358 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 5 , 1887. 
newspaper or something light, and then be stowed away 
in a proper place. 
I have named the finest of the newer flat Onions of 
the Spanish type. Of the Globe type there are James’s 
Keeping, Magnum Bonmn, Bedfordshire Champion, 
and the Improved Wroxton Globe. For autumn sowing 
in August, use Trebons, Giant Boeca, and Giant White 
Italian Tripoli. For keeping through the winter, 
Giant Zittau, Danvers’ Yellow, James’s Keeping and 
White Globe. The Trebons, Roeca and White Tripoli 
are not keepers ; but they come in very useful in early 
summer, and especially for early shows.—iJ. D. 
-- 
PURPLE-SPROUTING BROCCOLI. 
After such severe weather as we had in December 
and January, it is gratifying to note that the extreme 
hardiness of purple-sprouting Broccoli is more than 
ever a matter for comment. The severe trial to which 
it has been subjected has shown that in the neighbour¬ 
hood of London it is capable of resisting not only snow, 
rain and frost, but other less known, though not the 
less real and injurious, influences at work in the smoky 
atmosphere of large towns. That there is something 
in this would seem evident from the fact of its passing 
through the ordeal of the recent severe weather, while 
in the bulk of suburban gardens the other vegetables 
of a similar kind have all, or nearly all, come to grief. 
In contrast to this must be mentioned the huge waggon¬ 
loads of the Brassica tribe that wend their way to 
Covent Garden Market daily from districts removed 
some distance from the vicinity of London. The 
Broccoli under notice may be seen in the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society’s Garden at Chiswick in a healthy 
vigorous condition, unhurt by the frost. This is diffi¬ 
cult to understand apart from mere vigour of consti¬ 
tution and hardiness, because although dwarf compared 
with Brussels Sprouts in the same garden, it must have 
been wholly exposed during the greater part of the 
severe weather, even when the snow was only partly 
thawed. The purple sprouts become green when 
boiled, and constitute an excellent well-flavoured vege¬ 
table. Xone of the white varieties of Broccoli are 
hardy enough to compete with the purple sort. 
-- 
THE GROS COLMAR GRAPE. 
I have read with interest the remarks of “ Vitis ” 
on this Grape, in your issue of Jan. 29th ; but I must 
say I cannot agree with all he says, and would like to 
take exception, without “acrimony,” to some of his 
remarks. First of all, he says that “a second or even 
an early house ” is the place for it, and that when so 
treated and ripened about the “ end of June or beginning 
of July,” it will hang and keep its colour well till the 
end of September. Xow, I consider to grow it under 
these conditions is to place it quite at a disadvantage, 
because it is not an early Grape : and to have it in a 
house where it and other kinds are expected to be ripe 
about the end of June or beginning of July is not giving 
it such treatment as it likes best. Xo serious attempts 
should be made to have Gros Colmar fit for use before 
September, and from then on till the end of January it 
may be considered a very valuable Grape, possessing, 
as it does, a splendid appearance and fair quality. 
1 must also differ from “Vitis” when he says the 
skin is so thin ; it is not so thick-skinned as Alicante, 
Gros Maroe, and some other kinds, but it is far front 
being a thin-skinned Grape. I would advise a long 
season, plenty of heat and air, and generous treatment 
in regard to feeding ; this combined with judicious 
cropping, not overloading a willing steed, for Gros 
Colmar is willing to bear a very heavy crop, and 
“shows” in abundance. Xothing, however, should 
tempt anyone to leave too heavy a crop on simply 
because the number of bunches shown in spring is great 
and the Vines look vigorous. The knife must be freely 
plied, and only such bunches left as can be brought to 
proper perfection without injury to the Vines. 
