Marcli  20,  1902 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
263' 
retentive  loam.  Consequently,  the  grower  must  be  guided  by 
the  state  of  the  Vines  m  relation  to  the  rooting  area,  and  have 
due  regard  to  the  weather,  as  water  will  be  required  much 
oftener  in  hot,  d^  weather  than  when  cold  and  dull.  The 
proper  procedure  is  to  examine  the  border,  and  when  water  is 
necessary  give  it  abundantly.  Surface  dressings  of  artificial 
manures  are  of  much  benefit  for  the  health  of  the  Vines  and 
the  swelling  and  perfecting  of  their  crops.  A  dressing  should 
be  given  when  the  Vines  start  into  growth,  a  second  when  they 
are  going  out  of  blossom,  another  after  the  Grapes  have  been 
thinned,  a  fourth  during  stoning,  and  a  final  one  when  the 
Grapes  commence  the  last  swelling,  or  just  before  or  when 
beginning  to  colour.  Liquid  manure  is  more  prompt  in  action 
than  a  top-dressing,  and  may  be  supplied  whenever  watering  is 
required,  taking  care  that  it  is  not  too  strong,  and  is  warmed  to 
the  mean  temperature  of  the  house.  Vines  restricted  to  narrow 
borders  will  need  higher  feeding  than  those  with  large  rooting 
areas,  affording  liquid  manure  whenever  watering  is  requisite  ; 
but  it  is  well  to  change  the  food  occasionally.  A  mulching  of 
short,  sweet,  lumpy  manure,  as  stable  litter  freed  of  straw  and 
sweetened,  about  an  inch  thick,  and  added  to  from  time  to 
time  so  as  to  maintain  that  thickness,  is  excellent  for  ordinary 
borders,  but  those  composed  of  light  porous  materials  should 
have  a  mulching  of  well  decayed  manure,  as  it  lies  closer,  and 
the?  roots  of  the  Vines  are  attracted  to  it  through  its  retaining 
moisture  better  and  longer. 
LATE  VINES. — If  started  in  February,  they  will  be  swelling 
their  buds  and  have  the  whole  season  before  them.  Use  the 
syringe  twice  a  day,  seeking  to  insure  a  good  start  by  closing 
the  house  with  a  genial  humid  but  not  saturated  atmosphere  at 
a  temperature  of  75deg.  The  canes  of  young  \  ines  having  been 
fixed  in  a  horizontal  position,  the  buds  will  break  evenly,  if  not 
depress  their  points  still  more.  Let  the  inside  border  be  brought 
into  a  moist  but  not  saturated  condition.  The  outside  border 
will  be  sufficiently  protected  by  a  fine  tilth  of  soil,  or,  if  very 
firm  and  close  at  the  surface,  a  light  mulching  of 
lumpy  partially  decayed  material  will  protect  the  young 
fibre.s  from  chill  and  accelerate  surface  rooting  while 
feeding  the  Vines.  When  lumpy,  and  not  more  than  a  couple 
of  inches  thick,  it  is  of  great  benefit  in  preserving  uniform 
moisture,  while  admitting  of  the  free  access  of  air,  rain,  and  the 
sun’s  warmth. 
LATE  V ARTETTES  OF  GRAPES. — Start  any  houses  of  these 
without  delay,  especially  of  the  thick-skinned  varieties,  as  a 
long  period  of  growth  is  required  to  produce  highly  finished 
fruit  with  good  keeping  qualities.  Syringe  the  rods  twice  a 
day,  or  maintain  a  genial  condition  of  the  atmosphere  by  damp¬ 
ing  the  floors  in  dull  weather,  as  it  is  not  advisable  to  keep 
the  Vines  constantly  wet.  _  It  is  decidedly  ^vantageous  to 
cover  the  inside  borders  with  a  little  stable  litter  freed  from 
straw,  and  add  to  it  from  time  to  time  so  as  to  secure  an 
atmosphere  charged  perceptibly  with  ammonia.  Night  tempera¬ 
ture,  50deg  to  oodeg,  55deg  by  day  artificially,  and  65deg  from 
sun  heat. 
