June  27, 1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
535 
RIVERS’ 
FRUIT  TREES, 
Roses,  Vines, 
FIGS,  ORANGES, 
AND 
Orchard-House  Trees. 
A  LARGE  AND  SELECT  STOCK 
ALWAYS  ON  VIEW. 
ILLUSTRATED  AND  DESCRIPTIVE  CATALOGUE, 
Post  Free,  3d. 
TH0MASRIVERS  &  SON, 
SAWBRIDGEWORTH,  HERTS. 
HARLOW  STATION,  O.E.R. 
PRIMULAS!  PRIMULAS!  PRIMULAS! 
Williams’  and  other  superb  strains,  also  Primula  Obconica, 
CINERARIAS  and  BEGONIAS,  1/6  per  dozen,  10 /-  100. 
Double  White  Primulas,  6d.  each.  All  the  above  tit  for 
8  and  4-in.  pots,  and  carriage  free  for  cash  with  order. 
JOHN  STEVENS,  The  Nurseries,  COVENTRY. 
CLEAN  HEALTHY  PLANTS  AT  LOW  PRICES. 
Always  worth  a  visit  of  inspection.  Kindly  send  for  Oata'ogue, 
NEW  LIST  NOW  READY. 
Exotic  Nurseries,  CHELTENHAM. 
THIRTY  GOLD,  SILVER-GILT,  and  SILVER 
MEDALS  for 
EXHIBITS 
ONLY. 
The  Largest  and  Best  Collection  in  Existence. 
Send  for  CATALOGUE  before  ordering. 
B.R.  DAVIS  &  SONS,  NoY»“™s,  YEOVIL,  SOM. 
BEGONIA 
FOR  PRESENT  SOWING.! 
CLIBRANS 
TESTED  SEEDS 
Our  strains  of  Flower  Seeds  are  well  known  ; 
plants  grown  from  them  have  repeatedly- 
carried  off  leading  honours  in  open  competi¬ 
tion  ;  a  sufficient  guarantee  of  their  excellence,  tg 
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Mixed, 
SUPERB  AQUILEGIA 
CHOICE  STAGE  AURICULA 
PRIZE  CALCEOLARIA 
CANTERBURY  BELLS 
CHOICEST  CINERARIA 
LOVELY  DELPHINIUMS 
SELECTED  DIGITALIS 
Superb  Double  HOLLYHOCK 
SELECTED  MYOSOTIS 
LOVELY  PANSIES  .. 
CHOICEST  PENTSTEMONS 
GRAND  POLYANTHUS'  . 
LOVELY  PRIMROSES 
EAST  LOTHIAN  STOCKS  . 
SWEET  WILLIAM 
CHOICE  WALLFLOWER 
or  in  distinct  colours  and  vars 
CLIBRANS  SEED  LIST 
contains  all 
relative  to 
PER  PKT.  1 
..  6d. 
6d.  &  1/- 
particulars  S 
Vegetable  j 
and  Flower  Seeds,  Manures,  Insecticides,  Sun-  ; 
dries,  &c. ,  post  free  on  application. 
ALTRINCHAM  &  MANCHESTER. 
Ask  your  Nurseryman  and  Seedsman  for 
RICHARDS’  NOTED  PEAT. 
idle  stock  for  1901  is  exceptionally  fine.  Choice  selections 
for  Orchids,  Stove  and  Greenhouse  Plants,  Ferns,  Rhodo¬ 
dendrons,  &c.  By  the  sack,  cubic  yard,  ton,  or  truck-load. 
Can  be  seen  in  bulk  at  London  Wharf.  Immediate  despatch 
either  from  London  or  Grounds.  By  Rail  or  Steamer. 
Prompt  and  Special  Quotations  for  delivery  to  any  Station 
or  Port. 
G.  H.  RICHARDS,  128.  Southwark  St.,  London,  S.E., 
and  Old  Shot  Tower  Wharf,  Lambeth,  London,  S.E. 
Letters  and  Orders  to  Southwark  Street. 
WEST’S  PLANT  GRIP  STAKES. — Everlasting  double-grip 
stakes  for  instantly  staking  all  plants.  Send  postcard  for  Illustrated 
Catalogue. 
WEST’S  PATENT  VAPORISING  FUMIGATOR.— Made  all  of 
metal.  Will  last  a  lifetime  without  wick  or  further  trouble.  Price 
complete,  with  spirit  for  stove,  9d.  post  free,  to  vaporise  up  to  2500  c.f. 
“WEST’S  EXTRACT  OF  NICOTINE”  is  guaranteed  pure 
Nicotine,  and  three  times  as  good  as  the  best  compound.  It  is  not  a 
compound — not  a  chemical  substitute  for  Nicotine,  but  will  make  a 
compound  equal  to  the  best,  if  desired,  at  l£d.  per  1000  cubic  feet. 
