August 12, 1965. 
A VALUABLE PAPER ON 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
Grape-Growing 
PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS by A PRACTICAL MAN. 
(Concluded from p. 621.) 
Thinning should begin as soon as ever the 
berries are set, but Muscats may remain a 
little longer than very free setters to be sure 
of having berries with stones in them. To 
set Muscats well a temperature of 90 degrees 
must be maintained in the day time and a 
slightly drier atmosphere. Go over them 
daily with the end of an old boa tied to a 
stick, which is superior to a rabbit’s tail or 
a camel hair brush. 
To keep down red spider damp down three 
or four times a day according to the weather. 
If it should make its appearance take the first 
opportunity to sponge the first few leaves 
affected with soft soap, which will sometimes 
put a stop to this enemy, but if this should 
fail resort must be had to sulphur on the 
pipes. The latter must be made as hot as 
they can, so that a blue haze can be seen in 
the house. Choose a dull time for doing this, 
or otherwise the house must be shaded. Also 
do not do this when the berries are very 
young and tender, or they will be rusted. If 
damping down is attended to as it should be 
and the pipes kept cold in hot weather, there 
will be very little fear from red spider. 
Always remember that dryness at the roots, 
hot pipes, and hot sun are. the fruitful 
sources of this pest. 
Thrips are sometimes troublesome, and 
from the same source, or from the introduc¬ 
tion of dirty plants into the vinery, such as 
Azaleas or Terns, which should always be 
avoided. The same remarks apply to mealy 
bug, and I have tried all the remedies for 
the latter that have ever been recommended, 
and none have succeeded in stamping it out 
altogether. It can be kept down by winter 
washings and by following them up in the 
summer time with methylated spirits or some 
good insecticide, but the bug will appear the 
next season, so that the same labour must 
be gone over again. Total extermination can 
only be effected by destroying the Vines, 
painting the house, getting fresh soil and 
new Vines. 
I must now say a few words about water¬ 
ing. Of course, no rules can be laid down ; 
but this must be left in a great measure to 
the judgment of the cultivator. 'Still, there 
are two very important times when the Vines 
should have a good watering, viz., just after 
thinning and as soon as the first berry is 
coloured, and at the latter watering a 
sprinkling of some artificial manure that will 
help the grapes to colour, using less than 
half tire quantity recommended by the 
vendors, and doing it twioe at an interval of 
a fortnight apart. 
Damping down must still be continued 
until the grapes are perfectly coloured ; this 
will help to keep the foliage green, which is 
all important if well-coloured Grapes are ex¬ 
pected. Great attention should be given to 
the ventilation—front and top air night and 
day, all that can be given by day in hot 
weather, and the pipes always warm at night. 
To avoid scalding, which usually takes place 
just previous to colouring, and especially 
with Muscats and Alicantes, leave top air on 
all night and a good heat in the pipes. If 
this is done there will be little trouble, but 
it sometimes happens there will be a sudden 
spell of very hot sun after a dull time, when, 
as a precautionary measure, recourse must 
be had to shading. A little whitening and 
water can be syringed on in a few minutes, 
and as the shading must not be permanent 
the first rain will wash it off. 
It is not often that mildew will make its 
appearance in well-managed vineries, but it 
is sometimes caused by too free front ventila¬ 
tion in the spring of the year, when cold 
winds prevail ; this, of course, should be 
avoided. A little flowers of sulphur dusted 
on the first appearance of mildew will often 
stop it from spreading further, but if it 
should appear in different parts of the house 
paint the pipes with sulphur and get them 
hot ; this will effectually stamp it out. 
And now a word about renovating borders 
where the Vines are not doing well, but are 
showing signs of falling off, or may be shank¬ 
ing badly. Remove the soil down to the 
roots, beginning at the front of the bonier, 
and working up towards the house to within 
about 3 ft.' from the front, wall. Preserve 
the roots carefully, and keep them covered 
up to avoid drying. Put the drainage right 
if necessary, and place on a layer of turf as 
recommended in border-making. Thin a few 
inches of the prepared soil ; on this spread 
out the roots, first cutting away all broken 
or decayed ends, and cover the whole with 
the same mixture of soil as advised. If the 
roots should be scarce it would perhaps be 
best only to make a small portion of the 
border, viz., just sufficient to hold the roots, 
and add to it yearly as the roots progress. 
Crop lightly, and grow plenty of foliage, but 
avoid crowding, and the Vines will improve 
after the first year. 
