Feb. 7th, 1885. 
completely destroy weeds, moss, &c., however densely 
covered the walks or roads might be. I have used this 
chemical now for some years, and when applying it 
use one watering-pot only which holds three gallons. 
Half-a-pint of the acid is put into the pot first, and 
when the water is added the whole is well stirred up. 
It is then put on the walks in a regular way with a 
rose, not too fine an one, care being taken that the 
liquid is nicely distributed. It will give some idea of 
the area of gravel I have had to operate upon when I 
state that I have used between forty and fifty gallons 
in one season, the work being performed generally late 
in spring or early summer, but also whenever weeds 
show themselves. 
Not only are the weeds destroyed by this mixture 
but the germinating power of the seeds is completely 
destroyed, consequently the gravel keeps clean for a 
very long time, and without being disturbed by hoe or 
rake. The cost of the carbolic acid to me has been 
2s. 6d. per gallon. 
I have been thinking instead of using the watering- 
pot of adopting something similar to Fleming’s Salting 
Machine, without the furnace—in fact, a small 
watering-cart, as used for watering the roads during 
the summer months, but with a portable cover to 
enable the operator to fill and well stir the contents. 
Others may have tried the foregoing plan ; 'if so, I 
think that they will agree with me that the remedy 
advocated in this paper is both cheap and effectual, 
and I am sure that those who may be induced to give it 
a fair trial will be quite satisfied with the result.— 
G. F., Lewisham. 
— g—- —- 
PROPAGATING THE VINE. 
During the present month those whose business it 
is to raise young vines for sale, either for planting 
out or for fruiting in pots, and also those who have to 
raise small stocks for home use, will have to see about 
getting the work in hand. At this season the usual 
method of propagation is by cuttings, layers, and 
eyes ; later on grafting, budding and inarching may be 
practised as necessity may dictate. Booting vines by 
cuttings is but little practised in gardens, this method 
of propagation being more suitable to the require- 
ments of the owners of vineyards in vine-growing 
countries. In our own private gardens and nurseries, 
the vine is usually propagated under glass by eyes, or 
single buds of the ripened wood of the previous 
season’s growth, and it is by far the best system. Mr. 
Barron in his admirable work on Vines and Vine 
Culture, which every Grape grower should possess, 
truly states that no art or skill is required in the 
preparation of the eye for planting. “ The rule,” 
says Mr. Barron, “ is to select always the most 
perfect eyes from the best ripened wood of vines that 
have been ripened early, as such buds will be found to 
start much more freely than those from later ripened 
wood. It is the hard, well matured wood with firm 
plump eyes that must be looked for, when a stock has 
to be raised, in preference to thick soft wood, with 
seemingly forward eyes. It is well, therefore, to be 
somewhat particular in selecting the eyes, so that 
every one of them may be depended on; this being 
far better than (putting in a great quantity and then 
having to throw the half of them away. Having the 
wood selected, proceed to cut the eyes (as shown in 
the illustration, fig. 1) to about lin. or a little more in 
length, that is to say, about half-an-inch on either side 
of the eye. Some persons prefer cutting the wood 
straight across, whilst others prefer a slightly 
slanting cut. We rather prefer the latter, but it 
matters little.” 
As to the season for putting in the eyes, Mr. Barron 
remarks that the beginning of February may bo 
taken as a good and safe mid-season for performing 
the operation; and as to the manner of doing it, he 
considers the best plan of all is “ to place the eyes 
singly in small (3-in.) pots, with charcoal or broken 
crocks put in the bottom, and then filled up with a 
compost of one-half of nice fresh turfy loam, and 
one half leaf - mould not too rotten with a good 
proportion of sand. When the pot is filled not over 
firmly, make a hole in the top of the soil large enough 
to hold a walnut, which then fill with silver sand, 
and placing the eye on this, press it down until the 
top of the sand is just level with the top of the soil. 
The pots containing the eyes should then be plunged 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
in a bed, having a bottom-heat of about 80 degs. and 
a top temperature of from 65 degs. to 70 degs.” 
“Another good method, where a quantity of eyes 
have to be propagated, and where there is convenience 
for adopting it, is to prepare a small portion of the 
bed itself with suitable soil, and to place the eyes 
FIG. 1. VINE EYE PREPARED FOR PROPAGATING. 
there at once, removing them and potting them off as 
they become fit. This is an economization of space 
in the propagating pit, which in the spring season is 
always much crowded. A most excellent plunging mate¬ 
rial is cocoa-nut refuse placed over hot-water tanks. 
The eyes themselves strike root most readily into this 
material when mixed with a little saud, only the roots 
formed do not make a sufficiency of fibres, so that they 
remove badly. The soil should be gently watered 
after putting in the eyes, and be kept just moist, 
but not at any time be allowed to become sodden. 
