212 THE GARDENER. [May 



Society of London in April and May wliicli were awarded a special 

 certificate (but I have not yet seen it), and two letters sent for inquiries 

 as to their treatment, >^c., stating that they were the finest flavoured 

 late Grapes which had been sent to South Kensington after being 

 cut and hung up with their wood in bottles of water. These were 

 the earliest ripened late Grapes I ever had. It is only fair 

 to state that if I had last winter been called to keep Grapes 

 from these Vines late in the season, I could not have done it 

 so satisfactorily as formerly. The cold, wet, and sunless season was so 

 trying for Vines which had their roots entirely outside, that thorough 

 ripening was a difficult matter : fortunately for the earlier lots an extra 

 demand early in autumn consumed them without loss. I have at 

 present, 14th April, some very fine Alicantes, as fresh in berry and 

 footstalk as ever they were ; they were cut late in February and hung 

 up in a cupboard in my dwelling-house (our fruitroom being more 

 like a drill-hall for size, I preferred having the Grapes in smaller quar- 

 ters). These were ripened (as far as I can learn) early in September 

 under rough plate-glass. I am much in favour of rough plate-glass 

 for Grapes, and other purposes. AYe never had to cut out a single 

 berry from decay this year, except a few in January, when a quantity 

 of plants had to be crammed in the late houses : these houses are very 

 flat and about six feet high at front. A more trying time for wet I 

 never knew. These Alicantes were grown by Mr John Austin, my 

 much respected predecessor, who did much to improve the Vines here. 

 It wiU be seen from these fragmentary remarks that I am inclined to 

 support Mr Henderson, and have given an outline of my experience 

 for w^hat it may be worth. M. Temple. 



Blenheim. 



[How doctors differ ! We wish we were in a position to exchange rough 

 plate-glass for clear sheet with Mr Temple ; but then Mr T. is in Oxford, we in 

 gloomy Dumfries. — Ed.] 



KEEPING OF LATE-IlIPE]SrED GRAPES. 



Anext this subject I would just state that part of our Lady Downes 

 Grapes, which, as I stated before, were not ripe till the end of October 

 last, are still hanging, April 15, in the fruit-room, having been 

 bottled since February, and are in exactly the same condition as 

 regards preservation as the bunch sent to you on the 10th of March. 

 Most of the bunches are perfectly intact, not a shrivelled berry is to 

 be observed, and they look as if they would keep for a long while yet. 

 The bottles are not filled with water, but with moist charcoal-dust and 

 soil. J. Simpson. 



WORTLEY. 



