322 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
April 16, 1904. 
the same success that ha* attended his efforts with the Tomato, 
for, as eveiy Tomato-grower know®, his successes with that 
plant halve been wonderful. Mr. Holme! is an, enthusiast on 
Shasta Daisies, and has gone in extensively for their cultiva¬ 
tion. Considering the many qualities of this newcomer, it is 
strange that it has been so slow in coming into popularity but 
its time is sure to come, and when it does Mr. Holmes will be 
well prepared, for he has, I believe, the finest and largest 
m ™inti'v Past Kewite. 
Sandringham. 
As Mr. Jannoch’s nursery is! quite close to Sandringham 
Gardens, I spent the remainder of the day there. Mr. Cook, 
the genial chief, took me round and pointed out the latest 
additions and his pet plants. The pride of the garden during 
the winter* months is the house 1 of Begonia Gloirei de Lorraine. 
I see this plant in almost every garden that I go into, but 
never have I seen it, to such advantage as it is grown here. 
The houses are quite filled with it, the banks on the stage 
being continued overhead by means of baskets and special 
arrangements.attached to the rafters, so that the houses pre- 
sent the appearance of arches of bloom. Carnations ai eioyal 
favourites, and many houses are filled with the best varieties'. 
Mr Cook has made an attempt to induce the Malmaison to 
produce its flowers: in mid-winter, and from what I could see 
of the blooms remaining, he has bad a very gratifying success. 
A noteworthy improvement I noted in, the frame ground, 
where a range of pits left an unsightly wall at the back. How 
to cover this wall has been, I believe, a source of trouble foi 
some time, for to plant on this side meant, the sacrifice of a 
most useful range of pit®. Mr. Cook has got over the difficulty 
by the ingenious device of planting on the back side and then 
conducting the plants to the bare wall above the pits by means 
of drain-pipes through the wall. The long range of vineries, 
Peach-houses, etc., is being widened, thus giving the root a 
better angle and greatly improving both their utility and 
appearance. I also noted that the dead centre of the large 
kitchen, garden is being relieved by a very fine trellis arrange¬ 
ment, on which Rose®, etc, are to be grown. The flower- 
house® were, of course, full, as they always are, with the most 
seasonable plants, forced shrubs and bulbous plants playing a 
conspicuous part. There was little to be seen, in bloom, in the 
Orchid houses, except a very fine form' of Odontoglossum cns- 
pum. Sandringham, is within easy distance of several of the 
East Coast popular seaside resort®, and as the gardens are 
generously thrown open on certain days, they should be visited 
by everyone who has a love for garden* and gardening. 
J Past Kewite. 
The Condition of Vineries. 
Under this heading I purpose to express my views on the 
condition of our vineries at the present day.. As a journeyman, 
I opine that Grapes have gone hack in cultivation. Observing 
and comparing some vineries, new and old, I cannot but, think 
that the young vinery is deficient in many ways. F rom the 
report of our horticultural shows, one is led to believe that 
Grapes are improving. That may be so, but, can we predict 
that a genuine test of Vine culture in our private and com¬ 
mercial gardens? I might ask : “ How many extensive gardens 
have cone back in this section and but few improved? I 
am quite cognisant of the fact that Grape® are. well catered 
for in. some places, but do not readers of this periodical think, 
especially youn°- gardeners who roam, about, that Grape® are 
deteriorating considerably? What are the causes? I asked 
a head gardener, where I had four vineries as part of my work 
to look after, the; reason of so many bad houses of Grapes. He 
said it. was the difficulty of getting sufficient artificial manure 
in some oases. In my opinion, too much of these chemical 
manures are utilised without much experience as to its value 
or feeding properties. I would like to see a young vinery 
cultivated for a good many years without the use of artificial 
manures, to learn what the results' would bo, 
Some of the cause® of Grape deterioration are the want of 
time and expense, or, 1 would say, the economic system, gar¬ 
deners have to adopt; rapid methods and want of skilled labour 
greatly combat against good Grapes. But, really, we are too* 
impatient nowadays. To have a, good house of Grapes it takes 
a few years; attention and judgment must be given. This 
annual top-dressing of borders with the various artificial! 
manures is to a, great extent overdone, and in many cases, 
poisoning the Vines: is the result. Many young vineries we 
see are a poor spectacle; the stunted foliage', polluted with in¬ 
sects, and the canes, are: rushed up the house 3 ft. and more 
eveiy season. 