Price  7d.  per  sealed  bottle  of  1000  cubic  feet  (6/-  dozen)  post  free: 
quantities  at  5d.  each,  carriage  paid.  Some  other  -  ‘IfJ@ 
WEST’S  patent  CARDEN  SUNDRIES 
(all  delivered  free)  are  Ivorine  and  Metal  Plant  Labels  of  all  kinds, 
from  1/10  gross;  Gardener’s  Fountain  Pen,  1/- ;  Ink  Holding  Pen, 
one  dip  into  ink  lasts  an  hour’s  writing  withoutagain  dipping,  6d.  dozen  ; 
Waterproof  Ink,  the  only  ink  to  stand  outside  weather,  7d.  bottle  ; 
Prepared  Green  Raffia,  2/-  lb.  ;  Plant  Clips,  1/3  gross  ;  Carnation 
Rings,  1/3  gross ;  Hyacinth  Supports,  3/-  dozen ;  Layering  Pegs, 
1/6  per  gross;  Metal  Tree  Fasteners,  for  permanently  fastening  wall 
trees,  1/10  gross;  Wall  Nails,  same  price  as  ordinaiy  nails;  Glazing  Staples,  1/6  gross;  Plant  Pots,  also  Pans,  31- 
east  any  size  (card,  ford.);  Pot  Suspenders;  Pot  Crocks;  Orchid  Baskets;  Garden  Syringe;  Spray  Diffuser, 
for  spraying  insecticide,  &c.,  complete,  2/6  ;  Powder  Diffuser,  for  diffusing  powder  on  plants,  tilled,  1/- ;  Flower 
Grip  Holders  of  all  kinds ;  Greenhouse  Shading,  9d.  tins— if  not  satisfactory  after  trial  money  will  be  returned ; 
Mushroom  Spawn,  very  prolific,  4/-  per  bushel ;  Insecticide,  1/3  dozen  boxes;  Mealy  Bug  Destroyer,  7d.  bottles  ; 
Horticultural  Soap,  l£lb  tins,  1  /- ;  Powder  Weed  Killer,  if  not  the  best  and  cheapest  after  trial  money  will  be 
returned,  1/6  tin,  makes  16  to  50 'gallons ;  Slug  Killer  Powder,  certain  destruction  to  slugs,  &c. ,  and  a  splendid 
fertiliser,  from  lb.  tins,  9d.  ;  Lawn  Sand,  kills  all  weeds  and  nourishes  the  Grass,  from  lb.  tins,  9d.  ;  Tobacco 
Powder,  extra  fine  ground,  from  9d.  tins;  Seed  Germinator,  6d.  boxes  (lasts  for  years),  no  seed  should  be  sown 
without  a  dressing  of  this;  Fertiliser,  perfect  plant  food,  from  lb.  tins,  9d. ;  Manures,  &c.,  <fcc.  All  carnage 
and  package  free.  SAMPLES  GRATIS.  , 
It  will  pay  you  well,  to  save  your  plants  from  dying,  to  send  direct  to  the  only  manufacturer  of  All  Garden 
Sundries,  C.  E.  'WEST,  ROUNDHAY,  for  full  Illustrated  Catalogue,  with  hints  on  horticulture.  No  agents  or 
trade  terms,  so  buy  at  the  maker’s  low  prices. 
“Orchid  Culture,”  third  edition,  postage  3d.  Gives  full  particulars  of  the  cultivation  of  Orchids. 
No.  1096.— Vol  XLII.,  Third  Series 
THURSDAY,  JUNE  27,  1901. 
Wasted  Vigour. 
ROM  various  causes  there  is  much 
wasted  vigour  going  on  in  relation 
to  the  cultivation  of  certain  kinds 
of  fruit  that  might  well  be  pre¬ 
vented.  Too  often  those  responsible 
scarcely  appreciate  the  position,  or,  in 
other  words,  are  not  aware  how  much  waste 
there  is  taking  place,  otherwise  they  would 
not  be  so  careless  in  the  matter.  Take  the 
Grape  Vine  as  a  noteworthy  instance.  Why  do 
those  in  charge  so  long  defer — first,  the  thinning 
out  of  shoots  that  form,  and,  a  little  later,  the 
topping  of  those  reserved  ?  It  is  a  common  occur¬ 
rence  to  leave  this  important  work  till  many  of  the 
more  advanced  shoots  are  18  inches  to  2  feet  long, 
which  mean3  so  -much  wasted  vigour  that  ought  to 
have  been  diverted  elsewhere.  No  matter  how 
carefully  the  ends  of  the  rods  are  depressed,  the 
shoots  near  the  points  are  almost  certain  to  make 
the  most  rapid  progress,  either  from  the  first,  or 
directly  the  rods  are  placed  in  their  proper  position. 
Not  only  ought  the  thinning  out,  or  the  reduction 
of  the  shoots  to  one  or,  at  the  most,  to  two  at  each 
spur  iu  the  case  of  the  older  rods,  and  to  one  only 
at  each  joint  of  strong  young  caneq  to  he  done 
early,  but  the  topping  ot  laterals  should  commence 
directly  this  can  be  done  with  the  finger  and  thumb. 
Topping  these  advanced  shoots  thus  timely  at  once 
diverts  the  flow  of  sap  to  points  where  it  is  more 
wanted  later,  more  weakly  growths  quickly  gaining 
in  strength,  so  that  instead  of  a  few  laterals  being 
extra  strong  and  the  rest  much  feebler,  all  are  more 
or  less  on  an  equality. 
There  is  far  too  much  of  the  knife  in  evidence 
amoDg  Grape  growers.  There  are  times  when  it 
must  be  used,  but  it  can  be  wholly  dispensed  with 
as  far  as  the  early  stages  of  the  Vine’s  growth  is 
concerned.  Allowing  far  more  bunches  or  “shows” 
to  remain  on  the  laterals  than  it  is  intended  to 
finally  develop  is  also  a  waste  of  vigour.  With  a 
very  little  experience  by  way  of  a  guide  it  can 
easily  be  determined  which  of  the  two  or  three 
READERS  are  requested  to  send  Notices  of  Gardening 
Appointments  or  Notes  of  Horticultural  Interest, 
Intimations  of  Meetings,  Queries,  and  all  Articles  for 
Publication,  officially  to  “  THE  EDITOR,”  at 
12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.,  and  to  no  other  person  and  to  no  other 
address. 