Some people go in for enormous crops and inferior 
quality, but for a gentleman’s table I think it is more 
satisfactory to have less in numbers and better quality 
of bunches. L'nless there are some very particular rules 
laid down for showing black Grapes in August and 
September, I can hardly see why judges should not give 
to the finest looking and best finished, to all appearance, 
of the Grapes shown. Until special distinctions are 
made between such Grapes as are “finished” only in 
appearance and not in reality, and those which have 
arrived at their best condition in regard to table 
qualities, little fault can be found with judges for 
awarding prizes to Grapes whose condition is so good 
that it is plainly evident that given a little more time 
they will be prime specimens of their class, rather than 
to other Grapes, which, though in their exact season 
as regards being in their best condition for table, are 
yet, in themselves, not such fine specimens of culture 
as the former. I think in the case mentioned by “Vitis” 
that the Colmars were badly used and should have 
been awarded a first place. The question as to which 
should have been placed first, supposing they had been 
equal in point of fine bunches, berries aud finish, as far 
as appearance goes, at least, is a difficult one. Some 
would say in that case, “place them equal,” others 
would say, “ place Madresfield Court first because it is 
a finer Grape as regards flavour and quality.” I should 
say, that in a class of “any other black,” general 
appearance and finish should only be taken into 
account, as a little more time may be all that is 
required to make one variety at its best, and that 
extra time may cause another variety, then at its best, 
to become too ripe. Unless we go in for largely 
increasing our classes aud making very fine distinc¬ 
tions, I cannot see but that we must leave a great 
deal to the discretion and common sense of judges; 
aud if in any case such qualities are wanting in those 
called on to adjudicate, it is a matter for regret. I may 
say that Muscats have often been seen by me in beauti¬ 
ful condition for eating by the end of July, but not to 
any extent much earlier; thoroughly coloured and 
ripened Muscats in June are, I think, few and far be¬ 
tween. I hope that in time some more distinct rules 
may be framed in connection with Grape showing, so 
that there may be less room for misunderstandings and 
mistakes than there is at present. — Scotia. 
-*>n--- 
THE OPERATION OP POTTING. 
Pottixg plants of whatever class is a delicate opera¬ 
tion at all times, and upon the manner in which this 
work is done greatly depends the after success of the 
subject treated. To a great many the work may appear 
in a very indifferent light; hue to the thinking man, 
and the man who wishes to succeed with his plants, 
the operation of potting is looked upon as a very 
serious matter. If the work be done well, and the 
plants get the proper treatment afterwards, it will soon 
be apparent to the most casual observer that they are 
enjoying the benefits of good treatment; but if slip¬ 
shod work is practised, the evil of the system will not 
he long in showing itself, even to the ordinary observer. 
It is known to many of us that the potting of bedding- 
out plants in the spring of the year has to be pushed 
along with a pretty sharp, but still experienced hand. 
Even then he does not hurry his work in order to pot 
an extra number, when he well knows that at least a 
third of the plants will have to be emptied out again 
as failures resulting through carelessness. 
In the following remarks I will endeavour to be as 
explicit as possible to the amateur, who often stands 
in need of instruction ; also to the younger gardeners 
who do not get that amount of practice at potting 
which it is desirable they should have, the work often 
being done by the head gardeners, or, perhaps, his 
first man. The potting-shed is the proper place for 
that kind of work, and this structure should iu every 
case be as near the greenhouses as possible. In fact, if 
it is connected with them so much the better ; for by 
this means tender plants are not exposed to cold 
draughts, which are at all times very injurious. This 
structure should also be heated, so that the men can 
perform their work comfortably. It should also be 
provided with firm benches for the purposes of potting, 
and have spaces underneath in which to store the 
various kinds of soil as they are brought in from the 
yard. 
The shed should have sufficient elevation to allow the 
potting of large plants without running their heads 
against the roof. Plenty of light, either from above or 
from the sides, is also desirable. A corner should be 
reserved and fitted up for breaking crocks to be used as 
drainage ; the shed should always be large enough to 
accommodate a hand-barrow, without being incon¬ 
venient to the workman or casual visitors. In fact, 
I prefer a good square shed with potting benches all 
round, and these benches should be occupied with 
prepared heaps of soil to suit various kinds of plants, 
so that any particular plant may be potted without the 
trouble of mixing a small quantity of soil specially for it. 
