May  7,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
413 
looking  to  them  lasting  beyond  the  commercial  life  of  the  Vine, 
as  replanting  in  the  same  structure  is  too  expensive  to  pay. 
With  regard  to  the  profitable  life  of  a  Vine  it  may  vary  from 
ten  to  twenty  years,  according  to  the  sort  of  borders  that  are  made 
— i.e.,  houses  built  together  with  only  inside  borders  will  not  carry 
the  Vine  through  more  than  ten  years  profitably,  whereas,  where 
they  can  roam  in  well-made  outside  borders  their  life  and  vigour 
are  doubled.  What  I  specially  mean  by  outside  borders  is,  not 
that  the  Vines  should  be  planted  outside,  and  introduced  into  the 
house  through  the  wall,  as  was  the  old  practice,  but  that  the  border 
should  be  inside  and  out,  the  fronts  of  the  houses  resting  on 
piers  or  arches.  Then,  by  planting  the  Vines  inside,  a  far  better 
start  is  assured,  and  they  will  soon  ramble  outside,  where  the  sun 
and  air  more  naturally  prepare  a  congenial  place  for  them.  And 
while  speaking  of  borders  how  various  and  contradictory  even  are 
the  instructions  given  for  making  Vine  borders.  I  am  afraid  the 
market  grower  does  not  consult  the  text  books  much,  but  makes 
the  best  use  of  the  material  he  has  at  hand,  and  adding  to  it  in 
some  cases,  where  the  soil  is  very  heavy,  London  manure  for  the 
sake  of  its  mechanical  effect,  and  bonemeal  of  high  grade  quality. 
A  commercial  Vine  grower  does  not  often  use  half-inch  or  larger 
bones,  as  a  quicker  return  is  possible  than  they  give  from  the  more 
immediately  useable  bonemeal.  Moreover,  cultivators  do  not  so 
much  rely  on  the  depth  and  richness  as  upon  frequent  top-dressings, 
thus  encouraging  the  roots  near  the  surface. 
(To  be  continued.) 
VENTILATING  COOL  HOUSES— A  CRITIQUE. 
Our  vivacious  neighbours  across  tho  Channel  in  their  elated 
moments  seem  to  derive  a  considerable  amount  of  satisfaction  in 
launching  their  shafts  of  satire  at  the  proverbial  tenacity  and 
progressive  slowness  of  the  sturdy  Briton.  They  do  not  seem  to 
understand  that  as  a  practical  and  self-reliant  nation  we  place 
implicit  faith  in  practical  demonstrations,  and  do  not,  as  a  rule, 
become  very  enthusiastic  over  mathematical  calculations  or 
scientific  theories  until  we  are  thoroughly  convinced  that  they  show 
the  way  to  substantial  advantages.  Then  the  most  startling  ideas 
are  taken  up  rapidly,  and  clung  to  with  all  the  tenacity  of  our 
national  characteristics. 
Events  are  frequently  occurring  in  the  horticultural  world 
which  prove  the  truth  of  the  foregoing  remarks.  A  knowledge  of 
gardening  is  being  so  rapidly  disseminated  throughout  the  land 
that  we  are  fast  becoming  a  “  nation  of  gardeners,”  led  on  from  the 
first  faint  gleams  of  that  knowledge  to  a  wider  and  broader  view  of 
the  art.  Thousands  upon  thousands  are  finding  so  constant  a 
source  of  happiness  in  its  pursuit  that  they  now  marvel  how  the 
world  at  large  has  so  long  neglected  to  look  on  gardening  as  a 
boundless  source  of  refreshment  and  recreation,  as  well  as  of 
profit.  With  so  many  busy  hands  and  brains  engaged  in  various 
aspects  of  gardening  it  is  not  surprising  that  new  and  improved 
methods  of  culture  are  brought  about  in  various  ways,  not  always 
by  the  acknowledged  teachers,  but  rather  by  humble  individuals, 
who  are  striving  in  an  unorthodox  way  to  acquire  the  elementary 
principles  of  horticulture. 