LATE  HAMBURGH  HOUSES. — For  affording  the  latest 
supply  of  these  and  other  thin-skinned  Grapes,  allow  the  Vines 
to  break  naturally.  If  the  Grapes  are  thinned  by  early  June,  and 
the  fruit  ripened  by  the  end  of  September,  it  will  suffice. 
Ripened  earlier,  they  are  liable  to  lose  colour  and  quality  by 
hanging,  which  is  not  peculiar  to  Black  Hamburghs  but  to  all 
Grapes  with  thin  skins,  though  black  Grapes  lose  colour  more 
decisively  than  the  so-called  white  varieties. — St.  Albans. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chiswick — 
height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Direction  of 
Wind. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
1  Rain. 
1 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
Lowest 
Temperature 
OB  flrass. 
1902. 
March. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
At 
1-ft. 
deep 
At 
2-ft. 
deep 
At 
4-ft. 
deep 
Dry 
Bulb. 
■  Wet 
Bulb. 
ca 
bJO 
s 
09 
<D 
O 
.J 
Sunday  ...  9 
Monday  ...10 
Tuesday  ...11 
Wed’sday  12 
Thursday  13 
Friday  ...14 
Saturday  15 
N.W. 
E.N.K 
5.5. E. 
8.5. E. 
5.5. E. 
s.s.w. 
W.N.W. 
deg. 
5C-9 
44-9 
44-4 
44-9 
46- 2 
49-3 
47- 4 
deg. 
44-9 
44- 2 
43-4 
43-6 
39-7 
45- 9 
42-5 
deg. 
56-1 
49-3 
49-3 
53- 5 
56-8 
54- 6 
52-8 
deg. 
44-8 
44-7 
38-5 
42-0 
32-3 
35-8 
42'1 
Ins. 
0-07  1 
0-51 
deg. 
43- 2 
4.5  0 
44- 2 
44-4 
44-1 
44- 1 
45- 2 
deg. 
42- 3 
43- 2 
43-8 
43- 9 
44- 2 
44-3 
44-5 
deg. 
431 
43-3 
43-4 
43-7 
43- 9 
44- 2 
44-2 
deg. 
42-0 
41-5 
31-6 
35-8 
25*1 
27-6 
39-5 
Means  ... 
46-9 
43-5 
53-2 
400 
Total. ^ 
0-58 
44-3 
43-7  j 
1 
43-7 
34-7 
The  first  part  of  the  w^eek  was  remarkable  for  dense  ))laek  fog ; 
the  latter  part  has  been  bright  with  the  wind  strong.  A  considerable 
quantity  of  rain  fell  on  the  14th. 
***■  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed, 
to  '•  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street,. 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
GAZANIA  SPLENDENS  (D.  W.). — The  plants  will  not  be  so 
successful  from  seeds  sown  now  as  they  would  have  been  from 
cuttings  taken  last  August.  However,  you  can  sow  at  once  in 
pans,  using  a  sandy  soil ;  and  place  the  pans  in  a  temperature 
of  from  GOdeg  to  68deg.  When  ready  to  prick  out,  place  them 
in  boxes,  and  out  of  doors,  in  May. 
SITUATION  IN  PUBLIC  PARKS  (G.  H.).— The  situation 
as  a  working  gardener  in  any  of  the  public  parks  can  only  be 
■obtained  by  making  an  application  to  the  respective  superin¬ 
tendents.  The  chief  qualifications  are  that  the  assistant  be 
active,  willing,  and  obedient.  The  qualities  necessary  for  a 
superintendent  are,  of  course,  varied,  responsible,  and  numerous. 
Secure  the  “  Horticultural  Directory,”  price  Is.  3d.  iiost  free, 
from  this  office,  which  will  give  you  the  names  and  addresses 
of  a  large  number  of  park  superiirtendents  throughout  the 
country. 
PASTURE  (D.  I.  S.). — The  soil  of  this,  you  say,  is  a  stiff  clay, 
shallow,  and  lying  on  a  retentive  brash,  becoming  as  hard  as 
possible  when  dried  by  either  wind  or  sun.  W^e  fear  that  you  will 
reap  no  good  from  this  until  it  is  drained  thoroughly.  After 
that,  put  upon  it  as  much  of  road-scrapings,  coal  ashes,  gypsum, 
bone  dust,  salt,  and  dung,  annually,  as  you  can  spare.  Put  some 
of  the  mixture  on  now,  and  then  sow  on  every  acre  21b  Red 
Clover,  31b  White  Clover,  21b  Perennial  Rye  Grass,  21b  Italian 
Rye  Grass,  11b  Meadow  Foxtail,  31b  Cock’s-foot,  21b  Meadow 
Fescue,  lib  Hard  Fescue,  11b  rough-stalked  Meadow  Grass,  11b 
smooth-stalked  ditto,  lib  sweeUscented  Vernal  Grass,  and  21b 
Timothy  Grass.  After  sowing,  bush-harrow  it. 
