Maj- li, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
369 
But warm water has the further advantage in the case of plants 
the roots of which are not in a too dry soil, as it is of greater 
benefit to the plant than cold water. Even with such hardy plants 
as Auriculas I like to take water from tanks in hothouses. Every¬ 
one must be cognisant of the wonderful effect a warm shower of 
rain has on vegetation in the open, and it is not assuming too much 
to suppose that warm water has a like beneficial effect on plants 
grown in pots. Mention may be made of other cases of a some¬ 
what exceptional nature when warm water proves of much import¬ 
ance as a ready moistener of dry material. It is so in the case of 
many Orchids which are allowed to become dry at the root during 
their season of rest, and dried peat is much more difficult to moisten 
than loam. The utility of warm water for this purpose can very 
easily be tested by trying plants of say Dendrobiums, Odonto- 
glossum grande. Vandas, Aerides, or Saccolabiums, all of which 
have been rested dry and cool ; attempt to moisten one set with 
cold water and another with warm, and the difference will readily 
be seen ; but a step further may be taken on this point, for Orchids 
should always have water given at a higher temperature than that 
of the house in which they are grown. 
Where fertilisers are largely used for plants in pots and for 
fruit tree borders, as in our own case, the employment of warm 
water as a matter of everyday routine helps largely in making 
these immediately an l more certainly effective. There is no 
matter of doubt that hot water is a better solvent of alkalis than 
cold water, while the roots themselves are acted and reacted on 
very much more rapidly and energetically when warm water is used. 
It may be presumed that by-and-by the value of such a simple 
change in such a common article of gardening will be appreciated, 
but at present there is no doubt that it is not so. Why, even in 
such apparently transparent matters as cleaning Dots, washing wood¬ 
work and glass, and even sponging the foliage of plants, there are 
plenty who turn naturally to the cold water tank for supplies, and 
as for the matters of which this article treats it is doubtful if "warm 
water is ever given a thought.—B. 
REMARKS ON SETTING GRAPES. 
Most cultivators breathe more freely, or in other words feci a 
critical time is past when the Grapes under their charge are well 
set. Unless a berry contains a full complement of seeds it rarely 
attains a full size, and the aim should bo to secure either three or 
four in every berry. Half the berries of the free-setting Black 
Hamburghs that are grown under glass in this country do not con¬ 
tain more than two seeds, this in many cases being the result of not 
attending to them at flowerirg time. When the Vines are full of 
vigour I have frequently observed little globules of moisture on the 
stigmas, and unless the air be warm and dry this is not dissipated 
sufficiently early for the pollen to do its work properly. It is not 
a very tedious or laborious task to pass the hand gently over every 
bunch of Black Hamburgh in a house—say between 11 and 12 a. si., 
this operation both dislodging the moisture and effectually dis¬ 
tributing the pollen. Very few think it necessary to fertilise 
Black Hamburgh, but let me advise those who are not satisfied 
with the size of their berries to give the plan a trial. 
Buckland Sweetw'ater, again, is not nearly so free in setting as it 
has the credit of being. To have it really fine, and it is a hand¬ 
some Grape when well grow-n, I recommend every care being taken 
to fertilise it each morning till such times as the whole of the bunch 
has flowered. Foster's Seedling is perhaps one of the freest setters 
we have, but even this, as well as the others just named, may well 
be assisted. Where Vines flower in dull w r eather I strongly recom¬ 
mend a little extra fire heat to raise the day temperature to near 75°, 
this admitting of a little top ventilation about 10 A.M. At midday 
the pollen will have dried, and if the rods are smartly tapped it will 
be distributed in a cloud. This style of fertilising is usually 
deemed all that is necessary, sufficient pollen being thereby lodged 
on the stigmas. However, it will not effect a really good set if the 
globules I have alluded to are observable. Not only does a rise in 
the temperature assist setting, but it also “ runs out ” the bunches, 
and that, too, without unduly weakening them. Most close 
observers will have noticed that early forced Grapes frequently de- 
velope much larger bunches than at first anticipated, while those 
started na'urally, or much later, have not come up to expectations. 
I account for this apparent anomaly in this way. Those forced 
being kept growing in a close warm house are “ run out ” to their 
fullest extent, while abundance of air has the effect of causing the 
late bunches t a be more sturdy, and more berries have to be cut out 
than is nccessiry in the case of early bunches. 