Such  individuals  sometimes,  through  their  ignorance,  adopt 
bold  methods  of  culture,  which  occasionally  pave  the  way  to 
conspicuous  successes,  in  others  lead  to  complete  failure  ;  thus 
gardeners  who  are  gifted  with  keen  perceptive  powers  may,  from 
the  experiments  carried  on  around  them,  gather  many  useful  hints, 
and  shape  their  course  accordingly,  for  all  who  are  wise  must  see 
that  ours  is  a  progressive  art,  and  that  we  must  be  continually 
unlearning  something  taught  us  in  our  younger  days,  for  we  live 
in  an  age  when  old  notions  are  being  continually  “exploded.” 
The  very  fact  that  we  often  meet  with  examples  of  culture  of 
the  highest  order  which  have  been  produced  on  lines  totally  at 
variance  with  recognised  methods,  and  with  far  greater  ease  than 
we  had  thought  possible,  ought  to  lead  us  at  once  to  change  our 
tactics,  for  I  take  it  that  the  successful  men  of  to-day  are  those 
who  produce  the  highest  results  by  the  least  expenditure  of  time 
or  money. 
It  is  seldom  that  I  rest  contented  with  any  method  of  culture, 
however  generally  recognised  as  correct,  if  I  entertain  the  slightest 
idea  that  as  good  or  better  results  can  be  obtained  by  simpler 
means.  The  result  of  many  experiments  has  convinced  me  that  a 
good  deal  of  wasted  energy  is  spent  in  putting  on  and  taking  off 
air  in  greenhouses,  cool  pits,  or  other  structures  of  a  like  nature  • 
during  the  spring  months.  We  have  been  trained  to  give  too 
assiduous  attention  to  the  matter,  and  for  our  pains  have  in 
instances  innumerable  been  rewarded  with  plants  comparatively 
drawn  and  tender,  when  they  ought  to  have  been  sturdy  and 
hardy. 
Speaking  broadly,  one  of  the  chief  points  in  connection  with 
the  culture  of  greenhouse  and  softwooded  plants  is  to  give 
abundance  of  air.  We  have  only  to  consider  that  the  majority  of 
such  would  thrive  perfectly  in  the  open  air,  if  actual  frost  could 
be  kept  from  them,  to  find  the  key  to  their  treatment.  Of  course, 
in  the  cold  foggy  days  of  winter  vegetation  in  the  open  air  makes 
little  or  no  progress,  and  as  we  want  the  occupants  of  a  greenhouse 
to  be  in  advance  of  outdoor  vegetation,  it  is  necessary  to  maintain 
a  growing  temperature  by  the  aid  of  artificial  heat  ;  but  even  then 
it  is  an  advantage  to  leave  a  little  air  on  constantly,  except  during 
the  prevalence  of  sharp  frosts.  Even  in  the  depth  of  winter  we 
sometimes  have  days  during  which  the  air  is  so  warm  and  soft,  as 
well  as  bright,  that  it  seems  almost  impossible  to  give  too  much  of  it 
during  the  daytime.  The  great  things  to  guard  against  are  cutting 
winds  and  a  keenness  in  the  air  after  noon,  which  betokens  a  sharp 
frosty  night,  then,  of  course,  it  is  right  and  necessary  to  close 
somewhat  early  to  husband  warmth. 
As  the  season  advances  the  time  arrives  when  fires  may  be 
dispensed  with,  for  although  frequent  frosts  may  occur  they  are 
not  severe  enough  to  injure  anything  having  the  protection  of 
glass.  This  stage  is  usually  reached  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of 
March.  The  sun  by  that  time  gains  power,  the  days  are  long,  and 
if  occasional  frosts  do  occur  they  do  not  last  long  enough  to  do 
harm  to  plants  covered  with  glass.  About  this  time  we  often  have 
bright  warm  days  and  by  no  means  cold  nights,  and  I  often  find  it 
an  advantage  to  leave  a  little  air  on  throughout  the  night,  even  at 
this  early  season  ;  but  let  me  repeat,  the  great  things  to  avoid  are 
cutting  winds  when  such  prevail,  as  vegetation  of  any  kind  seems 
to  abhor  March  winds.  What  air  is  given  then  should  if  possible 
be  on  the  sheltered  side,  and  there  is  but  little  necessity  to  be 
continually  increasing  or  decreasing  it,  as  it  is  surprising  how  little 
th6  temperature  of  a  house  fluctuates  in  windy  weather  if  a 
moderate  amount  of  ventilation  is  given  and  left  undisturbed. 
