394 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 23. 
the berries should he thoroughly coloured before Septem¬ 
ber closes. We, however, had a capital late house last 
year, the berries beautifully coloured, and they bad 
not completed their ripening until the middle of October. 
These kept as well as any we over knew until the middle 
of February The kinds were Hambro', and that in¬ 
valuable late grape, the West's St. Peter’s. It is not, how¬ 
ever, expedient to recommend such a course to those not 
used to late grape culture. Indeed, there is little doubt 
that grapes thoroughly ripened before the end of Sep¬ 
tember will both keep longer, and certainly possess 
higher flavour than at any later period. Grapes 
ripened too soon will shrivel somewhat early; those 
ripened too late will rot instead of shrivelling, providing 
damp air be permitted to lodge about them. 
And now, as to atmospheric management from hence 
through the winter. In the first place, to give winter 
grapes a good chance, not a single plant, in a growing 
state, should be kept in the house. This will sound 
harsh doctrine to our worthy friend Fish, who so 
jocularly worked up a case of imagined exclusiveness 
against Messrs. The-otlier-departmental-writers, at page 
335. We will, however, deprecate his ire, and try to 
administer a little consolation, by giving him an 
equivalent for the loss of house-room for his chry¬ 
santhemums, geraniums, &c. It so happens, that in 
most places, where they can afford to devote a house to 
late grapes, there is a host of things requiring decided 
rest. We may here point to the bulbous tribes, 
gesneraceous plants, succulents, &c., &c , and, indeed, 
several others, which, by being weeded out from other 
structures, will make a considerable void, leading to a 
most useful re-arrangement and economy of space, 
besides being the very condition of climate required. If 
needs be, we would even admit large border specimens 
of geraniums, slipped into pots with balls, and kept dry, 
half their heads being removed. This is enough to 
console any one who fears an encroachment on his 
system. It is almost needless to observe, that a total 
absence of water inside is the point to aim at; in fact, 
the interior may be made to approximate a cool study, 
or sitting-room, as nearly as possible—a free, dry atmos¬ 
phere. A low temperature will, of course, preserve the 
grapes longer than a high one ; but there is a medium to 
be observed in this matter. It is astonishing what a 
high temperature the Muscat section will bear before 
they shrivel; we should say 10° more than a Hambro. 
If we were to point to a desirable temperature, on the 
average, for the three classes of grapes most desirable for 
winter, we should say for Hambro 50°, I Vest's St. Peter's 
55°, and the Muscat section 60°. Of course, we are not 
requiring our readers, in defiance of atmospheric changes 
outside, to force these conditions ; by no means. We do 
bold, however, that it is desirable, on this side Christmas, 
to keep the sap in motion in the shoots; so as to preserve 
the leaves fresh as long as possible ; and this cannot be 
done if the temperature be allowed to sink lower than 45°. 
These things premised, the question is, how to carry 
them out. Fires must be had frequent resort to, espe¬ 
cially after October is out; their strength and frequency 
depending on the condition of the atmosphere without. 
Dampness of air is much more to be dreaded than 
low temperature. In all dull and drizzly states of 
the air the fires should be liberal, especially through the 
day, with but moderate ventilation, and that chiefly at 
the back, to let foul and damp air escape. The house 
may be closed about four p.m., the fire having been 
reduced an hour previously, and a temperature of about 
40 u sustained through the night, if sinking to 35° 
perhaps all the bettor. We would still, however, retain 
an inch or two of bade air, for egress of moist air ex¬ 
cited from the floors, together with leaf perspiration, &c., 
little matters, which however unperceived by the feelings, 
are of some importance. When the weather is lively, aiul 
' a free motion of air prevails, the most liberal degree of 
ventilation should be allowed, especially in the earlier 
part of the day; this will disperse damp or mildew from 
every crevice, providing a fire is kept up. We have 
known persons, in November or December, put their fires 
out because the day was so fine : this is nonsense; such 
is the very time to keep up a lively fire, bringing into 
play, by rarefaction, the smoking damps from every 
corner. On such days, the front sashes or ventilators 
may be set wide open, and if there is a lively wind, so 
much the better. Nigbt fires are most to be eschewed: 
here lies the greatest danger. As before observed, a 
temperature of about 40° being secured, all beyond has 
a tendency to excite damps. 
And now, as to damp or rot in thcherry : this must be 
assiduously guarded against; but guard how we will, it 
will occasionally occur, especially through December. 
The scissors should be run over every branch once a 
week, removing every wounded berry. If drip occurs, it 
will be well to place a little pot-saucer here and there to 
catch it; if the firing and ventilation, however, is 
rightly managed, and a good roof, drip from condensed 
vapour will be scarcely known. Houses properly con¬ 
structed, and thus managed, may be made to keep grapes 
fresh until the middle of March. Thus it is possible to 
have grapes every day in the year. R. Errington. 
TRANSPLANTING ROSES, &c. IN AUTUMN- 
FORMING STANDARD RHODODENDRONS. 
On reading the letter of a correspondent, this morning, 
about pruning and removing roses that were budded 
this season, I exclaimed, “ better late than never,” and 
here I make the adage a text for a few words about 
Roses. “ Will you kindly inform me, through The 
Cottage Gardener, whether the following course of 
acting will be correct: I purpose moving my roses 
about the middle of November, and, about a fortnight 
before removal, cutting away close to the stem all unused 
shoots, and shortening those on which the bud lias 
taken to about half their length. I understand these to 
be the directions given on such and such a work on the 
rose, for replanting with a dormant bud, but should be 
glad to be informed if they are consistent with the 
present state of gardening science.” I was also asked 
if the said book was “ really to be trusted.” Now, the first 
remark which occurred to me, on reading this letter, was 
this, that I would as soon be asked if Johnny Jolly, the 
gardener, over the way, and his wife were honest or 
good-looking, as to answer about the correctness of this 
or that book, treating on the same subjects as my own 
book. Without waiting to read the book in question, 
however, and trusting to poor humanity for the decision, 
I say at once, that if the rest of the directions in this 
book are of a piece with this quoted example from it, I 
have not the least hesitation in saying at once, that the 
book is not “ consistant with the present state of 
gardening science.” Nevertheless, on the principle of 
“ better late than never,” it is a better plan to prune such 
roses, and roses in all other stages of existence, a fort¬ 
night before they are removed for transplanting, than at 
any other period of the season in which they are 
removed. But practice, backed by “the present science 
of gardening,” has proved that not only roses, but all 
other deciduous trees and shrubs, which are to be re¬ 
moved in November, or before Christmas, ought to be 
pruned by the end of September, or as early in October 
as possible; and the reason for this has often been 
given in these very pages, and here it is once more, for 
a good tale is never the worse for being twice told. 
When a rose, or any other plant, is to be removed, it is 
impossible to do so without injuring more or less of the 
roots, and to balance the reciprocity question between 
