312 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 14, 1899. 
if I NTS FOR iMATEURS. 
YINES. 
Amongst indoor fruits the favourite is undoubtedly 
the Grape^ As a rule, as soon as an amateur has 
sufficient glass he goes in for a vinery, and very fre¬ 
quently turns out good Grapes too. Occasionally 
there is a miss; but on the whole, especially when 
we consider the slender store of experience that many 
an amateur brings to the task, the amateur's vinery 
is a great success. 
Early Grapes are always in request, although in 
order to cut ripe fruit, say at the beginning of June, 
a good deal of trouble and some expense in the way 
of firing are required. An early start has to be made 
to get the Vines into growth, and the sooner in the 
New Year the house is "shut up," as gardeners are 
wont to phrase it, the better. Up to the present time 
the house has been thrown open during the day, and 
has only been closed during cold weather and at 
night. This partial exposure is necessary to give the 
Vines that period of rest which is so beneficial and is 
in fact necessary to their continued well-being. 
Pruning —The first thing to think about is the 
pruning, if that has not already been done. Most of 
our Vines are grown on what is called the " spur 
system,” and for all practical purposes this is the one 
that is to be recommended, for it is very simple, and 
its purport is soon grasped by a beginner. There are 
other systems of iraining known technically as the 
" long-rod” and "extension,” and also modifications 
of these, but the spur-pruned Vice is the one most 
frequently to be seen. The pruning of such Vines is 
simplicity itself, and yet through timidity and lack of 
experience, many badly pruned canes are to be seen. 
The correct pruning consists in cutting off last year's 
shoots so close to the main stem that one or two buds 
only are left The timid man and the beginner, who 
has, perhaps, heard of the evil effects of too close 
pruning in other subjects, leave a much longer stump 
than this, often with four or five buds. This has 
even been recommended by some on the plea that it 
affords a selection of buds, but this, although good 
enough in theory, does not work out in practice. The 
bud nearest the apex of the stump or spur breaks the 
most strongly, and if this shoot is removed, there is a 
big waste of energy, while if it is left and the others 
removed, it results in big, rugged spurs after two or 
three years of such pruning. Where cutting back 
closely is practised, on the other hand, the basal buds 
break fully as strongly as the others, and they give 
rise to better placed shoots, while the spurs are 
kept within reasonable limits. The leading shoot, 
that is, the one. terminating the cane, may be left a 
little longer. The pruning may be done with either 
a knife or a pair of secateurs, but if the secateurs are 
used they must be sharp and in good working order, 
with close cutting blades so as to give a clean cut 
with no bruising. 
Many amateur gardeners call in professional aid to 
prune tbeir Vines, but if the few simple hints given 
above are attended to, no one need fear to tackle his 
own Vines. 
Cleaning the Canes—In most vineries mealy bug 
is troublesome, and it is necessary to take advantage 
of the bareness of the canes now to give them a 
thorough cleansing, and if possible get rid of the 
intruder. The loose shaggy bark of the Vines, to be 
seen particularly on old canes, affords convenient har¬ 
bourage for the bug, and something must be done to 
turn it out of its hiding place. First of all unloose 
the canes from the wires and let the loose bark be 
pulled off. This should be done with all possible 
care, for the inner bark must on no condition be ex¬ 
posed. Some have protested against the barking of 
the canes, asserting that it is both unnecessary and 
harmful. No gardener, amateur or professional, who 
has seen his Vines overrun with mealy bug would 
ever assert that the practice of " barking ” was un¬ 
necessary, although it certainly may be harmful if 
carried to excess. After the loose bark has been re¬ 
moved, mix up a wash of Gishurst Compound—say 
a couple of ounces of the Compound to a gallon of 
tepid soft water, and wash the canes thoroughly with 
it, applying the solution by means of a soft brush. If 
the wash is well worked into all the crevices two Or 
three times, allowing time for the canes to dry 
between each application it will go a great way 
towards attaining the desired end. 
