150 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[October, 
feet wide, and the same in depth, and at least 
two feet between each bed. Put plenty of 
stones or rubble in the bottom to ensure a good 
drainage ; then fill up with a light sandy soil, 
adding a liberal quantity of manure. After 
they are planted it would not he wise to force 
them the first season, but after that they may 
be forced for a great number of years ; care 
being taken not to cut them too closely. 
All that is required after the pits are built, 
are portable wooden covers made in a span 
shape, with one side at least capable of open¬ 
ing for airing purposes. 
The first thing to determine is when the first 
cutting is required. If it is required to cut in 
January forcing must commence six weeks in 
advance, if in February five weeks, and if 
in March four weeks. The forcing consists in 
filling up the two feet cavities between the 
beds Avith hot dung ; placing the wooden 
covers on the beds, and covering all OA'er with 
a good thick covering of straw to keep in the 
heat. As soon as the shoots begin to appear, 
no opportunity should be neglected of admit¬ 
ting as much air and light as the weather will 
permit, as, of course, the more air and light 
AA'hich are given, the plumper and shorter as 
as well as greener wall be the shoots. It is 
needless to add that where a succession is 
wanted, measures must he taken accordingly. 
—T. Smith, Thoreshy Gardens. 
WARD’S GRAPE TROUGH. 
learn that Mr. George Ward, of 
Bishop’s Stortford, w^ho is well 
known in gardening circles as a 
large and successful grower of Vines 
and Pines, has invented a new trough for 
keeping Grapes after they are cut from the 
Vine. The trough is oblong in shape, about 
17 inches long, and being composed of glazed 
earthenware, is clean, durable, and cheap. 
The troughs are single or double, the former 
being intended for fixing with L-shaped hold¬ 
fast against walls, and the latter for standing 
on wooden frames with shelves speciall}'- con¬ 
structed for the purpose. The method of 
fixing and using them is thus extremely simple. 
The troughs are not placed close up end to 
end, but kept about 7 inches apart. Both 
the single and the double troughs have a flange 
or ledge inside. The shoot bearing the bunch 
of Grapes should be cut sufficiently long to 
admit of the bunch hanging free of the trough, 
while the end of the shoot is lodged under 
this flange. No tying or fastening of any 
kind is required, the weight of the Grapes 
being sufficient to hold the bunch in position. 
By this simple contrivance much labour and 
trouble is avoided. The Grapes hang in their 
natural position, without the trough being 
tilted, and consequently there is no danger of 
any drip. There is no danger of the end of 
the shoot being out of the water, and yet the 
trough need not be filled brimfull. Water can 
be put into the troughs without disturbing the 
Grapes, and each bunch can be lifted out for 
examination, and replaced with the greatest 
ease. Mr. Ward used these troughs for 
keeping 800 lbs. of Grapes from January till 
the first week in April of the present year, 
during which time they were seen by many 
large Grape growers, who expressed their 
unqualified approval of the invention. M. 
A TEA-ROSE SEASON. 
ERHAPS that is the most fitting title for 
the Rose year now drawing to a close. 
Hardly hit, and not a few of those in 
the open beds and borders almost cut 
to the ground by the autumn frosts, the Teas 
sprang up Avith abnormal A'igour, and bloomed 
with a profusion of flowers and a perfection 
of individual blossom rare among this fine 
class of Roses. Not a few of them also 
seemed quite at home through the long season 
of semitropical heat and arid desert-like dearth 
through Avhich they were called to pass. That 
they were less injured by these tropical condi¬ 
tions than hardier families of Roses goes with¬ 
out saying. But more than that, not a few of 
the finer Teas seemed improved by the heat 
and the drought. They grew into larger sizes, 
and developed into finer form apparently 
through the extra warmth. Those on walls 
and in sheltered nooks and corners that escaped 
severe injury or destruction through the 
spring frosts also bloomed abnormally early. 
Not a feAV Marechal Niel’s Avere out early in 
May, and these were closely followed by 
Gloire de Dijon, Safrano, Madame Sprunt, 
Devoniensis, Homer, and others. 
The Teas on Avails and in sheltered places 
were in full bloom in the first week of June, 
and had it not been for the cutting frosts in 
