256 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 21, 1903. 
beat, both for size of blooms and also quantity. Another very 
fine variety, in my opinion, is Mrs. J. J. Astor, which is of a 
rosy-heliotrope colour with a white centre, and looks splendid 
when made up into a buttonhole. Comte de Brazza is a pure 
white, and is about the best of this colour. Among singles, I 
think the palm must be given to La France, which bears a 
wonderful profusion of blooms, and the leaves and stems are 
stiffer than most of the other single varieties, which greatly 
enhances their value. A frameful of this is indeed a pleasure 
to look upon. Another good one is Princess of Wales, which 
has slightly larger blooms, but does not, I think, flower quite so 
freely as La France. The plant is, however, very robust, and, 
if well grown, will well repay any extra time and trouble which 
may be taken with it. The Czar is a smaller variety, and is 
hardy, and if planted under a south wall will give plenty of 
flower in the new year and onwards. There are many more, 
but these are, I think, about the best for all general purposes. 
Mr. Isaac House, of Westbury-on-Trym, near Bristol, has done 
great things for Violet lovers, and all who have seen his stands 
at our provincial shows will readily agree with me that they 
make a charming exhibit when properly staged, and always 
attract spectators, especially ladies, in great numbers. 
R. Thatcher. 
Wistow Gardens, Leicester. 
Renovating Old Vines-—II. 
At the Editor’s request I continue my notes on this subject. 
As will readily be believed, the spurs 1 on these old Vines were 
most unsightly, some of them nearly 2ft. long. After getting the 
roots into proper order, by the method described in my previous 
article, I had to consider how best to bring the rods into a 
shapely and fruitful state. 
To those with a fair experience of Vine-growing I need not 
explain that some varieties are very much freer than others at 
producing buds from the main stem. With care when cleaning 
the Vines you may often see eyes start from very little above the 
soil. If you can induce one of these to grow strongly, you may 
soon have a new rod in place of the old, worn out, unsightly one. 
This, then, is how I proceeded. All the Vines that made eyes 
low down I took particular care of, encouraging these bottom 
shoots to grow strongly, and never “ stopping ” during the first 
year. 
As a rule the Hamburghs did not break from the stem. I was 
therefore obliged to select a strong well-placed shoot from the 
lowest spur and treat it as described, of course not allowing these 
shoots to fruit. To ensure the lower portion of these new rods 
getting plenty of air and sunshine, I sawed off a few of the lower 
spurs on the side next them. At- pruning time these new rods 
vere cut back similarly to newly planted Vines—that is, to about 
4ft. long. This, of course, was mainly to induce all the eyes to 
break, and thus form new spurs at proper and regular distances. 
The following season some more of the old spurs were cut out, 
and the new rod left some 4ft. or 5ft. longer. 
By the third year the old rod was sawn through close above 
where the new rods started, and then the vinery was in as good 
a state as if new Vines had been planted, and no crop was lost. 
I, of course, did not take very heavy crops for the first two years, 
but after that good fair crops were always obtained. This was 
practically my sole procedure, except that I covered the border 
each autumn with 9in. of the roughest stable litter, removing in 
March, when a fair application of Thomson’s manure was riven, 
and very lightly pointed in. After the Grapes were thinned 
another slight dose of the manure was given, if possible just before 
ram, and raked into the border. That this was what the Vines 
wanted was amply proved by the splendid mass of fibrous roots 
found quite close to the surface. Blair 
Preston, Linlithgow. 
Vallota purpurea 
One of the choicest and most useful of our greenhouse flower¬ 
ing bulbs is the Vallota purpurea. This charming plant is a 
native of the Cape of Good Hope, and is well worthy of a place 
m the most limited collection of plants. Either as a dinner 
table plant for room decoration or in the conservatory it is 
equally suitable and equally admired. It takes rank amon<» the 
Amaryllids ; and, indeed, in its habits, foliage, and shape of 
flowers, it very much resembles the Amaryllis only that the 
flowers are smaller and a self-colour, which is bright scarlet 
4* n ° st t ge ° f , its g rowth does it require a higher temperature 
than that of the ordinary greenhouse. It, nevertheless, stands 
forcing well, and when pla-ed in a hot pit or stove will quickly 
throw up its flower stems, provided it has been previously suffi¬ 
ciently well ripened. The ripening process, however, should 
not be carried to the length of causing it to lose its foliage ; and 
herein it differs from the Amaryllis, being an evergreen bulb, 
and should on no accoufit be allowed to lose its foliage through 
starvation. The ripening process must be carried out by limit- 
ing the supply of moisture and increasing the amount of air, 
of course seeing that it has made its growth previously. 
