276 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  1,  1897. 
fungi  or  other  organism.  Mr.  Henslow  observed  that  a  tree  in  his 
garden  exhibited  the  same  appearance  and  died.  It9  roots  were  found 
to  have  penetrated  pure  gravel. 
Koyal  Horticultural  Society's  Committees’  Awards. 
Your  correspondent  of  last  week,  “  F;  R.  H.  S.,”  is  still  unsatisfied 
with  me,  although  he  greatly  qualifies  his  criticisms  now.  In  one  case 
he  seeks  to  charge  me  with  inconsistency,  because  I  am  represented  to 
have  written  that  I  do  not  think  the  present  too  free  making  of  awards 
should  be  restricted  in  the  least.  I  did  not  write  should,  which  would 
have  been  absurd.  I  wrote  would,  which  alters  the  complexion  of  my 
assertion  entirely. 
Putting  the  Chiswick  or  Drill  Hall  meetings  in  companion  with  the 
Chester  and  York  Shows  is  ridiculous,  and  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
matter.  My  previous  reply  related  to  a  statement  of  “  F.  R.  H.  S.”  that 
awards  were  relatively  far  more  liberally  made  at  the  Temple  Show  than 
the  Council  made  them  at  Chester  or  York.  I  showed  wherein  laid  the 
distinction,  the  former  being  a  show  without  prizes,  while  the  two  latter 
were  essentially  competitive  shows.  What  on  earth  has  the  Drill  Hall 
or  Chiswick  meetings  to  do  with  this  comparison  ? — A.  D. 
NOTES  ON  VINES. 
The  preparation  of  Vines  in  pots  for  early  forcing  is  an  operation 
that  requires  a  fair  amount  of  attention.  Cut-backs  of  last  year’s  raising 
are  the  best  for  making  sturdy  canes  and  perfecting  the  growth  early 
and  well.  The  cut-back  has  the  advantage  of  a  number  of  roots  to 
begin  with,  and  if  grown  well  in  the  previous  season  so  as  to  have 
short-jointed  and  s*out  canes  about  4  feet  in  length,  and  not  given 
larger  pots  than  6,  or  at  most  7-inch,  they  will  push  strongly  when 
cut  down  to  one  or  two  buds  and  placed  in  gentle  heat  in  February. 
Such  “cut-backs”  will  have  much  of  the  appearance  shown  in  the 
illustration  on  page  213,  March  24th,  1892,  as  regards  the  roots  when 
turned  out  of  the  pot  for  the  first  repotting  after  the  cane  has  made 
a  little  top  growth,  this  not  being  more  than  3  or  4  inches,  and  better 
less,  as  no  roots  will  then  have  been  made,  and  the  soil  being  mostly 
removed  no  damage  will  be  done.  Straggling  roots  would  then  be 
shortened,  and  the  Vine  placed  in  a  7  or  at  most  8-inch  pot.  All  that 
is  necessary  at  the  first  potting  is  to  provide  fresh  soil  and  get  abund¬ 
ance  of  fibrous  roots  in  it. 
The  Vines  thus  treated  will  now  require  their  final  potting — 12-inch 
pots  are  a  proper  size.  They  should  be  clean  and  efficiently  drained, 
potting  firmly  in  turfy  loam,  with  about  a  tenth  of  old  mortar  rubbish 
added.  This  will  secure  a  good  root  formation,  and  any  extra  vigour 
desired  can  be  promoted  by  top-dressings  or  liquid  applications  of 
chemical  manures.  Bottom  heat  is  not  necessary,  but  if  the  Vines  are 
plunged  in  it  for  accelerating  root  action,  it  should  not  exceed  80°  to 
85°,  and  they  must  not  remain  in  that  so  long  that  the  roots  enter  the 
plunging  material.  The  better  plan  is  to  place  the  pots  on  slates  over 
the  hot-water  pipes,  or  in  such  position  that  the  canes  can  be  trained 
from  the  sides  of  the  house  beneath  the  roof,  near  the  glass  to  insure 
the  solidification  of  the  growth. 
The  house  should  be  kept  rather  close,  and  if  the  weather  be  bright 
shade  for  a  few  days.  Syringe  the  Vines  and  otherwise  damp  the  house, 
so  as  to  secure  a  sturdy  and  clean  growth.  Pinch  the  laterals  at  the  first 
joint,  and  subsequent  growths  treat  similarly,  stopping  the  leader  at  6  to 
8  feet,  according  to  the  length  of  cane  desired.  With  proper  attention 
the  Vines  will  make  canes  like  walking  sticks  with  eyes  like  nuts  by 
August,  when  they  can  he  subjected  to  a  ripening  off  regime,  but  not  too 
suddenly,  and  they  will  be  in  proper  trim  for  starting  in  November  to 
afford  ripe  Grapes  at  the  end  of  March  or  early  in  April. 
