276 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  26,  189S. 
nursery,  though  surrounded  by  market  gardens,  and  which  I  can 
remember  seeing  built  over. 
It  was  when  the  popularity  of  Vauxhall  had  declined,  early  in 
the  reign  of  William  IV.,  that  some  gentlemen  opened  the  Surrey 
Gardens  of  15  acres,  at  first  as  a  sort  of  botanical  garden,  planting 
a  variety  of  exotics,  and  they  had  open  air  lectures  on  the  subject 
of  natural  history  ;  but  the  scheme  of  combining  education  with 
amusement  did  not  take.  Then  they  added  zoology,  and  Mr.  Cross 
removed  his  menagerie  there  from  Exeter  Change,  other  animals 
being  obtained  ;  however,  miscellaneous  fetes  or  exhibitions  soon 
entirely  displaced  science  and  horticulture. 
Something  similar,  though  on  a  smaller  scale,  had  been  tried 
years  before  by  the  estimable  William  Curtis,  not  far  off.  Strangers 
to  Lambeth  occasionally  wondered  at  a  tavern  sign  to  be  seen  there 
of  the  “  New  Plantation.”  This  was  its  origin.  He  took  a  plot 
of  ground  in  1777,  and  assisted  by  his  friends,  Barrington  and 
White,  he  planted  out  every  British  species  he  could  find  or 
procure.  In  addition  to  these  he  had  a  collection  of  exotics  used 
for  food  or  medicinally,  also  poisonous  species,  and  opened  his 
garden  to  subscribers  ;  but  not  succeeding  he  left,  taking  a  larger 
place  at  Queen’s  Elm,  Brompton.  Malcolm  &  Co.,  who  afierwards 
became  so  well  known  at  Kensington,  had  for  a  time  a  Lambeth 
nursery.  Then  there  was  Phillips,  an  extensive  grower  of  fruit 
trees  for  sale  ;  and  Griffins,  who  made  a  speciality  of  bulbs.  But 
of  all  the  Lambeth  nurseries  that  of  Chandler  at  Yauxhall  is  best 
remembered  by  the  present  generation  of  gardeners.  He  was 
author  of  an  illustrated  work  on  the  Camellia,  a  flower  to  which 
he  gave  much  attention  and  grew  very  successfully  even  in  the 
open  air  of  Lambeth,  as  it  was  sixty  years  ago  or  more.  He  enume¬ 
rates  eight  sorts  that  flowered  freely  on  a  north-west  wall,  though 
apt  to  be  nipped  by  early  frosts.  Indoors  be  made  a  great  display 
during  March  and  April,  showing  many  varieties  from  seed. 
Loudon  says  he  raised  Camellia  Altoni  and  four  varieties  besides, 
from  the  seed  in  one  capsule  of  C.  pomponia.  He  gave  his  name 
to  C.  Chandleri,  also  called  versicolor,  produced  in  1819  On  a 
wall  of  his  garden  he  had  a  display  every  spring  of  Magnolia 
conspicua  in  bloom.  At  a  period  when  the  Chrysanthemum  had 
only  a  trifling  amount  of  popularity  he  filled  several  houses  with 
Chinese  sortf,  though  mostly  of  small  size  ;  and  he  sold  a  great 
many  Cactuses  and  climbing  Roses. — J.  R.  S.  C. 
THE  CULTIVATION  OF  VINES  UNDER  GLASS.* 
Passing  the  historical  and  dealing  with  the  more  practical 
part  of  the  subject,  we  shall  be  required  first  to  fix  our  attention 
on  the  site  or  position  best  suited  to  the  erection  of  structures  in 
which  to  plant  the  Yines.  We  are  justified  in  selecting  a  full 
south  aspect  for  the  purpose,  excepting,  of  course,  span-roofed 
houses,  which  should  in  all  cases  have  their  ends  facing  the  north 
and  south  ;  but  in  reference  to  the  character  of  structures  most 
adaptable  we  must  necessarily  consider  the  purpose  for  which  they 
are  required,  that  is  to  say,  whether  they  are  to  be  utilised  as  early 
or  late  houses  ?  Undoubtedly  lean-to  houses  are  suitable  to  any 
and  all  purposes,  and  they  are  to  be  recommended  as  the  best 
for  very  early  forcing. 
