i86g.] NEW VARIETIES OF FRUIT. 123 



on the surface of the pots, and in no way affects the health and happi- 

 ness of the variegated Pine-apple plant. Warm soft water, copiously 

 apijlied daily in summer and weekly in winter, and being placed on 

 inverted pots on a stone over the hot-water pipes, are its chief wants. 

 To obtain handsome uniform recurved -leaved stocky plants, a pair 

 may be grown on in a pinery in the usual way, and fruited. 



The crown or crowns thus produced — and I have seen as many as 

 seven on a fruit, potted as I have recommended, and grown on in a 

 careful manner — make perfectly noble plants. In truth they may be 

 termed real furniture-plants. It is erroneously supposed there are two 

 varieties of this plant, but the crimson hue sometimes seen is entirely 

 due to good cultivation. As a rule, crowns produce high-coloured 

 foliage, and suckers light. The variety caUed Porteana is not to be 

 compared to the one under notice. H. K. 



NEW VARIETIES OF FRUIT. 



In the article on " Xew Varieties of Fruit " by Mr Shortt, in the Decem- 

 ber number of the 'Gardener,' there are more mistakes than those 

 mentioned by "J. G. B." The Royal Ascot Grape is not truthfully 

 described. It is a strong-growing very prolific variety; the berries 

 are large, jet-black, and covered with a dense bloom. Three finer 

 bunches of Black Grapes I have seldom seen than those with which 

 Mr Standish gained the second prize at the Regent Park Botanic 

 Society's Flower and Fruit Show in June last. They were beat by 

 a very fine dish of Golden Hambros, but there were at least twenty 

 dishes in competition, and amongst them some good Muscats. I have 

 also seen it at Ascot, as well as at other shows ; I also saw it in Edin- 

 burgh at the exhibition in September, and was surprised that Mr 

 Standish sent such a poor example of it to the Scottish capital. I 

 grow the Grape here, and have come to the conclusion that it is an 

 excellent variety to cultivate. 



Prince of Wales Peach is described as having very large fruit; it 

 has carried good crops of fruit here the last two seasons, medium size 

 only, of a distinct flavour. Mr Rivers has raised some good Peaches, 

 but I do not think Prince of Wales is one of them. 



Princess of Wales is a first-rate Peach, but Mr Shortt is in error in 

 his description, as it has very large flowers, and ripens in September, 

 at the same time as Walburton Admirable, to which the fruit bears a 

 close resemblance; the flowers are quite difi'erent, however. Dr Hogg 

 makes the same mistake in the ' Fruit Manual ; ' he says it ripens in the 

 end of November. 



