March  28,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
259 
Hr.  James  Sweet,  Y.M  H. 
We  announced  in  la9t  week’s  issue  that  Mr.  James  Sweet,  the 
successful  market  grower  of  hard  wooded  and  other  plants,  had  been 
appointed  a  Victorian  Medalist  of  Honour  in  horticulture  by  the 
Council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  In  the  present  number 
we  are  pleased  to  introduce  him  to  those  of  o  tr  reade  s  whose  abodes 
may  be  placed  far  from  London  or  L\yton  Mr.  Sweet  was  born 
in  London  sixty  years  ago,  and  when  his  school  days  were  finished  he 
had  a  very  strong  desire  to  gain  a  livelihood  by  growing  fl  iwers  and 
fruit  for  the  market.  How  he  began,  and  how  -he  has  continued 
in  his  chosen  calling  we  will  leave  him  to  tell  himself.  Ha  writes  : — 
><  I  was  blessed  with  a  dear  father,  who  wished  ma  well  in  my  choice 
and  did  what  he  could  to  further  it,  but  it  was  no  easy  mar  ter  in  those 
days  to  find  a  suitable  place,  for  market  fl  nists  were  scarce  for  a  youth 
to  gain  good  experience.  My  first  introduction  was  to  the  late  Mr. 
George  Glenny  of  Fulham,  but  the  premium  Was  large,  aud  the  nursery 
very  small.  After  some  time  I 
heard  of  Mr.  P.  Kay’s  nursery  at 
Finchley,  and  this  proved  to  be  what 
I  wished  for,  so  I  was  apprenticed 
for  four  years,  and  received  a  good 
experience  in  the  growing  of  flowers 
and  Grapes.  Oa  completion  of  my 
term  I  thought  it  well  to  gain 
further  knowledge,  and  placed 
myself  under  Mr.  George  Tillyard, 
gardener  to  Sir  John  Kelk,  Priory 
Gardens,  Scanmore.  At  twenty-one 
years  of  age  I  thought  it  was  time 
to  start  in  bnsiness,  and  purchasing 
a  nursery  at  Leyton,  I  turned  in  with 
right  good  will,  for  it  has  always 
been,  and  is  still,  a  labour  of  love 
to  grow  plants.  But  after  twenty- 
three  years  of  happiness  and  pro¬ 
sperity  I  had  to  retire  from  Leyton, 
although  very  reluctantly,  as  I  had 
to  leave  so  many  friends,  among 
whom  were  the  late  Mr.  John  Fraser 
and  the  members  of  the  District 
Council.  There  are  not  many  left 
now,  however,  and  the  town  having 
grown  so  rapidly,  the  smoke  made 
it  impossible  to  conduct  the  busi¬ 
ness  successfully,  so  I  removed  to 
my  present  nursery,  and  although 
the  competition  is  great  to  that  of 
forty  years  ago,  still  there  is  a 
good  demand  for  the  best  quality 
plants,  and  an  increasing  demand 
for  them.” 
We  hope  to  visit  Mr.  Sweet  at  his 
nursery  before  very  long ;  mean¬ 
while  we  advance  our  felicitations. 
Notes  on  Yonog  Yines. 
take  one  growth  forward  from  the  point  above  6  to  8  feet  a9  leader,  the 
cane  having  been  stopped  there.  A  side  sho  it  may  be  allowed  on  each 
side  of  the  rod  at  the  bottom  of  the  trelds,  which  pinch  at  two  j  >ints 
beyond  the  fruit,  leaving  a  bunch  on  each,  and  stop  the  laterals  aud 
and  subsequent  growths  to  one  j  lint  as  made. 
Planting  Young  Vines  —Some  growers  oonsider  autumn  the  best 
time  to  plant  Vines,  bur  others  prefer  the  spring,  aud  wii  h  the  litter 
I  agree.  Where  provision  has  been  made  for  inside  and  outside  borders 
the  Vines  should  be  planted  in  the  former,  confining  the  roots  to  it 
until  they  have  occupied  the  allotted  space.  The  Vines,  if  cut-b  icks 
of  last  year’s  raising,  maybe  placed  in  position  either  before  or  after 
they  have  grown  to  the  extent  of  a  couple  of  inches,  the  roots  being 
spread  Out  evenly  in  the  border.  Vines  of  the  present  year’s  raising 
will  not  require  planting  out  for  some  time  yet,  though  those  raised  in 
Bquares  of  turf  may  be  transferred  to  the  permanent  quar  ers  as  soon 
as  the  roots  are  protruding  through  the  sides.  Tnis  method  is  the  best 
for  raising  Vines  for  permanent  planting.  The  Vines  planted  dormant, 
or  only  just  moving,  will  need  cool  house  treatment,  but  if  in  growth 
they  must  have  a  temperature  of  65’  at  night,  and  70°  to  75  bv  day, 
with  an  advance  of  10°  to  15°  from 
sun  heat,  whilst  Vines  of  last  year, 
and  only  advanced  an  inch  or  two, 
will  be  accommodated  with  a  night 
temperature  of  50°,  they  starting 
better  by  natural  means  than  arti¬ 
ficial.  S  ringing  will  be  needed 
occasionally  to  maintain  a  genial 
atmosphere. — Guo  wee. 
Grassendale  and  Aigburth 
Show. 