When these eye-cuttings commence to form a 
callus the buds will, at the same time, be bursting 
into leaf. Then is the delicate and critical period, 
for every part is tender and easily destroyed. It is 
necessary at this period to be extremely careful as to 
the watering and the temperature. Once, however, 
get the top growing and the roots started, as shown in 
the woodcut, fig. 2, to reach the side of the small pot, 
and they are comparatively safe, and this, if all 
circumstances have been favourable, should be in 
about a fortnight after putting in the eyes. About 
the time that the first leaf is fully developed, when 
they are about 2 ins. high, they should be potted into 
5-in. pots, and from that time be grown on rapidly.” 
“ The budding of the vine differs somewhat from the 
operation which is ordinarily understood by the term 
budding as practised with the Bose, &c. In the case 
357 
of the Bose the bud, as attached to the bark only 
is inserted, the whole of the wood being removed, 
while in the case of the vine the wood of the bud 
is not removed, but left as it is in a graft, so that the 
operation may more properly be termed bud-grafting. 
The annexed illustration, fig. 3, shows a ‘ bud-graft’ 
prepared for affixing to the stock, and represents a 
bud of the ripened wood of the previous season’s 
growth. The mode of performing the operation is 
simple, it being only required to make a cut on the 
stock corresponding to the cut on the prepared bud, 
so that the inner bark of the stock and that of the 
bud may be brought together. 
“Budding the vine in the manner here described 
is not much practised. It is, however, sometimes 
advantageous, as by its means the bare stems of vines 
can be re-clothed, for the buds can be inserted on any 
part of the stem. We have had recourse to this 
method when, by accident, a shoot has got broken 
off in the operation of tying down ; and it is just at 
this stage, when the vines are in flower and the shoots 
are being tied down that the operation can be most 
advantageously performed.” We have to thank Mr. 
Barron for the use of the illustrations. 
DOUBLE POTENTILLAS. 
While very far from agreeing with all the twaddle 
that is written nowadays with reference to the 
adaptibility of hardy herbaceous plants for all the 
purposes of the flower-garden, I prefer taking a 
medium course, and giving to these plants the place 
that they are justly entitled to—that of useful adjuncts 
to the present mixed system of keeping up our floral 
displays, and as helps in this direction very many of 
the hardy perennials are invaluable. No well-appointed 
garden can be said to be perfect without its mixed 
border, and it is this which usually affords to the 
amateur with limited means the source of his greatest 
pleasure, for it is amongst the varied denizens to be 
found here that nine months out of the twelve he 
can find something to interest and please. Out of the 
large number of hardy plants which I find to grow 
freely in this cold, smoky district, I class those which 
stand at the head of this article among the best. 
Potentillas delight in a good strong loam of con¬ 
siderable depth, but are not particular in their 
selection, and will be found to do well in any 
ordinary garden soil where the situation is open, and 
they have the great advantage that they can be easily 
kept within due bounds, and are perfectly hardy, so 
much so that I never knew a plant when fairly 
established killed by frost, and as soon as the young 
Strawberry-like leaves begin to push up in spring 
they form, when not in bloom, a pleasant contrast to 
other plants by which they are surrounded. Their 
best position for growth and showing off their varied 
beauties is the mixed border, and growing from 1 ft. 
6 in. to 2 ft. high, they form grand objects for a fourth 
or fifth row. 
For planting in the wild-garden, where such a place 
exists, or upon a large rockery, they are also useful. 
While single varieties, such as Busselliana, atrosan- 
guinea, Smouttii, and others have been in existence 
many years, the double varieties are of comparatively 
modern introduction, and each year brings some 
addition to the number already possessed. The 
large size of the blooms, being as large as a crown 
piece, very double, and of the most brilliant and 
varied colours, and produced in profusion throughout 
June and July, they cannot but become popular 
wherever grown. I grow about twenty-five kinds 
altogether, and the following twelve sorts I consider 
among the best:— 
Versicolor flore-pleno. —One of the freest and 
most attractive of the group, yellow and scarlet, 
sometimes flaked like a Carnation, and sometimes 
blotched. 
Beelzebuth. —A very fine Indian red. 
Dr. Andre. —Yellow, suffused with vermilion; very- 
large and fine. 
Hamlet. —A deep velvety chestnut black. 
Variabilis flore-pleno. —Bose, edged with canary 
yellow, flaked with red ; a very handsome and pleasing 
variety. 
Louis van Houtte. —A deep crimson; one of the 
best of the earlier introductions. 
Vervianum.— Bright scarlet. 
