March  26,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
27 1 
The  compost  of  which  the  border  is  composed  being  naturally 
moist,  no  water  will  be  required  immediately  after  planting,  and 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  the  young  Vines  to  break 
freely,  provided  the  houie  is  kept  close,  and  a  moist  condition  of 
the  atmosphere  maintained  by  syringing  the  woodwork,  paths, 
walls,  and  rods. 
In  order  to  cause  the  young  Vines  to  break  evenly  and  regularly 
from  the  base  to  the  summit  the  tops  of  the  Vines  should  be  care¬ 
fully  bent  down  or  depressed,  but  directly  the  young  shoots  are 
about  half  an  inch  in  length  the  Vine  rods  should  be  tied 
permanently  in  position.  At  this  stage  the  future  prospect  of  the 
Vines  must  be  taken  into  consideration,  and  all  the  growths  may 
be  rubbed  off  the  original  Vine  down  to  where  the  growth  that  is 
to  form  the  leader  or  future  rod  is  starting  from,  which  as  a  rule 
will  be  about  level  with  the  front  eave  of  the  roof,  or  about  3  feet 
from  the  base  of  the  Vine,  and  the  shoots  that  are  allowed 
to  grow  below  this  leader  ought  to  be  topped  about  the  fifth  or 
sixth  joint. 
Nothing  further  is  needed  beyond  the  fact  of  training  and  tying 
the  leader  up  carefully  to  prevent  its  being  injured  in  any  way,  and 
with  the  free  use  of  the  syringe  to  keep  down  red  spider,  together 
with  a  satisfactory  supply  of  water  to  the  roots,  and  at  all  times  a 
free  admission  of  air  “without  draught”  to  solidify  the  growth,  is 
all  that  can  be  done  until  the  autumn. 
Young  Vines  usually  grow  strongly  and  require  a  great  amount 
of  ripening,  so  that  if  the  autumn  be  dull  and  cold  fire  heat  and 
air  should  be  afforded  to  harden  the  wood,  water  being  required  in 
moderate  quantities  by  the  roots  until  growth  commences  the 
following  season. 
The  first  operation  in  preparing  to  start  the  Vines  into  growth 
the  following  season  is  to  prune  them.  Cut  back  the  new  rod 
or  leader  to  within  2  feet  of  its  juncture  with  the  original  Vine, 
and  spur  back  the  lower  shoots  to  within  one  or  two  eyes  of  their 
base.  Seldom  can  we  ripen  young  vigorous  Vines  so  as  to  prevent 
any  possibility  of  their  bleeding  from  the  cut  parts  directly  growth 
begins  ;  but  the  danger  of  bleeding  can  be  prevented  by  putting 
styptic  over  the  cut  parts  immediately  after  pruning. 
If  the  roots  have  grown  through  the  soil  add  another  portion 
of  about  2  feet  to  the  border,  but  if  the  roots  are  not  strong  do  not 
by  any  means  make  the  addition.  In  again  starting  the  Vines  into 
growth  keep  the  houses  closed  and  syringe  well  for  about  three 
weeks,  and  do  not  apply  fire  heat  unless  there  is  very  hard  frost, 
which  must  necessarily  be  prevented  from  entering  the  houses,  the 
Vines  again  being  depressed  to  make  them  break  evenly  the 
whole  length  of  the  rods. 
Immediately  growth  is  started  place  the  Vines  in  their  proper 
position,  and  this  time  the  leader  should  not  be  topped,  but  all 
the  laterals  below  it  should  be  stopped  as  advised  the  first  year  ; 
as  many  of  them  will  show  fruit,  and  it  may  be  desirable  to 
allow  two  bunches  to  remain  on  each  Vine,  these  being  topped  two 
joints  beyond  the  fruit,  all  other  bunches  being  cut  off,  and  the 
shoots  topped  as  considered  advisable.  Fire  heat  with  air  should 
be  applied  to  solidity  the  growth  as  it  is  made,  and  water  given 
the  roots  as  they  require  it.  No  top-dressing  of  the  borders 
has  been  recommended,  as  it  would  scarcely  be  required  with  borders 
just  made,  but  it  may  be  desirable  to  mulch  the  surface  with 
horse  and  cow  manure  mixed  directly  the  fruit  is  set. 
With  the  Vines  in  perfect  health,  and  other  conditions  rendered 
favourable  by  the  judicious  admission  of  air,  there  will  be  no  need 
to  fear  the  flowers  setting  satisfactorily,  but  the  rods  may  be 
tapped  several  times  during  the  day  to  insure  success.  High 
temperatures  are  unnecessary,  but  they  must  be  regular,  55°  to 
60°  being  a  good  night  temperature  with  air,  and  60°  to  65°  by 
day.  Stereotyped  figures  are  absurd,  and  common  sense  must  of 
necessity  guide  the  cultivator,  for  there  are  many  days  when  the 
sun  is  hot  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  keep  the  temperature  at 
the  figures  stated  without  admitting  air  in  unlimited  quantities, 
and  thus  rendering  the  Vines  liable  to  a  serious  check.  Muscats, 
however,  should  have  a  few  degrees  higher  temperature  to  enable 
the  ventilators  to  be  freely  opened  to  admit  more  air,  which  is 
necessary  in  their  case. 
The  varieties  most  serviceable  in  early  houses  are  Black 
Hamburgh  and  Buckland  Sweetwater  (white).  For  midseason 
houses,  Madresfield  Court  (black)  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria 
(white)  are  recommended.  The  latter  houses  may  also  contain 
such  varieties  as  Mrs.  Pince,  Muscat  Hamburgh,  Foster’s  Seedling, 
Duke  of  Buccleucb,  and  Alnwick  Seedling,  late  houses  being 
planted  with  Gros  Colman,  Lady  Downe’s,  and  Black  Alicante. 
