198 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 27, 1886. 
on horticulture, but they are hardly known. There is, 
certainly, one member of the national society who 
has a large number of coloured engravings of the 
“Mum.” To my knowledge he has nearly all of the 
published plates of the very old varieties which came 
originally from China towards the end of the last, and 
the beginning of the present century, besides numerous 
others of more modern times. 
Should they be likely to prove of any service in the 
preparation of a work like that contemplated by the 
writer of the article now under consideration, there is 
no doubt but that the owner of this collection would 
give his co-operation to anything tending to the achieve¬ 
ment of that object. 
I cordially endorse the assertion that the Chrysan¬ 
themum merits a monograph, and a really good one too, 
and to this end perhaps some of the readers of The 
Gardening World will favour us with their views 
upon what is one of the most valuable propositions that 
has emanated from the pages of the gardening press for 
many years past.— Chrysanthcmophile. 
-- 
RENOVATING VINES. 
Having been very successful in lifting and replanting 
a house of Muscat Vines here, the results already being 
considerably above my expectations, it has occurred to 
me that the details on our mode of procedure may, 
perhaps, be of use to some of your readers. Having 
found the Vines to be much subject to shanking, that 
the wood did not ripen properly, and that, consequently, 
the crops for some previous years had not been at all 
satisfactory, I determined upon lifting the roots, in 
view of ascertaining and correcting the cause if possible. 
The Vines are old, some of the individual stems measur¬ 
ing 9 ins. to 10 ins. in girth, and they are planted on an 
inside border 5| ft. wide and 3J ft. deep ; it was in 
the first week of October of last year that the operation 
was performed. Having decided upon lifting the roots, 
a short time previous to disturbing them I allowed all 
the young growths the Vines were disposed to make to 
extend, so as to keep the sap in motion as much as 
possible. The soil I had prepared in readiness was 
made up at the rate of five cartloads of sound sweet 
loam to one of wood-aslies and lime-rubble, and a good 
rich sprinkling of J-in. bones, all thoroughly mixed 
together. I then had the remainder of the Grapes cut 
and bottled in the usual way, and heavily shaded the 
Vines, so that on exposing the roots we should have 
l.ittle, if anything, to hinder us, as to lift and replant 
the roots as quickly as possible is, in my opinion, a 
matter of considerable importance. 
I then, using a four-tined fork, opened a narrow 
trench half-way along the border, opposite the Vines, 
and removed a considerable amount of soil before we 
came upon any roots worthy of being so called. These 
we carefully tied up ; but on approaching the stems of 
the Vines, we found, and not to our surprise, that 
nearly all the principal roots had penetrated the 
drainage, and got down into the cold sub-soil, which 
doubtless was the entire cause of the shanking. The 
roots, however, were traced as far as possible, and then 
cut off and tied together with the rest to the stems of 
the Vines, which were at once syringed and covered 
up with wet mats. When the drainage had been put 
right, and the border refilled with the new compost, I 
made an examination of the roots, and those that I 
found had been injured, I had cut off with a keen- 
edged knife, and all along the long bareless ones I made 
incisions at intervals of 8 ins. to 10 ins. The roots were 
then evenly spread ever the border, and covered up to 
the depth of 6 ins. to 8 ins. The other half was done 
in precisely the same manner. 
After completing the whole of the border, one good 
watering was given with tepid water, and no more till 
spring ; but the border was heavily mulched. I kept 
the house entirely closed for a few days, syringing the 
Vines two and three times a day, according to the state 
of the weather. The young growths that were allowed 
to extend previously to disturbing the roots, flagged for 
a few days, but soon recovered and grew away freely. 
The shading was then gradually reduced, and air given, 
and increased until the Vines had sufficiently recovered 
to withstand ordinary treatment. The only different 
treatment that they subsequently received was that they 
were not burned into growth in the spring ; they 
were cropped somewhat lighter, and each Vine was 
allowed to make a young rod, and considerably more 
foliage, to encourage root action as much as possible to 
finish off the crop, which is excellent considering those 
of previous years. I forward you Ho. 1, a piece of 
lateral growth which has already carried a nice even 
bunch ; No. 2, a piece of a young rod, 15 ft. long, and 
also a few berries.— II. Markham, Mcreworth Castle. 