Vines  for  planting  are  usually  a  very  motley  lot  unless  picked, 
and  many  of  them  as  notable  for  the  poorness  of  the  canes  as  the 
paucity  of  their  roots.  Albeit  the  pots  they  are  in  may  not  be  much  less 
in  diameter  than  that  usually  given  to  fruiting  canes,  yet  they  turn 
out  with  scarcely  any  fibrous  roots,  and  the  amount  seldom  comes  up 
to  that  shown  outside  the  mass  of  fibrelets  on  the  illustration  above 
referred  to.  This  exhibits  a  grand  foundation  of  roots,  abundance 
of  fibres  issuing  from  the  base  of  the  cane  and  plenty  for  laying  in 
the  soil,  so  that  a  good  grip  of  the  soil  is  had  without  loss  of  time. 
Indeed,  it  shows  exactly  the  type  a  planting  Vine  should  be,  for  in 
addition  to  the  splendid  root  system  there  is  the  advantage  of  a  Btout 
stem  with  free  channels  for  conveying  the  sap,  and  as  such  Vine  is  cut 
down  for  inside  planting  to  a  few  buds  near  the  soil  it  must  make  a 
sturdy  growth  if  properly  planted  and  attended  to  afterwards.  It  is 
alluded  to  for  contrast  with  straw-like  canes  and  the  thin  bare  roots 
frequently  comprising  Vines  for  planting. 
Planting  is,  perhaps,  best  done  when  the  young  growths  have 
extended  an  inch  or  two,  which,  when  the  Vines  have  been  kept  cool, 
occurs  early  in  April.  Where  provision  has  been  made  for  inside  and 
outside  borders,  the  Vines  should  be  planted  in  the  former,  confining 
the  roots  to  it  until  they  have  well  occupied  the  available  space — in 
fact,  a  4  to  6  feet  width  of  border  is  sufficient  in  the  first  instance.  The 
Vines  should  be  shaken  out  and  placed  in  position  either  before  or  after 
they  have  grown  to  the  extent  of  a  couple  of  inches,  the  roots  being 
disentangled  and  spread  out  evenly  in  the  border,  covering  them  about 
3  inches  deep,  and  watering  moderately  to  settle  the  soil  about  them. 
Vines  of  the  present  year’s  raising  will  not  require  to  be  planted  out 
for  some  time  yet.  They  are  preferably  raised  in  squares  of  turf,  and 
may  be  planted  when  the  roots  are  protruding  through  the  sides,  or  if  in 
pots  they  should  be  turned  out  before  they  become  root-bound.  They 
will  require  to  have  the  temperature  suitable  to  Vines  in  growth — 
namely,  65°  at  night,  and  70°  to  75°  by  day,  with  an  advance  of  10°  to 
15°  with  sun  ;  but  Vines  of  last  year  should  be  allowed  to  Btart 
unaided,  syringing  them  two  or  three  times  a  day,  according  to  the 
weather. — G.  Abbey. 
EARLY  CINERARIAS. 
On  page  251  “  A.”  says,  “  Those  who  grow  Cinerarias  for  very  early 
blooming  must  largely  force,  and,  of  course,  the  plants  are  drawn  and 
the  blooms  somewhat  demoralised .”  This  is  misleading,  as  is  well  known 
to  those  who  grow  Cinerarias  for  early  flowering.  I  have  them  in  bloom 
fully  a  month  before  Christmas,  which,  I  suppose,  would  be  considered 
early,  as  the  regular  Cineraria  season  is  not  till  March  and  April.  I  find 
Cinerarias  most  useful  during  December,  January,  and  February,  and 
make  a  special  effort  to  have  a  good  stock  of  them.  I  do  not  find  that 
the  plants  are  “  drawn  ”  at  all,  and  certainly  they  are  not  forced.  I  grow 
Sutton’s  strain  of  Cinerarias,  which  are  good  in  form  and  colour,  while 
the  habit  of  each  plant  is  dwarf,  but  not  too  much  so.  Extreme  dwarf¬ 
ness  is  a  defect  not  to  be  encouraged,  as  such  plants  have  a  “  dumpy  ” 
appearance. 
For  having  Cinerarias  in  flower  at  Christmas,  or  earlier,  the  seed  is 
sown  during  the  early  part  of  May.  A  long  season  of  growth  is  thus 
afforded,  which  dispenses  with  any  necessity  for  forcing  the  plants  in 
strong  heat  I  make  two  sowings — one  at  the  time  named  and  another 
the  first  week  in  June.  A  regular  succession  of  flowering  plants  is  then 
assured,  assuming,  of  course,  neglect  does  not  follow  the  initial  stage. 
Any  fine  sandy  sweet  soil  will  suffice  to  sow  the  seed  in,  and  well-drained 
pans  are  the  best  for  the  purpose,  covering  with  a  square'of  glass.  To 
maintain  the  soil  in  a  moist  state  a  little  moss  over  the  glass  will  dispense 
with  the  necessity  for  shading  the  frame. 
