May xi, 1907. 
THE OARDENIHO WORLD. 
3 2 7 
The 
Japan Shortia. 
Shortia uniflora. 
Lovers of alpine and rock plants have 
been delighted with the American species 
of Shortia for many years past, but some 
of the would-be cultivators never master 
the difficulties of cultivation by not using 
a peaty soil to keep the plants cool 
throughout the summer by the retention 
of moisture. There is now a second and 
very beautiful claimant for their attention, 
namely, S. uniflora, which is the Japanese 
representative of an ancient order of 
plants which appear to be disappearing 
off the face of the globe owing to gradual 
changes that have occurred in past ages. 
Nevertheless they still exist, and are 
capable of cultivation, if an earnest at¬ 
tempt is made to afford them natural con¬ 
ditions. This.species is evidently closely 
allied to the older and better known 
plant, and would thrive under similar 
conditions. A situation that would be 
slightly shaded during the middle of the 
dav would enable it to pull through July 
and August. A very large number of the 
mountain plants require this considera¬ 
tion, and cultivators who observe the re¬ 
quirements and succeed in cultivating 
them, deserve all due praise. 
Both of the species are of easy culti¬ 
vation in pots, because the cultivator can 
then select a position for the plants at 
different times of the year, in order to 
make the conditions congenial. During 
winter and spring it may be kept fully 
exposed to what sunshine there is, but 
during hot weather, in July and August, 
the pots can be stood in a shady part of 
a cold frame facing the north. By this 
means the temperature is equalised and 
the. roots do not get dried up by the over¬ 
heating of the soil. A compost of equal 
portions of fibrous loam and fibrous peat 
would meet the requirements of the plant 
and the drainage should also be good. 
The leaves are evergreen, so that the 
plant must be kept suitably moist at every 
period of the year, but, of course, very 
little would *have to be applied artificially 
in the winter. During summer it must 
not be neglected. The plant differs from 
the American species by larger flowers 
on shorter stalks, and they are pink 
instead of white. Individually they are 
of large size, being 1% inches across or 
more. The photograph was taken in 
the Alpine House at Kew. 
Fruit Growing 
7.—GRAPES. 
( Concluded.) 
for Amateurs, 
ii. Shows how to -prune a young Vine; 
A, the leader cut bach; B, -B, the side 
brancnes cut bach to one eye. 
Pruning the Young Vine in the 
Autumn.—I f y 0 u give water when needed 
in the summer, and ventilate the house 
judiciously, the young Vines will have 
made satisfactory progress. Do not 
allow any bunches to remain on the 
Vines the first season. If any show re¬ 
move them while quite young. In the 
autumn.—about the end of September—- 
cut back the main rods to within 5 feet 
from the base of the current year’s 
growth; and at Christmas time prune 
back to 18 inches of the base, and the 
side shoots to within two “eyes” of their 
base (see Figs. 11 and 14). Thus you 
will put the Vine in proper form for the 
next year’s growth. If you leave a long 
portion of the rod probably the buds near 
the extreme end will grow while those 
near its base will remain dormant. 
Treatment of the Established 
Vines.—T he borders are best if made 
piecemeal, that is, made 4 feet wide the 
first year and 2 feet more compost added 
every winter afterwards until the allotted 
space is filled up. A width of 10 or 12 
feet altogether will be sufficient. 
Vines wdiich are established may be 
forced. If you want ripe grapes of the 
early sorts, such as Black Hamburgh, 
Foster’s Seedling, and Madresfield Court, 
in July, you should close the house about 
February ioth. Muscats and other late 
varieties may also be started in February, 
as the berries finish better when they have 
the benefit of the early autumn weather 
when ripening. All late sorts should be 
quite ripe by October ioth, then they \vill 
keep well. 
It is not wise to over force any nlant 
in its ear.ly stages, therefore you should 
commence the forcing by closing the 
house and maintaining a temperature of 
50 degrees by day and 45 degrees by 
night. But be sure that the soil in the 
border is well moistened through before 
you commence to force the growth. Do 
not open the ventilators to bring down 
the temperature to 50 degrees simply be- 
75. It is wrong to strip off long shreds of 
bark as shown at A, A, A; if odd pieces of 
bark are loose, as shown at B, B, rub them 
off, but do net pull them away in strips. 
cause the sun heat has raised the tem¬ 
perature. The heat of 50 degrees should 
result from the heating of the hot water 
