Aogust 8, 1867. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIODLTOHB AND COTTAGE OABDENEB. 



97 



cot. Is not the Mari'^chal much more nearly allied to the 

 Noisettes than tu the Teas '.' 



With me Lord Herbert will not open a flower fit to look at ; 

 if the Bun shines it scorches in the bud, and it the weather is 

 damp and dull it rots olT; but a most beautiful bloom of this 

 variety, grown without protection, was sent to one of the large 

 shows. The variety called Princess of Wales is of a splendid 

 colour when it first opens, but is rather too thin, lied Rover 

 is useless. 



As high-coloured Roses, I recommend Charles Lefebvre, 

 Duo de Wellington, EugC'ue Appert (should be worked on dwarf 

 Blocks), Fisher Holmes, Lord Clyde, Lord Macaulay, and 

 iladame Victor Verdier. Of rose-coloured and rosy crimson— - 

 Anna de Diesbach, Beauty of Wultham, Colonel de Rougemont, 

 Comtesse de Chabrillant, .John Hopper, Jules Margottin, Ma- 

 dame ThCrOso Levet, and Victor Verdier. Of very dark velvety 

 sorts, Empereur de Maroc and Prince Camillo de Rohan with- 

 stand bright sun better than any. Madame Vidot, a very beau- 

 tiful blush tinged with rose, is one of the very best shaped 

 Boses grown ; it should bo worked as a dwarf, lladame Alfred 

 OB Rougemont, as an almost pure white, is very excellent 

 either for pot-culture or the open ground. There is little 

 difference in the pure white Perpetuals. Imperatrice Eugunie 

 and Mdlle. Bonnaire both flower well, but are weak growers. 

 Madame Freeman is a free-flowering white, but the blooms are 

 too heavy for the wood. Xavier Olibo is not much. Rushton 

 Radclyffe is third-rate. lu the Hybrid Bourbon class Jules 

 Cesar and Rov. H. Dombrain are excellent. — F. Flitton. 



P.S. — Since writing you on the variegation of leaves (\'ol. XIL, 

 page 385), I have mixed various acids with some soil and potted 

 singly in three pots very small plants of Brassica, at the same 

 time planting in ordinary soil in another pot one plant. The 

 acids appear to have no effect on the foliage, but, singularly 

 enough, the plant in the ordinary soil has become variegated. 



JUDGING GllAPES. 



The discussion as to judging Grapes being once more revived, 

 I have been induced to ask myself the following question — Is it 

 necessary to alter the present system of judging Grapes at hor- 

 ticultural exhibitions to that of tasting? I think not, for the 

 present system works well, and with very few exceptions gives 

 ^cat satisfaction to exhibitors and employers ; it is also con- 

 venient, and nine times out of ten the decisions of the judges 

 are correct. 



I maintain my opinion, that a bunch of Grapes of first-rate 

 colour, be the variety what it may, has much more to recom- 

 mend it than one of second or third-rate colour. It looks 

 first-rate on the table; its flesh is firm and melting ; its juice 

 is rich and abundant, according to the variety, and it is in the 

 highest state of perfection and flavour to which it is possible to 

 bring the kind, showing at the same time with what skill 

 and judgment it has been grown, and how uniformly the roots 

 have acted in harmony with the branches and atmospheric 

 treatment. Not so with an inferior-coloured bunch, its flesh is 

 not so solid, it does not look well on the table, its juice is more 

 abundant perhaps, but not so rich, and altogether it indicates 

 a deficiency in culture in respect to the Vino being over-cropped, 

 deficient in root-action, having bad soil and drainage, or being 

 affected by some such cause. I have invariably noticed in my 

 late vinery that the best coloured Grapes always keep longest 

 and best, thereby confirming the advice once given by Mr. R. 

 Fish, who says that those who want their late Grapes to keep 

 must have them thoroughly coloured by autumn. These are 

 important circumstances in favour of colour in Grapes. 

 _ There is another method by which I have been convinced 

 that flavour accompanies colour — that is, by allowing a perfectly 

 coloured bunch to hang until it begins to lose its colour, and I 

 find it also loses flavour in proportion, but not to such an 

 extent as an inferior-coloured one, which will soon become 

 worthless, simply through not being brought to that high 

 colour and finish which I consider a pretty sure guide to good 

 flavour. 