The propagation of the A- allota is accomplished by offsets, or 
small bulbs, which form on the sides of the old ones. When 
potting, which should be done about the end of February, the 
flowering bulbs must be kept separate and potted into, say, 6-in. 
pots, placing five or six bulbs in a pot. If large specimens are 
required use' larger pots, and put in bulbs in proportion. The 
small bulbs may be put into small pots and grown on for future 
flowering. A suitable compost for the Vallota is loam and peat 
in equal quantities, with a good dash of sharp sand, and a 
little fine old manure incorporated with it. The secret of good 
Vallota culture is not to disturb the bulbs often, as it dislikes 
re-potting ; in fact, it delights in being pot-bound with roots, 
and when in that state should have frequent potations of liquid 
manure. When repotting has to be done it is best not to sepa¬ 
rate the bulbs, but to place the whole mass intact into larger 
pots. Water sparingly until the plants have made fresh growth, 
but after they are well on the way and throughout the summer 
give an abundant supply. From the end of May and onwards 
they will do well in a cold frame, kept near the glass, and riven 
a moderate amount of air daily. They will flower during the 
autumn months from the end of August. There are four so- 
caLed varieties of Vallota purpurea, named major, minor, 
magmfica, and eximia. The two first-named vary 'in the size 
or flower the others have the colour brighter than that of the 
\pe. Ihe Vallota will winter well in a temperature of about 
45 degrees. A question often asked is, “Why is the Vallota 
called purpurea, as there is no purple about it? ” But purpurea 
is really scarlet. The Syrian purple was a scarlet dye! and to 
be born m the purple indicates that scarlet is the regal colour. 
R. McK. (St. Catherine’s). 
The Treatment of Cyclamen- 
W Z e S0W, V H V :1 4 latter end of Jul y or M the month 
of August should now be fit for their first shift. Pot into 21in. 
pots, with one or two bits of crock in the bottom, and filled 
halt way up with sphagnum moss or old tree leaves. Well- 
drained pots keep the soil from getting too wet or sour. Well- 
drained pots are one of the elements of success in growing 
one Zt 11 ; f; i ompo S ?f i hree parts of good fibrous loam ' ^th 
one part of leaf mould and one part of good sharp sand, mixed 
together will be suitable for the first potting. Do not pot too 
Afte C ° r T S ' h ?L ld F r °j ect about half way above the soil. 
After potting place the plants near the glass, and water with a 
fine rose A temperature from 60 to 65 degrees will do, and shade 
the plants from strong sunshine. A -sharp look out should be 
kept for .greenfly and red spider, which -can be killed bv fumiga¬ 
tion or syringing. K -p 5 
Crotons, J 
of^foliawp 1 nlauTs , Col °” r6d > rank Jpgs* the most beautiful 
of foliage plants for drawing-room and table decoration during 
the summer and autumn. About- the- first- week in De-cembe? 
choose well-coloured tops of old plants, cut them the same as for 
BindUhe '°w 1 hnie 6r ’ 3 -If 311 pleCe of moss to kee P tk e cut open. 
Bind the whole round with moss, supporting by means of a. stick 
o keep the top steady, keeping the moss always moist When 
the roots are started m the moss, take off the tops and put them 
i i small pots, with care not to damage the youim roots Place 
hem in the propagating case for a time until footed throurii By 
ihis means there will be no loss of foliage. Shift on into 5in 
jiots as soon as ready. As a compost use good fibrous loam a 
itt e leaf mould, coarse silver sand, old mortar n e ar 
Stfiss 
r : s s a 
awarded tn in Readers' Competition w; 
awaided to Mi. R. Thatcher, -Wistow Gardens Leiceste 
for his article on “Sweet Peas for Exhibition,” p. 235. 
