308 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 
THE EKUIT-GAKDEN. 
The Vine Oct of Doors. —We come now to an 
important period as to the vine as well as most other 
tender fruits—a period in which all the solar light 
our fickle autumnal skies affords will he needed in 
order to give colour and flavour to the fruit and to 
complete the organization of the blossom-bud tor the 
future year. As we have before observed, we have 
not a doubt that vino culture out of doors, at least 
in all our more southern counties, would become 
much extended if the main principles of acclimatiz¬ 
ing (by which the formation of the very border should 
be regulated previously to planting,) as also the sub¬ 
sequent management on the walls were better under¬ 
stood. No wonder, however, that the advance has 
not been of a more rapid character (as to the exten¬ 
sion of their culture), since the question of the proper 
construction of borders has been in constant agita¬ 
tion amongst practical men, or even those who com¬ 
bine much practical experience with high scientific 
acquirements, for the last score of years. Until such 
parties become somewhat unanimous as to first prin¬ 
ciples it is not likely that our intelligent public will 
place much confidence in the nostrums of either 
Mr. A. or Mr. B.; however, much progress has been 
made and much good arisen out of this protracted 
discussion. Time was when strong loamy soils, 
abundance of manure, and borders of some six or 
eight feet in depth, had their advocates amongst men 
of first-rate practice ; now, we question whether there 
is a single gardener of any standing in his profession 
in the United Kingdom who will advocate two out of 
the three conditions here named. It begins to be 
generally understood that it is chiefly on a just know¬ 
ledge of the mechanical texture of soils that we must 
rely for success. It has been ascertained, beyond 
doubt, that the burying a vast proportion of manure 
in the soil for the roots of tropical fruit-trees to gorge 
themselves with tends only to that kind of repletion 
which is at once opposed to the hardening of the wood, 
and, by consequence, to the maturity of the fruit-bud. 
We have said thus much in order to guard inex¬ 
perienced persons from hastily inferring—in case of 
failure—that their climate is not suitable to the vine, 
and who are thus apt to give up its culture in desjmir. 
The subject of border making, with the necessarily 
concomitant questions of depth, texture, richness, 
&c., is a fitter matter for discussion during the dor¬ 
mant period, and we shall then probably find occasion 
to revert to its considertion. 
We glanced in our last paper on the culture of the 
vine out of doors, on the necessity that would arise 
for clearing away many of the lateral or axillary 
shoots which were retained for awhile for a double 
purpose, viz., to prevent the superior fruit-buds of 
the future season from being forced into premature 
growth, and also to assist in the general elaborations. 
The period for such operations has arrived, and we 
may here observe that it is one of those processes 
which is better done by instalments. “ Nature does 
not like to be taken by surprise.” Something depends 
on peculiarity of situation in these matters; much on 
the prevailing character of the season. Some autumns 
are so very sunny, that, unless lateral shoots much 
abound, there is little occasion to be anxious about 
them for a fortnight to come; other seasons are so 
clouded and damp that the advice we here offer might 
have been put in practice a fortnight sooner: thus, 
like most other horticultural proceedings, the mind of 
the cultivator must he brought to bear on the subject. 
This is as it should be; this it is which creates such 
an interest in gardening affairs—an interest which 
increases at a more rapid pace in Britain than any 
other country; owing, no doubt, to the inestimable 
blessing of internal peace; for war is not a befitting 
cradle for horticultural science. 
We would say, then, under general circumstances, 
early in September let every lateral be stripped away 
which shades the principal leaves or intercepts the 
sun’s rays from shining on and heating the wall. In 
the beginning of October it may become necessary to 
thin out a leaf here and there in order to throw a 
little sunlight on the fruit itself. This will both 
augment the colour and flavour, and tend to dissipate 
any moisture which may occasionally lodge amongst 
the berries. If any of the leading shoots are still 
growing they should be stopped also, as no benefit 
can accrue to the plant at tins period from being 
allowed to produce late and immature foliage, which 
can never add to the elaborations of the plant, but 
which will detract from them. 
Nothing will now remain but to secure the fruit 
from wasps or flies, and to remove decaying or blem¬ 
ished berries, if such should appear. Bottles of some 
kind may be suspended, containing a little sugar and 
water, to wliich may be added a little strong sour ale 
or the bottoms of wine bottles: the stronger the ma¬ 
terial, the more effective it will prove. Those who 
may be fortunate enough to possess old sashes from 
houses or pits, and which are not wanted for other 
purposes, will do well to lean them against the wall 
before the vines: such will prove of immense service. 
Fruit Gathering. —We recur to this subject in 
order to observe that it requires constant watchful¬ 
ness. There is no occasion to gather the whole of a 
tree at once; indeed, such a course, although impera¬ 
tive with those who grow fruit on a large scale, is in¬ 
expedient with the amateur or the cottager. It will 
be found, with regard to most of our apples and pears 
—table fruits we mean—that a great difference in 
regard of ripeness exists on the same tree at the same 
period. By gathering them at two or three periods 
a much longer succession will be promoted. This 
mode of procedure applies to most of our apples and 
pears: those of a late ripening habit and possessing 
keeping properties especially. Let every care be 
taken in the act of gathering: too much stress cannot 
possibly be laid on this; and it lays in the power of 
the amateur to take double the pains which can be 
taken by those who grow fruit extensively for sale, 
and whose object, therefore, is of a very different cha¬ 
racter. 
The Double Bearing Raspberry. —Much care 
should be given to these autumnal raspberries as 
they ripen, for the birds will take them if not well 
looked after; and to gather them before they are ripe 
is to lose what little flavour they naturally possess at 
this season. A few should be gathered every fine 
day if possible, and they may be suffered to accumu¬ 
late in a tolerably warm room, where, with due care 
in the handling, they will keep for two or three days 
and improve in flavour. 
The Alpine Strawberry. —The same course must 
be pursued witli these as with raspberries, taking care 
to handle them only when they are quite dry, for they 
are veiy tender in texture when fully ripe. 
Late Peaches. —Some kinds will still be found on 
the trees in late districts, especially such as the Late 
Admiral, the Bellgarde, and the Catherine, as also 
the Newington nectarine. Every leaf which shades 
the fruit should be pinched entirely away, for it is 
essentially necessaiy that the sun should shine on the 
fruit at this season. 
