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JOURXAL  OF  HORTIGULTDRE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDEXER, 
Febniavy  15,  1900. 
enemies  enough  to  fight — foes  which  need  restless  energy,  scientific 
guidance,  and  undaunted  will  to  overcome. 
Let  me  now  cite  a  few  instances  which  hear  out  the  correctness  of 
the  foregoing  assertion.  It  seems  an  inevitable  law  of  Nature  that 
when  the  cultivation  cf  any  plant,  fruit,  or  vegetable  is  suddenly 
taken  up  on  a  huge  scale,  that  particular  form  of  vegetation  in  a  short 
time  falls  a  prey  to  hosts  of  insect  pests  and  diseases,  even  when  the 
most  approved  methods  of  culture  are  pursued.  Experience  may 
teach  us  how  to  still  further  improve  our  methods,  yet  it  seems 
impossible  under  some  circumstances  to  successfully  combat  our 
enemies  by  relying  on  good  culture  alone.  Take,  for  example,  the 
fungoid  diseases  which  play  such  havoc  with  Tomatoes.  A  splendid 
start  is  made  early  in  the  season,  former  errors  are  avoided,  and 
unceasing  attention  given  to  the  plants,  yet  with  all  the  care,  the 
watchfulness,  the  hard  fighting,  the  dreaded  enemy  puts  in  an  appear¬ 
ance  just  when  prospects  appear  the  brightest.  Fight  as  we  may 
then  with  old  weapons,  and  on  old  lines,  we  can  only  win  a  doubtful 
victory.  No  amount  of  valour  and  tenacity  will  avail  by  attacking 
our  foe  in  front;  our  reasoning  powers  must  be  used  to  outflank 
the  enemy,  to  make  an  unexpected  attack  at  a  vulnerable  point, 
and  thus  nip  further  development  in  the  bud.  In  the  gardener’s  war 
against  Tomato  diseases  the  general  who  directs  the  strategy  is  the 
pathologist,  who  by  close  study  of  parasitic  fungi  is  able  to  tell  us  the 
exact  time  at  which  to  combat  the  foe  with  the  surest  results,  that 
time  being  before  the  fungus  produces  its  myriads  of  spores,  which 
spread  disaster  around.  Now,  by  dressing  the  borders  and  spraying 
the  plants  with  fungicides,  we  are  able  with  ease  and  certainty  to 
accomplish  a  task  which  has  beaten  some  of  the  foremost  cultivators 
when  making  a  direct  attack  instead  of  a  “  turning  movement  ”  under 
the  guidance  of  the  scientist. 
In  other  phases  of  their  daily  life  gardeners  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land  have  to  constantly  adapt  their 
methods  to  altered  circumstances,  as  changes  are  ever  taking  place  in 
the  requirements  they  have  to  supply,  and  that  too  in  the  face  of 
reduced  expenditure.  The  gardens  must  still  be  kept  gay  and  trim, 
the  wants  of  the  mansion  unfailingly  supplied,  while  additional  duties 
in  connection  with  public  functions  are  heaped  upon  them.  When 
such  matters  are  pressed  to  the  front  it  is  evident  that  success  in  all 
directions  equal  to  that  of  former  years  cannot  be  achieved  by 
following  in  the  beaten  track ;  new  methods  of  management  have  to 
be  thought  out,  the  machine  becomes  more  complicated,  and  needs  a 
closer  supervision  of  the  guiding  brain  than  in  days  of  yore.  Tasks 
which  were  formerly  accomplished  in  an  easy  methodical  manner  have 
to  be  dene  by  the  aid  of  subtle  manoeuvre,  which  brings  the  necessary 
force  to  a  given  point  just  at  the  required  time.  Such  is  work  which 
needs  concentration  of  thought  and  action,  judgment,  and  wise 
discrimination,  as  well  as  the  old  qualities  of  quick  execution,  or 
tenacity  of  purpose. 
Fortunate,  too,  were  many  gardeners  of  old  who  lived  in  times 
when  the  supply  of  capable  men  to  fill  responsible  positions  was  not 
equal  to  the  demand ;  changes  could  then  be  made  without  much 
misgiving  as  to  the  future.  The  man  who  contemplates  such  a  change 
now  must  perforce  exercise  caution,  sometimes  even  justifiable  strategy^ 
in  order  to  improve,  instead  of  retard,  his  prospects.  Sound  advice 
on  this  point  at  the  present  time  is,  Be  satisfied  with  your  present 
position  till  you  see  definite  prospects  of  improving  it. 
Let  us  turn  for  a  moment  to  the  commerce  of  the  world.  What 
startling  and  carefully  planned  “  turning  movements  ”  seem  to  have 
become  necessary.  The  vast  and  rapidly  increasing  population  of 
civilised  countries  find  their  very  existence  depends  upon  securing 
opportunitiesjfor  expansion,  and  thus  all  forward  and  colonising  move¬ 
ments  are  influenced  to  a  great  extent  by  the  necessity  for  commercial 
advantages  and  developments,  which  things  are  as  the  breath  of  a 
livii'g  nation;  but  wkerever  justice  and  equality  follow  in  the  wake 
of  expansion  the  world  is  the  better.  Turning  to  commerce  as 
conducted  at  home,  is  it  not  a  startling  and  amusing  sign  of  the  com¬ 
petition  of  the  present  time  that  free  gilts  have  to  be  dangled  as  baits 
to  secure  customers?  In  the  commerce  of  horticulture  we  have  not 
yet  arrived  at  such  a  strait  as  this,  but  who  can  say  how  soon  itjmay 
come  ?  the  thin  end  of  the  wedge  is,  I  fancy,  already  inserted.  This, 
however,  is  certain — viz.,  that  the  trade  has  to  be  conducted  with  a 
greater  amount  of  “  strategy  ”  and  with  more  gigantic  “  turning 
movements  ”  than  at  any  previous  period. 