For  midseason  and  late  houses,  however,  or  for  the  cultivation 
of  Grapes  on  a  large  scale,  there  is  nothing  to  equal  the  span- 
roofed,  as  there  is  naturally  more  air  and  light  circulating  about 
the  Yines  to  solidify  the  growth  as  it  is  being  made,  and  a  larger 
quantity  of  Grapes  can  be  taken  from  a  given  area  under  these 
circumstances  with  the  least  amount  of  attention. 
Before  particularising  the  kind  of  borders  or  their  position  it 
may  be  interesting  to  first  mention  that  to  have  Grapes  ripe  and 
ready  for  use  by  the  middle  of  May,  or  very  early  in  June,  was  at 
one  time  considered  to  be  almost  impossible  with  Yines  that  were 
permanently  planted  out.  To  meet  these  and  earlier  demands, 
Yines  in  pots  had  to  be  forced,  and  afterwards  being  of  no  further 
use  were  cast  away  to  the  rubbish  heap.  The  system,  that  is  from 
a  trade  point  of  view,  appeared  eminently  satisfactory  ;  but  the 
commercial  value  of  the  Grapes  so  produced  proved  much  too  high 
for  general  consumption,  hence  the  desire  to  further  persevere  in 
attempting  to  produce  Grapes  earlier  from  Vines  permanently 
planted  out,  and  at  a  minimum  cost,  and  thus  render  the  project 
more  remunerative. 
Whether  the  Vine  roots  should  be  entirely  confined  to  borders 
inside  the  structure,  or  allowed  the  liberty  to  run  outside  as  well, 
is  a  matter  of  great  importance.  It  must  have  the  cultivator’s 
early  consideration.  Yines  that  are  to  be  forced  very  early 
are  undoubtedly  better  with  their  roots  confined  to  inside 
[*  A  Paper  read  before  a  meeting  of  the  Hessle  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Association,  by  Mr.  J.  P.  LkaDBETTEK,  gardener  to  A.  Wilson,  Esq.,  Tranby  Croft.] 
borders.  The  soil  in  such  borders  is  naturally  more  uniform 
in  temperature,  the  roots  more  under  command,  and  are  there¬ 
fore  rendered  less  liable  to  suffering  a  check  at  some  critical 
stage  of  development.  Inside  borders  for  all  purposes  are  re¬ 
commended  by  many  good  growers,  and  with  practical  evidence 
of  the  excellent  results  obtained  under  these  circumstances  we 
are  naturally  bound  to  afford  the  matter  its  due  weight  of 
consideration. 
To  the  value  of  inside  and  outside  borders  conjointly  for  mid¬ 
season  and  late  houses  we  can  testify,  but  the  soil  of  which  the 
outside  borders  are  composed  appears  in  a  sweeter  and  fresher 
condition  than  is  the  case  with  inside  borders,  and  hence  the 
roots  freely  permeate  and  benefit  the  Vines. 
Before  determining  the  width  of  the  borders  cultivators  must 
decide  as  to  whether  the  Yines  are  to  be  forced  early  or  whether 
they  are  to  come  on  later  in  the  season.  For  small,  very  early  housef , 
where  the  Vine  rods  cannot  extend  beyond  10  to  12  feet,  8  to  9  feet 
will  be  wide  enough  for  purely  inside  borders.  Second  early  houses 
of  larger  dimensions,  in  which  the  Vine  rods  extend  15  to  16  feet, 
should  have  inside  borders  about  the  same  width,  but  for  later 
houses  of  similar  dimensions  18  feet  will  not  be  too  wide  for  borders 
confined  to  the  interior  of  the  house.  Houses  of  still  larger 
dimensions,  and  in  which  the  Grapes  are  not  expected  to  ripen  until 
late  in  the  season,  will  have  ample  room  for  the  Vine  roots  in 
borders  that  are  made  about  12  feet  wide  inside  and  9  to  10  feet 
wide  outside. 