Directly  the  seedlings  show  through  the  soil  we  remove  the  moss, 
and  tilt  the  glass  on  one  side  to  admit  air  ter  keep  the  plants  sturdy.  A 
weakly  growth  cannot  produce  dwarf  plants  with  robust  foliage  and 
strong  heads  of  bloom,  such  as  are  required  to  be  effective  in  a 
decorative  point  of  view.  The  pots  in  which  the  plants  are  to  flower 
range  from  4£  inches  to  7  inches  in  diameter.  A  compost  largely  com¬ 
posed  of  decayed  leaves,  loam,  and  sand  suffices  for  the  first  potting. 
Afterwards  more  loam  is  added  in  the  place  of  the  leaves,  with  a  small 
quantity  of  partly  decayed  horse  droppings  for  the  final  shift.  It  is  a 
mistake  to  allow  the  roots  of  Cinerarias  to  become  matted  together 
before  they  are  repotted,  the  foliage  becomes  crippled,  and  the  flower 
spikes  are  never  so  stiff  as  they  ought  to  be  ;  in  fact,  the  plants  always 
present  a  half-starved  appearance. 
The  first  sowing  is  made  in  a  partly  spent  hotbed,  the  second  in  a 
cold  frame  behind  a  north  wall.  The  latter  affords  the  best  site  for  the 
plants  for  the  first  four  months  of  their  growth,  as  the  trouble  of 
shading  the  frame  can  be  dispensed  with,  which  is  a  great  saving  of 
labour. 
During  the  month  of  October  frames  or  pits  with  a  southern  aspect 
suit  the  plants  better,  as  here  the  growth  becomes  more  matured 
than  if  the  plants  remained  in  their  previous  position,  until  finally 
removed  under  cover,  as  they  must  be  before  frost  renders  their  removal 
imperative,  as  Cinerarias  cannot  withstand  any  frost. 
For  flowering  the  plants  we  erect  a  flat  temporary  stage  in  a  large 
an  i  airy  Peach  house,  which  is  kept  as  cool  as  possible.  By  the  first 
week  in  November  the  bulk  of  the  leaves  have  fallen  from  the  trees,  the 
Cinerarias  then  get  plenty  of  light.  At  no  time  must  the  plants  be 
crowded,  and  the  leaves  of  one  plant  should  only  just  touch  those  of  its 
neighbour.  Cinerarias  are  subject  to  attacks  of  green  fly  and  a  leaf¬ 
mining  maggot,  common  to  Celery.  Frequent  fumigations  with  tobacco 
smoke  will  rid  the  plants  of  the  aphides,  but  hand-picking  must  be 
resorted  to  for  ending  the  maggots. 
Cinerarias  must  have  abundance  of  water  both  at  the  roots  and  over 
their  leaves  during  active  growth,  especially  when  the  pots  in  which 
they  are  growing  are  small  ;  stimulants  frequently  applied  are  a  great 
aid  to  the  dants,  a  little  and  often  is  the  best  course  to  pursue  in 
feeding  them.  Liquid  made  from  cow  manure  and  soot  is  excellent 
for  the  purpose. — E.  Molyneux. 
Good  Cinerarias. 
I  noted  recently  at  Anningsley  Park,  Chertsey,  an  exceptionally  fine 
strain  of  this  useful  winter  and  spring  flowering  plant.  It  is  a  selection 
that  has  been  fixed  by  careful  crossing  during  a  considerable  number  of 
years  by  the  gardener  (Mr.  Tomlin).  Most  colours  general  among 
Cinerarias  are  represented,  but  the  indigo  blue  shades  and  self  crimsons 
and  rosy  hues  appeared  extra  fine.  Others  with  a  broad  white  ring 
accompanied  by  various  rich  shades  of  colour  were  also  most  attractive. 
The  individual  size  of  the  flowers,  too,  was  in  many  instances 
exceptional.  I  prefer  a  Cineraria  pip  a  couple  of  inches  or  so  across  to 
one  3  inches  in  diameter.  The  latter  lose  that  finish  noted  in  the  smaller 
kinds.  But  this  is  a  matter  of  taste.  Whilst  improving  the  blossom 
Mr.  Tomlin  has  had  in  view  a  not  less  desirable  point — namely,  a  dwarf 
sturdy  habit  of  growth. 
Cultivation  has,  of  course,  much  to  do  with  the  appearance  of  the 
foliage  ;  but  there  is  no  mistaking  the  general  sturdiness  of  leaf  and  the 
dwarfness  of  the  plants  in  this  instarce.  When  a  tolerably  large  green¬ 
house  is  filled  with  capital  specimens  of  this  nature  such  a  collection  is 
worth  a  passing  notice. — H.  S. 
