THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Eebettaky 12, 1861. 
found in tlia dwellings of the poor, arises from deficient 
nourishment. 
The spot, as it is technically termed, occurring on the leaves 
of the Pelargonium , is a dry gangrene, occasioned by an irre¬ 
gularity in the supply of moisture and vicissitudes of tem¬ 
perature, but especially if one of the extremes is much below the 
degree of heat most favourable to the healthy growth of that 
plant. The reason of this is very obvious. If a Pelargonium, 
or any other plant, be placed in a highly stimulating heat, and 
is abundantly supplied with root moisture, it immediately in¬ 
creases its surface of leaf to elaborate and digest the large 
amount of sap forwarded from the roots. If this amount of 
sap is subsequently reduced, by lowering the temperature and 
adding water to the soil less freely, the increased surface of the 
leaf is no longer required, and it is a law pervading all the vege¬ 
table creation, that the moment any of the parts of a plant are 
unnecessary to it, that moment those parts begin to decay. We 
placed a plant of the Marvel of Peru, or Heliotrope, in a high tem¬ 
perature, and supplied it abundantly with water until its leaves 
were much increased in size; the temperature and moisture 
were then much reduced, and the leaves in a few days were com¬ 
pletely decayed round their edges, and in spots upon their sur¬ 
faces. The extent of leaf was accommodated to the amount of 
sap to be elaborated. 
The spot and shanJcing of Grapes as was formerly mentioned, 
is an ulceration arising from the roots failing to afford a due 
supply of sap to the bunches.—J. 
TREATMENT OF TINES PLANTED LAST 
AUTUMN. 
Some time ago I purchased from a friend some Tines (Ham- 
burghs, Boyal Muscadines, Black Prince, Trebbiano, White 
Nice, and White Muscadine). They were cut down by him and 
planted one year in a vinery, but no fruit taken. I removed 
them and planted them in my own vinery (inside), in October 
last, and cut them down to about from 6 feet to 10 feet, accord¬ 
ing to strength. They were well rooted, and the shoots well 
ripened. I have been told I should cut them down much 
further. Should I do so? 
I have also planted some strong Vines from a nursery in 
December last (said to be fit for fruiting). I have cut them 
down to about 5 feet. Is this right or wrong, and how should I 
act ? May 1 venture to take a little fruit from either, or both, 
this season ?—An Amateuk. 
[Tbe Vines planted in October, if the roots were kept slowly 
growing all the winter, may produce a few bunches if allowed to 
start the first season almost naturally—that is, giving them a little 
heat in March. If you are in doubt on the subject, we would re¬ 
duce the shoots to 4 feet and 6 feet. Even if you leave them, and 
they show well, it would be well not to take above two bunches 
from the one and three from the other next season. What you 
should do will greatly depend on the care in planting. Those 
planted out inDecember would not have such a good chance,unless 
you have kept the roots growing by warm watering and warm 
nralching. We would reduce them a little, and take not more 
than one bunch the first season. You might, perhaps, have 
taken more than half a dozen bunches if the Vines had been left 
in the pot; but the plant would have been injured for the 
future. By planting out you have altered the circumstances.] 
HINTS TO GARDENERS. 
(Continued from page 256.) 
It is my intention now to address such of my more fortunate 
brethren as are in situations. My remarks are offered to them 
in the best spirit, and I trust will be received with candour. I 
feel the task I have undertaken is an important one, bearing 
upon the happiness and comfort of a deserving class of the 
community. The first hint or advice I will give is, Now you 
are in a place Btrive to keep it, and in order to do that cherish a 
contented mind. Do not look at the, comparatively speaking, 
few large places with at envious spirit, but rather look at the 
many places that are worse than the one you are placed in, and 
the great number of your fellow gardeners that have no place 
at all. Then, again, if a place near you, or that you may hear 
of, becomes vacant, do not allow your mind to hanker after it. 
