145 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 11, 1860. 
was not the cause of their failure, although I believe something 
allin contributed in no small degree to their premature decay— 
namely, “the nine months’ showers,” acting upon a cold tenacious 
soil. This and (as you justly observed) the 1st of October, I 
believe were the causes that led to their disease. I am sorry to 
learn that I am not alone in this belief, which your pages will 
abundantly testify, thus showing the necessity of free discussion 
upon so important a subject. One other circumstance connected 
with these roots I think ought to be mentioned—that is, I 
found that many of them had gone the full width of the border 
with but few fibres. Many of them had more of those knotty 
excrescences than I like to see, whilst others appeared perfectly 
healthy. I can now see the importance of root pruning. I 
believe this is a subject that has not hitherto received the atten¬ 
tion its merits deserve, especially in relation to soil. 
What I have done is as follows :—I have had the soil removed 
to the depth of the border, and several inches of broken brick¬ 
bats, &c\, placed at the bottom to the distance of about 6 feet 
from the base of the wall; upon this I placed an inch or so of 
cinder ashes, and beat them well down; I replaced the soil, 
mixing with it a good portion of leaf mould and other porous 
materials. Having completed it, I have planted another set of 
trees, which I hope will not share the like fate. 
Now, a few words upon what is intended to be done. From 
what ha3 been said, I believe that there is but one inference to 
be drawn—that is, that all this has happened from atmospheric 
influence: therefore, all honour to the man who originated the 
idea of protecting these exotics from the vicissitudes of our 
uncertain climate. Profiting by past experience, it is pi’oposed 
to erect a lean-to house over a portion of this border, having the 
wall at the back, a boarded front 3 feet high, sliding wooden 
shutters 1 foot wide, 2 feet long. Every 2 feet, for ventilation, 
(back and front) to be planted thus : trees trained to the back 
wall, a row of pyramids next the back walk, dwarf bushes in 
front, planted diagonally 6 feet apart, to be lifted biennially. I 
think this mode preferable to pot culture. The latter is very well 
fpr private individuals—amateurs we may call them—-who grow 
for amusement. I think gardeners have quite enough mental 
taxation already, without having a host of these pets to think 
about; and if perchance they should be overlooked for a few 
hours upon some warm day during their growing and fruiting 
season, and not have their ration of water, to find as the result 
a gradual diminution of fruit, and a corresponding increase of 
red spider. I say, however others may think upon the subject, 
the thought of these results certainly deters me from adopting 
that system of cultivating fruit trees. 
Now I have thus laid the above plan before your readers, I shall 
feel very grateful for any suggestions or improvements that either 
you or your able correspondents may deem necessary.—S. A. 
[“A fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind;” so we can 
thoroughly sympathise with you under the circumstances. Had 
we knowm of that terrible frost in October—and had hand or root- 
pruned our trees at the end of September —we should, by 
arresting growth, have presented a harder consistence to the 
frost, and so far have mitigated the evil; but we did not know 
it, and therefore the destruction in many places. We have seen 
hundreds of trees exactly as yours ; and the older the trees, the 
more luxuriant and the larger the limbs exposed, the more they 
suffered. We have no fault to find with your proposed plan of a 
lean-to house, trellis at back, and a row of pyramids and dwarfer 
row of standards in front. For ourselves, we would, on the whole, 
prefer a trellis in front as well as at back, coming as far back as 
within from 3 to 4 feet of the back wall. In fact, though that 
would look best and permit of more varieties being grown, 
we are doubtful if a trellis all the way under the glass would not 
foe the best ultimately, the back wall bearing until the trellis 
was full. 
We do not wish to throw cold water, however, on your bush 
plan; it will be more interesting, and allow you to have more 
variety. We would avoid, however, putting much leaf mould 
on the soil. Peaches generally grow strong enough in such 
soil, with little manure waterings, and top dressing.] 