We  are  indeed  pa.ssing  through  stirring  times,  and  it  behoves  us  all 
sometimes  to  think  calmly  of  matters  connected  with  our  calling ;  and 
our  race,  as  each  thinker  who  unearths  a  hidden  truth,  or  awakens  a 
slumbering  sentiment,  which  will  stir  into  activity  the  “  Micawbers  ” 
of  to-day — be  they  in  the  horticultural  world,  or  the  world  at  large — 
adds  something,  however  small,  to  the  credit  of  the  craft  he  follows. 
The  midnight  hour  has  struck,  the  morn  will  soon  be  with  us,  when 
gardeners  will  sally  forth  to  their  daily  task,  to  their  endeavours  to 
make  the  earth  smile  with  beauty  and  plenty;  and  to  millions 
throughout  the  empire  at  the  first  streak  of  dawn  will  come  the 
stirring  thought,  “  What  news  from  the  front  ?  ” — Onward. 
PROPAGATINO  VINES  FROM  EYES. 
In  many  private  gardens  the  propagation  of  Vine  eyes  is  only 
carried  out  in  a  small  way.  Often  a  Vine  or  two  is  all  that  are  needed, 
and  while  many  will  prefer  purchasing  from  the  nursery,  others  choose 
to  grow  their  own,  and  some  there  are  who  have  no  alternative  but  to 
do  so.  It  is  no  uncommon  incident  in  an  interchange  of  visits  by 
gardeners  to  find  a  few  young  Vines  occupying  a  corner  here 
or  there,  without  there  being  any  apparent  use  or  purpose  for 
them,  and  if  by  chance  passing  notice  is  made  to  them  an  immediate 
ofier  is  made  of  a  portion  of  the  stock,  which  outnumber  their  home 
requirements. 
Except  for  the  introduction  of  some  new  variety  by  inarching 
there  are  many  gardens  in  which  Vine  propagation  is  quite 
uncalled  for,  because  the  houses  are  fully  stocked  with  healthy 
reds.  In  mixed  vineries,  however,  it  sometimes  happens  that  there 
are  some  which  are  not  satisfactory  in  their  growth  and  fruit  bearing, 
and  to  move  them  from  among  others  well  rooted  is  not  easy  or 
desirable,  because  of  the  injury  that  would  be  inflicted  to  those 
remaining.  Here,  then,  is  a  case  where  inarching  of  another  variety 
may  do  good  without  an  undue  expenditure  of  labour  or  loss  of  time, 
and  it  is  optional  whether  the  Grape  be  a  new  or  old  variety,  or 
whether  it  is  home-grown  or  obtained  from  the  nursery. 
Whatever  course  is  decided  on  it  is  necessary  that  immediate  steps 
are  taken,  and  in  rooting  one’s  own  this  must  be  anticipated  earlier 
when  pruning  is  done,  and  the  laterals  plunged  in  the  ground  outdoors 
until  required.  Shoots  that  are  well  ripened  and  free  from  pith  ought 
to  be  chosen  for  the  purpose,  cutting  these  with  a  sharp  knife  in  a 
slanting  direction  about  an  inch  below  the.  eye,  and  a  shorter  sloping 
cut  above.  Pots  filled  with  suitable  soil — loam  broken  tine,  lime 
rubble,  and  some  leaf  mould — being  ready,  the  eyes  can  be  at  once 
inserted.  Before  doing  so,  however,  some  silver  sand  should  be  so 
placed  that  in  pressing  the  eye  into  the  soil  the  sand  forms  a  base  for 
the  cut  portion  to  rest  on ;  this  is  helpful  to  early  rooting.  For  a 
few  daps  they  may  stand  in  a  newly  started  forcing  house,  but  later 
they  require  bottom  heat,  either  from  a  bed  of  fermenting  materials 
ur  the  usual  propagating  frame.  Once  growth  has  commenced  it 
should  be  steadily  maintained,  and  as  there  is  seldom  an  equal  state  of 
growth  in  every  bud  a  few  extra  eyes  ought  to  be  put  in  to  allow 
of  an  ultimate  selection  of  the  best. 
Care  is  necessary  in  watering  that  the  soil  is  not  kept  too  moist, 
as  it  soon  sours,  and  the  plants  then  make  no  progress.  As  soon  as  it 
is  ascertained  that  they  are  rooting  freely,  a  transfer  to  other  pots  and 
new  soil  makes  a  rapid  change  in  the  growing  shoot,  and  from  this 
period  bottom  heat  can  be  dispensed  with.  A  warm  structure,  however, 
13  still  requisite,  and  a  light  position  where  they  get  the  full  benefit 
of  sunsh'ne.  When  produced  for  the  purpose  of  inarching  on  to  older 
Vines  this  operation  can  be  carried  out  w'hile  they  are  in  a  green  state, 
the  union  is  then  more  certain  and  quickly  effected.  Tbe  choice  of 
suitable  growing  shoots  or  laterals  at  the  base  of  the  Vine  will  need 
to  be  made  early  in  the  season  ;  with  this  \  rovision,  and  sturdy,  free- 
growing  Vines,  the  trouble  of  uniting  them  is  slight,  and  by  the 
end  of  the  season  the  young  Vine  would  be  firmly  established,  and 
can  be  severed  below  the  point  of  union  at  pruning  time.  The  pots 
should  be  regularly  supplied  with  water  as  long  as  there  is  leaf 
activity,  and  the  ligatures  carefully  loosened  as  the  canes  swell. 
— W.  S. 
