194 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  27,  1902. 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
HINTS  FOR  YOUNG  HEADS. 
( Continued  from  page  570,  last  vol.). 
All  hints  which  have  been  advanced  concerning  tropical  plant 
i  houses  are  tentatively  applicable  to  the  intermediate  and  cool 
houses  as  well  as  to  the  Orchid  department.  A  brief  summary 
of  the  many  points  essential  to  the  attainment  of  perfection  is 
.simply  high  culture  with  judicious  and  attractive  arrangement. 
If  our  young  practitioner  once  feels  the  fascination  attendant  on 
this  phase,  and,  indeed,  all  phases  of  gardening,  but  ultra 
prominent,  perhaps,  in  plant  growing,  he  will  be  served  through 
life  by  a  good  geni,  and  invested  with  talismanic  power  able  to 
lift  him  above  the  commonplace  and  into  the  higher  life  of 
gardening.  He  Avill  never  rest  content  in  doing  very  well  when 
conscious  he  can  do  better,  nor  be  wholly  satisfied  until  the  best 
is  attained.  “  How  some  fellows  get  on,  and  how  others  don’t,” 
is  to  many  a  mystery,  but  therein  is  the  mystery  and  the  secret 
of  success.  Let  it,  too,  never  be  forgotten  that  singleness  of 
ipurpose  will  accomplish  more  than  a  plurality  of  talent.  There 
is  in  these  latter  days  an  evil  spirit  of  discontent  running  rampant 
through  gardens  of  all  degrees;  always  suggesting  to  the  ready 
ear  shorter  hours,  increased  pay,  less  work,  and  more  play.  These 
are  very  good  things  in  their  vay,  but  the  danger  lies  in  young 
m?n  attaching  more  importance  to  them  than  they  deserve,  ana 
less  to  that  grand  gift  of  inherent  power  all  possess  to  reach  the 
top.  It  is  i-elated  that  when  George  the  Third  was  King  His 
Majesty  engaged  in  conversation  with  a  Avell-clad,  and  apparently 
well-fed,  farmer’s  boy,  and  that  the  King  in  response  to  the 
youth’s  complaint  that  beyond  board,  lodging,  and  raiment  he 
received  no  pay,  said,  “  Don’t  grumble,  my  boj',  don’t  grumble, 
that’s  all  I  get.”  Once  again,  and  once  for  all,  no  disparagement 
is  intended  of  the  ways  and  means  of  living.  The  remuneration 
of  garden  boys,  young  or  old,  is,  in  the  aggregate,  not  within 
their  province  to  alter ;  these  things  are  governed  by  the 
inexorable  laws  of  supply  and  demand. 
Gardening  under  glass  may  be  divided  into  two  great  sections 
the  one  comprising  plant  culture  which  we  now  leave,  the  other 
fruit-growing  to  Avhich  we  turn  in  order  to  observe  a  few  of  the 
more  prominent  points  and  interlard  a  few  hints  for  young  heads. 
It  is  not  contemplated,  or,  indeed,  is  it  scarcely  possible,  to 
introduce  any  novel  or  striking  features  in  the  sound,  every¬ 
day  practice  of  modern  fruit  culture,  but  in  dealing  with  the 
subtle  forces  of  Nature  there  is  ample  mai'gin  for  freedom  from 
orthodox  restraints,  as  well  as  possible  openings  for  the  intro¬ 
duction  of  original  ideas  or  the  expansion  of  old  ones.  Grape 
growing  holds  now,  as  it  has  held  in  the  past,  and  probably  wdl 
hold  for  all  time,  the  premier  position  in  fruit  culture  \mder 
glass.  There  is  no  object  of  our  care  and  .skill  more  worthy  of  all 
the  attention  we  can  pay  it,  or  more  amenable  to  it  than  the 
Vine.  Truly  the  Vine  is  long  .suffering,  and  slow  to  resent  the 
indignities  which  have  been  thrust  upon  it.  This,  in  allusion  to 
the  barbarous  practice  of  annual  peeling  and  the  application  of 
noxious  compounds,  which  are,  of  coui’se,  supposed  to  annihilate 
the  “  beasties,”  but  which,  of  course,  don’t  v  here  the  same 
iniquity  is  practised  year  after  year  in  some  bug-infested  garden. 
