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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEK AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ Jul7 25,. 1867. 



needs be old to be cUurch-like and to affect the miad as a 

 church ought, making one instinctively feel that it is a church. 

 True it is that we may prefer an ancient building well restored, 

 where; 



" An heraldic shield. 

 Varying its tincture with the chanfreful light. 

 Imbues the altar window. Fixed aloft 

 A faded hatchment hangs, and one by time 

 Yet undiscoloured ; and on the floor beneath 

 Sepulchral stones appear, with emblems graven. 

 And foot.worn epitaphs, and some with small 

 And shining effigies of brass inlaid." 



Such a church we may prefer ; but so well is church architec- 

 ture understood, that many a new and inexpensive building 

 conveys to the mind church-like feelings. 



As I entered this village church on this harvest festival there 

 lay, leaning against the communion rails, a goodly sheaf of 

 Wheat. Surely none could object to a decoration so simple 

 yet expressive. Suitable psalms and lessons were read, and 

 hymns sung ; and I ascended the pulpit to give a brief and, I 

 hope, not unsuitable address. More of heart seemed in the 

 service than on ordinary occasions ; perhaps that sheaf of 

 Wheat, that silent reminder of thankfulness due, had some- 

 thing to do with it. The harvest service over, we partly re- 

 crossed the green to reach the schoolroom, exchanging greet- 

 ings, meeting, of course, that cantankerous individual (life is 

 never wholly smooth), "who saw no good in these sort of 



things; it made poor folks idle — and — and — and ." Bat 



no more of him. As said a good-natured man, "it takes all 

 sorts to make a world ;" so we will jjut one sort against another, 

 and be comforted. 



The schoolroom door is at length opened, and we find the 

 interior transformed into a horticultural show. The sloping 

 desks, their slope reversed and all joined together, formed a 

 sloping counter, which was covered with white calico ; upon 

 this stood, each prevented slipping forward by a couple of 

 slender nails, numerous plates of Apples, Pears, Plums, 

 Peaches, Grapes, and other fruits. Grand old-fashioned china 

 were some of the plates, taken out of snug cupboards for the 

 day. There were floral devices in other parts of the room. On 

 a side table stood a cottage, and garden, and arbour, neatly 

 made to imitate reality, the work of a maid servant. Then, of 

 course, there were gouty-looking Vegetable Marrows, green 

 caterpillar-like Cucumbers, plates of Potatoes cooked and un- 

 cooked. In the class-room were the farm roots, and the less 

 ornamental vegetables. Texts in flowers decorated the walls 

 of the schoolroom, and a floral crown was suspended from the 

 ceiling. 



Wisely, so I think, no prizes were given. A village is so 

 small a place, people such close neighbours, tittle-tattle so 

 rife, that there might easily be heartburnings, disputes, tiffs, 

 'huffs, and even grave quarrels. As it was, everybody seemed 

 convinced he or she deserved to have had the first prize. How 

 iondly and proudly, not " TJpw.ir.DS and Oswards" more 

 so, did .John hang over his plate of Potatoes! How pleased 

 Mary was with her dish of Grapes ! And Mary's Mary, little 

 5Poll, eyed with infinite gratification a plate of Apples off her 

 own tree, which father had grafted. Bless the folks, they 

 seemed very happy, and reconciled with pleasurable self-satis- 

 faction any little supposed inferiority, thus — " If Thomas's be 

 ■the biggest bunch, mine has the biggest berries;" or, "Wil- 

 lum's (Wiltshire for William's) Pears be bigger nor mine, 

 but hisu eat like taties, but mine melt in the mouth like 

 ih utter." 



So each seemed satisfied, and each in thought had a first prize. 

 Much pleasure, too, seemed to have been caused by the vicar 

 having written in his good round hand (clergymen write better 

 than they formerly did, it is a poor vanity to be proud of writ- 

 ing badly), each' one's name, and the name of the fruit; but 

 whether Dr. Hogg would have said in all cases it was the right 

 name I much dou'ot, for on the card was often merely a local 

 name. The crowd entered at one door, passed through slowly, 

 and out at the opposite door, so that there was no crushing 

 from people meeting, no confusion and tearing of skirts, or a 

 thin man sandwiched between two fat ones. 



This horticultural show was, of course, strictly parochial : in 

 that consisted a great excellence. In due time, as the evening 

 camo on, there was a public tea in the open air, not formal, but 

 each one, or each group of friends, took tea, and then walked 

 again into the schoolroom. The vicar broke up the paity early, 

 so that good order might not be distuibed, and all might be at 

 their homes bv daylight. Such was this Parochial Harvest 

 J?estival and Horliciiltural Show. I have put an account of it 



on paper, believing that it is a copy worth}' of general imitation. 