Barbarossa  (Gros  Guillaume)  may  be  added  to  the  middle  list,  and 
there  are  other  varieties  of  which  mention  is  not  made,  feeling 
certain  that  whatever  omissions  there  may  be,  ic  is  only  such 
varieties  as  require  very  special  treatment,  and  in  consequence 
cannot  be  included  in  a  list  formed  to  convey  general  impressions. 
Weather  in  London. — The  weather  during  the  past  week  has 
again  been  variable,  Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday  being  characterised 
by  heavy  showers.  On  Sunday  the  change  was  a  remarkable  one — in 
fact,  the  weather  proved  much  more  like  May  than  March.  Monday 
morning  was  somewhat  foggy,  but  towards  midday  the  sun  came  through 
bright  and  warm,  while  the  same  conditions  prevailed  on  Tuesday  and 
Wednesday. 
- Weather  in  the  North. — Less  rain  and  more  sunshine 
mark  the  week  ending  the  24th,  but  some  of  the  nights  were  very  wet. 
There  was  an  inclination  to  frost  on  the  morning  of  the  19th,  and  gusty 
winds  from  the  west  occurred  now  and  again.  Saturday  was  fine, 
Sunday  markedly  so,  but  it  rained  heavily  during  the  night,  and  the 
evening  of  Monday  was  drizzly.  Tuesday  morning,  dull  and  coldish, 
did  not  give  much  promise  of  a  change  to  drier  weather,  now  much 
desired,  the  sowing  of  the  Bean  crop  and  other  farm  work  getting  into 
arrears  from  continued  wet. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
-  The  Barron  Testimonial. — The  promoters  of  the  testi¬ 
monial  to  Mr.  A.  F.  Barron  met  at  the  Hotel  Windsor  on  Tuesday  last, 
when  it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the  testimonial  should  take  the 
form  of  a  cheque  for  £500.  Dr.  Masters  has  been  asked  and  has  con¬ 
sented  to  make  the  presentation,  which  will  take  place  at  a  lunch  at  the 
Hotel  Windsor  on  April  the  21st  at  two  o’clock  P.M. 
-  Carriage  op  Produce. — The  arrangements  made  by  the 
Great  Eastern  Railway  Company  at  the  end  of  last  year  for  the  convey¬ 
ance  of  market  garden  and  other  produce  have  been  in  operation  rather 
more  than  three  months,  and  have  proved  so  satisfactory  that  the  com¬ 
pany  contemplates  extending  the  system  to  the  whole  of  their  agri¬ 
cultural  stations.  With  a  view  to  place  producers  and  consumers  into 
more  direct  communication  than  has  hitherto  been  the  case  the  company 
has  compiled  a  list  of  producers  in  the  several  counties  served  by  the 
line  who  are  willing  to  supply  the  products  of  the  farm  and  garden  by 
passenger  train.  The  list  contains  upwards  of  600  addresses  with  a 
statement  as  to  the  different  kinds  of  produce  that  can  be  supplied,  and 
amongst  these  flowers,  fruit,  and  vegetables  are  prominent. 
- Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. — The  Wolver¬ 
hampton  and  Staffordshire  Auxiliary  of  the  above  Institution  has 
arranged  to  hold  a  meeting  at  Lichfield  on  March  31st.  The  Mayor 
has  kindly  lent  the  Council  Chamber  for  the  occasion,  and  will 
himself  preside  at  the  meeting.  Addresses  will  be  given  by  the 
Chairman,  Secretary,  and  members  of  the  Committee,  on  the  advantages 
and  benefits  of  the  Institution  to  gardeners,  seedsmen,  nurserymen, 
market  gardeners,  and  their  foremen.  All  who  are  connected  with  or 
interested  in  horticulture  should  attend  on  the  occasion.  The  Auxiliary 
is  holding  a  spring  show  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Wolverhampton,  on  Thursday 
in  Easter  week,  when  a  meeting  of  the  stewards  will  be  held,  at  which 
it  is  hoped  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth  will  preside,  and  that  the  Countess 
will  open  the  spring  show.  Meetings  and  concerts  are  also  being  held 
at  Stafford  and  other  towns.— G.  A.  Bishop. 
-  Table  Decorations.  —  The  very  mild  criticism  of  “  On- 
Looker  ”  on  page  263  might  have  been  passed  without  notice.  I  am 
sorry  to  say  all  of  us— a  large  army  of  U3  at  any  rate— whatever  be  our 
energy,  labour,  self-effort,  and  devotion  to  horticulture— cannot  occupy 
large  places  with  historic  associations  surrounded  with  picturesque 
scenery.  It  falls  to  the  lot  of  many  of  us  to  carry  out  large  dinner  table 
decorations,  and  produce  abundance  of  flowers  for  cutting  without  the 
means  of  obtaining  moss  in  quantity,  as  is  the  case  where  woods  exist 
to  an  enormous  extent.  I  am  not  blind  to  the  advantage,  for  several 
purposes  and  arrangements,  of  a  good  supply  of  moss,  but  I  wrote  for 
the  advantage  of  the  many,  not  the  few  who  are  favourably  situated. 
To  purchase  mos3  retail  at  4s.  per  dozen  bundles  would  mean  a  con¬ 
siderable  outlay  in  the  course  of  a  year,  that  employers  would  not 
tolerate  long  perhaps.  I  do  not  care  for  these  moss-bound  pots.  They 
are  too  formal  for  my  fancy,  and  cannot  be  made  light,  easy,  and 
graceful.  Crinkled  paper  can  be  used  to  be  very  effective,  without 
having  much  of  the  City  restaurant  appearance  about  it.  I  may  refer 
to  the  matter  again  when  time  permits.— O,  M, 
