60 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



been used. These late varieties are very much wanting in the Muscat 

 and vinous flavour of the Muscat of Alexandria and Hamburgs respec- 

 tively. This deficiency, we are certain, might very generally be mucli 

 improved or made up by the warmer and earlier treatment pointed 

 out by our correspondent. 



Take one or two cases in our own experience bearing on this point. 

 We for some years forced our second house of Black Hamburgs to ripen 

 in June. At the hot end of this bouse there was one Yine of Black 

 Lady Downes, which bore remarkably well j of course the fruit on 

 it was left hanging on the Vine for many weekr after all the Ham- 

 burgs were used. They generally hung through the heat of summer 

 without the shghtest signs of shrivelling, and sometimes were not cut 

 till the Hamburgs were shedding their leaves. These Lady Downes 

 attained to a degree of flavour which we have never known in that 

 Grape in any other instance. Last year we had two rods of Gros 

 Guillaume in a Muscat-house, one at the extreme cool end of the 

 house, and the other close to the extreme warm end. The latter ri- 

 pened at least a month before those at the cold end, and in October 

 and November were vastly superior in flavour to those on the Vine at 

 the cool end of the house. It may be mentioned as another point 

 not unworthy of consideration in this case, that the early-ripened 

 bunches were from a rod grafted on [Muscat of Alexandria ; and our 

 experience leads us to look on the Muscat as one of the best, if not 

 the very best, stocks for other Vines ; and also that this had perhaps 

 a little to do with the flavour. We think there can be no doubt that 

 if Mr Henderson's suggestions were more generally acted upon, less 

 would be heard of the coarsenessof some of our otherwise very desirable 

 varieties of Grapes. Some of the Blacks might perhaps not colour so 

 well in a high temperature ; but of course the house could be kept 

 cooler while the colouring process is going on, and resumed for a time 

 afterwards, for Grapes are not by any means ripe immediately they are 

 coloured, especially the Black sorts ; and we think it of importance 

 that they should be subjected to a high temperature and dry air for a 

 time after the last touch of colour "'las been assumed. 



It would, indeed, be singular if those late varieties of Grapes were 

 not, like other fruits, beneficially influenced by the all-important 

 agents, heat, light, and dry air — agents which render them more sugary, 

 l3ss watery and insipid, and consequently more agreeable to the 

 palate, and more likely to keep well till spring. They are less likely 

 to ferment, damp off", and shrivel when ripened comparatively early 

 than when retarded ; and, as is too often the case, ripened when light 

 and heat have considerably declined. 



