32 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[April 18. 
or 
of the principal leaves to the light; lor on the main 
first-formed foliage, will depend the character of the next 
year’s produce, and, indeed, the solidity ot the wood 
xtsdlf 
Gardeners differ in their practice as to stopping vines 
—not only the leaders but the laterals. Some will have 
every lateral cut or pinched away from a leading shoot 
the moment it appears ; hut why ? we could never have 
explained. If the sole object was to produce several fine 
bunches for one year -only, at the expense of the consti 
tution of the plant, there would be some show ol reason 
for such treatment. Nevertheless, assuming that one 
great point in vine culture is to get a strong frame-work 
of fibres in a sound border,—and that the amount, or ex¬ 
tension of roots, in any given summer, bears a close pro¬ 
portion to the amount of foliage healthfully elaboiating 
sa p ) — we say, it becomes a sound policy to expose all the 
healthy and early-formed leaves possible to the influence 
of the solar light. The close-stopping policy, we con¬ 
ceive, is better adapted to the latter portion of the sum¬ 
mer, when the'production of young and imperfect spray 
(which can never return to the plaut an equivalent for 
the stores taken from it) has a weakening tendency, and 
somewhat interferes with the commencement of the 
“ rest" period. Our advice, therefore, is—let the leader- 
produce a few rambling laterals at the first without stop¬ 
ping ; as soon, however, as a considerable extension of 
leader and development of lateral has taken place, and 
the latter are likely to become confused, let the stop¬ 
ping, or pinching, of the end of the laterals commence : 
beginning at the lower end, and stopping a pair or two ; 
then waiting a few days longer before stopping another 
pair, and so on. We are perfectly aware that such will 
be considered bad practice by some good cultivators. Be 
it so ; but let these prove—not by mere opinion, but by 
facts—that no other course is correct but the close stop¬ 
ping. 
By the time that the young leader has nearly reached 
the back of the house (which will be, in many cases, 
about the end of July), the stem will have developed 
side spray at most of the principal leaves; and much of it 
will have been stopped; some, also, of those first stopped 
will have been stopped again and again ; for we would 
not let any of them produce above a couple of leaves 
before we stopped them. And now the leader should be 
stopped; that is to say, when within about two feet of 
the back wall. We deem it necessary, when about to 
stop the leader, to suffer a little more rambling in the 
laterals for a week previously, to provide a vent for the 
ascending current of sap ; otherwise a slight check to the 
root action might ensue, which would not be desirable. 
The leading point will soon break again; and our prac¬ 
tice is, to let a couple or three of the principal buds at 
the top push and ramble considerably for about three 
weeks longer, by which time a considerable amount of 
strong foliage at the top is produced; and this we train 
right and left at the top of the house. After the end of 
August we permit no rambling, but close stop every 
lateral as soon as developed. 
The amateur will naturally require a reason for so 
arbitrary a recommendation. It was before observed, 
that there is a period in the annual growth of the vine 
when the development of new foliage is a positive loss 
to the tree. The reason of this will be obvious, when it 
is considered that the rapidly decreasing light of our 
climate will not sufficiently aid the process of elabo¬ 
ration in such leaves, so as to enable them to compen- 
i sate the parent plant for the drain from it in furnishing 
j matter for their growth. Moreover, another and power- 
I ful consideration arises; the whole fabric or tissue of 
the plant has to be solidified, or, in technical language, 
“ ripened." Late growths, then, are decidedly inimical 
i to this process. We trust, therefore, that our less ex- 
| perienced readers will see at a glimpse how things stand, 
and that the study of such vegetable phenomena will 
incite towards a farther and deeper investigation into 
nature’s hidden secrets; for such studies, in the main, 
refresh the mind of man rather than weary it. 
Management of the Leading Shoot on Established 
Vines. —Here much depends on how far the main shoot 
has already ascended, and what the strength ot the vine 
is. We think that—even provided the old wood of the 
leader has already reached the ’ 1 1 
back of the house, or 
and 
tho- 
nearly so—it is well to suffer the young point to ramble 
unmolested for a few weeks, albeit it may crook and 
twist at the back wall. There can be little doubt that 
the extension of the main leader is very beneficial, as 
giving a greater impulse to the root than the side 
branches can do—it being generally so much more vigor¬ 
ous. However, stopped it must be after awhile; 
by this time there will be abundance of foliage 
roughly developed all over the tree. ✓ 
The Management of the Side Shoots and Spray.— 
This is, in general, well known, but wo will give our 
practice. Almost everybody stops one joint beyond the 
fruit, and as to general circumstances, there seems no 
reason to depart from the practice. Cases, however, occur 
where much roof space remains to be covered; and then 
we would, by all meaus, after the first stopping, let shoots 
intended to’ fill such spaces produce three or four eyes 
at a time without stopping. It is our practice to let the 
spray grow rather freely after the first stopping, and 
until the vines are in full blossom ; then we commence 
regular, not close, stopping, and continue it until the 
stoning of the fruit is nearly complete,. when, if any 
more surface of roof is available, we permit it to become 
clothed with foliage. As soon as the fruit begins to 
change colour, close stopping is followed up, and con¬ 
tinued until the fruit is perfect, when we see no harm in 
permitting the terminal points to ramble a little, pro¬ 
vided it is not later than the middle of August. 
R. Errtngton. 
THE ELOWEE-GAEDEN. 
Bedding Plants : Verbena venosa .—With this plant 
I finished my notes last week, and before 1 dismiss this 
old and much neglected bedder, I shall recommend a 
way of using it in a mixed flower-garden, which, if I j 
mistake not, will insure its being retained as a perma¬ 
nent plant, and not only that, but make the most inter¬ 
esting bed by the help of it that any one can use. I 
have had it the same way here for the last seven years, 
and I do not remember any one who has seen it that 
was not much struck with the beauty and novelty of 
that style of planting—1 mean the mixed style of plant¬ 
ing single beds, without reference to other beds in the 
neighbourhood—like the two Clarkias, which I have so 
often alluded to. I have another reason for bringing it ; 
forward to-day, to which I made some allusion last week, 
and that is, to shew how necessary it is to pay attention 
to the shade of green in the leaves of such plants as are 
recommended to be planted near each other, either for 
the harmony or for the contrast of their flowers. A 
want of this consideration is as apparent in all the ar¬ 
rangements that I have read of, as tho disparity of the 
heights of many of the plants that are said to associate 
and assist each other in producing striking effects; and 
the reason I have in view in making these remarks, is 
“ to shew cause” why I have declined to recommend to 
some of our readers how to plant certain arrangements 
of beds of which they sent sketches. When my own 
limited practice enables me to see glaring faults in the 
arrangements of those great masters, to whom 1 usually 
look up for instruction and advice, I cannot take any 