[The practice was sound, and the results admirable.— 
ASCOT IN SUMMER AND 
WINTER. 
For. a few days in the month of June, royal Ascot is 
the scene of one of the gayest, wealthiest and most 
exciting gatherings in the world ; perhaps it is one of 
the largest also. In any case, just then all the world 
seems attracted to this Berkshire heath ; but the 
attraction is fleeting, the few days soon pass, and once 
more all is quiet and subdued. How many of those, 
who, under the exciting influence of the racing, pause 
to admire the very charming views of Windsor Forest, 
the heath itself and the large expanse of beautiful 
country spread out before them, it would be hard to 
say ; but it must be admitted that the sport, such as 
it is, can hardly find charms so enjoyable as the 
scenery. And yet we greatly doubt whether even leafy 
June, with all its rich verdure and glowing sunshine, 
produces so much of varied colour iu the foliage and 
beauty in the landscape, as was to be seen on the 
morning of November 17th. 
It is true the early morn was miserably wet, and cal¬ 
culated to damp the enthusiasm of the warmest admirers 
of beauty, whether of flower or of scenery. Happily the 
sun broke through later, and then the visit to the 
royal heath and an ascent to the top of one of the 
lofty stands which command the race-course, was well 
repaid by the prospect. All over a wide extent of 
woodland, many miles in area, the Oak, Elm and Beech, 
were of a glorious yellow, buff, or brown, and intersected 
with these tints were the heavy and beautifully con¬ 
trasting greens of Fir so abundant in this quarter. 
The sweet serene peacefulness incidental to the place 
stood in strange contrast to the hideous din, the terrible 
pandemonium of which the stand we were on, and the 
enclosure beneath, was the scene in the month of June ; 
and, instead of hundreds of thousands of persons, 
forming a moving kaleidoscope, hardly a living being 
was to be seen. Ascot in June may be a wonderful sight; 
Ascot in November certainly is a very peaceful and 
lonely one, and, to us, far the more enjoyable. 
But we are in danger of forgetting that our mission 
here w^s not to indulge in pastoral reveries, but rather 
to partake in the more prosaic work of reporting the 
proceedings of a Chrysanthemum exhibition; for the floral 
fever which rages so strongly in the kingdom has not 
left Ascot and its neighbourhood unscathed. Indeed, so 
far from this being the case, we have cause to marvel at 
the large number of growers of the Chrysanthemum in 
this comparatively thinly populated district, and still 
more to appreciate the exceeding beauty found in the 
exhibits. Success iu flower-growing has no royal road, 
but certainly royal Ascot seems to have found the way 
with considerable ease. The exceedingly extensive area 
of the ground and buildings attached to the Ascot 
grand stand would astonish many persons, and the huge 
diniug-liall affords ample area for the cut flowers and 
fruits with many of the plants ; whilst the groups were 
disposed in an entrance corridor. 
Lighting arrangements are quaint in these days of 
gas and electricity, for the famous firm of Price’s Patent 
Candle Company had been laid under contribution to 
furnish some hundreds of their admirable composite 
candles, and these, lit up later in the day, gave a weird 
and yet pleasing light, which was most enjoyable. In 
out-door places Chinese lanterns were brought into play, 
with excellent effect. Probably, few Chrysanthemum 
shows have been held this season under stranger or more 
interesting auspices. The arrangements we regret to 
refer to without approbation. Owing to extreme laxity 
on the part of the committee and exhibitors, the judging 
could not commence till mid-day, and did not conclude 
till late in the afternoon ; the work, especially in the 
cut-flower classes, proving very heavy. Still farther, 
the system of ticketing the exhibits—about the worst in 
the kingdom, which must be costly and very trouble¬ 
some—seemed fashioned to create work and annoyance. 
Each exhibit was marked by a ticket bearing the ex¬ 
hibitor’s number in the entry book, the exhibitor’s and 
gardener’s name being placed on each exhibit, but no 
address'was given. Finally, the prize cards, in various 
hues, printed in gold and absurdly expensive, also 
with the exhibitor’s name only on them, were added ; 
and reporters striving for information were terribly 
hampered. The prize cards were of such hues that the 
writing on them was peculiarly indistinct. The whole 
arrangement was born of distrust and ignorance—dis¬ 
trust of the undoubted honour and integrity of the 
judges, of which all honest men should be ashamed, 
and ignorance of the commonest elements in flower 
show management. 