I have given the manner of making Vine 
borders on a heavy clay soil and where great 
attention must be given to the drainage, but 
it may so happen that it may be difficult to 
get an outlet for the drains. In this case 
make the border on the surface of the ground 
without any excavation, but follow the same 
plan. If the soil should be naturally drained 
and of good texture I believe first-class 
Grapes can be grown without the trouble or 
expense of a border at all, only by adding 
the usual ingredients to the natural soil, 
viz., bones, lime, rubbish, and some horse 
droppings. I have at the present time a 
vinery 120 ft. long, planted with Black 
Hamburgh Vines, where no border has been 
made, and the Grapes could not well be 
beaten. 
I need say very little about sorts, as there 
are so many, 'and many people have their spe¬ 
cial favourites, but the most useful Grapes 
are Black Hamburgh, Alicante, Gros Colman, 
and Lady Downes ; the latter is now no good 
for market, Gros Colman being the favourite. 
Of white Grapes Muscat of Alexandria and 
Canon Hall, the last the finest of all, but 
rather difficult to set. Gros Maroe is a hand¬ 
some black Grape, with very large berries, 
and will do in -a Black Hamburgh house, but 
will not keep. Winter Grapes are very much 
in demand in most places, and no better 
Grape can be grown for this purpose than 
Gros Colman. They can easily be kept, till 
March or April in a house with a steep 
pitched roof, remembering always that dry 
and cool must be the treatment, and sulphur 
G j9 
on the pipes, made hot occasionally, will kill 
any kind of mildew or rnouldiness that might 
make its appearance. 
I have felt, gentlemen, in writing this 
paper to be read before practical gardeners, 
that 1 have not been able to give you any¬ 
thing new, but only the ordinary practice of 
a market Grape grower. Still, my practice 
may not be quite the same as yours in some 
of its details. At any rate, I shall be glad 
if I have in any way entertained you on this 
interesting and important subject. 
John' Kitley. 
Lapagerias and their Culture. 
This climber is one of the most useful for 
covering the back walls of a greenhouse. The 
two, L. alba and rosea, make a magnificent 
show with their bell-shaped and waxlike 
flower hanging between the dark green 
foliage. Although they are really greenhouse 
climbers they are found growing outside in 
many gardens along the south "coast. L. 
rosea especially does well and flowers freely ; 
the variety alba is rather more sparing in 
its flowering. 
It will be found that they thrive best 
in a compost of two parts peat, one each of 
leaf mould and loam, a little lime rubble, 
and a free sprinkling of coarse sand. If 
planting outside put them against a wall 
facing west, as they do not like too much sun 
at midday. In winter a mat should be 
nailed up so as to cover them if much frost 
is imminent, and something should be put 
to carry the water off when in flower. A 
slate put up with mortar will do ; a few sheets 
of glass is better, as the water makes them 
have a spoiled look. In ■spring, when tliev 
are throwing up fresh shoots, the snail will 
soon make its appearance, so they need watch¬ 
ing closely. Rosea is the best for outside 
work, as alba is more tender. 
They can be raised from seed in spring. 
Sow in well-drained pans of the same com¬ 
post, only finer ; place in a little heat, and 
when they are up harden off gradually. It is 
advisable to keep them in pots until nice 
plants before planting, especially when they 
are intended for outdoor work. Many do not 
know the beauty of this climber until made 
acquainted with it in its splendour. They 
re-quire no pruning, but should be trained on 
wires, if possible. H. Page. 
The Gardens, Bicton, E. Budleigh. 
-♦- 
Mrs. Bateman’s Lily. 
(Lilium But vianniae.) 
At the present time there is no more hand¬ 
some purely Orange Lily flowering in the 
open garden. It has recently been considered 
a variety of the very variable L. elegans, 
which is of very dwarf stature in most, of its 
forms. Mrs. Batsman’s variety stands at 
least 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, and produces five 
to nine of its rich orange and spotless flowers 
in succession. It has proved of easy cultiva¬ 
tion when the I'oots are kept cool by plant¬ 
ing in a psaty bed amongst shrubs, but the 
latter must never be allowed to outgrow the 
space allotted to them, and thus cover up the 
stems of the Lily. Under such conditions it 
can only get weaker every year, because the 
foliage requires light, though not too much 
direct sunlight. For this reason it may be 
planted in peaty borders facing the east, so 
that the plants can only get the morning sun, 
which is not so powerful as that in the long, 
dry afternoon. 
