160 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 25, 1905. 
something of attractive appearance and sufficiently early to 
attain a desirable size' by the time the eai'ly summer exhibi¬ 
tions are held in towns and rural districts. 
The variety is also a heavy cropper, remarkably free from 
disease, with white flesh that is beautifully white when cooked, 
and therefore suitable for kitchen.use. The accompanying 
illustration put at our disposal by Messrs. \V ebb will show the 
relative fertility of the variety upon the' ground, the gen¬ 
erally uniform size of the tubers would also indicate that there 
is little waste in the cropping. For an early variety we think 
this is very satisfactory, and as Messrs. AN ebb put nothing into 
commerce before it is well tried, we presume that it has suffi¬ 
cient table quality to recommend the novelty for general use. 
It' is now being put into commerce for the first time. 
Potato Chieftain. 
The above new variety is an oval or pebble-shaped white 
variety which crops very heavily and keeps well. It has been 
well tried, and is being sent out for the first time by Messis. 
Webb and Sons, Wordsey, Stourbridge, who class it as a main- 
crop Potato. It has been well tried on their trial grounds at 
Kinver, and hitherto has proved to be disease-resisting. Being 
of pebble shape or slightly flattened and elongated, it is of that 
form which successful exhibitors use for exhibition purposes. 
It is also of excellent quality and cooks well, so' that those on 
the outlook for a sound and useful variety may find in this 
what they desire. The accompanying illustration lent us by 
Messrs. Webb shows the crop on the ground as it was dug out. 
Vine Eyes. 
In many establishments where the earliest forced Grapes 
are in much request the propagation of the canes by means 
of eyes forms a most important item during the early months 
of the year. It is of the greatest importance that a start should 
be made as early in the year as possible, whereby the young 
cane should be thoroughly well ripened and matured when the 
time of rest appears. ~ The growing of canes for early forcing 
should never be attempted without the use of a. suitable struc¬ 
ture where all the light possible and ample heat is. afforded. 
It is an impossibility to procure Grapes of good quality fi om 
manifest failures, and the method of growing canes two seasons 
which can be done in one is a costly and laborious one. The 
one idea is to grow a cane strong and short-jo in ted, thorough!} 
matured with plump eyes and plenty of stored matter, so that 
a strong break is procured when started, which is so essential 
for hard forcing or permanent planting. 
A good start should be made with eyes cut from yvood of 
last season’s growth—that which is thoroughly matured, and 
the buds plump. Cut about an inch long, with a slice of the 
wood taken off opposite the bud to quicken the process of 
routine. Various are the methods of starting these, but I prefer 
to put them in 60 pots, lightly tilled with sandy loam, press 
the eye into the soil so that the bud just shows above the 
surface, press lightly around, and plunge in cocoanut fibre 
in a bottom heat of 75 to 80 deg. and a temperature of 65 
to 70 deer. Water with a fine rose-can to settle soil, but 
avoid over-watering, especially so when the young growths 
are starting, or they will go blind and finally damp off. As 
soon as the roots are running freely around the sides of the 
pots a further shift is necessary—into 48 deg. for preference. 
Soil might consist of best fibrous loam, a sprinkling of 
decayed manure, bone meal, wood ashes, and charcoal. 4 his 
will be found a suitable compost, and should be used in as 
rough a state as possible. Pots should be efficiently drained, 
and stagnation guarded against at all times. When potted 
plunge again into bottom heat. The next shift will be into 
8 in. pots, and finally into the fruiting pots, which shift should 
be about July, when room may be left for top-dressings. Supply 
nourishment later on, when the soil is filled with young roots, 
supplemented by liquid manure and a little artificial after¬ 
wards. 
When in the large pots Vines will stand in no need of being 
plunged in bottom heat, but when growing should be exposed 
to all the sun and light possible. Avoid overcrowding, so 
that each leaf should have plenty of room and full exposure 
to the sun’s influence. Too much heat can hardly be indulged 
in, providing there is plenty of atmospheric moisture. The 
young Vines should be frequently syringed daily on all favour¬ 
able occasions, and the treatment precisely the same as for 
permanently planted Vines. Temperature should be about 
65 deg. at night, 70 to 75 deg. by day, with a rise of 15 to 
20 deg. by sun heat. Train the young Vines on a- trellis under 
the roof of house. The leading shoot should be allowed to 
run into the requisite height, but the tendrils and lateral 
growths should be stopped at the first leaf and kept there. 
An abundance of water is required when in full growth. 
Towards the end of the season, when the signs of ripening 
appear, more air and less water will be required. With the 
tall of the leaf, presumably about November, they may he 
finally turned out in a dry airy shed. But the plants should 
never become dust dry, nor should too much water be given. 
The young canes may then be cut back to the height required, 
and (he laterals be hard pruned to the lowest good bud. They 
will then be ready at any time for their special purposes. 
A. G. S. 
Hardy Climbers. 
There are few plants that can equal the following climbing, 
trailing, or rambling shrubs for clothing walls, arbours, per¬ 
golas, pillars, etc. 
Jasminnm. —The Jasmines are well-known hardy climbing 
or rambling shrubs. They belong to the same natural family 
as the Lilac and the Ash. No attention beyond keeping the 
young wood tied in and very little pruning is required. The 
Chinese Winter Jasmine (J. nudiflorum) is often spoiled by 
being trimmed close to the wall about October or November. 
This treatment removes the 1 shoots that are covered with 
flower-buds. I lie proper .time to' cut this species is just after 
the flowering period is over. The young shoots will then have 
a long season of growth, and flower the following winter. This 
species usually commences to flpwer in December, and con¬ 
tinues till March to cover its bare, leafless shoots with yellow 
blossom. Better known than the above is the common white 
Jessamine (J. officinale). It is a veiy hardy and vigorous 
climber, a native of Persia, and North-west, India ; it is easily 
recognised by its pure white, sweet-scented blossoms. It 
flowers freely from May to October. 
Clematis. —Generally speaking, Clematis are not difficult to 
grow. They all flourish in a good loamy soil, and the best 
time to plant, is in the spring,, when severe frosts are past. 
Clematis Vita lb a, commonly known as Travellers’ Joy, is the 
best-known species of this genus. It' is a native of Britain. 
The flowers are scented and of a greenish-white colour. C. 
montana is a. fine plant for covering walls. It has creamy- 
white flowers which, open in April and May. C. Viticella has 
drooping, blue, purple or rose-coloured flowers. C. lanuginosa 
has flowers 6 in. to 8 in. in diameter that are pale lavender, 
pure white, or purple in colour. 
The above are natural species, and the well-known variety 
C. Jackmanni is a, hybrid between the latter two. It, was 
raised in 1862 by Mr. Jackman, of Woking. It has purple 
flowers. There are now several shades of flowers of this form 
with distinct names in cultivation. The leaf-stalks of the 
Clematis have the power of twisting themselves round any 
support, and thus drawing themselves up to the light and air. 
Lonicera. —The Honeysuckles are a splendid group of hardy 
climbing shrubs. Every year or two, during the winter 
months the old and dead wood should.be removed, leaving 
the young branches for the production of flowers, and new 
shoots from the base upwards. There are about eighty species 
of Honeysuckle, but the following kinds will be found gen¬ 
erally useful and ornamental. Among the evergreen kinds 
the best known is L. japonica flexuosa from Japan. It has 
sweet-scented flowers which appear in June and July. L. 
