A W 
UM 
TIfE COTTAGE GARDENER AEG COUNTRY 
GENTLE 
, November 23,1858. 
which practice was ihe best. If tile crown was of fair size, we 
would remove all gills as soon as they appeared. What say our 
many Pine-growing readers ? Under good, regular treatment, 
gills do not often appear. But the best cultivators have them at 
limes.] 
VIEE MIDLEW : ITS PREVENTION AND CURE. 
In a late number of The Cottage Gardener, I noticed a 
correspondent asking for information respecting the best means 
of destroying the Vine mildew. I must admit I am astonished,— 
after the advice given in these pages, by some of the best prac¬ 
tical gardeners of the day,—that in the year 1858, the question 
should be asked,—how to destroy the Tine mildew ? 
Ilad this question been asked some twelve years since, I could 
have sympathised with the inquirer. About that time, or a little 
later, I had my late Grapies attacked with mildew, which spread 
very rapidly over the whole house. Sulphur, at that time, as a 
cure, was not so well known as it is at the present. Neither was 
it applied in the proper way. At that time the disease was 
quite new to me; but, as something must be done, I determined 
to ask advice on the subject. I did so, and, I can assure you, 
some very curious receipts I had given me. However, I selected 
two which I thought most likely to succeed. The first, to 
dust sulphur, by means of a pepper-box, over the parts ; the 
second, with a small brush, to paint the stems of the bunches 
with sweet oil. With these two receipts before me, I determined 
at once to set to work. But what was to be done: I being a 
bachelor, and boarding in the house at the time, could not 
boast the possession of a pepper-box, and I was too far distant 
from town to fetch one. My only resource was to ask our good- 
natured cook, who, after sundry inquiries respecting the use of 
it, lent me one, on the express condition of returning it, clean 
and sound, as 1 then found it. 
I had scarcely dusted one-half of the bunches, when my 
worthy employer opened the vinery door, and, seeing me very 
busy with the pepper-box, of course asked what I was doing. 
I turned to him, thinking he would be pleased to hear my answer, 
and politely informed him that I was destroying the mildew. 
“ Indeed,” said he, smiling, “ and destroying the Grapes also, I 
presume. At least, they w ill not be fit to look at, after sulphur 
being dusted over them in that way, much less will they ever be 
fit for my table.” But I assured him I could, with the use of 
the syringe, wash the berries perfectly clean. But, alas! such 
was not the case. It is true, I stayed the mildew, but spoilt the 
appearance of my Grapes ; and I had strict orders not to apply 
sulphur to the remaining bunches, but to let them take their 
chance (a very poor one, too, thought 1). However, I was de¬ 
termined to try my second receipt on the bunches I had not 
dusted with sulphur. So I got a small brush, and carefully 
applied the sweet oil. This, likewise, had tie desired effect, but, 
like the sulphur, did not improve their appearance, or their 
flavour for the dessert-table. 
The following season I was again troubled with the same 
disease, but I am happy to say, that that time I effectually 
destroyed it, without the least injury to my Grapes ; and, I am 
proud to say, it has never done me one pennyworth of damage 
from that time up to the present. 1 have, since living at 
Worcester, seen mildew make sad havoc amongst the graperies ; 
and, I am pleased to say, I have had the credit of saving many 
fine crops. 
I trust the advice I have given below—although not new— 
will never be forgotten, while it has the desired effect; and I also 
hope your correspondent will act on the advice given, and 1 can 
assure him mildew will soon bean entire stranger to his graperies. 
Nothing is more simple than preventing the Yine mildew; and, I 
am pleased to say, it is within the reach of every man to stay its 
progress. During Ihe lifetime of my employer (the late Sir 
Gilley Wakoman, Bart.), I had a good opportunity of testing 
the truth of what I have stated below, were I had Grapes hanging 
nearly the whole year round: the first were usually ripe by the 
end of April, and the last generally hung until the middle or 
end of March. 
Again and ngain has sulphur been recommended for destroying 
mildew on Vines, and I believe there are no two opinions with 
resppet to its efficacy, when properly applied, and in time. 
Notwithstanding this, however, I have, during the past season, 
witnessed splendid crops of Grapes entirely destroyed by mildew, 
almost to a bunch. 1, therefore, naturally asked, why sulphur 
had not been applied ? And the answer was, that every bunch 
had been dusted over and over again with it, as well as syringed 
with sulphur water, but without the slightest benefit; and, in 
consequence, all faith in sulphur was lost. It had not, however, 
been applied in time, nor in the proper w ay, for, although dusting 
over the berries immediately the disease is perceived would, as i 
before stated, stop its progress, yet, used in this way, it has not 
only a very slovenly appearance, but the Grapes are sure to taste 
of it, more or less. 
