322 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTTCULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  I,  1896, 
aome  aeven  years  later  finer  still,  but  had  new  fibrous  roots  put  on 
them  by  the  removal  of  some  of  the  close  ungenial  soil  and  the 
addition  of  fresh,  such  as  could  be  had,  well  whitened  with  the 
powder  that  Mr.  Thomson  had  compounded.  The  crop  was 
enormous.  A  desire  waa  felt  to  see  if  the  Vines  had  “  held  out  ” 
to  the  present  time,  or  had  given  way  to  others.  They  are  not 
only  there  safe  enough,  though  planted  in  1870,  but  are  as  con¬ 
stitutionally  sound,  sturdily  vigorous,  and  abundantly  productive 
as  anyone  could  desire  Vinos  to  be. 
To  what  is  their  fine  condition — prolonged  fertility — to  be 
ascribed  ?  Shall  we  say  a  specially  favourable  climate  ?  No,  it 
cannot  be  that  at  such  an  altitude  and  under  the  reverse  of  Italian 
skies.  Shall  we  say  fine  natural  soil  ?  No,  for  the  trees,  what 
few  they  were,  naturally  growing  round  about  were  amongst  the 
smallest  met  with  in  a  thousand  miles  trip,  and  the  herbage  was 
not  up  to  the  average.  The  land  can  be  made  productive  in  gardens 
by  cultivation,  but  in  its  natural  state  could  not,  and  did  not, 
sustain  the  health  of  the  Vines  over  many  years,  and,  aa  previously 
stated,  recourse  was  had  to  partial  soil  removal  and  renewal. 
The  admirable  condition  of  the  Clovenford  Vines  is  the  result  of 
thorough  cultivation — of  the  best  of  root  and  branch  treatment, 
with  attention  to  the  various  essential  minutise  that  are  resorted 
to  by  masters  in  the  art  of  superior  Grape  production. 
Details  of  the  routine  cannot  be  given  here,  though  they  are 
pretty  well  known,  but  the  leading  principles  in  management 
can  be  briefly  described.  These  are  three.  1,  The  best  possible 
rooting  system,  or  myriads  of  fibres,  healthy  and  active,  near 
the  surface  of  the  border.  2,  Leaves  of  the  best  character, 
thick,  clean,  and  not  overcrowded ;  and  3,  Appropriate  food 
elements  for  imbibition  by  the  roots,  and  supplying  essential 
matter  for  the  leaves  to  prepare  for  assimilation  and  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  stout,  firm,  short-jointed  fruitful  wood.  It  is  delight¬ 
fully  simple,  but  the  point  to  remember  is  that  ail  three  conditions 
must  be  present  at  once.  The  absence  of  any  one  of  them  will 
nullify  the  effects  of  the  other  two.  This  is  a  fact  not 
sufficiently  recognised  except  by  the  best  growers  of  Grapes. 
What  avails  the  best  of  food  when  there  are  no  imbibing 
fibrils  within  its  reach  ?  With  fibrils  and  a  paucity  of  food  bow 
can  Vines  do  other  than  languish?  and  with  imperfect  leaves, 
through  any  cause,  how  can  the  crude  elements  abstracted  from 
the  soil  be  changed  into  nutritious  matter  for  storing  in  the 
Vine  ?  They  cannot,  and  the  natural  correlative  of  faulty 
leaves  is  faulty  roots,  while  faulty  roots  or  foodless  soil  must  of 
necessity  prejudice  the  leaves,  and  consequently  the  fruit  of  the 
Vine ;  loose  bunches,  small  and  ill-coloured  berries,  and  shanking 
following  as  a  matter  of  course. 
It  may  be  thought  that  to  secure  the  best  developed  leaves 
the  rods  of  the  Clovenford  Vines  are  4  or  5  feet  apart.  They 
are  not  3  feet,  but — and  a  very  important  “  but  ”  it  is — the 
laterals  are  not  too  numerous  and  close,  but  far  enough  apart  for 
the  leaves  to  expand  without  interruption.  Moreover,  the  growth 
is  short-jointed,  and  though  pruning  is  done  on  the  close  spur 
method,  the  lowest  buds  close  to  the  spurs  have  leaves  attached 
to  support  them — an  excellent  sign  of  health,  and  a  sure  indication 
of  a  good  fibrous  rooting  system,  and  proper  supply  of  food.  This 
is  mainly  conveyed  at  Clovenfords  by  the  well  known  manure,  and 
the  requisite  soil  moisture  is  maintained  for  its  solution.  It  is 
of  no  use  without  moisture,  adequate  and  uniform,  such  as  expert 
Grape  growers  take  care  to  maintain. 
