154 
THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ July, 
by this mode of heating, -with indiscriminate firing, not regulated in ac¬ 
cordance with any rule as to temperature, I have known the most disastrous 
results produced. When the borders are not covered with glass, and the 
Vines are forced early, I find a covering of fern or litter, protected from 
the chilling rains and vicissitudes of temperature by sheets of galvanised 
corrugated iron, to answer the purpose of protection admirably. The 
covering is best done early in autumn, so as to retain the summer heat. 
By this mode of heating, the roots are preserved in the most perfect 
state of health, the sap is more fully elaborated, and the buds break freely 
and regularly, on Vines 33 feet long, the bunches being produced so uni¬ 
formly as to have all the appearance of being lined; the bunches, more¬ 
over, are large, and the colour perfect. I have found that difficult Grape, 
the Chasselas Musque, to ripen perfectly yellow, to hang well, and to be 
free from cracking. I would observe, that colour and bloom, two essen¬ 
tial properties in well-finished perfect Grapes, will be secured by adopting 
the climatic conditions, above described, which the plants enjoy. 
Many, if not most of the diseases to which Vines are subject, arise 
from the roots not supplying a sufficiency of sap, a deficiency which is 
occasioned by the temperature of the soil being too much below that in 
which the stems and leaves of the plants are growing. This causes a dis¬ 
parity between root and branch, which cannot but be hurtful to the con¬ 
stitution of the plant. By adopting and acting up to the sensible motto 
of Mr. Fish, “ Sacred to the Boots,” many of the disappointments which 
cultivators complain of, will be obviated. I am putting into practice a 
very simple, efficient, and inexpensive method of heating Vine borders, on 
which I will make a few remarks hereafter. 
Witley Court. George Westland. 
ON TULIPS. 
)N these gems of Flora so much has been said and sung, written and 
rewritten, that it might seem as if nothing that would be instructive 
or edifying remains to be added. But there may be readers of the 
Florist and Pomologist to whom most of these writings are un¬ 
familiar, and for such I may make a few observations. 
For over three hundred years this flower, the Queen of May, has been 
ardently cultivated in this and other countries ; yet much as its beauty 
was extolled in past ages, and especially in Plolland during the Tulip 
mania, when fortunes were lost and won in a day in speculating in them, 
there were then many sorts which were comparatively worthless compared 
with those of late years. 
Now, whether one looks on the Tulip with the eyes of a fancier, or 
merely admires it as one of the beauties of Nature, it is impossible to look 