Particulars  as  to  the  nature  of  the  soil  of  which  the  borders  are 
to  be  composed  must  of  necessity  guide  the  cultivator  in  deter¬ 
mining  their  depth,  some  consideration  also  being  required  as  to 
whether  the  Yines  planted  in  such  borders  are  to  be  forced  early 
or  allowed  to  come  on  later  in  the  season.  For  example,  a  depth 
of  2  feet  of  soil  of  a  light  porous  nature  with  9  inches  of  drainage 
is  quite  enough  for  Yines  planted  in  small  houses,  and  that  are  to 
be  forced  very  early  ;  "but  20  inches  of  heavy  retentive  loam  will 
be  sufficient  with  12  inches  of  drainage.  For  midseason  and  late 
houses  a  depth  of  30  inches  of  light  soil  with  12  inches  of  drainage 
will  not  be  too  much  ;  but  in  using  loam  of  a  strong  retentive 
character  24  to  26  inches  will  be  sufficient,  with  at  least  14  inches 
of  drainage. 
In  all  cases  grout  or  concrete  the  bottoms  of  the  borders, 
and  allow  a  gradual  slope  to  whatever  position  is  found  the  best 
and  most  convenient  of  access  in  time  of  need.  Drain  pipes  should 
be  laid  at  distances  of  4  feet  apart  across  the  base,  along  which 
will  be  conveyed  the  superfluous  water  drained  from  the  soil  above, 
to  be  carried  away  by  the  principal  drain  laid  for  the  purpose 
at  the  lowest  part  of  the  border. 
Cultivators  generally  are  somewhat  faddy  as  to  the  kind  of 
compost  they  use  for  Yines,  and  recognising  the  fact  of  undoubted 
success  resulting  from  various  mixtures,  it  would  be  contrary  to 
reason  to  set  up  any  compost  as  an  ideal  one  for  Yines.  Attention 
may  be  drawn  to  the  following  as  a  compost  of  some  value,  and 
with  which  we  have  absolute  experience  : — Take  grass  sods  or 
turves  from  an  old  pasture  cut  2  to  3  inches  in  thickness,  and  chop 
them  in  pieces  of  3  to  5  inches  square  ;  to  every  six  cartloads  adding 
about  eight  barrowloads  of  old  mortar  rubbish,  2  cwt.  of  half-inch 
bones,  1  cwt.  of  large  stick  charcoal,  with  a  similar  weight  of  burnt 
stick  ashes.  On  no  account  should  the  borders  be  made  to  their 
full  extent  at  the  time  of  planting  the  Yines.  They  should  be 
made  piecemeal,  that  is  to  say,  a  portion  should  be  added  as 
the  roots  require  it,  and  they  will  most  assuredly  derive  more 
benefit  from  the  addition  of  fresh  soil,  just  when  they  are  ready 
to  enter  it  than  if  the  whole  border  were  made  up  at  once, 
and  a  width  of  4  feet  will  be  quite  enough  in  which  to  plant 
the  Yines. 
Various  methods  of  planting  Yines  have  been  adopted.  Some 
have  preferred  to  plant  them  immediately  the  eyes  have  taken 
root  and  with  the  growth  about  12  inches  in  length.  Others, 
again,  have  potted  them,  grown  them  to  the  length  of  4  or  5  feet, 
and  planted  them  permanently  in  the  borders  about  the  month 
of  July.  One-year-old  Yines,  however,  are  the  most  generally 
used,  strong,  well  ripened  and  ready  for  planting  about  the 
second  week  in  February,  the  distance  apart  being  arranged 
according  to  circumstances.  In  large  houseR  3  feet  to  3  feet 
6  inches  is  not  too  much,  as  then  the  growth  made  by  the  Yines 
has  a  better  chance  of  being  opened  out  and  allowed  the  full 
benefit  of  both  light  and  air.  In  planting  turn  the  roots  out  of 
the  pots,  and  shake  away  all  the  oid  soil  that  will  conveniently 
leave  them.  Make  a  shallow  excavation,  as  the  roots  should  le 
carefully  spread  out  and  laid  their  entire  length  as  near  the  surface 
of  the  border  as  possible.  Work  some  of  the  finer  particles  of  the 
compost  well  amongst  the  roots,  and  cover  the  whole  with  more  of 
the  compost  in  its  rougher  state.  Afterwards  make  the  whole  firm 
by  treading,  and  the  operation  will  be  completed. 