The Cedars of Lebanon.— The special correspondent 
of the Times in Syria, writes:—“We crossed the Lebanon by 
following a sheep track, and halted under the Cedars. These 
stately trees, several of which are believed to have been in their 
prime when Solomon built the Temple, stand by themselves in 
a gorge of the mountain, with no other trees near them. Of 
‘ all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up,’ these 
alone remain, for on no other part of the mountain are Cedars to 
be found. The bark of the most ancient has been cut away in 
places to afford room for carving names of visitors, among which, 
one regrets to learn is that of Lamartine. In their anxiety to 
protect the holy places, it is surprising that neither France nor 
Russia lias thought of protecting the Cedars of Lebanon, which 
have as strong a claim upon the veneration of all readers of the 
Bible as the shrines and relics of Palestine. These are trees 
such as those which suggested to the Psalmist and the Prophets 
the noblest imagery in the Old Testament. They are, moreover, 
called the ‘Trees of the Lord,’ which ‘ He hath planted.’ What 
can be the honour of repairing a vault in the comparatively 
modern church of Jerusalem in comparison with that which 
would result by protecting from wanton and stupid injury these 
biblical emblems of strength, an d the standard by which an 
estimate of Divine omnipotence is conveyed to man as an idea of 
the majesty of the Yoice which ‘ breaketh the Cedars ? ’ This is 
a work in which Protestant, Roman Catholic, Greek, Jew, and 
Moslem may join. Leaving the Cedars with regret, we travelled 
on towards Ehden, where local tradition places Paradise, in 
defiance of the Authority respecting the four rivers.” 
GRAPES SHANKING IN GREENHOUSE. 
I thank you for answering me in your Cottage Gardener 
for October the 16th, about Camellias on back of vinery. I 
have done as you told me, and the house looks first-rate. I have 
eight Vines in the house. I have cut back four of them to give 
more light to the house, and not to fruit any more than four at 
once. The Grapes in the greenhouse have all shanked off this 
year. They do not get much sun. The Vines are planted outside 
the house; the border is the entire length of the house, 
25 feet, and about 8 feet wide. I am afraid the border is 
badly drained, and the soil seems very heavy. The border is 
close by the dining-room window, and wants manuring. What 
manure must I use, and how must I apply it ? I have a 
piece of old floorcloth if that is of any use to keep the rain off 
the border. Do you think it would be a benefit to the plants to 
have a covering of some sort to keep frost out, instead of so 
much fire P It would be a shade for the plants in summer as 
well.—W. L. 
[We are glad you find the house treated as recommended looks 
so well. We are sure it will if you also altered your stage. The 
Vines in the greenhouse most likely suffered from the excessive 
wet and want of sunshine, more especially as you say they have 
but little sun. Vines in general should have almost as much as 
they can receive to do well. We think a good deep drain in front 
of the border would be your chief safeguard. Vines in green¬ 
houses require little or no protection at the roots. A. waterproof 
cloth or wooden shutters would be best in your case for pre¬ 
venting the border being soaked; but even that will not make 
amends for a water-logged soil. It is most likely this more than 
want of nourishment caused the Vines to fail. If the roots are 
more than 20 inches or 24 inches from the surface, it would be 
better to lift the Vines, or remove fully a foot of the surface 
covering. If manure is given broken bones are best, or a couple 
of hundredweight of superphosphate of lime put on at six times 
during the summer when you expect a shower. It is only in 
severe weather that greenhouses need covering, and then it is an 
advantage for the plants. A waterproof cloth is the best for 
the purpose, and next in excellence is strong calico ; but to suit 
also the purposes you name, tiffany or frigi domo would answer 
well. We have had no weather yet in which covering would 
be advantageous. A little fire keeps the atmosphere inside in 
brisker motion. The price of these articles you will see in 
advertisements.] 
GREEN STAINS ON STONE-WORK. 
When I was a man cook, and went in that capacity to grouse 
shooting, the maids went to the farm and garden instead of 
minding the pot-and-pan department: consequently the flags 
in the scullery got as green as grass, and it took a whole night 
on our return to bleach them white again. The lasses used to 
have their best things on to welcome back the “shooters,” and 
one of the helps had to look to the stains. She took a lump of 
soft soap from the laundry and worked it in a pail half full of 
hot water with a mop; and when the girls went up to bed she 
