650 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 13, 1904. 
afternoon tea, when Mr. Veitch’s beautiful gardens, poultry, 
aviaries, etc.,to say nothing of the houseful of artistic- treasures, 
had been duly investigated. Subsequently, the party was 
driven to Maidenhead, via the renowned Burnham Beeches and 
the celebrated grounds of Drop-more, where an appropriate 
finale to a- delightful day wa-s enjoyed in the form of a capital 
dinner at Skindell’s Hotel prior to the home journey, thence 
to Paddington. That- Mr. and Mrs. Veitch’s abundant kind¬ 
ness- found due recognition, in a hearty vote of thanks need 
hardly bei stated. C. 1. D. 
Finishing Grapes. 
There is probably nothing that gives greater satisfaction to 
the average gardener, wh-oi is not a specialist, than a, house of 
well-ripened, perfectly finished Gra.p-es. While good specimens 
in bunch and berry are well worth some effort to obtain, colour 
is the alpha and omega of those who understand the additional 
value which perfect- finish gives to a- bunch -o-f Grapes. Size of 
hunch -or berry is oft-times regulated by the size o-f -employer’s 
purse, but -colour is largely—in fact, one might- say entirely— 
dependent on the grower's skill and attention. Vineries are to 
he seen a-t times constructed and supplied with -every improve^ 
ment which experience can suggest or money command, with 
a first-rate man in charge of all ; -and yet Gra-pes that- should 
be like amber remain “as green -as Leeks,” or, if they ought 
to be black, they remind one o-f Red Currants; On the other 
hand, magnificently finished bunches will .sometimes be found 
in ancient- houses where appliances are of the most primitive- 
description, where -one would, in fact, never expect to see 
Grapes finish at all. There is no question but that many 
growers who- are able to produce fine bunches and berries fail 
to produce that perfect colour which gives pleasure to the eye 
-of the connoisseur, whether the bunch be on, the Vine or the 
dinner ta-ble. 
In many cases failure arises from the sudden or quick change 
from a moist to a -dry atmosphere, consequent upon the dry 
regimen adopted -by some -to induce colour directly a single 
berry is seen to be changing. Nature should be imitated or 
even improved upon, and the change from- a, moist to a dry 
atmosphere should be gradual and imperceptible, so that the 
Vines may become inured toi the change before they feel the 
effects of it. 
Air is a prime agent in the laying -on. of colour, and w'h-en 
ripening commences the Vines must have more of this element, 
but here again the increase should be gradual. When ripening 
is fairly on the m-ove the house ma-y be closed half an hour 
earlier in the afternoon with plenty of moisture ; then for the 
first fortnight (or a. da-y -or two less if -the nights arei warm) a 
small chink of air should he admitted at the front ventilator, 
opening about eight o’clock for some evenings to start with. 
Unless the Grapes are subject to scalding, front ventilation 
is preferable to start with, as this does not permit such- a free 
escape of warm, mo-is-t air, while still -causing a gentle circular 
tion, which is all that is required to begin with. Tim volume 
of air should be gradually increased, top air being given, too, 
at night as ripening -advances, the time between the afternoon 
closing and the rea-dmission of air gradually curtailed until 
closing becomes a matter of gradually reducing the air given, 
throughout the da-y to that to be left on for the night; this 
should be less: on cold than on milder evenings. Water, both 
at roots and in the atmosphere, -should be reduced as gradually 
as -the volume of air is increased, but- damping should never 
be entirely discontinued until the Grapes are thoroughly ripe, 
varying the quantity according a-s the weather be drying or 
otherwise. 
The last thorough soaking at the roots -should be given when 
the Gra-pes are fairly started to colour, but moderate wat-erino-s 
may be giv-en afterwards should the border a-ppear dry; in¬ 
deed, -such waterings with manure wa-ter will sometimes turn 
.the scale in favour of the Gra-pes when perfect finish is doubt¬ 
ful. Fire heat- should be given in dull or damp weather in 
order to permit- of airing, but in fine weather, unless it be late 
in the season, its use is not a-dvisabl.e Treatment such as 
described should produce- perfect colour in both black and white 
Grapes. G. F. 
Rodgersia pinnata. 
On page 8 of the present volume of Tub Gardening World, 
we gave an illustration of the aho-ve new herbaceous plant, 
which was- introduced from China. Having bloomed again it 
is- no-w in much finer form. For some years only R. podopliylla 
was known- in gardens, and which has white flowers. That 
Cypripedium spectabile album. (Step. 647.) 
under notice has a pyramidal panioled cyme of flowers', which 
were rose in the bud state:, but fading to pink as they expanded. 
The older species has leaves not unlike those of a Home Chest¬ 
nut, both on the who-le and in respect to the individual leaflets. 
The midrib of the leaves of the species under notice is more or 
less elongat-ed, so that the leaves are more after the style of 
the Rose. The stems and younger leaves are alsoi more or lessi 
tinted with red, so that the plant is really an acquisition to 
this class of subjects. It- gro-ws about 2-1, ft. to 31, ft. in, height, 
and requires a great amount of moisture to keep it in a healthy 
and vigorous condition. Those who wo-uld see it at its best 
should therefore plant it on the margins of ponds or other 
sheet-s of ornamental water, where the roots can just dip 1 into” 
the water below. On the other hand, those who happen to 
have a bo-g garden, with plenty of space for a fairly bulky 
plant, would find this: a. highly ornamental subject. 