The pots are the next thing to be considered, and 
various sizes should always be in the shed or in close 
proximity to it ; these should always be in a clean 
condition before being used. Preparation for potting 
lies in having a good supply of broken crocks ready to 
hand of various sizes. Xow comes the first essential of 
either success or failure, namely, the drainage of the 
pot. I have said the pot should be perfectly clean ; if 
it is new it should be steeped in water for a shprt time, 
to allow the newly burnt clay to absorb the moisture ; 
for, as a rule, new pots without having been previously 
steeped absorb all the moisture from the soil. This 
proves very injurious to the plant, and necessitates the 
giving of more water than is absolutely required. 
The pots should also be examined before they are 
drained, to see that the hole in the bottom is large 
enough to allow the water to run away freely. If these 
holes are not sufficiently large they must be made 
bigger with the hammer. The hole in the bottom of a 
small pot should be large enough for the end of the 
finger to go in easily, aud in larger pots, from 5 ins. 
'upwards, the hole should be such that you can push a 
shilling or a five shilling piece through. I find many 
of our pot manufacturers do not study this matter for 
horticulturists, but it is a question of vital importance 
for the issues at stake. The first operation of draining 
a pot is to get a crock large enough to cover the hole 
easily ; and if it be a hollow crock, let the hollow side 
be downwards. This admits of water getting away 
quickly. A few more crocks of a smaller size on the 
top of this larger one is all that is necessary to complete 
the drainage, unless the pot should happen to be a 
large one, under which circumstances the operation 
would have to be varied somewhat. For instance, over 
the large crock a good layer of fair-sized ones would 
have to be placed, and again over these a quantity of 
smaller ones to complete the drainage. 
"We have notv drained the pot, and will proceed to 
pot the plant. This will have to he done in various 
ways, according as the subject is either a rooted cutting, 
or a plant potted on from a small pot to a larger one. 
Hard-wooded plants require most care of all in this 
operation. Whether the plants are in cutting pots, or 
in small pots to be potted into larger ones, always be 
careful that they are not suffering from want of water 
before commencing the operation. All plants should be 
in a properly moist condition before being potted, 
neither too wet nor too dry. If the plants are well 
watered the day previous to their being potted, it will 
generally answer the purpose—a fact I am trying to 
impress on the minds of the uninitiated. 
If the plants are watered as already explained, they 
turn out of the pot much easier, and the roots being 
full of moisture do not suffer from the operation. This 
is a matter that tells considerably on the foliage of soft- 
wooded plants, such as Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, &c. 
We will start at the beginning, and pot off cuttings 
that have been well rooted, bringing them into the 
shed on trays large enough to hold about a dozen of 
4S-sized pots. We have all our 60-sized pots ready 
prepared as far as the crocks are concerned. Taking 
the pot of cuttings in the left hand, and placing the 
two forefingers across its top, we then turn it upside 
down, and taking hold of the bottom with the right 
hand, give the edge of the pot a sharp knock on the 
bench, which brings the pot away from the mass of 
soil and cuttings. We next take all the crocks from 
the ball of soil, and shake our cuttings out carefully, 
placing them on the soil in which they are to be 
potted. If there is a quantity of one variety, it is 
advisable to get a good number shaken out before 
commencing to pot. This obviates the necessity of 
continually changing your work, and gives you a chance 
of potting the plants right away without hindrance. 
After the rooted cuttings are laid on the soil, your pots 
arranged on one side of the heap and the tray on the 
other, you commence to pot the plants. This kind of 
plant should be potted expeditiously. Take the plant 
in the left hand, and place a little rough soil in the 
bottom of the pot over the crocks. Let the roots of 
the cuttings hang straight down into the pot, and with 
the other hand place sufficient soil round it, about 
h in. above the rim of the pot. Take the pot now in 
both hands, place the thumbs on the soil, one on each 
side of the plant, and give the pot about two sharp 
knocks on the bench. This settles both soil and plant 
into their proper places, when the pot may be placed 
on the tray ready for removal as the latter becomes 
filled. — W. G. 
( To be continued.) 
