November  7,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
431 
had  lived  till  December  31,  would  have  been  seventy-five  years 
of  age.  He  made  a  comparatively  small  beginning  as  a  private 
exhibitor  of  plants,  and  from  that  humble  start,  which  I  have 
heard  him  describe  more  than  once,  has  sprung  the  well-known 
Queen’s  Road  Nurseries.  These  nurseries  cover  several  acres  of 
valuable  building  land,  and  comprise  seventy  well-constructed 
plant  houses,  together  with  much  valuable  nursery  stock.  Mr. 
Cypher  prided  himself  upon  having  taken  some  of  the  best  prizes 
at  all  the  important  shows  in  the  country,  and  of  being  repeatedly 
represented  at  two  or  more  on  one  day.  At  many  of  these  shows 
I  have  seen  three  to  five  large  vans  closely  packed  with  valuable 
plants,  his  greatest  efforts,  probably,  being  expended  in  the 
direction  of  Shrewsbury  every  August,  and  yet  no  very  appre¬ 
ciable  inroads  into  his  stock  of  plants  would  be  observable  by 
visitors  to  the  nurseries  at  those  times.  For  the  sake  of  the 
societies  he  so  ably  supported,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  work 
carried  on  so  well  by  the  late  Mr.  Cypher  for  upwards  of  a 
quarter  of  a  century  will  be  continued  by  his  sons  who  succeed 
to  the  property  and  business. 
In  addition  to  the  production  of  so  many  grand  prize-winning 
plants,  Mr.  Cypher  also  established  a  great  reputation  as  a 
grower  and  raiser  of  Orchids,  a  large  and  valuable  stock  of  plants 
The  Late  Me.  James  Cypher. 
bearing  witness  to  this  fact,  and  the  business  further  comprises 
an  extensive  connection  in  the  direction  of  floral  decorations  of 
all  kinds. 
With  all  this  on  his  hands,  Mr.  Cypher  yet  found  time  to 
enter  public  life,  representing  the  West  Ward  as  a  guardian  since 
1884,  and  becoming,  a  little  later,  a  member  of  the  Town  Council, 
which  honourable  office  he  held  up  to  within  a  few  hours  of  his 
death.  He  was  an  extensive  employer  of  labour,  a  very  kind 
master,  and  was  deservedly  loved  by  all  connected  with  the 
nurseries.  Altogether,  Mr.  James  Cypher  was  a  man  we  can  ill 
afford  to  lose,  and  many  of  us  will  miss  his  kindly  welcome  when 
it  is  our  good  fortune  to  call  at  the  Queen’s  Road  Nurseries, 
and  shall  miss  him  greatly  at  the  flower  shows  he  has  delighted  to 
attend  so  long  as  he  was  able. — W.  I. 
I  am  sure  that  the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  the  above  gentle¬ 
man  will  come  to  many  readers  as  a  shock,  although  it  has 
been  known  throughout  this  district  for  many  weeks  past  that  he 
was  in  a  very  serious  state,  and  that  his  medical  attendant  could 
not  give  his  family  encouragement  as  to  hopes  of  any  permanent 
improvement  in  his  health.  I  have  had  the  privilege  of  knowing 
Mr.  Cypher  for  many  years,  and  have  frequently  had  long  chats 
with  him  on  his  past  career,  of  which  he  rejoiced  to  relate.  How 
he  began  his  gardening  career,  and  how  by  industry  he  built  up 
the  large  business  now  established  in  Queen’s  Road,  Cheltenham, 
is  a  story  of  heroic  endeavour.  It  was,  indeed,  a  great  privilege 
to  have  an  opportunity  of  spending  a  little  time  in  conversation 
with  such  an  honest,  straightforward,  and  noble  living  gentleman 
as  the  late  Mr.  James  Cypher. — T.  A. 
WOKK.Foif.THE  WEEK., 
n 
Fruit  Forcing. 
VINES :  EARLIEST  IN  POTS. — Stout,  well-ripened  canes, 
with  plump  buds,  given  a  short  rest,  will,  if  started  now,  afford 
fruit  for  table  in  April.  The  best  varieties  are  White  Frontignan, 
Foster’s  Seedling,  Black  Hamburgh,  and  Madresfield  Court.  The 
Vines  require  a  light,  airy,  efficiently  heated  structure,  which 
may  be  a  lean-to  or  three-quarter  span-roof,  facing  south.  If  the 
hot  water  pipes  are  at  the  front  of  the  house,  the  Vines  may  be 
stood  upon  them  on  tiles  or  slates.  The  drainage  of  the  water 
given  (not  dripping  on  the  hot  water  pipes  and  passing  off  as 
steam,  but  on  the  floor)  keep  up  a  genial  moisture,  as  well  as 
afford  ammonia  to  the  atmosphere  when  liquid  manure  is  used. 