I am well aware of the superiority in flavour which some va- 

 rieties possess over other.s, but then the schedules of the London 

 Societies are so arranged as to prevent as much as possible an 

 inferior variety from stepping in before better ones, except in 

 such cases as mentioned by Mr. Fowler, between the Dutch 

 and Victoria Hamburghs, which I think are quite exceptions, 

 and not of such frequent occurrence at our London shows as 

 to warrant our present system of judging Grapes being changed 



to that of tasting them, which system would necessitate other 

 fruits being tasted, and, I fear, would not only increase the 

 labours of the judges, but would be objectionable to employers, 

 and cause dissatisfaction among exhibitors. Nevertheless, 

 while paying due regard to colour, I would also do so to flavour 

 where it was possible. And it is in the case of many local 

 societies where I would call for this alteration ; many such 

 societies divide Grapes into two classes only (Black and White), 

 without naming the sort to be shown. Here ono often sees 

 many varieties in each class, and, perhaps, Buckland Sweet- 

 water taking the award in preference to Muscat of Alexandria, 

 or Black Prince in preference to Muscat Hamburgh, or Black 

 Hamburgh, when, without tasting, it is well known which has 

 the best flavour, although, perhaps, the colour is only second- 

 rate. To such societies I would suggest that they should 

 name the variety to bo shown, and follow in the track of the 

 London societies where possible ; then if the judges take colour 

 as a principal guide, I venture to say their decisions will not be 

 far wrong. — Thosias Record, Gardener to Colonel Loyd, Uawk- 

 hurst, 



WiiiLi; the subject of judging Grapes is under consideration, 

 I would beg to ask. What should bo the flavour of Black Ham- 

 burghs (Muscats, Frontignans, and others in these classes by 

 their peculiar flavour decide themselves) ? In most cases pro- 

 prietors who partake of a good dessert daily are of one opinion 

 in this matter ; yet we find judges at horticultural exhibitions 

 differ more on this point than any other connected with Grape- 

 judging. Some give preference to sweetness alone, though, 

 perhaps, insensible to any of the real Grape flavour being 

 present. 



It is very common at provincial shows for judges to be guided 

 by the eye alone, never tasting the fruit at all, and giving pre- 

 ference to large bunches. I have also known flavour, accord- 

 ing to certain palates, rule the decision, though the fruit in 

 appearance was unfit for any gentleman's table. One instance 

 of this I give as an example. At a horticultural show, held a 

 few years ago at an enterprising town east from London, I ob- 

 served a dish of greenish-brown Hamburghs awarded the first 

 prize, flavour being the only point considered by the judges 

 necessary to decide (the schedule said the best dish of black 

 Grapes, no number of bunches being given). On the same ex- 

 hibition-table there were numerous dishes of excellent Grapes, 

 to all appearance perfect. The other exhibitors, as might be 

 expected, were dissatisfied with the judging. The managers o£ 

 the Society could not account for it ; the judges were inquired 

 at, and the reply given was that the Grapes were like sugar, 

 and sweeter than any others on the table. The judges were 

 two in number, one of them an old man of great experience (?) 

 in these matters, having judged Grapes more than twenty 

 years, and never believed himself to be more correct in any 

 case than that one. The exhibitor (who was anxious to establish 

 the fact that his Grapes were best), allowed his fruit to be 

 tasted by all present, most of whom corroborated the old, 

 judge's statement, that they were •' like sugar," but also added, 

 " water, and something else." They were such as would not 

 be eaten by any one who could have the choice of insipid 

 Gooseberries instead. 



On the other side of the question it is not uncommon to see 

 on exhibition-tables magnificent Grapes, both as regards colour 

 and size of berry and bunch, but when tasted it is found that 

 they would require several weeks to bring them to their proper 

 condition. We have Grapes which were a month ago as black 

 as Sloes, and to all appearance " finished," but which are only 

 fit for table now. Fortunately, I have only had a few badly- 

 coloured Grapes ; these I had to give away, as their appearance 

 would not be tolerated on my employer's table, however perfect 

 their flavour might be, high colour and large berries being of 

 great importance, and flavour indispensable. The size of 

 bunches is not called in question when there are plenty of them. 

 — M. Temple, Balbirnie, ilarkinch. 



I UkW. often heard it remarked that brown or red-coloured 

 Hamburgh Grapes are superior in flavour to black Hamburghs, 

 the varieties being the same, and a gentleman whom I served 

 in the capacity of under gardener, was never quite satisfied with 

 the Black Hamburgh Grapes, if they finished off with a black 

 colour. Nevertheless, even at that time I was very sceptical 

 on this point. The difference in the flavour of the varieties of 

 Hamburgh Grapes has, I have no doubt, a certain influence ; 

 but so also have the different states of ripeness. A grower for 

 market living in this neighbourhood (Uford), sends his Ham- 