As  to  the  varieties  grown  Gros  Colman  is  in  overwhelming 
preponderance,  the  bunches  fine,  and  berries  grand.  Both  Black 
Hamburghs  and  Lady  Downe’s  have  had  to  give  way  for  the  more 
imposing  Grape,  but  a  few  Vines  of  the  last  named  are  left,  their 
bunches  and  berries  being  far  in  advance  of  those  usually  seen  at 
exhibitions.  The  fruit  on  several  rods  of  Gros  Colman  grafted  on 
the  Black  Hamburgh  stock  coloured  decidedly  in  advance  of  the 
variety  on  its  own  roots  and  Lady  Downe’s.  A  new  Grape,  the 
Hamburgh-Colman,  was  regarded  as  promising  ;  crop  fine  in  bunch 
and  berry,  intermediate  between  the  two  parents,  and  ripening 
clearly  in  advance  of  the  Colmans  under  the  same  roof.  The 
grandest  of  all  summer  Grapes,  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch,  is  accorded 
a  goodly  share  of  space,  and  there  is  no  difficulty  in  obtaining 
abundant  crops  ;  but  they  cannot  be  had  by  close  spur-pruning. 
Thinly  trained  and  well-matured  young  wood,  shortened  according 
to  judgment,  bringi  the  noble  fruit  in  quite  sufficient  abundance. 
The  local  requirements  for  Clovenford  Grapes  have  become  so 
great  that  few  are  sent  to  London,  and  there  is  a  considerable 
continental  demand  at  better  than  London  prices  for  the  finest 
samples.  This  is  good  news,  also  conclusive  proof  of  the  excellence 
of  the  Clovenford  Grapes.  The  Vines  are  not  overladened,  andl 
the  houses  are  as  clean  and  orderly  as  if  they  were  in  a  nobleman’s- 
garden.  _ 
A  house  of  Tomatoes  could  not  fail  to  attract  attention.  It  i» 
Neither  very  wide  nor  lofty — nothing  like  the  vineries,  but  about 
50  feet  long.  With  the  known  quantity  gathered,  and  what 
remained,  the  yield  could  not  be  less  than  3  tons.  At  even  5d, 
a  pound  the  crop  would  realise  £140.  Evidently  Tomatoee 
like  “  Thomson,”  and  Mr.  Thomson  may  be  expected  to  like- 
Tomatoes. 
Not  many  plants  are  grown  in  the  establishment  except  Palms,, 
and  these  are  in  thousands,  healthy  and  firm  in  texture,  such  as  are 
required  for  decoration  in  northern  cities  and  towns.  Orchids  are 
vanishing  except  those  for  affording  flowers  for  cutting,  the  several 
home- raised  seedlings  being  bought  from  time  to  time  by  specialists. 
One  other  plant  is  in  favour  and  demand,  and  if  the  plant-loving 
public  in  towns  knew  of  its  adaptability  for  room  decoration  for 
months  at  a  time  if  not  years,  very  large  stocks  indeed  would  have 
to  be  provided.  This  is  Asparagus  tenuissimus. 