The Muscats that are most difficult to set, and seeing how much 
superior they are in point of quality, it is much to be regretted they 
are really comparatively hard to cultivate In some few cases they 
have been w r ell set under cool treatment, but as a rule they need a 
higher night and day temperature, or from 70° to 85° from the 
time they have reached the flowering period till they ripen. On no 
account would I depend upon merely distributing the pollen by 
tapping the rods, as I have seen clouds of it fail to effect the de¬ 
sired purpose, probably owing to the heaviest and most potent 
falling to the ground. Nor cvould I use anything in the shape of a 
camel’s-hair brush, plume of Pampas Grass, or any other invention 
for distributing the pollen, these frequently scratching the delicate 
pistils, and thereby doing more harm than good. The hand gently 
passed over each bunch is effective and never injures, and if pollen 
is scarce some from more free-setting sorts, such as Black Ham¬ 
burghs and Alicantes, may be first accumulated on the hand before 
applying it to the Muscats. The mere act of carefully fertilising 
the flowers will not always insure a regular set, swelling off much 
.also depending upon the general health of the Vines, as well as the 
nature of the border in which they are rooting, an absence of lime 
in the famous Longleat borders being rightly blamed for the 
inability of many of the Muscat berries to stone properly. Again, 
if the rods are crowded the bunches are unduly shaded, and in con¬ 
sequence are much too weakly to set properly. Let them have 
plenty of light, this materially strengthening the bunches and 
largely contributing to an even set. Bunches that have a tendency 
to run out extra long shoulders may well have these shortened con¬ 
siderably before they flower, and very long bunches may be thus 
early shortened with advantage. Nor should too many bunches, 
or all that show, be left on with the idea of having plenty to 
eventually select from. Better by far resort to a timely and mode¬ 
rate thinning, this concentrating the strength of the Vine on those 
reserved, thereby improving the chance of a good set. 
Muscat Hamburgh, when at its best, is the best of all Grapes, 
but it is a most fickle variety, and in many gardens where given a 
fair trial it has proved most disappointing, owing entirely to its 
failure to set properly. Very large bunches, and these are usually 
plentifully produced, have never to my knowledge set at all satis¬ 
factorily, and I would advise their early removal and only the 
smaller bunches retained. These if treated similarly to the Muscats 
will sometimes set regularly. Madresfield Court, which is supposed 
to possess Muscat flavour, sets as easily as Black Hamburghs, but 
the case is very different with Mrs. Pince. We were fairly success¬ 
ful last season with this late-keeping, and in my estimation high 
class variety. It was treated much the same as advised in the case 
of Muscat of Alexandria ; the hand, however, being first well 
charged with pollen from the Alicante. Alnwick Seedling at first 
refused to set at all evenly, and the syringing method of setting 
was quite a failure. For two successive seasons we have set with 
the hand, this removing the very prominent globules of moisture 
resting on the stigmas, and w h ch hitherto prevented a Eet, and as 
the pollen is potent enough our bunches were as well set as could I e 
wished for. We also pass the hand over the bunches of Gros 
Colman, Lady Downe’s, Alicante, Gros Guillaume, Golden Queen, 
and Mrs. Pearson. It may not be necessary in every case, but I 
always prefer to be on the right side.—W. Iggulden. 
ROSE-GROWING FOR BEGINNERS. 
(Continued from page 360 ) 
TEA ROSES. 
These are really the cream of the Rose world—they are the 
nobility, the upper ten—and this arises partly from the fact that 
they are much more delicate than the H.P.’s. This defect m their 
constitutions—defect it is, in this cold country, without doubt— 
naturally makes them scarcer in quantity, raises the price, and 
enhances their value. In this part of the kingdom they are looked 
upon as being much more delicate than they really are ; m fact 
very few persons hereabouts would think of planting them in the 
open. But beyond their being scarce, which 1 gave as a reason why 
they are so much prized, I think the Tea Roses are much more 
“beautiful than any other kind. The lovely pale yellow, pink, and 
lemon tints are not to be found among their more robust brothers 
and sisters. Where is the H.P. that can approach in colour to 
Marechal Niel, or Catherine Mermet, or Madame Charles V Where 
is the H.P. that will continue giving us crop after crop of its 
flowers pretty well all the year round as Niphetos does ? By-the-by, 
I noticed some remarks in one of the papers complaining of this 
Rose. The writer said it was a fraud, or something similar. He 
complained that it was simply composed of two rows of petals ; it 
was thin, it was poor ; one day it was a nice long pointed bud—the 
next, it was all open and fallen away. If this gentleman had ever 
seen a real Niphetos—a real good one, I mean, he would not talk 
like this Possibly the Roses he produces may be the poor specimens 
he describes ; but if he will take the trouble to go to one of the 
large London shows this year he will probably see more than one 
) Niphetos there that will astonish him. 
