1879] FRUIT CULTURE. 415 



disputed that Vines should be in a thoroughly healthy condition of 

 leaf to produce good Grapes 1 I think not. 



The point in dispute was raised in the following way : I observed 

 by reading in the horticultural press that J. S. W. had sent some 

 large Vine leaves to London, to be inspected as a proof of extraordinary 

 Vine-growing. I thought this illustration one-sided altogether, and so 

 I wrote an article to ' The Gardener,' condemning the practice of send- 

 ing leaves without the fruit attached as being a proof of superior 

 cultivation. 



I daresay J. S. W., and perhaps others, may think that I am con- 

 testing this point for the sake of argument ; but such is not the case, for 

 I am so struck with the condition of some of the Vines here, that I am 

 thinking (notwithstanding the distance) of sending a sample of wood 

 and leaves to the Editor, so that he may express his opinion upon them. 

 The wood and leaves are extraordinary, considering the state of the 

 roots, and prove conclusively to my mind that many of our preconceived 

 notions with regard to fruit culture will not, at all events in all cases, 

 stand good. 



J. S. W. admits that there are cases in which big leaves may not 

 indicate good crops. Then where is the use of sending leaves that are 

 not accompanied by fruit 1 J. S. W.'s motto is, Get good foliage, — the 

 larger the better, if matured. Observe, if matured ! The point I con- 

 test is, the wisdom of growing leaves as big as J. S. W. would seem to 

 recommend in our dull climate. I am challenged to furnish a single 

 example of a crop of well-finished Grapes that were not accompanied 

 by good foliage of proportionately large size. I gladly accept that 

 challenge, but it must be distinctly understood that my idea of good 

 foliage does not tally with that of J. S. W. I can honestly aver that 

 the grand crops of Grapes — prize Grapes — grown by Mr Junnington of 

 Calderstone Gardens, near Liverpool, Mr Mease of Wyncotte, and Mr 

 Roberts of the same neighbourhood, and many others, of which those 

 grown at Manor House, Claughton, Birkenhead, and the Garston Vine- 

 yard, are notable examples. In all these cases the foliage was clean, 

 well-developed, and thick to the feel — or leathery, as the common 

 phrase goes — but in no case were the dimensions of the leaves equal 

 to that described by J. S. W. in the columns of ' The Garden.' 



At the great fruit-show held in Pomona Gardens, Manchester, about 

 four or five years ago, in the class for eight varieties of Grapes, the 

 competition between Mr Upjohn of Worsley and Mr Hunter of Lamb- 

 ton was so close, that there was some difference of opinion as to which 

 should have been the winning collection, but ultimately Mr Upjohn's 

 " fine finish " carried the day, notwithstanding the larger bunches ex- 

 hibited by Mr Hunter. The finest bunches of Gros Colman I have 

 ever seen exhibited on any table in England were shown at Liverpool, 

 I think in 1873 or 1874, by Mr Upjohn, and the vines at Worsley do 

 not carry those Brobdignagian leaves that we are told of by J. S. W. 