PRUNING  CLIMBING  ROSES  (Hortus).— Newly-planted 
climbing  Roses  are  best  left  full  length  until  the  middle  or 
latter  part  of  April,  when  they  should  be  cut  hard  back  to  two 
or  three  buds,  wdiich  will  induce  strong,  vigorous  shoots  to 
push,  one  or  two  only  being  retained  to  each  branch,  the  weaker 
growths  being  rubbed  off.  By  leaving  the  current  growths  a 
time  longer  growths  pushing  from  the  upper  buds  will  favour 
root  action,  and  this  will  favour  a  vigorous  growth  when  the 
conditions  are  favourable.  Brooms  that  have  become  leggy  may 
be  cut  down  to  about  a  foot  or  18in  from  the  ground^  and  they,  if 
not  very  old,  will  push  young  growths  from  the  joints.  It  is 
well  to  leave  a  few  of  the  smaller  twigs  where  it  can  be  done, 
and  the  branches  where  they  fork  from  the  main  stem,  about  Gin 
in  length.  Old  stumps,  however,  do  not  break  well. 
TOPPING-UP  ASPARAGUS  BEDS  (G.  F.  O.  B.).— The  Gin 
or  Sin  of  soil  over  the  crowns  of  the  plants  or  stools  is  quite 
sufficient,  even  for  blanched  beads,  that  is  cutting  them  with 
a  length  of  about  Gin  of  underground,  hence  white  or  whitish 
portion  and  3in  of  green  or  purplish  top  or  head.  There  should 
be  no  difficulty  in  cutting  the  heads,  an  Asparagus  knife  being 
employed,  this  being  an  implement  with  a  long  handle  and  saw'- 
like  blade  or  cutter,  and  is  easily  thrust  into  the  soil  by  each 
head,  and  this  cut  without  damage  to  the  other  heads.  It  is 
not  a  good  nlan  to  expose  the  roots  in  the  alleys,  they  being 
liable  to  suffer  from  frost,  dryness,  and  general  exjmsure  to  the 
atmosphere,  from  which  they  cannot  derive  the  essential 
nutrients,  and  must  be  more  or  less  prejudiced.  They  should 
be  covered  over  at  least  an  inch  with  some  light  material,  such 
as  that  of  spent  Mushroom  beds,  of  which  we  believe  you  usually 
have  a  good  supply.  The  Asparagus  knife  can  be  had  from 
nurserymen,  the  cost  being  from  2s.  to  2s.  6d.  each. 
SEEDLING  TUBEROUS  BEGONIAS  NOT  THRIVING 
(J.  L.). — We  can  only  surmise  that  the  seedlings  have  received  a 
severe  check,  either  from  atmospheric  changes  or  from  some 
unfavourable  conditions  of  soil,  probably  an  excess  of  watering. 
Sometimes,  however,  the  seedlings  are  infected  by  the  rust  mite, 
Tarsonymus  Begoni,  which  gives  the  leaves  a  rusted  appearance, 
and  completely  cripnles  the  growth;  indeed,  prevents  further 
development.  In  this  case  the  plants  should  be  lightly  sprinkled 
with  tobacco  water  at  intervals  of  about  four  days,  which  is  very 
destructive  and  repressive  of  the  pest,  also  acting  as  preventive 
of  attack.  The  tobacco  juice  sold  by  nurserymen  is  suitable, 
diluting  with  about  twelve  parts  rain-water,  or  place  loz  of 
strongest  shag  tobacco  in  a  jar  and  pour  on  it  a  quart  of  boiling 
water,  and  cover  up  closely,  letting  remain  until  cool.  Then 
strain,  and  use  the  tobacco  water  for  sprinkling  on  the  plants,. 