No  better  opportunity  is  afforded  to  an  energetic  and  pu.shing 
young  head  than  that  which  presents  itself  if.  on  taking  up  his 
first  responsible  charge,  the  Vines  are  found  to  be  in  a  bad  way, 
and  should  they  be  so  had  that  they  could  not  be  worse,  then  the 
better  it  is  for  him,  for  he  will  probably  be  able  to  take  the 
drastic  measures  of  clearing  them  out,  and  starting  again  from 
the  vei-y  foundation — the  foundation  of  all  good  Grape  growing — 
the  borders.  Unfortunately  all  men  cannot  work  with  a  free 
hand.  Employers  are  apt  to  regard  this  as  a  serious  and  expensive 
matter,  although  it  be  but  simple,  if  somewhat  laborious,  hence 
a  compromise  crops  up  in  which  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  half¬ 
hearted  mea.sures  are  taken  from  the  introduction  of  3mune  Vines 
into  sour,  impoverished  soil,  between  the  old  ones,  to  the 
rejuvenation  of  ancient  rods  bj?  lifting  and  replanting  in  new 
borders.  With  the  latter  plan,  indeed,  but  little  fault  can  bo 
found,  for  it  has  often  been  done  with  good  results  ;  j'et  new  and 
well  made  borders  are  surelj'  worth  jmung  and  vigorous  Vines, 
and  there  is  a  personal  bias,  which  cannot  be  kept  out,  in  their 
favour.  Local  circum.stance.s  so  considerably'  alter  cases  in  Grape 
growing  that  no  empirical  decision  respecting  inside  or  outside 
borders,  or  both  in  combination,  can  be  given;  but,  again,  that 
personal  bias,  which  probably  few  men  can  keep  out  of  their 
lives,  favours  inside  borders  where  roots  in  confinement  are 
always  under  control.  To  ensure  the  latter,  a  thin  layer  of  con¬ 
crete  will  be  spread  over  the  bottom,  with  a  gentle  fall  to  one 
end  for  drainage,  and  an  aperture  for  escape. 
The  modern  system  of  spring  planting  in  shallow  borders  is  so 
satisfactory  and  quick  in  results  that  but  feAV  Avho  know  it  as  a 
fact  would  hesitate  in  making  a  clean  sweep  of  the  gnarled  and 
knotted,  maj'bo  dirty,  specimens  which  are  often  tolerated  to 
remain  to  vex  the  soul  of  a  young  head  gardener.  A  clean  start, 
with  clean,  Augorous  canes,  in  a  clean  house,  is  delightful  to  con¬ 
template,  and  the  man  thus  happily  started  on  the  short,  broad 
road  to  the  easily  Avon  goal  of  grand  Grape  groAving,  can  hardly 
fail  to  feel  that  enthusiasm  for  our  .subject  aaIucIi  aviII  carry  him 
to  it.  Good,  short  jointed,  Avell  ripened  plant. ng  canes,  raised 
from  eyes  in  one  year,  are  noAv  easily  obtained  from  those  who 
make  the  raising  of  them  a  special  feature,  and  are  preferable  to 
the  older,  more  expensive  fruiting  canes  in  growing  away  freely 
the  first  season.  So  much  depends  upon  the  first  season.  Given 
a  Avell-made  border,  the  young  Vines,  Avhich  Avill  have  been  pro¬ 
cured  some  time  previous  in  their  dormant  stage,  and  kept  so  by 
plunging  at  the  north  side  of  a  hedge  or  Avail  until  the  fir.st  sign 
of  aAA'akening  life  is  in  evidence,  AAill  be  planted  in  their  per¬ 
manent  position.  Little  stations  of  .specially  prepared  compost, 
containiilg  a  free  admixture  of  leaf  mould  and  a  handful  of  Clay’s 
fertiliser  Avill  receive  the  carefully  spread-out  roots,  and  noAv  for 
some  time  hence  our  j'oung  Vines  may  be  treated  as  tender, 
tropical  plants,  starting  aAvay  in  a  genial  atmosphere,  under  the 
same  treatment,  including  .syringing  with  tepid  AA-ater,  and  a 
light  shad.ng  if  necessary.  As  groAvth  proceeds  di.sbudding  Avill 
take  place,  say,  tAVO  strong  shoots  being  left,  the  best  eventually 
retained,  at  about  2ft  from  the  ground,  the  remainder  of  the 
cane  being  cut  aAA  ay,  Avhen  this  has  started  on  its  journey  toAAards 
the  top  of  the  house,  Avhich  it  is  Avell  able  to  reach  the  fir.st 
season.  HoAA-ever,  more  ha.ste  less  speed,  and  a  check,  by  topping 
AA lien  uiidAA'ay,  is  good  practice;  the  short  re.st,  before  restarting 
from  a  main  eye,  giving  them  reneAved  energy.  As  the  season 
adA'ances  every  effort  AA'ill  be  made  by  freer  ventilation  and  a 
generous  maintenance  of  fire  heat  AAhen  n  cessarj'  to  obtain 
thoroughly  ripened  Avood  by  autumn.  Many  men,  many  methods, 
and  the  above  is,  of  course,  one  man’s  method  of  giving  young 
Vines  a  good  start  in  life ;  but  it  has  proved  to  be  eminently 
satisfactory. 