Cleaning the House. —This is not less important 
than cleaning the canes. All the glass and woodwork 
should be washed, using soap and water for the 
latter, but only clean water for the glass. The back 
and front walls should next be scraped and lime- 
washed. Then the nooks and crannies, such as the 
eyes in the supports through which the wires pass, 
should be all gone over, and touched vuth a brush 
dipped in neat petroleum, which will effectually 
dispose of any bug that may by good luck have 
escaped. 
Dressing for the Canes.—It is a very common 
practice to follow up the washing of the canes by 
giving them a dressing with a mixture of clay, Gis- 
h.urst Compound, water and petroleum. As the 
amateur does not want a great deal of such a mixture 
it will be a good plan to make arrangements with a 
neighbouring amateur to make one lot do for both. 
The mixture may be prepared in small quantities by 
taking about a couple of pounds of clay, drying it, 
and smashing it to powder by means of a mallet, two 
or three ounces of " Gishurst,” and about half a 
small wineglass of petroleum. Put the whole of 
these ingredients into a basin and add enough hot 
water to make the whole of the consistency of thick 
paint. Let the mixture stand for a day or two, 
stirring it thoroughly at intervals. Apply it by 
means of an old paintbrush, working it well into all 
the crevices in the bark. 
Topdressing the Inside Borders.—After the 
cleaning of the Vines and the house, the borders 
inside the house must next be taken in hand. Use 
the back of an iron rake and scrape off all the loose 
soil and wheel it away. The teeth of the rake must 
not be used except the utmost care is employed, for 
if the Vines are in healthy condition there will be 
numbers of young feeding roots near the surface. 
These must not be injured in any way or the Vines 
will suffer in proportion. With regard to dressing 
there is nothing better than good mellow loam, any 
big lumps that may be present being chopped up 
with the spade. Failing the loam good stable 
manure, well rotted, may be employed, or old Mush¬ 
room bed manure. The dressing should be about a 
couple of inches in depth all over the surface of the 
border. 
Outside Borders, —In many vineries, particularly 
in old-fashioned ones, the roots of the Vines are in 
an outside border. If the house is to be started 
directly, something must be done to this border. 
The best thing will be to put on a heavy layer of 
farmyard litter not less than a foot in thickness to 
ferment. This may be covered with sheets of 
galvanised iron, or boards to throw off heavy deluges 
of cold rain, and prevent snow water from penetra¬ 
ting. There is nothing more injurious to the roots 
of Vines that are being forced than to have their 
roots flooded with cold water. 
Subsequent Treatment.—After all matters of 
cleaning have been attended to, the house may be 
started. First of all the canes, instead of being tied 
up in their usual place close to the roof, must be 
beat downwards, close to the ground—" laying them 
down " gardeners often call this. This may seem 
rather a curious proceeding, but there is a very good 
and sufficient reason fordoing it. The sap naturally 
flows most strongly to the highest point, and thus 
the buds at the top of the canes would receive a more 
abundant supply of sap than those lower down, if 
the canes were put at once in their permanent position. 
The result of this would be that some of the shoots 
would be very strong and others very weak, and the 
fruit crop would be badly distributed in proportion. 
By "laying down” the canes in the manner 
suggested, we equalise the flow of sap to all parts of 
the plant and secure more equal growth along the 
whole length of the central stem. 
The house should be, first o? all, given a night 
temperature of 45 0 Fahr.—this will be plenty high 
enough for a start—with a 5 0 rise during the day in 
dull weather, and io° on bright days. The tempera¬ 
ture must, however, be gradually increased at the 
rate of 2 0 every week or ten days. The temperature 
recommended for starting should not be difficult to 
keep up, and during such weather as we have been 
having of late, very little fire-heat will be required. 