Borders: are also defective. The condition some vineries are,' 
in, where several exist in one: place, is 1 a very dilapidated 
one. Head authorities blame the old age of Vines, against 
good bearing qualities. The: best vineries I have seen were 
very old canes, I distinctly say that the young gardener in 
many instance® fails entirely to cultivate young Vine®, not 
speaking of old roots. What is the desideratum? Taking a 
wide view of it, I could hardly say we have advanced much in 
Vine- culture. In gardens of any repute, where several are 
inside; the: laist journeyman, veiy often, newly emerged from 
his apprenticeship, is installed in charge: of the vineries, which, 
in my opinion-, requires onei equally qualified to any other 
journeyman indoors. If the borders are: in defect, it would 
be impossible to gain good results:, yet syringing, ventilation 
and watering and other necessary duties are often neg¬ 
lected. 
I have gone through wliat is considered one of the best 
gardens in, Scotland in sultry days, with practically no ven¬ 
tilation in. the vineries ; whereas almost full air ought to have 
been earned out. This is the cause of many insects so evident 
in Vines. More attention should be: given to ventilation when 
the sun is not shining. This was a great mistake—the want 
of ample ventilation on sunless, but hot days. Much could 
be said of this, but I trust some journeymen readers will ex¬ 
press- their views. 
Hippeastrums at Liverpool. 
Perhaps no- district will compare- with that of Liverpool for 
the -successful culture- of this- gorgeous spring flowering bulb. 
The famous c-ollectio-n o-f Messrs. R. P. Ker and Sons, those 
grown at Sefton Park and the Bo-tanic Gardens by the- City 
Council, and the- many creditable private- collections- tend to 
make it highly popular amongst the gardeners and the masses. 
The City Council, a* usual, are having a six weeks’ .exhibition 
at the places- named above-, in, which fully 500 bulbs will be on 
view, selected from them -stock of 4,000. The bulbs are. in 
robust health in their 4|-in. pots, many of the varieties- being 
of high quality. Those- lacking in. that qualification will gradu¬ 
ally be cast aside, as: the- hundreds of seedlings raised yearly 
will displace them in, oo-urse o-f time-. It, is, a question that is 
worthy of the consideration of the- committee that some more 
suitable position should be- given for those at the Botanic 
Gardens. Long, straight lines-, with the plants much cramped, 
are hardly desirable quarters; more- -space-, with a.carpet, of 
greenery, would tend to enhance- the beauty o-f the display. 
To -show that the action, o-f the committee is appreciate!, t he. 
attendances at the Botanic Gardens: for the Easter holidays 
were: Good Friday, 9,200 ; Saturday, 3,000 ; Easter Sunday, 
5,300; Easter Monday, 11,800; total, 29,300. On Easter 
Monday the, crowd was so dense that a long wait had to bei 
done before reaching the entrance of the house. 
Alderman Ball, chairman of the Parks Committee-, and his 
colleagues are jubilant over their success-, to- which they are 
fully entitled, as undoubtedly they have- the premier collection 
in the country owned by a corporation. Much praise and 
credit, is due to Mr. H. Herbert,, parks and gardens superin¬ 
tendent, and Mr. J. Guttridge, superintendent- Botanic Gardens, 
for the-ir magnificent displays and practical evidence of suc¬ 
cessful culture. In the Botanic Gardens Orchids, bulbs, and 
forced hardy plants are in quantity, and effectively arranged. 
