286 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Seventeen years ago, when Mr. Loudon visited Tid- 
worth House, the seat of T. A. Smith, Esq., in Hamp¬ 
shire, a visit paid for the purpose of inspecting that 
keen sportsman’s hunting establishment, he tells us, 
that he was “ agreeably surprised to find an excellent 
kitchen-garden, aud a very intelligent young gardener, 
Mr. Sanders,” who was renovating that neglected garden, 
and “ who,” adds Mr. Loudon, “ judging from his acquire¬ 
ments and ideas, we have no doubt will make it what it 
ought to be.” Mr. Loudon was a true prophet, and 
there are examples of horticulture now to be seen at 
Tidworth which will bear comparison with any to be 
found in other parts of the kingdom. We shall notice 
no other than the vine culture, and tliis only in reference 
to a recently published small volume, now before us, of 
which Mr. Sanders is the author, entitled, A Practical 
Treatise on the Culture of the Vine, as well under glass 
as in the open air. He has characterized this work in 
one sentence—“ My desire is only to lay down general, 
comprehensive, and practical rules, which I have worked 
out and tested, and to which I would fain draw the at¬ 
tention of others.” 
Mr. Sanders, we can assure our readers, has succeeded 
in his desire, for he has composed an excellent and well- 
illustrated practical work; and though we think he re¬ 
commends too rich a soil for his vines generally, whether 
in the border of the stove, in pots, or in the open air, 
yet in almost all other points we admire his practice; 
and that our readers may judge for themselves whether 
the book is not just that which they will find valuable 
for reference, we will extract what Mr. Sanders says 
about the open wall culture of the vine : 
“ There appears to me to be a great want of good manage¬ 
ment in the cultivation of the vine in the open air. Tliis, I 
think, is much to be regretted, when we take into considera¬ 
tion the numerous eligible places where it might be grown 
to great advantage, and profit to the cultivator ; for instance, 
against farm-buildings, and other such erections, which are 
for the most part quite bare. In some instances the soil 
will be found suitable to the growth of this fruit; but where 
such is not the case, a border of ten or twelve feet wide must 
be formed, adhering to the directions previously given in 
making the borders for the vineries. In order to prevent 
cattle getting to them, a paling could easily be put up at a 
trifling expense. When the border is made, proceed with 
the planting, selecting the following sorts—Sweet Walter, 
Muscadine, Esperion, and Black Cluster, all of which are 
well suited for the open air. In order to preserve a neat 
appearance, and also to prevent the necessity of disturbing 
by constant nailing the walls or boarding to which the vines 
are to be trained, I would recommend the use of galvanized 
nails, which can be purchased at a very reasonable price, 
j Let the vines be arranged two feet apart, and at every other 
j row of nails plant a vine, which ought to be done in the 
! autumn, should the border be ready then, but not later than 
the month of March, so as to enable them to strike out 
young fibres before the buds begin to swell. In pruning, 
leave only two buds at a foot-and a-half from the ground : 
those under them should be cut off with a sharp knife, after 
they are grown to the length of a foot or so. Select the 
strongest, and remove the other. Train the young shoot to 
the nails, but be careful not to tie them too tight, which 
would impede the free circulation of the sap. When the 
shoot has raclied to the top of the wall or building—which 
it will very soon do provided proper care and attention is 
taken to give water when the weather is dry, and occasionally 
to loosen the surface by lightly forking the portion of the 
border nearest to the stems— 3 'ou must cover the whole 
surface with a thin dressing of well-rotted manure, to pre¬ 
[ August 7. 
vent too rapid evaporation, and also to screen the roots from 
the too powerful rays of the sun. Pinch the shoot off when 
it has attained the required height. It will, however, require 
some degree of care and attention in keeping the lateral 
shoots removed so as to admit the sun and air to the wood, 
in order to get it w r ell ripened before the cold weather sets I 
in, as much of the success depends on the wood and eyes 
being well matured. When this end is fully accomplished, 
prune off the stems of the lateral shoots nearly close to the 1 
eye from which they proceed. The vines will now be in a 
state of repose, and will therefore require nothing further 
beyond a good dressing of rotted manure being forked into 
the border. As the spring advances they will begin to bud 
forth, when care must be taken to select the strongest 
shoots, leaving them at regular distances, as shown in the 
sketch. 
“ It would well repay the grow’er to take pains in thinning 
each bunch properly, only one of which must be left on each 
shoot; for, by pursuing this plan, a greater weight of fruit 
will be obtained, as well as a better quality, than if they were 
left in a crowded state. 
“ The operation of pruning may be performed at any time 
after the fruit is cleared off, and the wood well ripened and 
leafless ; but it is not so well to defer it beyond the latter 
end of January, for this reason, that the wound made with 
the knife becomes well healed, and prevents bleeding in the 
spring, whereas, if left beyond that time, the vine is very 
often much weakened from the loss of sap, hence puny 
wood, yellow foliage, and an indifferent crop. In pruning, 
cut each shoot back to two eyes from the main stem, one of 
which only is to be left to produce fruit. The object in 
leaving two is to guard against accident, in case of one being 
injured previously to their budding forth.” 
GARDENING GOSSIP. 
The progress of Horticulture in Hereford is exceedingly 
gratifying. In June, the revival of a show, which had 
been neglected some years, indicated a movement the 
right way; but in July the show would have done 
honour to any provincial city. The green was hurdled 
in, a splendid tent was completely filled, while those 
which were sufficient for the whole show last month 
were entirely occupied with fruit and vegetables, and 
cottagers’ production. 
The Fuchsias were far better than those at Chiswick; and 
two specimen plants, Fulgens and Formosa elegans, could 
scarcely have been beaten. Geraniums good for the time ; 
Verbenas, Dahlias, Carnations, and Picotees, helped to fill the 
tables. Some smartish competition amongst the stove and 
greenhouse plants showed that the gardeners in the neigh¬ 
bourhood are roused a little, and there was a fair advance 
in Balsams. The fruit was good for the period; but whoever 
showed the best was too greedy. By showing a collection of 
fruit, but taking the Grapes away as separate competition 
for grape prizes, and Melons as separate competitors for 
Melon prizes, he left the collection bare, and was easily, 
beaten ; for there was nothing but a fine Ripley Queen pine 
worth mentioning to sustain it. Country exhibitors, generally, 
are the worst possible arrangers of their productions. Here, 
for instance, was a man pretending to show a collection of 
fruit which looked exceedingly well, but when the judge 
went round he found separate tickets on grapes, melons, 
&c., showing that they belonged to other classes, and that 
the collection, which looked so rich, was, in fact, deriving its 
chief effect from fruit entered separately, but standing with 
the collection. The band of the 82nd Regiment, now quar¬ 
tered at Brecon, played all the afternoon in a manner which 
entitles them to take the highest ground, and with a fine 
day to help them, drew all the population to the Castle 
Green. 
Captain Cotten’s gardener, in Kent, has grown some 
Cockscombs of great size this season, one measuring 
twenty-three inches from tip to tip, and handsome in 
