THE 



GARDENER. 



NOVEMBER 1881. 



LOW TEMPERATURES FOR MUSCAT GRAPES. 



N" last month's ' Gardener ' Mr Simpson takes exception to 

 an incidental remark of ours, in the August number, on 

 setting Muscat Grapes. He characterises our remark as 

 " exceptional and damaging testimony " against his advo- 

 cacy of setting Muscats at a temperature of 50°. We 

 want, in the first place, to assure Mr Simpson that we have not the 

 most faint desire to rob him of any credit that may belong to him for 

 the advocacy of this or any other practice. If our practice and ex- 

 perience, and the results thereof, have been different from Mr Simp- 

 son's, we cannot very well help that ; and our practice in several other 

 matters connected with Grape-growing is not in accordance with Mr 

 Simpson's teachings. 



The setting of Muscats is certainly a question of experience, but it 

 is something more, — it is a physiological question as well. And if Mr 

 Simpson expects us to believe that his successful setting of Muscats is 

 the direct result of a night-temperature of 50°, we must believe it on 

 the faith of his, and in spite of our own, experience and observation. 



Whether intentionally or not, Mr Simpson does not say to what 

 degree he runs up the heat of his Muscat-house for the greater portion 

 of the twenty-four hours with fire and sun heat. We suspect that the 

 setting of his Muscats, as in the case of other growers, is depend- 

 ent on having their pollen developed by the higher temperature and 

 drier air of the day, and not by the damp air and temperature of 50^ 

 at night, for it is contrary to facts and physiology to think that it can 

 be otherwise. We here appeal to the rank and file of those who have 

 been most successful in producing really good Muscat Grapes, if it is 

 not when the temperature is 70° to 75°, and not very damp, that Muscat 



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