April 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
words of a modem authority, “ Why are heavy 
articles mostly put here, and more useful articles 
elsewhere?” But the criticism would he too severe, 
for in the pages of this journal are to he found abun¬ 
dance of solid information relative to the higher 
branches of plant cultivation. The “ Tables of Tem¬ 
perature for the use of Gardeners,” by Mr. Thompson, 
is an example; yet we suggest that they would 
be much more useful if they contained the high¬ 
est and the lowest monthly temperatures of each 
place, instead of the mean monthly temperatures. 
To tell us that the mean temperature of a country in 
January is 02°, is but an uncertain guide for us in 
cultivating a plant of which it is the birth-place ; for 
to produce that average the-highest temperature 
there might be 80°, and the lowest 44°; or those 
extremes might be 100° and 24°—conditions of tem¬ 
perature requiring the gardener to adopt very dif¬ 
ferent modes of cultivation. 
Truly sorry are we to find that the mildew on the 
leaves of grape vines is still making great ravages 
east of London. Even in a vinery, the whole of the 
leaves of which were destroyed this year by the fumes 
of burning brimstone, the disease has reappeared on 
the new leaves. We shall have some remarks to 
make upon it next week. 
THE FRUIT-GARDEN. 
The Vine in Greenhouses —We have now, dur¬ 
ing the last six months, dealt so far with the leading 
principles on which, as we conceive, most of our 
out-door operations are based, that the veriest tyro 
will doubtless be able to take a more sure footing 
than he coidd have done if left merely to prescription 
Our aim has been (and will so continue) to give a 
reason, based on some thoroughly-recognised prin¬ 
ciple, for everything we recommend. We, therefore, 
hold no mysteries; the day for such has nearly passed 
away; somehow or other, there is not so great a re¬ 
lish for these things; for although, according to a 
celebrated writer on Taste, “ obscurity is one source 
of the sublime,” it is by no means the source from 
whence benefit will arise to the masses, who, in the 
main, are thirsting for knowledge of a practical, and, 
of course, available, character. Our purpose in thus 
reporting progress, is merely to point to an occa 
sional digression—to give it a hard name—which we 
may henceforth have to make in our track, in order 
to accommodate a very numerous and very ardent 
class of amateur horticulturists. By our correspond¬ 
ence we see that we are charged with neglecting to 
treat on the vine in the amateur’s greenhouse, who, 
perchance, may have his vines in pots, and these, 
together with his peach or his fig, in such simple 
structures. Now, as this class of our readers must 
be in some degree represented, and as our clever co¬ 
adjutor, Mr. Beaton, has, in his dainty province, 
stepped aside occasionally from the window-sill to 
the little greenhouse, we do not see why we should 
not, in some degree, emulate Mr. Beaton’s civilities; 
O •> 
O') 
more especially as we can in the course of our la¬ 
bours discuss, in due time, all the matters concerning 
the cottager and the amateur as to out-door matters, 
as they come to hand. We, therefore, hoping to 
make ourselves useful, proceed with 
The Vine in the Greenhouse. —It most fre¬ 
quently happens that the amateur who possesses 
but one, or, at the most, a couple of small houses, 
and who grows grapes, is constrained to grow gera¬ 
niums, and, indeed, miscellaneous greenhouse plants 
beneath the shade of the vines. Although this is 
certainly not the way to do full justice to either the 
vines or the plants, it becomes imperative, and we 
do not deem it our province to raise objections on 
an unavoidable affair, more especially as, by some 
nicety of management, grapes and plants of a tolera¬ 
bly respectable character may be grown together. 
We cannot now, for various reasons, “ begin at the 
beginning,” which would, indeed, be to show how 
houses should be constructed, and how borders 
should be made ; this we can turn back upon in due 
time, that is, at some time, perhaps, more appropri¬ 
ate to the operation. We had better take up the 
subject according to the position the majority of our 
amateurs’ vineries will be found in now, that is to 
say, the grapes either undergoing their first sweUing, 
or shortly coming into flower. 
Borders .—Much discussion has of late taken place 
about the propriety of applying artificial heat to vine 
borders, the roots being outside. Now, although we 
are small advocates for a mere theoretical settlement 
of the operations either of the garden oi of the 
field, yet we are constrained to say that this is one of 
those questions which, abstractedly, might have 
been settled by mere theory. Eollow nature, cries 
eveiy one. both praeticals and theorists; but how 
follow nature with a ground heat some twenty de¬ 
grees below the atmospheric temperature in which 
the young shoots are growing? It is well known 
that in nature, over most temperate parts of the 
globe, a degree or two in favour of the average tem¬ 
perature of the earth over that of the atmosphere 
exists. However, our space is too precious to follow 
this branch of the argument farther; suffice it to 
say, that we have proved the immense benefit to be 
derived from the use of fermenting materials, applied 
to the borders over the roots, beyond all question ; 
and we, therefore, beg to recommend it earnestly to 
all amateurs who can command the material. We 
will now give a few simple directions as a sort of 
calendar, promising to return to the main principles 
on which all successful vine-culture must be based, 
whenever time and space will permit. 
Grapes Swelling .—By this we mean the first swell¬ 
ing ; and as a warmer atmosphere is needed the 
moment they come into blossom, we will suppose 
that the cultivation of plants beneath them will have 
been divided into at least two lots; tliose^ winch 
need, or will bear, heat, and those liable to draw if 
so treated. This operation should be sedulously 
attended to as soon as the vines begin to blossom; 
for it is well even to have a chance of setting foot on 
the stage, or pit, whilst performing the operation of 
thinning the bunches; and the plants, moreover, 
being set farther apart, they will not be so liable to 
“ draw,” or, in other words, to grow leggy and un¬ 
sightly. Under these circumstances, the thinning 
out of the berry may be nicely completed, and this 
matter may be carried on in a progressive way. At 
the first thinning, those berries which seem wedged 
up in the interior of the bunches may be cut away, 
and, by the time this process is performed in an ordi- 