About  the  middle  of  April  we  often  have  warm  bright  weather, 
when  the  air  is  almost  as  soft  and  balmy  as  in  the  summer  time. 
It  is  quite  safe  then  to  leave  both  top  and  bottom  ventilators  open 
throughout  the  night. 
I  know  there  are  many  who  will  not  agree  with  me  on  this 
point,  and  will  conjure  up  in  their  minds  visions  of  disaster  in 
the  event  of  a  sudden  frost,  but  I  do  not  entertain  the  slightest 
fear  on  that  score,  for  I  never  yet  remember  an  April  or  May  frost 
severe  enough  to  injure  plants  under  glass  without  due  warning 
being  apparent  to  anyone  in  the  least  weatherwise.  Millions  of 
bedding  and  greenhouse  plants  each  year  become  drawn  and  weakly 
by  coddling  through  fear  of  frost,  because  such  often  occurs  during 
April  and  May.  The  routine  of  closing  houses  and  pits,  and  often 
covering  too,  is  nightly  persevered  in  instead  of  leaving  air  on 
till  the  time  when  fires  are  banked  up,  and  then  if  there  is  the 
slightest  doubt  as  to  the  safety  of  plants  closing  for  the  night 
and  opening  again  at  6  a.m.  On  the  other  hand,  so  changeable  is 
our  climate  that  a  keen  evening  air  is  followed  in  early  morning 
by  a  quiet  stuffy  atmosphere.  I  do  not  then  hesitate  to  open  to 
their  fullest  extent  both  top  and  bottom  ventilators  in  cool 
houses,  for  I  have  proved  to  my  own  satisfaction  that  the  system 
of  gradually  admitting  air  is  not  necessary  for  cool  houses  at 
this  season  of  the  year,  “  pet  theory  ”  though  it  is  with  many 
gardeners,  and  an  expensive  one  too,  for  it  prevents  plants  from 
growing  sturdy  and  strong,  and  helps  surprisingly  in  the  establish¬ 
ment  of  a  colony  of  aphides.  A  dry  stuffy  atmosphere  these 
pests  delight  in,  the  cool  fresh  morning  air  is  by  no  means  to  their 
taste. 
Let  us  pass  onwards  from  the  treacherous  weather  of  May  to 
June.  The  most  timorous,  I  think,  will  scarcely  think  it  necessary 
then  to  close  cool  houses  to  keep  out  frost,  yet  there  are  many 
good  gardeners  who  dislike  to  leave  houses  wide  open  during  the 
night.  I  have  known  houses  exclusively  occupied  by  Zonal  Pelar¬ 
goniums  partially  closed  each  night  throughout  the  summer.  This, 
I  maintain,  is  not  only  unnecessary,  but  quite  inimical  to  the  well¬ 
being  of  the  plants,  as  I  take  it,  that  glass  for  such  during  the 
summer  months  is  simply  intended  to  protect  the  flowers  from  rain, 
and  both  flowers  and  plants  from  very  strong  winds  when  they 
occur.  In  modern  houses  ventilation  is  so  arranged  that  raiD  is  kept; 
out  while  abundance  of  air  is  admitted.  But  little  attention  to 
ventilation  is,  therefore,  necessary,  it  is  simply  a  matter  of  leaving 
them  open  continuously,  except  when  high  winds  prevail. 
As  I  draw  to  a  close  these  unconventional  notes,  in  fancy  I 
see  in  the  distance  a  little  cloud  arise.  It  looks  black  and  fore¬ 
boding,  and  may,  perhaps,  develop  into  a  raging  storm,  a  storm  of 
words  from  the  avenging  pen  of  some  irate  scribe.  Let  the 
