■WURKAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  14,  1897. 
;5i;4 
THE  ROYAL  HORTICULTUl^AL  SOCIETY’S 
CO^kBriTTP:ES. 
Now  that  the  summer  flower  shows  are  over,  and  before  the  managers 
of  the  various  horticultural  societies  throughout  the  country  begin 
arranging  for  the  future,  I  think  the  moment  is  opportune  for  bringing 
under  the  notice  of  the  horticultural  public  a  matter  which  is  exercising 
the  minds  of  not  a  few  horticulturists  and  others.  The  matter  referred 
to  is  the  composition  of  the  Committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
the  members  of  which  are  drawn  almost,  if  not  exclusively,  from  London. 
It  will  not  be  urged  that  London  contains  the  only  leading  lights  in  the 
horticultural  world  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  it  will  be  readily  admitted 
that  in  the  provinces  are  to  be  found  many  men  who  are  capable  of 
rendering  splendid  service  in  the  sphere  ;  and  my  only  object  in  drawing 
attention  to  this  question  is  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  the  executive  of 
the  H.ILS.  to  approach  the  leading  horticultural  societies  in  the  country, 
inviting  their  co-operation  ;  and  this  could  be  effected  by  the  provincial 
so  ■  eties  nominating,  say,  a  couple  of  their  mercibers,  to  act  upon  the 
Committee  of  the  R.H.S.,  whereby  a  thoroughly  representative  council  on 
horticulture  would  be  secured. — R.  V.  M. 
[This  is  by  no  means  a  new  proposition.  There  are  metropolitan 
horticulturists  who  agree  that,  consistently  with  practical  working,  the 
wider  the  field  from  which  committeemen,  who  are  Fellows  of  the 
Society,  are  drawn  the  better.  Frovincial  capacity  will,  no  doubt,  be 
admitted  unanimously  ;  still  there  may  perhaps  be  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  carrying  out  the  proposition  of  our  able  correspondent,  who 
resides  far  beyond  the  metropolitan  zone.  Can  he  favour  with  a  list  of 
what  he  regards  as  the  “leading”  horticultural  societies  of  the  country  ?J 
HISTORICAL  NOTES  ON  VINES. 
From  the  time  that  Noah  planted  his  vineyard,  every  heathen 
nation  seems  to  have  contended  for  the  honour  of  claiming  as  its  own 
the  distribution  of  the  Vine  and  its  benefits,  and  deifying  him  accord- 
ingly.  The  Egyptians,  of  course,  naturally  awarded  the  palm  of  its 
discovery  and  institution  to  Osiris  ;  the  earliest  Italians  to  the  great  god 
Saturn;  whilst  the  Greeks  insisted  that  Bacchus,  the  god  of  wine,  as  his 
title  almost  implies,  was  its  founder,  or  at  least  that  he  brought  the 
vinous  jilant  from  Arabia  Felix,  commiserating  and  softening  the 
triumph  of  his  arms  by  leaving  it  still  as  a  legacy  to  the  conquered. 
Still,  it  vvill  be  very  naturally  asked.  Of  what  country  was  the 
Vine  originally  a  native  ?  This  question  is  more  easily  put  than 
satisfactorily  answered.  The  contention  among  the  cities  for  being  the 
birthplace  of  Homer  pales  into  positive  insignificance  compared  with 
the  struggle  for  supremacy  in  this  great  honour  amongst  the  nations  of 
the  earth. 
Chaptal,  who  gave  great  attention  to  this  question,  and  examined 
the  various  claims  in  a  philosophic  spirit,  makes  his  award  in  favour  of 
Asia,  that  fertile  farm  and  garden  whence  so  many  cultivated  fruits, 
vegetables,  and  even  grasses  were  poured  into  Europe,  as  from  the  home 
of  plenty,  together  with  civilisation  and  the  arts.  This  is  doubtless  true, 
but  then  Asia  is  a  very  large  division  of  the  globe.  Many  give  a  s]iecial 
preference  to  Syria.  Michaux  found  the  Vine  in  the  woods  of  Mazan- 
deram,  and  Olivier  beheld  it  growing  in  all  its  attractive  beauty  of 
spreading  foliage  and  fruits  in  the  mountains  of  Koordistan.  Pallus 
saw  it  near  the  Black  and  Caspian  Seas,  growing  without  any  aid  save 
that  of  Nature.  The  Kishmish,  a  peculiar  stoneless  variety  of  the  Grape 
in  Eastern  lands,  is  considered  by  some  to  be  a  native  of  that  part  of 
Persia  lying  on  its  gulf.  In  Beloochistan,  still  farther  to  the  east,  the 
Vine  with  its  tendrils  clings  to  the  northern  shores  of  the  Arabian  Sea. 
