trellis should be 
provided of five lines 8 inches apart—a centre one for securing the 
rod to, and two on each side for the bearing shoots, the trellis Hat 
and on a level with half the height of the wood sides. Instead of 
taking Gie rod up the centre, train the Vine with two rods, take to 
a wire 6 inches from the sides of the frame and on a level with 
half the height of the wood sides. Place the other wires so that 
the centre one is 15 inches under the ridge and the other wire on a 
level with a line drawn between the centre and the rod wires. The 
bearing shoots are trained up to the ridge, and the Grapes are nearer 
the centre of the frame and do better. The routine is the same as 
for other Vines. 
Lean-to’s are preferred by some. The frame need not be a costly 
affair. Oak posts charred and tarred to G inches above the ground 
last a lifetime. Have the front 18 inches deep, feather-edge boarding 
is best and overlapping so as to throw off the wet. Width 4 feet 
6 inches, height at back 3 feet. Lights 3 feet (less half the width 
of the parting pieces) wide. Boards undressed, coated with boning 
coal tar when dry. Plates (light 2^ inches) bevelled to give the 
necessary slopes for the lights. Lights 2 inches thick, glazed with 
21 oz. sheet. Bearers for lights 4 inches by 1^ inch, and parting 
pieces 1£ inch. Those—viz., plates, bearers, and pieces, and lights 
only are dressed and painted. Squares bedded in good putty, 
nailed in, no top putty used. Border inside the size of the frame, 
reached from the back for watering, the whole of the back being 
moveable, being made in door or shutter fashion. Vines planted 
inside, one in a 12 feet, two in a 24 feet length and centre of the 
space. Two shoots taken from each, forming rods after the year of 
formation tied to a wire secured to the front posts with staples, and 
9 inches below the top of the plates. Wires fixed lengthwise 1 foot 
from the under side of the lights G to 8 inches apart. Rods taken 
up as in upright training under every bearing piece, from which the 
bearing shoots are originated at 18 inches apart. Ventilation is 
given by tilting the lights or pushing them down from the top more 
or less. Another plan of ventilation is to have the top boards— i.e., 
front and back hinged and opening outward. This Ido not think an 
improvement on tilting the lights. —G. Abbey. 
(To be continued.) 
THE BULB MITE. 
Further search confirms my first suspicions that the^e mites are 
largely present in bone manure, especially where this is kept in a warm 
situation, few being observed in that stored in an exposed shed. I have 
also found the mites in stale horse corn. The odour of tar is very 
destructive to the insects. A few drops of spirit of tar or common tar on 
the soil and watered in are very effective, but it must be carefully. In 
extreme cases shaking out the bulbs must be resorted to, the paths, &s., 
being damped with water in which a little tar has been placed.— 
C. Prinsep, Hammcrtviclt. 
I shall be obliged if you will inform me whether you have known 
before that Alocasias and Marantas were subject to attacks of the E ucharis 
mite. To-day I saw nearly all mine looked unhealthy, so turned them 
out, and to my horror found nearly all the roots eaten and full of these 
mites. I quite agree with Mr. Bardney’s letter in your Journal, February 
3rd, page 83, as iast year I had them badly in Vallotas. I well cleared 
the bulbs, washed with insecticide, and they started finely and flowered, 
when they went off again and had the same insects as before. Row is 
it i The Vallotas have never been near any of the stove plants, and last 
year was the first time I ever had anything of the sort. My Eucharises 
are grand, and as luck will have it have never been near the Alocasias. 
but as they are in the same house would it be advisable to give them at 
once some soot water ? which I hear if applied when first they attack a 
plant is a good thing. A couple of years ago I had something of the same 
sort attack some of my pot Begonias, but they were three times the size. 
1 burned the bulbs affected, and have had no trouble since with any of 
the rest.—A. Gl. P. 
[We have not seen Alocasias and Marantas attacked by the " mite.” 
but possibly some of our readers may have hid that unpleasant 
experience.] 
TRANSPLANTING PEAS. 
The practice of sowing Peas in pots or boxes and transplanting them 
in the open ground is adopted by a great many gardeners, but the prac¬ 
tice deserves to be more generally adopted for the early sorts eithe 
tall or dwarf. To sow Peas in the open ground in the early part of th 
season (especially where the ground is wet and heavy) is very precariou 
