556 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 27, 1901. 
Hints for JImateurs. 
T??* 
THE GRAPE YINE OUTDOORS. 
At one time the Grape Vine was cultivated exten¬ 
sively in the open in this country, but on the 
advent of cheap glass indoor culture was found to 
give much more satisfactory results. At one time 
large vineyards existed in this country especially in 
the neighbourhood of Ely. Grapes were grown in 
large quantities in the grounds attached to the 
monasteries, but the suppression of these led to 
their cultivation being neglected as was a great 
many other branches of horticulture, the monks 
being enthusiastic gardeners ; and in 1560 we read 
that Grapes were very scarce. They have been 
cultivated for thousands of years, as records of their 
culture are found on the tombs of Egypt, some of 
them dating back six thousand years. That it is still 
possible to grow Grapes in the open is shown by the 
vineyards of the Marquis of Bute at Cardiff, where 
large crops are grown annually for wine making, &c. 
Most people have the means to grow splendid crops 
of Grapes. I refer to wall culture on the sunny side 
of the house, but many amateurs may have a small 
greenhouse. If grown in a house one of the lean-to 
type is preferable. 
Soil.—The Vine should be planted if possible 
about October in well prepared soil, that is, soil that 
has been well dug, and if poor enriched by the ap¬ 
plication of well decayed manure, and if inclined to 
be a bit heavy the addition of a quantity of lime 
rubble and broken mortar will be beneficial. 
Planting.— Always choose a young Vine for 
planting as old ones will not stand transplanting. 
It must not be planted deep or it will suffer through 
the roots not being sufficiently warmed by the sun 
in the summer. The roots should be spread out 
very carefully in a horizontal position and the soil 
pressed down on to them firmly. 
Pruning. —If planted in a position where the sun 
can get down- to the base of the stem, it should be cut 
back to within a foot of the soil in the following 
spring, just before the sap begins to rise. To the 
uninitiated this may seem a great waste of growth 
to cut off perhaps seven or eight feet of nice healthy 
stem. No matter how strong the plant may be this 
must not be neglected if successful culture is to be 
obtained. The reason for this apparent barbarous 
treatment is simple. During the first year’s growth 
the Vine is allowed to grow of its own free will and 
receives no stoppings and pinchings While it is 
making all this rambling growth it is also making a 
corresponding amount of roots. -When it is cut 
back in the spring the roots are still there and with 
such an increased root system it is able to make 
great headway during the next year, when it must be 
carefully attended to, as regards stopping and train¬ 
ing, which processes I will endeavour to make clear 
this week. During the second year’s growth it is 
best to confine it to a single shoot or if desired to 
two ; these should be allowed to grow ahead freely 
but do not allow too many side shoots to break out. 
If there is a tendency to produce these they should 
be cut back to about three or two joints and make 
spurs of them. It is on these spurs that the fruiting 
shoots will be produced. If there is plenty of space 
on the wall some of the shoots may be left a little 
longer and a shoot carried on from them the next 
year, but too much hurrying should not be done 
when covering space or the fruiting will have to 
suffer. The shoots from the spursinthethirdseason’s 
growth will produce bunches. It is at this point 
where so many errors are committed. Only two 
shoots should be allowed to grow from a spur, if 
there are more, two of the strongest must be selected 
and the remainder rubbed off, which they will do 
quite easily when young. The remaining two 
should be carefully secured to the wall, taking care 
that room is allowed for the swelling of the shoot 
during the season. When it has made three or four 
leaves beyond the bunch the end should be pinched 
out. It is a great mistake to neglect this operation 
for if left it grows on and takes the nourishment 
which would otherwise go into the bunch. Some¬ 
times more than one bunch will be produced on a 
shoot, when this is the case the strongest bunch 
should be selected when in bloom and the other one 
cut out The amateur is generally very reluctant 
about thinning out fruit but it should be borne in 
mind that in whatever case it may be one good fruit 
is worth two inferior ones. If the foliage gets too 
thick in the summer it should be tied back so that 
the bunches obtain all the light and heat possible. 
At the next year’s pruning it is often the question 
“ What shall I do with the shoots that produced the 
bunches last year ? ” They should be cut back to 
within two joints of the base, aDd the shoots they 
produce treated as recommended for those the pre¬ 
vious year. This is often neglected and the result is 
that we see so many houses covered with a Grape 
Vine certainly, and looking very picturesque with 
such a mantle, but the fruit has been sacrificed for 
the luxuriance of growth. If bunches are produced 
they are of a very inferior size and quality, and are 
generally smothered by the foliage and do not obtain 
sufficient sunlight to ripen them, or ar 9 disfigured 
and rendered useless by being attacked by mildew, a 
disease the Vine is very much subject to, both in¬ 
doors and out. The spurs should not be allowed to 
be too close together, 15 in. to 18 in. should be 
allowed between every two. 
Training.—The best method where only one Vine 
is to cover the wall is to have two main perpen¬ 
dicular branches and then extend the side ones 
gradually at about 18 in. apart in a horizontal 
direction, which allows plenty of space for the 
fruiting laterals and crowding is avoided. 
The Bunches.—When the flowers are set and the 
little berries begin to swell, the bunches should be 
gone over with a pair of very fine scissors and all the 
berries in the centre of the bunch removed, taking 
care that in doing so the others are not marked as 
they are very susceptible to injury at this stage. 
The berries in the centre require taking out as they 
do not get any sun and our season is very short, 
therefore they do not ripen properly, and take nour¬ 
ishment which might have gone to those on the 
outside. By thinning these middle berries out the 
bunches are not made hollow, as the remaining 
berries fill up the space as they swell up. 