The  base  of  the  Parapomisan  Mountains  is  rich  with  it,  blending  its 
clusters  with  those  of  the  Fig  and  Olive,  and  it  extends  to  Cabulistan, 
where  it  mingles  in  friendly  proximity  with  the  Apricot  and  the  Peach. 
The  forests  of  Anatolia  and  Karamania  enshrine  it  :  and  Armenia, 
where  Noah  may  have  found  it,  abounds  with  the  Vine.  In  a  word’ 
there  is  strong  evidence  in  favour  of  Perria  being  its  original  habitat’ 
and  that  also  is  a  locality  where  it  has  never  been  neglected,  for 
Khuzzlebush  does  not  seem  inclined  to  lose  the  privilege  of  possessing 
it  by  lapse  of  usage,  and  even  beats  the  European  in  imbibition,  for 
the  wine  of  that  country  does  not  seem  to  have  more  effect  upon 
the  children  of  the  Sun  than  upon  any  vessel,  even  in  their  household 
use. 
Sickler  traces  its  gradual  immigration  and  introduction  to  Egypt  an 
Sicily,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  Phoenicians  introduced  ii 
culture  into  the  (Grecian  Archipelago,  Greece,  Italy  Provence,  and  Ma; 
seilles.  The  ancient  Romans  in  the  days  of  their  political  infancy  ha 
Tk  more  sober  duties  to  attend  to  than  the  cultivation  ( 
e  Vine,  and  the  libations  of  milk  instead  of  wine  ordered  by  Romuln 
tor  a  time  necessarily  discouraged  its  cultivation.  The  nymph  Egeri 
though  certainly  it  would  appear,  seems  to  have  given  the  Empero 
i  iima^  ompilius  a  hint  that  a  little  wine  would  be  a  welcome  addition  t 
although  he  forb-ade  the  use  of  wine  at  funerals,  h 
permitted  libations  to  be  made  to  the  gods  of  well-made  wine,  thu 
directing  anew  popular  attention  to  its  cultivation.  But  wine  was 
certainty  scarce  for  a  very  long  time  in  Rome,  and  according  to  an  old 
story,  even  in  the  days  of  Luciillus  only  a  single  draught  was  allowed 
at  dinner.  The  time  was  close  at  hand,  though,  when  this  abstention 
from  wine  was  to  rapidly  change  into  the  other  direction  at  the  Roman 
banquets. 
This  country,  there  is  little  doubt,  owes  the  presence  of  the  Vine  to 
the  Romans.  It  does  not  appear  to  have  been  in  existence  here  in  the 
time  of  Agricola,  but  the  subseipient  increased  intercourse  could  hardly 
fail  of  introducing  it.  There  is  an  edict  of  Probus  still  extant  allowing 
Gauls  and  Britons  to  cnltivate  the  Mne.  The  Venerable  Bede  makes 
mention  of  several  vineyards  in  his  time,  and  the  City  of  Winchester  was 
long  su])posed— though  in  uncritical  days  it  must  be  allowed— to  have 
received  its  name  from  the  Vines  for  which  in  early  times  it  certainly  was 
famous.  The  Normans  called  the  Isle  of  Ely  the  Isle  of  Vines,  and  its 
Bishop,  soon  after  the  Conquest,  a])]iears  to  have  received  tithes  in  wine 
to  the  amount  of  several  tuns  annually  from  his  diocese.  Vineyards  are 
frequently  mentioned  in  the  Doomsday  Book.  The  Sussex  vineyards, 
near  Arundel,  the  property  of  the  Dukes  of  Norfolk,  from  whose  produce 
many  pipes  of  good  Burgundy  wine  were  made,  shows  to  what  an  extent 
the  cultivation  attained. 
The  Marquis  of  Bute  has  of  late  years,  on  his  estate  near  Cardiff, 
experimentalised  on  rather  a  large  scale  in  the  renewed  cultivation  of  the 
Vine  for  wine  making.  It  is  reported  that  his  wine  is  excellent,  but  it 
does  not,  I  believe,  come  into  the  market.  In  conclusion  it  may  be 
observed,  that  although  the  growth  of  Vines  in  the  open  air  can  hardly 
be  made  profitable  for  the  dessert  table,  there  is  a  fine  industry  capable 
of  development  for  their  cultivation  for  wine  making  ready  to  our  hands. 
-Wm.  Norman  Brown. 
CINERARIAS. 