Pits  having  beds  in  which  fermenting  materials  may  be  placed 
answer  admirably  for  forcing  Vines  in  pots,  contingent  on  their 
having  the  necessary  hot  water  pipes  for  top  heat.  Pedestals  of 
loose  brickwork  should  be  formed  in  the  beds,  so  as  to  raise  the 
pots  to  the  requisite  height  and  prevent  sinking,  as  would  be  the 
case  were  the  Vines  stood  on  the  fermenting  material.  This  is 
essential,  whether  the  Vines  are  trained  to  a  trellis  at  12in  to  l£in 
distance  from  the  glass,  or  coiled  round  stakes  where  there  is  no 
trellis.  Vines  in  pots,  and  restricted  thereto,  afford  excellent 
fruit  when  judiciously  fed,  but  if  weight  and  quality  of  Grapes 
are  desired,  the  apertures  in  the  pots  should  be  widened  and  some 
turfy  loam  placed  within  reach  of  the  roots.  The  loam  may  be 
placed  against  the  pedestals  of  loose  brickwork,  and  the  roots  will 
follow  the  liquid  manure  given  and  gather  support  for  the  Vines. 
Oak  or  Beech  leaves  are  best  to  afford  bottom  heat ;  they  afford 
a  genial  warmth  and  regular  moisture  in  the  early  stages,  and 
yield  stimulating  food  when  the  demands  of  the  Vines  are 
greatest.  Damp  the  Vines  and  house  two  or  three  times  a  day, 
and  ma'ntain  a  temperature  of  55deg.,  and  65deg.  in  the  day¬ 
time. 
EARLY  FORCED  PLANTED  OUT  VINES.— To  have  ripe 
Grapes  at  the  end  of  April  or  early  in  May  the  house  must  be 
closed  by  the  middle  of  the  month.  This  more  particularly  applies 
to  young  and  vigorous  Vines,  that  do  not,  as  a  rule,  start  into 
growth  so  quickly  as  those  that  have  been  forced  for  a  number  of 
years.  This  is  also  the  case  with  Vines  that  have  previously  not 
been  subjected  to  early  forcing.  To  produce  a  humid  atmosphere 
and  economise  fuel,  a  good  ridge  of  fermenting  material  may  be 
placed  upon  the  floor  or  border,  and  turned  at  short  intervals, 
additions  being  made  as  the  heat  declines.  The  temperature  of 
the  house  may  range  50deg.  at  night,  55deg.  by  day,  and  65deg. 
on  bright  days.  The  outside  border  should  be  protected  from  wet 
and  frost  by  a  covering  of  leaves  or  other  approved  means. 
LATE  GRAPES  NOT  FINISHING  WELL. — This  arises  from 
three  primary  causes  :  (1) :  Starting  the  A  ines  too  late,  and  not 
accelerating  thorough  growth  during  the  spring  and  early 
summer  months,  so  as  to  give  the  Grapes  the  full  benefit  of  the 
summer  sun  to  swell  and  ripen.  (2)  Overcropping,  which  not  only 
prejudices  the  current  crop,  but  militates  considerably  against  the 
succeeding  year’s  bearing  of  the  Vines.  (3)  A  bad  condition  of 
the  roots,  this  being  the  most  disastrous  of  all,  for  improper  food 
is  attended  with  many  evils,  and  hinders  the  perfection  of  the 
crop.  If  the  defect  is  due  to  overcropping,  relief  should  be 
sought  by  cutting  a  portion  of  the  crop  at  the  earliest  conveni¬ 
ence,  and  though  nothing  will  be  gained  by  pushing  the  fire  now, 
the  temperature  should  be  maintained  at  GOdeg.  to  Godeg.,  and 
70deg.  to  75deg.  in  the  daytime,  so  as  to  secure  the  thorough 
ripening  of  the  wood,  admitting  air  freely  when  the  weather  is 
favourable,  and  leaving  a  little  on  constantly.  When  the  cause 
can  be  traced  to  improper  drainage  or  bad  border,  no  time  should 
be  lost  after  the  wood  becomes  sufficiently  ripened,  or  when  the 
leaves  give  indications  of  falling,  in  getting  oiit  the  old  soil,  recti¬ 
fying  the  dra'nage,  and  relaying  the  roots  in  fresh  compost. — 
St.  Albans. 
The  Kitchen  Garden. 
ROOT  CROPS.— BEET.— The  roots  ought  not  to  be  left 
longer  in  the  ground.  Lift  them  on  a  dry  day,  and  after  twist¬ 
ing,  not  cutting,  off  the  top  a  few  inches  above  the  crown,  spread 
them  out  to  dry  in  the  open,  or,  anticipating  rain  or  frost,  in 
the  shelter  of  a  shed.  After  drying,  they  are  better  fitted  to  be 
stored  away  in  a  frost-proof,  but  cool,  shed  or  out-house.  Place 
them  between  layers  of  dry  wood  ashes  or  sand. 
CARROTS. — Intermediate  and  long-rooted  Carrots  ought 
also  to  be  lifted  and  stored,  if  not  already  done.  Those  wanted 
for  immediate  use  ought  to  be  placed  in  a  cool,  convenient  place, 
slightly  covering  to  prevent  them  drying  unduly.  The  rest  of 
the  crop,  if  not  in  considerable  quantity,  may  be  stored  in  a 