Syringing.—Copious and regular syringings, like 
spring rains, are of great service in causing the buds 
to swell and break. The water should be soft and of 
a temperature of from 55 0 to 6o Q Fahr. The 
syringings should be given twice a day, that is, at 
about 9 o'clock in the morniDg, and about half-past 
2 in the afternoon for the first fortnight or three 
weeks. Afterwards the afternoon sprinkling may be 
given half an hour later if the weather still keep 
mild, but if it turn frosty it is not advisable to have 
too much moisture in the house very late in the day. 
— Rex. 
Correspondence. 
Questions ashed by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
"Amateurs' Page " on the top op their letters. 
Red and Black Currants — E. A.: For a Red Cur¬ 
rant you will find Red Dutch as good as anything. 
It is a hardy, compact-habited, and free fruiting 
variety, and both individual berries and clusters are 
of good size. In the way of Black Currants, if your 
soil is inclined to be cold and very heavy, we should 
recommend Ogden's Black. This grand sort is very 
hardy, and grows and fruits freely under even the 
most trying conditions. If your soil is a medium 
loam, warm and rich, Baldwin is the sort. This 
variety is a great favourite amongst the Kent 
growers, and a variety that is good enough to grow 
for market is generally fit for anything 6lse. The 
Old Black is not at all a bad Currant, but it is in¬ 
ferior to the two varieties named above. 
Black Currant Buds Swelling Early. — H. Carson : 
The great size of the buds is not due, as you think, 
to the earliness of the season, and to the stimulating 
effects of the mild weather. The plants are attacked 
by the Currant Mite (Phytoptus Ribis), commonly 
known as " swelled bud ” amongst gardeners and 
market growers. The mite is located inside the 
bud, and it is the irritation due to its presence that 
has caused the swelling, as if the plants were about 
to break into leaf. The pest has probably travelled 
into your garden from an adjoining one. Do you 
know if any of your neighbours have been troubled 
with it, for it spreads very rapidly from tree to tree. 
Nothing can be done at the present time except 
picking off the affected buds and burning them. 
Severe frost would have no effect upon them at all, 
and insecticides would be perfectly useless. The 
time to apply insecticides will be when the mites are 
travelling from tree to tree for the purpose of laying 
their eggs. This will be all through the spring 
months, and up to the beginning of July. 
Fig for Early Forcing. — D. G. S .: You will find 
St. John’s, or PiDgo de Mel as it is frequently called, 
one of the very best Figs for early forcing. It is a 
white variety of medium size, and capital flavour. 
Osborne’s Prolific for a purple variety is also good, 
and forces well. 
Dahlia Roots .—Thames Valley : It will be wise to 
look over the roots as soon as possible, and cut out 
all portions that are observed to be going rotten. If 
you wish to propagate extensively from any root you 
should put it into heat at once. Any soil will do, as 
long as you keep it sprinkled occasionally. In a 
house whose night temperature is never above 48°, 
the cuttings would be some time in coming ; 55° 
would be a more suitable temperature as it would 
yield quicker results. 
Cucumbers in March.— Benj. R. Camp : In order 
to cut Cucumbers in March from a hotbed, you 
must lose no time in making up the bed if you have 
the plants ready. For a two-light frame, at least 
four good cartloads of fermenting material will be 
required. Build it up neatly, making the bed 3 it. 
bigger each way than the frame, place the frame on 
top, and build up the fermenting material all round 
it until the manure is nearly on a level with the 
frame. Into each light put a barrowful of good 
loam mixed with well rotted stable manure, in the 
proportions of two of the former to one of the latter. 
Meanwhile, you must get the plants, and if you can¬ 
not go shares in this respect with a neighbour you 
must sow seed at once in a bottom heat of not less 
than 70° Fahr., if 75 r ‘, so much the better, and an 
atmospheric temperature of 70 s . Sow one seed in a 
small thumb pot, and as soon as the young plants 
have made their first rough leaf, pot them on into 
small qS-sized pots, thence transferring them to the 
beds as soon as they have made two or three good 