Now, as sulphur will destroy the mildew after it has attacked 
the Vine, why not apply it as a preventive, which, surely, at all 
times, is better than a cure ? I would not recommend dusting 
the bunches, or syringing the leaves with sulphur, or anything 
that has an unsightly appearance; but the method 1 would advise 
is simply the one practised by myself, with the best results— 
viz., washing my hot-water pipes or flues regularly over every 
fortnight with sulphur, during the forcing season, when the pipes 
or flues are sufficiently hot to evaporate it. This is not only a 
preventive of mildew, but a sure check to our great enemy—the 
red spider. And, from some years experience, I am certain, if 
the above be properly attended to, no one will have any reason 
to complain of mildew. 
In proof of the success of the above, in the spring of 1852, 
I visited a gentleman’s garden, a few miles from London, where 
he had lost his crop for two successive years, and had every 
appearance of doing the same again. Sulphur had been applied 
to the bunches, but the mildew had spread over the foliage, and 
even the young wood was attacked. In the course of conversation 
with the gentleman and his gardener—a reader of this paper—I 
told thepi I thought it was yet possible to destroy it, provided 
they would clear the house of the plants. This was done, the fire 
lighted, and the flue made hot. Sulphur was then mixed up in 
a pail, and applied to the flues by means of a brush. The ap¬ 
plication was repeated twice a day for three successive days, and 
by the fourth day the disease had altogether disappeared. The 
berries that had been very badly attacked were cut out, and the 
remainder ripened and did w T ell; so that, by the aid of sulphur 
applied to flues sufficiently hot to evaporate it, a good crop was 
secure^. 
I never remember seeing but two other houses of Grapes so 
badly affected with mildew, as the one I have just mentioned. 
One was at Croome, and the other at Gaines, near Worcester. 
With respect to my own late vineries, I had fires lighted occa¬ 
sionally, with a view to evaporate sulphur, by way of prevention, 
in the manner I have already mentioned.— Edward Bennett, 
Gardener, Perdiswell Hall. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Preserving Stove Ferns in Winter ( Comet). —You have some stove 
Ferns, and only a greenhouse, vinery, and peach-house to winter them in. 
It is possible they may exist through that season, providing you keep them 
tolerably dry, and in the warmest part of your house ; but as soon as your 
vinery is started, place them there ; and’vhen they begin to grow repot 
them, and give tepid water in small quantities. You do not mention the 
species. We should he glad to know what species you keep alive, and 
which die, as it may lead to the useful knowledge that some hitherto 
supposed stove species should be put aipongst those that will bear green¬ 
house treatment. 
Cumbers for a Shaded North Wall (C. F. O.). —There is not a fast¬ 
growing evergreen climber to ho had, that would grow near an Elm tree 
at the north side of a house. Stanntonia latifolia might be got to do the 
work, if you are in a district where it would not be hurt by frost. We 
hare often said that we cannot answer such questions without knowing 
where the plants are wanted. Ladies never forget to mention where they 
write from; gentlemen very often do; and doing so is “just like them.” 
Ivy seems your only resource. 
Propagating Passion - Flowf.rs [A Darlington Subscriber).-- Your 
plant is the one with suckers ; any of the suckers iritli roots to it will make 
a plant; and the best time to separate them is in April ; but cut down the 
top of the sucker to within three or four eygs of the roots. But we repeat 
our disapproval of the plan entirely. But if you resolve to use seeds, 
sow the seeds in a warm bed in the spring, and' treat the young plants as 
you would any seedlings of bedding plants, shifting them from pot to pot 
till they are strong enough to be planted out for good,—some in July, and 
some to he kept in pots the first winter, and housed like Fuchsias. 
Wintering Verpf.nas (B. F.). —The best way to keep Verbenas over 
the winter, without greenhouse or frames, is to make cuttings of them 
early in August, so as to have the young plants stout and full of roots 
before winter ; then to put eight or ten of them in 48-pots before the end 
of September. The soil should be as good and loamy as for pot Geraniums, 
, but very well drained; and the pots kept in the open air all day long, when 
it is not frosty, or rainy, and taken in-doors at night. We have seen them 
so with cottagers twenty years back, and their plants were more healthy 
than our own, with all kinds of glass shelters. The only secret is, to have 
them young and early. Old plants are useless. 
ApAPANTircs lmrellatvs (Idem).—The Agapanthus must not be allowed 
to dry; hut it does not require water often; one good watering once a 
! month will do till March, twice in March, and four times in April; and 