For  Early  Forcing  in  Pots. — 
Some  cultivators  prefer  Vines  of 
the  current  year’s  raising  from  eyes, 
and  others  cut-backs,  or  canes  of 
the  previous  year’s  propagation  cut  back  to  one  or  two  buds.  I  give 
my  vote  for  the  latter,  as  they  are  stronger,  and  have  an  established 
root  system.  In  either  case,  the  Vines  sho  d  I  now  receive  their  final 
potting.  Clean  pots,  efficiently  drained,  should  be  used,  and  the  size 
12-inch.  Pot  firmly  in  good  turfy  loam,  with  a  12  inch  putful  of  wood 
ashes  or  a  4-inch  potful  of  best  quality  kainir,  to  every  barrowload  of 
loam,  and  the  latter  amount  of  dissolved  raw  b  mes,  and  also  of  soot, 
mixing  thoroughly.  Place  the  pots  at  the  sides  of  i  he  house,  preferably 
on  hot-water  pipes  with  an  intervening  slate,  keeping  the  house  rather 
close,  and  if  the  weather  be  bright,  shade  for  a  few  days.  Train  the 
canes  as  near  the  glass  as  practicable  without  touching,  to  insure  the 
solidification  of  the  growths,  pinching  the  laterals  at  ' he  first  leaf,  and 
other  growths  treat  similarly,  stopping  the  lead  at  from  6  to  8  feet, 
according  to  the  vigour  aod  the  length  of  cane  desired. 
Young  Vines. — Those  planted  last  year  having  made  good  growth 
and  cut-backs  at  the  winter  pruning  to  about  three  buds  of  the  bottom 
of  the  trellis,  must  be  encouraged  by  gentle  fire  hea>,  so  as  to  allow 
time  for  their  making  and  completing  a  good  growth.  Take  one  shoot 
forward  from  the  extremity  of  the  cane  as  leader,  an  1  pinch  off  the 
pointB  of  the  laterals  at  the  first  leaf  up  to  a  height  of  6  to  8  feet.  The 
result  will  be  concentration  on  the  part  below,  and  som  <  increase  of 
lateral  growths,  which,  suppress,  by  pinching  to  one  leaf  as  made,  but 
Mr.  James  Sweet,  v.m.h. 
The  above  show  was  opened  on 
Sa' urday  last  in  the  Grassendale 
Parish  Room.  The  Committee,  with 
Mr.  W.  Evans  as  chairman,  and 
Mr.  T.  Johnson  as  able  secretary, 
had  done  their  share  of  the  work 
excellently.  Hyaoinths  were  in 
veiy  strorig  force,  and  there  is  no 
dirput ihg  the  fact  that  the  style  of 
growing  three  bulbs  in  a  7-inch  pot 
is  distinc  ly  good.  This  section  was 
a  particularly  strong  feature  of  the 
show.  Mr.  W.  Eva '  s,  g'rdener  to 
Mrs.  Lockett,  Grassendale  House, 
had  the  premier  lot ,  Mr.  G.  Lead* 
beater  occu  >i  ing  second  position. 
For  twelve  Hyacinths,  distinct,  Mr. 
W.  Evans  again  secured  the  lead, 
staging  the  following  varieties  — 
Aloa  maxima,  Queen  of  the  Blues, 
Marie,  Cot-m  s,  Cigantea,  Princess 
Wilhelmina,  Vnu  Schiller,  Roi  des 
B  lges,  Baroness  Von  Tuyll,  King 
of  the  Yellows,  Cbailes  Dickens, 
and  King  of  the  Blues.  Mr.  T.  Wil¬ 
son,  gardener  to  O.  H.  Williams, 
Esq.,  Fulwood  Park,  Aigburth,  ran 
the  closest  of  seconds,  his  Jacques, 
Isabella,  and  General  Pellisier  being 
exoe,  tionally  tine.  Mr.  Wilson 
also  showed  three  beautiful  sets,  three  in  each  pot.  Mr.  Liadbeater 
staged  a  grand  six,  distinct.  The  Tulip  classes  w^re  a  deoidedly  smart 
lot,  the  prizes  going  for  single  and  double  to  Mr.  F.  C.  Keightley, 
Aigburth,  for  the  most  perfect  blooms,  of  which  Keizers  Kroon, 
Proserpine,  Joost  Van  Vondel  (white),  Ophir  d  Or,  and  Vermillion 
Brilliant  shone  out  amongst  the  siugles.  Superb  Amaryllis  gained  Mr. 
T.  Johnson  the  leading  position.  Mr.  Lead  beater  showed  a  hardy 
Azalea,  white  Lilac,  and  a  giant  Deutzia  grao  lis  in  fauliless  style. 
Some  grand  specimen  Cyclamen  from  four-vear-old  conns  were  s  aged 
by  Mr.  T.  Ankers,  gardener  to  Alderman  W.  B.  Bowring,  J.P.,  Aigbuitb, 
who  also  won  the  classes  for  three  Azaleas  and  one  forced  hardy  plant. 
Mr.  Keightley  won  for  Palms,  Olerod-mdron  B  dfourianurn.  Cinerarias, 
and  one  Azalea.  A  bright  plant  of  Dendrobtum  thyra  fl  nu  n  came 
from  Mr.  J.  Heaton,  The  Lawn,  Aigburth,  viz.,  the  specimen  O.c  ud,  and 
from  the  same  source  Clivia  miniata,  the  specimen  gieenhouse  fl  >wering 
plant.  Dendrobium  nobile  and  the  rare  Lyoaste  Harrisoi  ae  were 
the  two  Orchids  from  Mr.  C.  Duke,  Fulwood  Paik,  A’gburth. 
Mr.  Evans  had  the  best  greenhouae  Ruododendron  and  Primulas. 
Mr.  Bustard,  St.  Anne’s  Mount,  Aigburth,  staging  the  plaut  of  Rose 
Mareohal  Niel.  .  , 
The  attendance  in  the  afternoon  was  moderate,  but  the  show  in  the 
evening  was  orowded  in  every  part. 
