216 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



Thick-skinned sorts only, such as Kempsey Alicante and Lady 

 Downe's, can be kept so late in the season as the examples here 

 referred to ; but Black Hamburgh and other thin-skinned varieties 

 may be kept much longer suspended in a dry room, with the ends of 

 the stems inserted in bottles of water, than they can be preserved in 

 houses filled with plants. Grapes grown in ground vineries may also 

 be kept for a considerable period in the same manner. In a com- 

 munication received from Mr. Temple, the mode of keeping late 

 grapes at Balbirnie is described as follows : — 



"The Lady Downe's grapes referred to were ripe in August, cut 

 in November (I think some earlier and some later, but these were 

 among the earliest). The temperature would average from 40 to 

 50 deg., but sometimes down nearly to the freezing point. They 

 were kept in the dark. The structure in which they were kept is a 

 common fruit-room, where apples, pears, seed-potatoes, etc., were 

 crammed. The water in the bottles was never changed entirely, but 

 a little was added once or twice. A few pieces of charcoal were 

 placed in many of the bottles, though some had none, but there was 

 no difference in keeping, taste, etc. The water was partly rain and 

 spring water from a tank used to catch all the waste water. The 

 ends of the wood above the bunch, about half an inch long, were 

 rubbed with Thompson's Styptic. The fruit-room was frequently 

 fumigated with sulphur, a practice we perform to keep insects and 

 mice from establishing their quarters. About 120 bunches were thus 

 kept, and I am not aware that any of them decayed, except a few 

 berries in April on some very close bunches. I attribute their keep- 

 ing so sound to thorough ripening early in the season, firing hard, 

 with top and front air on a month or six weeks after the fruit was 

 apparently ' finished.' We have practised this system for five years 

 past with the same results, and have no difficulty in keeping White 

 and Black Muscats in good condition till March. We had some this 

 season till the 4th of that month, which were cut early last August. 

 If you should desire any grapes sent a month hence or later, probably 

 I may be able to do so, as we have a quantity still in a small shed, 

 which are finer than those sent. The latest date to which we have 

 kept Lady Downe's in good condition was June 10th. We exhibited 

 a bunch three years ago on that date. They were coloured in the 

 July of the previous year." 



Propagating Zonal Pelargoniums. — J\ T .T2.— "The best and surest way'' to 

 propagate Zonal Pelargoniums is to strike the cuttings in the open border some 

 time during July, August, and September. Select au open, sunny situation, and if 

 the soil is at all heavy, add a little light, sandy soil, such as the refuse of the 

 potting-bench or road-scrapings, before inserting the cuttings. Dibble the cuttings 

 in the border at a distance of about two inches apart, and after giving them one 

 moderately liberal watering to settle the soil about them, they should not be watered 

 artificially until they are taken up and put in pots, un 'ess the weather happens to 

 be very dry, and then a moderate watering once a week will be of material assist- 

 ance. They should be put in pots immediately they are struck, for when allowed 

 to remain until firmly established in the border they suffer a severe check when 

 taken up. Liberal waterings and a confined atmosphere are the chief causes of 

 the cuttings of these plants decaying at the base. 



