THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 22, 1857. 393 
As early as the spring of 1852 I began an experiment 
to prove the difference between practice and theory in 
the pruning of the Grape Vine, which experiment will 
only be finished this autumn. My Vine is in the open 
air against a south wall. I allowed it to bear a few 
bunches only last year for the first time, and, at the end 
of the growing season last October, I considered the 
plant as well established, and fit for my experiment on 
pruning the Vine. There were three principal young 
shoots and some smaller ones. I pruned them all with 
a view to the experiment; but, to make my question 
more simple, I shall only mention one of the strong 
shoots. I pruned this one down to five good promising 
buds. One of these buds, hut not the top hud , was in¬ 
tended to make a long shoot this season, and the other 
four buds each to produce one bunch of Grapes, and to 
be cut or stopped at different lengths before the bunches. 
The top bud, which was and ought to be the strongest, 
I stopped at the third eye before the bunch. No. 2 was 
stopped two eyes before the bunch. No. 3 was stopped 
at ten eyes before the bunch, and No. 4 at fifty-two eyes 
before the bunch ; but I have the different lengths from 
ten to fifty-two cut in other instances, but they are not 
necessary for my question, which is this:—Supposing 
the four buds to have been nearly of equal strength at 
starting, and there was not much visible difference be¬ 
tween them, which of thorn ought to carry the heaviest 
bunch, the best coloured, and the soonest ripe? and 
which bunch ought to have the best flavoured berries ? 
The flavour will be decided at the next fruit meeting of 
the Horticultural Society in London. I shall take the 
“ spurs,” with three of the bunches attached, to the 
Meeting; but the fifty-two joints one, No. 4, I shall not 
cut, because I want it next year. I want answers from 
Messrs. Errington, Fish, Robson, as coadjutors, and 
from Messrs. Fleming, Hill (Keele Hall), Ayres, Snow, 
two Frosts, Sanders (Tetworth), Tiley, Scott (Leigh 
Park), Judd, Eyles (Crystal Palace), W. Forsyth, Barnes 
(Bicton), Busby (Stockwood Park), and all those who 
wrote books or papers on the Vine in this country 
Mr. Spencer, since 1830. I have one answer already from 
of Bowood. 
All I want is the name and address of the writer, 
saying No. 1 or No. so and so should be the best, 
nothing more. I shall not give the opinion of any one 
to the world or to a single individual without his con¬ 
sent. All I shall say after the Meeting of the Horti¬ 
cultural Society is that so many were for No. 1, and so 
many for each of the others, as the case may be. If 
any one wishes his reasons for his choice and his name 
to be published I shall oblige him that way with the 
greatest good will. D. Beaton. 
FERNS.* 
Ferns most deservedly have become great favourites 
with all who love gardening. Theirs is an elegance of form, 
a brightness of verdure, and a peculiarity of structure, not 
to be met with in any other family of plants, and, like their 
allies the Lycopods, they harmonise and can be grouped 
with all flowering plants. Indeed, we have seen groups of 
flowering plants embosomed by Ferns and Lycopodiums 
that no other artistic arrangement could excel. 
All who wish for accurate descriptions and faithful direc¬ 
tories to where all particulars may be obtained relative to Ferns 
* Cultivated, Ferns; or, a Catalogue of Exotic and Indigenous Ferns 
cultivated in British Gardens, with Characters of the Genera, principal 
Synonyraes, &c. By John Smith, A.L.S., Curator of the Royal Botanic 
Gardens at Kew, &c. London : Pamplin. 
Index Filicum: a Synopsis with Characters of the Genera, and an 
enumeration of the Species of Ferns, with Synonymes, References, &c. 
By T. Moore, F.L.S., Curator of the Chelsea Botanic Gardens. 
Priced Catalogue (and Supplement ), with brief Descriptive and 
Cultural Remarks, of the Stove, Greenhouse, and Hardy Exotic and 
British Ferns grown for sale by R. Sim, Nurseryman, Foot’s Cray, Kent. 
will do well to purchase both Mr. Smith’s and Mr. Moore’s 
work; and those who would know where and at what price 
they can purchase any Fern they need, with descriptions of 
each species and a few notes on their general culture, must 
procure Mr. Sim’s Catalogue. The following extract will be 
useful to many of our readers, and is a specimen of what 
Mr. Sim can teach them:— 
“ Glass-covered Fern cases are too frequently kept as close 
as though the plants were undergoing a long sea voyage, 
and required the total exclusion of the external air. This is 
the chief cause of the Ferns in so many of these very interest¬ 
ing structures having a drawn and untidy appearance, and 
the glass soiled and obscured by the condensed moisture. 
Perhaps the following hints may be useful:— 
“ Case for the soil should have a perforated bottom, and 
be made to fit into,, but not to touch, the bottom of a water¬ 
tight outer one, having an appliance for removing the 
drainage water occasionally. 
“Soil .—The same as for large pot Ferns, to be raised 
considerably above the rim of the case, and to rest on at 
least an inch of large cinders or other pieces of porous 
drainage material. 
“ Air .—Admit occasionally, but not on very dry, sunny 
days, as it is then desirable to retain the internal moist air. 
Small glasses may be slightly tilted on one side: large ones 
must have special ventilators. 
“ Water .—As air is given occasionally, and the case has a 
perforated bottom, there will be a moderate escape of 
moisture from the soil, and that will have to be replaced at 
distant intervals, and then only when the surface gives 
slight indications of dryness. 
“ Planting .—Nothing is eventually gained by crowding 
the plants and leaving no room for future growth. 
“ Occasionally wash and well dry the glass, replacing it 
quickly.” 
THE COMMON RABBIT. 
This species (Lepus cuniculus ) is widely spread through¬ 
out the globe. It is not an aboriginal of this country, but 
the date of its introduction is uncertain. It is generally 
believed that the Rabbit was first introduced into Spain 
from Africa' by the Romans, whence it gradually spread, 
naturalising itself in temperate climates. It is generally 
found either grey or black in colour, but albinos are also 
occasionally met with, most probably the result of a cross 
between this and the domestic Rabbit. As fanciers we have 
little to do with the wild Rabbit, except acknowledging it as 
the original source from whence our various domestic 
varieties have proceeded, influenced, of course, by the effects 
of domestication, cultivation, and climate. The common 
domestic Rabbit is of all colours, self as well as party- 
coloured, and exceeds in bulk its wild progenitors, some 
specimens coming under this class, but doubtless crossed 
with one or other of the lop-eared varieties, attaining very 
considerable size. The ears are carried erect as in the wild 
Rabbit, and as in the diagram; and in the party-coloured 
specimens the two colours may be arranged as in other 
fancy Rabbits, with the saddle, smut, &c., or irregularly, 
giving the animal a piebald appearance. These Rabbits are 
hardy, good breeders, and, being very plentiful, may be 
purchased for a mere trifle. They are the best possible 
stock for a young beginner, who requires experience before 
keeping a valuable stud of costly animals; and, as they are 
easily fattened and excellent for table purposes, there is no 
trouble in disposing of surplus stock. Many breeders of 
the fancy Rabbit are in the habit of keeping does of the 
common breed as nurses for the young of their more 
valuable specimens, for generally speaking they are found 
to be tender mothers and good milkers. Under this head I 
will allude to the “ Silver Sprig,” so called from its peculiar 
colour. It is only a variety of the common Rabbit, whose 
ground colour is black, studded over with white hairs, which 
give it the silvery appearance its name indicates. These 
Rabbits are very pretty, but do not, I think, deserve a place 
as a distinct variety of the Rabbit tribe.—P ercy Boulton. 