One simple and clearly printed set of entry cards, in 
plain black and white, prepared at the secretary’s 
leisure, with a space on each on which to gum the prize 
labels as fast as the awards are m’ade, is the plan in 
operation at all the leading shows, and if good enough 
for these, it certainly might. answer even for such 
a superior exhibition, as is that at royal Ascot. We 
have referred somewhat forcibly to these defects, be¬ 
cause it is a misfortune when a good show—and one 
calculated to grow into a leading show—should be 
injured by such weaknesses. 
Briefly, now, we must mention that the groups of 
Chrysanthemums were excellent, the best, having superb 
blooms, coming from Mr. Hughes, gardener to D. F. 
Paravicini, Esq., Ascot ; whilst Mr. Lane, gardener to 
Miss Smith, ran him close, having dwarfer plants 
with fine blooms a little past. Mr. Lane, however, 
was first with six trained plants, really good, and 
also with three fine standards. Pompons were very 
good indeed, and also table plants : Chinese Primroses, 
Solanums, &c., wonderfully plentiful and good. The 
best decorative group of mixed plants comprised many 
singularly valuable and beautiful Orchids, set in good 
foliage plants, sent by Mr. Paine, gardener to S. D. 
Bowring, Esq., 'Windsor Forest. There were several 
of these groups, and Messrs. J. Standish &. Co., Ascot 
had a large group of Chrysanthemums, set in Palms, 
Ferns, Bouvardias, &c.; and some bunches of Bouvardias 
which were most beautiful. Messrs. Sutton & Sons, 
Reading, staged a fine collection of sixty dishes of 
Potatos, with some handsome hardy Kales ; and Mr. 
Collings, of Sunningliill, sent a fine mixed collection of 
garden produce. 
Cut flowers were unexpectedly fine, the best eighteen 
incurved and eighteen Japanese coming from Mr. 
Tomline, gardener to T. Ashby, Esq., Sunningliill ; 
the best eighteen incurved from Mr. Strong, Wellington 
College ; and Mr. Lane the best twelve blooms, whilst 
the best six incurved of one kind were grand : Empress 
of India and the duplicate class of Japanese, Belle 
Pauline, Japonaise and J. Delaux, were very beautiful. 
Mr. Page, gardener to A. Southerd, Esq., had the best 
eighteen Japanese, grand blooms ; and Mr. Lane the 
finest twelve blooms. All the other classes were good 
and well filled. Fruit was good, Mr. Lane having the 
best black Grapes in Alicante ; and Mr. Wells the 
second best in Cooper’s Black, and was also first for 
six vegetables. White Grapes, Apples, Pears, &c.,were 
fine and plentiful. 
-—>X<»- 
Hardening IsFotes from 
§C0TLAND. 
North of Scotland Horticultural Society. 
—At the monthly meeting of this society, held in the 
Christian Institute, Aberdeen, on Friday evening, 
19th inst., Mr. Alexander Cumming, forester, Huntly 
Lodge, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, read a very interesting 
paper on “The Effects of Trees and Plantations on 
Climate and Crops. ” Mr. Cummings described trees as 
a provision of nature to make the earth a fit habitation 
for man, and proceeded to speak of the influence of 
trees on our climate. Trees absorb moisture and the 
means of subsistence from the earth and the atmosphere. 
But although rooted to the earth, and taking a certain 
amount therefrom, they draw the greater part of their 
nourishment from the atmosphere. Speaking of the 
office of trees in distributing carbonic acid gas, he ex¬ 
plained that their leaves under the influence of sunlight 
draw in carbonic gas to the extent of one part of carbon 
to two parts of oxygen. The carbon is retained, and 
the oxygen given out again to purify the atmosphere and 
sustain man. In the darkness, also, the leaves of trees 
and plants give off carbon, but in much smaller quan¬ 
tities. Again, the moisture which trees absorb from 
the earth is discharged into the air, thus promoting 
that genial moisture which is so conducive to healthy 
life. Trees and plants being so beneficial to the atmo- 
