QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
377 
PART III. 
MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 
I.—QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
The Author of the Domestic Gardeners’ Manual, to “ Vigorniensis .” 
I should be remiss, were I wholly to pass over the observations of Vigorniensis 
without any notice. He conceives that I was “ under some misapprehension, as 
to the species called The Striped Housaine Melon .” (See Horticultural Register , 
Vol. 2, page 202.) I am perfectly certain that I could not be deceived in the 
qualities of my fruit; for, independently of the large melon which I forwarded 
to the Horticultural Society, I cut and used three at home. So that I am clear 
as to the value and exquisite flavour of the fruit', and the colour of the flesh. 
The latter was, as described by Mr. Knight, green and pinkish, or salmon colour. 
The seed too, could not be other than genuine, because it came direct to me in 
1832, from the President. I had not, however, ascertained at the time I penned 
my papers, that there were two varieties of the Striped Housaine. I have sub¬ 
sequently received a communication from Mr. Knight, containing the seeds of 
both with information exactly corresponding with that stated by Vigorniensis as 
having been also sent to him; viz. “ that one of the varieties pf the striped 
Housaine is a white-Melou.” The Ispahan melons produced by me, varied in 
nothing but size: they were externally yellow or lemon colour, and the flesh 
white or cream-colour. Though quite ready to acknowledge any error, I must 
steadfastly adhere to the facts I have witnessed ; and these I have faithfully sta¬ 
ted. Vigorniensis may or may not be gratified by the perusal of another paper 
from the pen of Mr. Stafford, in reply to his various particular queries, under the 
more general one, “ How shall I treat Vines in Pots ?” page 281. He will, I 
hope, pardon me, if in the interim, I step forward, and afford some information, 
the result of my own experience, in consequence of the suggestions of Mr. Staf¬ 
ford in his several articles upon vine-culture. Before I say one word, however, 
I request him carefully to re-pex-use the excellent paper by Mr. Smith, in page 
536, of Volume 1. And now, presuming that he has done so, I observe, that I 
have tried, and am persisting in the trial of grape-culture in pots, to a consider¬ 
able extent. I have raised plants from seeds, single eyes, spur eyes, cuttings and 
layers. All have succeeded, and l now possess above twenty potted plants of 
various ages and sizes, of the white, grizzly, and purple Frontignan, the Frank- 
endale, Muscadine, Black Hamburgh, White Sweet Water, &c. I have tried, from 
the first, almost every species of soil, from that of gravelly sand, to the richest 
light compost; and the young trees have grown well in each. I am still a 
learner; but there is one experiment which I have carried on for three years, 
and into its detail, I will now slightly enter, in order to afford some precise infor¬ 
mation on a subject which really possesses considerable interest. At the close 
of the year 1830, I purchased a strong vine with two shoots, for the open wall, 
which was sold to me as a genuine black Frontignac. When I planted it, I 
found that one of the shoots was well situated for a layer, and I accordingly 
tongued and layed it in a pot of good sandy earth. The shoot was then short¬ 
ened to four or five eyes, and being secured to the wall it grew, and the best new 