When  it  is  grown  well  this  flower  is  one  of  the  best  for  the  early 
summer  decoration  of  the  greenhouse.  When  poorly  grown  it  is  a  most 
unsatisfactory  jdant.  There  is  only  one  other  plant  that  I  call  to  mind 
that  is  more  subiect  to  attacks  of  the  green  fly,  and  that  is  the  Pelar¬ 
gonium.  Put  either  of  these  plants  in  a  greenhouse  where  not  a  green 
fly  has  been  seen  for  weeks,  and  one  need  not  be  in  the  least  surprised  to 
find  aphides  by  the  dozen  on  them  inside  of  two  days.  Some  flowers  are 
improved  by  doubling,  but  the  Cineraria  is  not  up  to  date,  and  I  see  but 
little  prospect  of  improvement  in  this  respect. 
One  of  the  chief  charms  of  the  Cineraria,  says  a  writer  in  a  trans¬ 
atlantic  contemporary,  consists  in  the  lieauty  and  clearness  of  its  markings, 
and  this  beauty  disappears  when  the  flower  becomes  double.  At  least, 
such  has  been  m3'  experience  with  it ;  but  all  do  not  think  alike,  for  a 
friend  of  mine  prefers  the  semi-double  sorts,  he  tells  me,  and  he  prophesies 
great  things  for  the  future  of  this  flower  when  single  varieties  are  relegated 
to  I  he  background. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  I  have  spoken  of  the  Cineraria  only  as  a  spring 
or  summer  bloomer.  It  was  formerly  brought  into  bloom  largely  in  the 
winter,  Imt  wc  have  so  many  fine  winter  flowering  plants  of  easier 
cultivation,  that  I  have  adopted  the  habit  of  growing  it  only  for  the 
decoration  of  the  greenhouse  at  a  time  when  there  is  a  dearth  of  other 
flowers.  F"or  late  spring  and  early  summer  flowering  I  sow  seed  about 
January,  but  for  winter  bloom  it  should  be  sown  in  July  or  August.  I 
use  shallow  boxes  filled  with  light  soil,  sifting  a  little  soil  over  the  seeds 
after  they  are  scattered  as  evenly  as  possible.  Then  I  press  all  down 
with  the  palm  of  my  hand,  and  place  the  boxes  in  a  warm  place  where 
they  can  be  kept  moist  until  germination  takes  place.  Never  overwater 
or  keep  the  young  plants  too  warm.  If  this  is  done  the}'  are  pretty  sure 
to  damp  during  the  first  stages  of  growth.  My  experience  has  been 
that  the  Cineraria  does  better  when  kept  in  a  moderately  cool  temperature 
than  in  a  warm  room. 
As  soon  as  the  young  plants  have  made  their  second  or  third  set  of 
leaves,  put  them  into  small  iiots,  providing  drainage  that  will  prevent  the 
mould  from  retaining  more  than  enough  water  to  keep  it  moist  all  through. 
The  best  soil  I  have  ever  had  was  composed  of  turfy  matter  from  old  sods 
and  leaf  mould,  one-third  each,  and  one-third  old  perfectly  decayed 
manure  and  sand  in  equal  parts.  The  soil  need  not  be  made  fine,  but  it 
should  not  be  left  loose  in  the  pots.  Watch  the  plaqts,  and  as  soon  as 
the  roots  fill  the  pots  they  are  in,  shift  to  ])ots  one  or  two  sizes  larger. 
Be  sure  to  soak  the  pots  they  are  put  into  before  using,  and  see  that  the 
drainage  is  perfect.  Too  much  care  cannot  be  taken  about  this. 
In  growing  plants  through  the  winter  and  spring  months,  great  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  keep  them  too  close,  or  they  will  not  be  strong  and 
vigorous.  Admit  air  freely  on  all  pleasant  days,  being  careful,  however, 
to  keep  them  out  of  a  draught,  and  do  not  give  too  much  water.  Heat 
and  moisture  induce  too  rapid  and  weak  a  growth  where  there  is  little 
fresh  air.  The  aphis  will  soon  destro}'  the  plant  if  not  interfered  with. 
I  find  nothing  more  effective  than  a  solution  of  sulpho- tobacco  soap,  and 
dip  the  plants  in  it.  This  dries  on  the  leaf,  and  the  aphis  will  not  remain. 
But  constant  care  is  necessary,  for  the  pest  will  soon  be  back.  The  plants 
can  be  dusted  occasionally,  while  moist,  on  the  lower  side  of  the  leaves 
with  tobacco  dust,  which  will  adhere  for  some  time. 
When  flower  stalks  appear  give  liquid  manure  semi-weeklj',  if  it  can 
be  had.  The  Cineraria  is  not  worth  keeping  after  it  has  given  one  full 
crop  of  flowers.  By  cutting  off  the  fading  flowers  some  additional  ones 
can  be  obtained,  but  they  will  be  greatly  inferior,  as  a  general  rule,  to 
those  first  produced. — E.  E.  R. 