See  the  plants  in  Mrs.  Thomson's  drawing-room  and  they  will  not 
soon  be  forgotten.  They  form  perfect  bowers  of  the  greatt  st  imagin¬ 
able  elegance,  the  innumerable  slender  leaflets  being  of  a  deeper  green 
than  is  often  seen  under  glass.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  plants 
be  near  the  window.  One  in  the  corner  most  distant  from  it  found 
its  way  round  the  cornices  and  over  the  pictures,  spreading  so  fast 
and  so  far  that  it  had  to  be  removed,  and  a  pair,  one  on  each  side 
of  the  window  but  outside  the  bay  in  the  room,  were  wandering  up 
the  sides  and  forming  a  graceful  arch.  Give  them  water  as  needed 
with  a  pinch  of  salt  in  it  now  and  then,  and  they  will  remain 
healthy  and  prosperous  all  the  year  round,  at  least  such  is  the 
experience  of  Mrs.  Thomson,  and  it  was  worth  going  to  Clovenfords 
to  pick  up  for  distribution.  Other  forms  of  greenhouse  Asparagus 
do  not  answer  half  so  well  for  the  purpose  as  the  true  A- 
tenuissimus.  Speaking  of  room  plants.  Miss  Thomson,  daughter 
of  the  founder  of  the  firm,  has  had  a  Kentia  in  her  room  for  eight 
or  nine  years  ;  it  is  a  model  plant  and  cherished,  and  if  its  require¬ 
ments  had  not  been  well  judged  it  could  not  have  been  preserved 
in  its  present  fine  condition.  _ 
One  more  hint  from  Mrs.  John  Thomson,  on  that  brilliant 
northern  plant  which  baffles  even  “D.,  Deal”  amongst  many 
others,  in  attempts  to  establish  it — Tropoeolum  speciosum.  The 
veteran  is  right  as  to  its  enjoying  more  moisture  than  is  usually 
afforded  in  sunny  positions  in  the  south  ;  but  something  else 
appears  to  be  wanted,  even  in  Scotland,  to  induce  young  plants 
from  seed  or  fleshy  roots  to  start  freely  into  growth.  The  injunc¬ 
tion  is  that  the  first  tiny  growths  mutt  be  kept  upright  by  small 
supports  from  the  first.  If  the  slender  stems  fall  over  they  turn 
stubborn,  it  is  hard  to  rear  them  afterwards,  and  they  too  often 
dwindle  away.  When  the  roots  and  growths  become  strong  the 
plants  can  look  after  themselves. 
The  Clovenford  visit  has  afforded  a  congenial  theme,  though 
Mrs.  Thomson’s  flower  paintings,  especially  Orchids,  have  not  been 
mentioned.  They  are  everywhere,  and  wherever  seen,  on  the  walls 
or  door  panels,  are  beautiful,  combining  accuracy  with  artistic  taste. 
The  pen  has  run  along  glibly,  as  if  it  enjoyed  the  exercise,  and  perhaps 
too  long.  One  who  stands  near  says  too  long  and  too  late,  and  that 
she  won’t  go  home  till  morn — no,  she  won’t  go  to  rest  till  morning 
if  it  does  not  cease.  “  Put  it  down,  come  away,  or  no  more 
Scotland  !  ”  There  was  only  one  way  of  appeasing,  and  it  was 
this.  “I  inustf  you  know,  thank  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomson  for  their 
kindness  to  us.”  “  Oh  yes,  you  must  indeed  do  tluxt,  and  I  second 
the  proposition  with  all  my  heart.”  Carried  unanimously,  and  the 
chair  is  forthwith  vacated  by — The  Sckibe. 
TREATMENT  OF  JUDGES. 
We  note  the  remarks  of  “Old  Provincial  Judge,”  and  it  is  with 
surprise  that  we  read  of  cases  so  lacking  of  hospitality  and  absence  of 
consideration  towards  judges  where  they  are  officiating  as  censors.  Our 
experience  in  eastern,  western,  and  midland  counties  of  England  have 
been  invariably  the  reverse  of  what  is  depicted  on  page  278j  judges  always 
being  treated  as  “  honoured  guests,”  and  often  have  thought  that  the- 
preference  was  far  beyond  what  was  accorded  to  exhibitors,  who  are  in 
reality  the  real  heroes  in  the  strife. 
In  Scotland,  and  also  in  Ireland  (my  experience  is,  however,  limited 
in  the  latter  country),  the  judges  are  treated  with  deference  and  urbanity 
on  all  hands  except  it  may  be  now  and  again  by  a  few  defeated 
exhibitors,  “  who  do  not  see  their  exhibits  as  others  see  them,”  who  often 
have  weak  points  which  they  did  not  expect  to  be  unearthed.  .  Some: 
