270 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ December, 
of Cherries on the north wall which do well. They are easily protected when 
ripe, and keep late into the season. 
We have no Pear-trees on the north wall, as we have many on the other 
walls, besides some standards, and a great number of pyramid trees, which yield 
a quantity of excellent fruit; but many kinds of Pears do well on north walls. I 
would not, however, advise to plant Pears on a north wall; but instead, would 
strongly recommend the better kinds of Plums.—M. Saul, Stourton. 
jtJM 
#1 
GROWING MUSHROOMS IN SAW-DUST. 
Jj'TU'Y noble employer, in common with many other noblemen and gentlemen, 
keeps a good stud of hunters. In the spring they are all bedded down 
with saw-dust, which, being allowed to remain for some days, or, for 
aught I know, some weeks, when it is taken out is found to be pressed 
hard together, so as to come away in large flakes, looking as much like mill-track 
spawn as anything that can be imagined. The bed I made up with material of 
this kind was 67 ft. by 4 ft., in-doors, but without artificial heat. I began to 
gather in six weeks, and have had a good supply ever since. 
I may be told that saw-dust creates or favours the growth of fungi, but I 
must remind those who make this objection that the dust is all from green sound 
wood, and the question is simply this—does sound-wood saw-dust generate fungus 
like old or decayed wood ? I should like the opinion of some of your scientific 
readers on this question.—R. Gilbert, Burgldey , Stamford. 
SCALDING OF GRAPES. 
HE annoyance caused by Grapes u spotting ” during the stoning period is 
evidently not on the decrease, and though in some gardens it is confined 
chiefly to Lady Downe’s Seedling, it shows itself in other places on most 
of the late kinds, and that often to a very alarming extent. I have seen 
Alicantes, Muscats, Trebbianos, and even Black Hamburghs severely attacked, and 
much mischief done. It is generally believed that giving an abundance of air, 
keeping the house dry, and never allowing it to be entirely closed at any time, 
will secure immunity from this formidable plague, and in a great measure this is 
correct; but there remains a difficulty in accounting for the evil. Why should it 
appear in some places and not in others ? In one place I have had it attack 
the Lady Downe’s severely in one house, and the same variety has escaped in an 
adjoining structure with only a glass partition separating the vines. I never 
had Lady Downe’s do so well as when planted at the warmest end of a Muscat 
house, where a vine was put in inadvertently, and the flavour of the Grapes 
from the vine under the scorching treatment was superior to anything I ever 
tasted under other conditions, with the same kind. Moreover, though it ripened 
early in August (it was fully coloured in July), the keeping qualities were of the 
highest order, as I have often gained prizes with them in April. 
In the worst cases of scalding which I have seen the borders were rich and 