Watering.—The Vine requires a large amount of 
moisture in the growing season, and if allowed to get 
dry at the root the effect is scon apparent by the 
premature discolouring of the foliage, and the 
shrivelling of the berries. That Vines succeed best 
where they can obtain plenty of moisture at the 
roots, was well known to the early cultivators, as 
in the earliest known writings we often hear of Vines 
flourishing by the waters. 
Yarieties. —Those recommended by authorities on 
outside Grape growing are Chasselas de Fontaine¬ 
bleau or Royal Muscadine. Chasselas Vibert is a 
better variety than this as it ripens its fruit earlier 
and produces larger berries, the early ripening 
being a great consideration in this country where we 
often get early autumn frosts. Black July and 
Espiran also do well outdoors, and in warm positions 
the Black Hamburg may be brought to a high state 
of perfection. 
Mildew.—This is a difficult disease to deal with 
indoors, but it is more difficult to deal with outdoors. 
Prevention is always better than cure, so means must 
be employed* to prevent it getting any hold. The 
best means of prevention is to have a free circulation 
of air amcngst the foliage by keeping it from 
crowding, for wherever it is thick mildew is sure to 
appear. One of the best cures for mildew attacks is 
applications of sulphur on the parts affected. There 
are several ways of applying it, the best and simplest 
being to mix it with a good solution of soft soap 
and water, and apply frequently with a syringe. 
Manures.—Liquid manure drained from manure 
heaps is a great help in the growing season ; it should 
be applied well diluted with water. If artificial 
fertilisers are required a glance on to the cover of 
any horticultural paper will supply the names of 
purveyors.— Hortus. 
--- 
Correspondence. 
Questions ashed by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
A nyone 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 of their letters. 
Camellias. — G. D. : You do not give any details 
as to how you have been treating your plants, so it is 
Impossible to say precisely what caused the buds to 
drop off in the early stages. It is natural for 
Camellias to shed many of their buds if they are too 
thick. A careful attendant does not leave it for the 
plant to decide which it should dispense with, but 
selects one or two of the plumpest buds on each shoot 
and rubs off the remainder. Care should be taken 
that the plants do not get dry at the root, as after 
being for several years in a tub or pot the roots get 
matted round the side, and when the ball dries it 
contracts and pulls them away, so that when once 
allowed to get into this state it takes immense quan¬ 
tities of water to soak the ball again, as it flows 
down between it and the pot, the matted roots 
preventing it soaking through the sides. When they 
are making their growth, plenty of air should be 
given to ensure sturdy shoots but avoid draughts. 
On bright days the plants will be benefited by a 
thorough syringing. If they can be placed outside 
when they have completed their growth it will give 
it a better chance of becoming well ripened. 
Imported Orchids.—P. R.: By the description 
you give of your plants they are most likely a species 
of Dendrobium. If so you will find them easily 
cultivated if given the proper treatment The plants 
should have their old roots placed in pots containing 
small crocks and broken charcoal, and placed in a 
moderately warm house. They must be syringed 
several times a day to keep them moist and they 
will then soon put out new roots when they should 
be potted into Orchid-pots, using sphagnum moss 
and peat. As growth increases give abundance of 
water, when complete it should be withheld, and the 
plants rested through the winter by keeping them 
dry, they will then produce their bloom early in the 
spring, after which they will start to grow again 
when they should be repotted. 
Palm.— Enquirer: By the description you give of 
your Palm it is not a species adapted for room 
culture, It is either Cocos weddeliana or Geonoma 
gracilis ; but whichever it is, it is unfitted for house 
decoration, as they both require plenty of heat and 
moisture. Never choose a Palm for your rooms 
that has very finely cut leaves as they are not fitted 
for such positions. 
Seedlings Damping Off.— Annual: They are most 
likely going off through the attacks of a very minute 
fungus. It is caused by too much water, and the 
plants remaining wet for long periods, probably 
through the moisture in the frame condensing on 
them. The atmosphere must be kept drier, and 
where the plants are large enough to handle they 
should be pricked off, or if crowded in their seed 
pots they should be thinned out. 
Rose Briers.— Rose: It is late now to get in stocks 
for budhiDg, it is best to get them in during the 
autumn or winter, but with careful treatment and 
attention to watering they may still be planted. 
Potting Compost.— Potter: A general potting 
mixture is two parts of good fibrous loam and one of 
well decayed leaf-soil, or leaf-soil and peat, with 
enough matter added to keep it sufficiently porous 
to allow the free passage of air and water. The 
substances generally used are silver sand, charcoal 
and burnt earth. For very young plants it is advis¬ 
able to have more leaf soil. Some plants require a 
peaty soil especially Azaleas, Rhododecdrons, and 
Heaths. Artificial manures should not be added 
when repotting, the new soil ought to be sufficiently 
stimulating for a time, unless it is for fruit trees, 
when a few ground bones, or a little bone meal may 
be added. 
Cacti going off.—In reply to " F.,” page 540, the 
book by Mr. Watson is not as you say, but '• Cactus 
Culture for Amateurs.” Secondly, Cacti do not 
require so high a temperature as 50° in the winter. 
They will do as low as 35^ providing you do not 
give them any water, and they will be much stronger 
and healthier if kept so than those that are kept in a 
higher temperature. Your insertion in your next 
issue of the above will oblige. — H. N. Ellison, 
F.R H.S. 
Cockroaches. — Pest : They are very difficult to 
get rid of when once they enter a greenhouse, es¬ 
pecially if there is much hot water piping or flues. 
They do not seem to have any natural enemies like 
most other pests have, so if not checked they 
multiply considerably in a very short time. There 
are several means of trapping them; the simplest 
and most effective is in glass preserve jars. These 