I have known, and no doubt you have known also, many a good 
gardener who lias been ruined by changing his situation so often, 
spending all his savings in the intervals between leaving one 
place and obtaining the next. In all places there are always 
some things that are not pleasant: it is, therefore, better to bear 
the ills we know than to change, and have others, probably 
worse that we know not. On this part of my subject I may 
aptly quote the maxim, the truth of which every gardener will 
peculiarly understand— 
“ I never knew an oft-removed tree, 
Nor yet an oft-removed family, 
That throve so well as those that settled be.” 
This being true, I repeat my advice, Be content with your 
present position, and, in order to keep it, attend to the following 
rules constantly and perseveringly:— 
Always be respectful to your employers. Civility costs nothing, 
and always pleases. It may be that the employer has a taste for 
gardening; he may read gardening publications, and would like 
his gardener to adopt some mode of culture different to that he 
practises. If it is practicable it is undoubtedly the gardener’s 
duty to try it. But he may fairly state in becoming language 
the reasons, if any occur to his mind, why in his peculiar circum¬ 
stances such a practice will not answer ; he may say that he is 
quite willing to try the particular mode, and will do so to the 
best of his ability ; but if he fails he hopes his employer will not 
blame him. No lady or gentleman would think worse of his 
gardener for such language. Be attentive to hours of business. 
Every gardener will agree that this rule is an important one. 
The changes of our climate are so great that if a gardener is not 
constantly on the alert the greatest mischief might be done, 
especially where forcing is going on. An hour’s hot sun, if the 
gardener was absent, might destroy a season’s crop of Grapes, 
Peaches, Cucumbers, or Melons. Then, again, a sudden frost 
might occur, and if due attention is not paid to the fires, would 
be equally as fatal to tender plants : hence a gardener that desires 
to keep his place should keep a constant spirit of attention up 
in his mind, and never relax on any account whatever a regular, 
almost hourly, attention to' his business and the weather. 
Endeavour to improve the garden under your care. This rule 
every good gardener will be striving with all his powers to 
carry out. It may be the soil may require renewing; new 
fruit-borders making; fresh plantations of fruit trees planting ; 
new forms of beds in the flower gardens, or, perhaps, more 
extensive alterations, such as putting up new houses, pulling 
down old worn-out houses, and other improvements. All 
these may appear to the gardener desirable to be carried out; 
but let him bear in mind that his employer must first be con¬ 
sulted, for he is the owner, and will have to bear the cost of 
these improvements; and if he says “ No, I do not choose to be at 
this expense,” it is the bounden duty of his servant, the gardener, 
to submit contentedly to his fiat. No gentlemen, however, will 
be against his gardener improving his garden if he can do it 
without much or any expense; and in that point many a man 
may do much by making a judicious use of the means in his 
power, instead of folding his hands and saying to himself, 
“ Because I cannot have this or that, therefore I will just go on 
as usual, and let the garden take its chance.” A man that does 
so, and thinks so, will not keep his place long. There are 
various ways of improving a garden without any great outlay— 
one is, the procuring new desirable plants. Some employers are 
very liberal in that respect, whilst others object to purchase 
any, or at least very few : hence many gardeners go about and 
exchange plants and cuttings with their neighbours. 
In general, gardeners in this respect are very friendly with 
each other, but it may be carried too far. I think in all cases 
the employers ought to be asked for leave to allow this ex¬ 
changing to be made. Such leave being obtained would prevent 
the least suspicion of dishonesty—a state of feeling that every 
gardener will zealously guard against. Some gardeners amuse 
their leisure hours in raising seedlings of fruits, vegetables, and 
flowers, with a view to improve the kinds : this is very praise¬ 
worthy, and ought to be encouraged. If the gardener is success¬ 
ful, as many have been, he ought to be rewarded for his skill in 
hybridising over and above his wages. If his employer chooses 
he will make a present of the stock after his own wants are sup¬ 
plied ; but in all these points let me earnestly advise my brother 
gardener to be straightforward and open with his employer. 
He had better throw his seedlings into the fire than attempt to 
dispose of them in a clandestine manner. Many a gardener has 
lost liis place, and, what is of far more consequence, his character 