Everytliing,  and  the  many  little  details  need  not  detain,  con¬ 
nected  Avith  the  higher  culture  of  the  Vine  must  possess  the 
keenest  interest  for  the  cultivator ;  and  Avhether  it  be  the  season 
of  perfectly  finished  bunches,  evenh'  depending  amidst  luxuriant 
foliage,  or  the  re, sting  period,  displajung  nought  but  rich,  nut- 
broAvn  rods,  there  is  for  his  eye  the  equal  beauty  of  realisation  or 
anticipation.  “  Give  us  more  practice  and  less  sentiment  ” — 
more  of  the  poAver  of  the  hand  and  less  of  the  pride  of  the 
eye — someone  says ;  but  aa  Iao  shall,  Avho  can,  reduce  his  labour  of 
love  to  more  mechanical  force  ?  Certain  it  is  that  the  vital  spark 
of  intense  love  for  our  glorious  vocation,  Avhich  illumines  many  a 
loAAly  path  in  the  gardening  AA’orld,  once  properly  kindled  can 
never  be  quenched  AA'hile  reason  remains.  And  certain  it  is,  too, 
that  the  boundless  .stores  of  knoAvledge  Avill  be  searched,  and  the 
perceptive  faculties  of  the  student  exercised  for  fuller  revelation 
than  it  is  intended  to  bring  Avithin  the  scope  of  these  papers. 
On  this  subject,  Vines,  another  hint  or  tAvo  only.  At  the 
Avinter  pruning,  after  a  good  Avashing  doAA  ii  of  all  internal  Avood- 
Avork,  Avails,  and  glass,  a  careful  scndjbing  of  the  canes  Avith 
soapy  AA'ater,  or,  AA'hat  is  better  still,  a  solution  of  Fir-tree  oil  and 
AA  arm  water,  using  a  comparatiA'ely  soft  brush — old  plate  brushes 
from  the  pantry  are  good — leaves  all  in  that  bright,  happy  con¬ 
dition  dear  to  the  heart  of  the  Grape  groAver.  Recently  a  couple 
of  lads  Avere  observed  not  only  remoA'ing  CA'ery  particle  of  bark 
from  some  old  Vines,  but  engaged  Avith  all  the  youthful  vigour 
Avorthy  of  a  better  cause  in  .scraping  the  miserable  looking  objects 
to  the  very  bone.  Oh!  The  pity  of  it.  For  the  renoA'ation  of 
old  Vines,  or  as  a  .stiuiAilant  to  younger  ones,  AA'hen  taxed  by 
heavy  fruit  production,  Thomson’s  Vine  manure  appears  to  be 
inimitable.  On  the  matter  of  OA'er  taxation  by  unduly  cropping, 
the  3'oung  head  Avill  remember  that,  as  “the  merciful  man  is 
merciful  to  his  beast,”  so  in  the  good  Grape  groAver  the  quality  of 
mercy  is  not  .strained.  As  for  thinning,  .stopping,  tying,  and  the 
hundred  details  of  daily  practice,  are  they  not  Avritten  in  those 
books,  Avhich  are,  or  ought  to  be,  on  every  bothy  shelf,  as  Avell  as 
Aveekly  recorded  in  “our  Journal?”  The  groAving  of  plants  in 
vineries  may  be  considered  an  evil,  but  it  is  often  a  necessary 
one.  “  Hoav  can  I  be  expected  to  keep  my  Vines  clean  Avhen  I 
am  coiiApelled  to  piit  all  manner  of  plants  under  them?  ”  said  a 
grumbling  old  head.  If  our  young  heads  have  absorbed  the  hints 
previously  given  on  plant  culture,  it  is  not  expected  they  Avill 
find  any  difficulty  in  doing  so.  An  old  nobleman  once  remarked, 
“The  A'inery  is  a  fine  test  of  a  gardener’s  abilities;  there  I  look 
for  his  character  as  a  gardener;”  hence  this  subject  concludes 
Avith  a  neAv  appreciation  of  the  old  adage,  in  vino  reritas. — - 
An  Old  Boy. 
(To  be  continued.) 
Trade  Catalogues  Rcceiied. 
Richard  Dean,  Ranelagli  Road,  Ealing,  W. — Plant  Specialities  and 
Seeds. 
John  Foi’bes,  nurserymen,  HaAvick,  Scotland. — Florists’  Flowers  and 
Hardy  Border  Plants. 
Hogg  and  Robertson,  seedsmen,  Dublin. — Rohertson’s  Book  of  ike 
Farm,  1902. 
W.  Watson  &  Sons,  Clontarf  Nurseries,  Dublin. — Choice  Plants  for  the 
Garden. 