 — Wiltshire Uectoi:. 



JUDGING GRAPES. 



Any one who is in the habit of attending our great horticul- 

 tural exhibitions, and is at all interested in the culture of 

 Grapes, must have very fre(iueutly observed what Mr. Thom- 

 son complains of in the last number of The Jouknal of Hor- 

 ticulture — the want of " some fixed principles to guide judges 

 when deciding on the merits of Grapes." We are certainly 

 very much in want of some fixed and generally recognised 

 standard to guide judges and competitors, so that there may 

 be less chance and more certainty in the judging and selection 

 of fruit for exhibition purposes. 



I quite agree with what Mr. Thomson soys about fine flavour ■ 

 not being always associated with high colour and fine bloom. 

 It not unfrequently happens that the reverse is the case, not 

 only with Black Hamburghs, but also with Muscats and other 

 varieties, where I have frequently observed high colour without 

 fine flavour, and fine flavour without high colour. In my ex- 

 perience this has been the exception, not the rule; it never- 

 theless points out the necessity of all judges tasting Grapes 

 before deciding on their merits, and not taking it for granted 

 that because they are well coloured they will be well flavoured. 



It is well known that some varieties, remarkable for their 

 fine colour and bloom, are not high flavoured — such as the 

 Black Prince, and amongst Hamburghs the Dutch Hamburgh, 

 which is often shown by exhibitors for the Black Hamburgh, 

 and difficult without tasting to distinguish from it. The Dutch 

 Hamburgh produces a very large berry, and generally colours 

 well; indeed, when well grown, it is one of the finest-looking 

 varieties of Hamburgh in cultivation. I have it at present 

 growing with berries nearly as large as Orleans Plums, and the 

 colour all that could be desired. In the same house there is 

 growing a Vine of the Victoria Hamburgh with equally large 

 berries, but not so highly coloured, the bunches being some- 

 what larger than those of the Dutch Hamburgh. Were the Dutch 

 Hamburgh placed on an exhibition table against the Victoria 

 Hamburgh, according to the prevalent mode of judging the high 

 colour of the Dutch Hamburgh would secure for it the award 

 of the judges. Were they placed on any nobleman or gentle- 

 man's table the award would assuredly be given in favour of 

 the Victoria Hamburgh, its delicate flesh and fine flavour at 

 once counterbalancing the finer appearance of the Dutch Ham- 

 burgh, which, however well finished, is but a coarse-fleshed 

 and inferior-flavoured variety of Hamburgh. 



Although long of opinion that too much weight has been 

 given by judges to colour, and too little to flavour, still I think 

 that a large allowance should always be made where colour exists 

 in a high degree, and is associated with fine flavour ; but with- 

 out this requisite quality I consider no award should ever be 

 made by judges, however pleasing and attractive the appearance 

 of the tjiapes may be on an exhibition table, because without 

 flavour they are unpalatable, and, consequently, unfit for the 

 purpose for which they are grown. — Auchibald Fowlek, Castle 

 Kennedy J Striutraer. 



STKAWBEllllIES— POTATOES. 



Eclipse, Wonderful, Princess Alice, Marguerite, Sir Joseph 

 Paxton, Premier, President, are all inferior in flavour to In- 

 gram's Prince of AVales. This variety is so hardy and so 

 fruitful, so juicy, and has such a pleasing flavour, that I value 

 it above all those I have mentioned. 



Mr. Tottie's gardener, a good fruitist, was here the other 

 day ; he pronounced Prince of Wales, La Constante, and 

 British Queen the best three varieties for general purposes, 

 and he is right. La Constante gives me an excellent crop ; 

 not so good as last year, but very fair considering all things. 

 British Queen is very healthy, and shows its exceeding hardi- 

 ness by looking nearly as well as last year. The crop is light, 

 not because the plant failed to flower, but the frost or cutting 

 winds killed two-thirds of the flowers. La Constante also 

 suffered from the same cause. 



Crimson Queen was badly cut up, but is giving an excellent 

 crop. Frogmore Late Pine shows tenderness, and has suffered 

 more than any other sort. John Powell is very good, but not 

 equal to British Queen. Dr. Hogg is most excellent, with a 

 pleasing Pine flavour. I intend to increase this variety all I 

 can. Souvenir do la Kiefi' is hardy, and a stronger grower 

 than La Constante, from which it was raised. It is later thau 



