350 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t May 1, 1873. 



perhaps, nearly what would have been the case had they 

 remained on the Vines ; and on the 14th of April Mr. Boulton, 

 jny successor at Belton, informed me these bunches were in 

 every way m splendid condition both in footstalk and berry, 

 and I am further informed that not a berry had been cut out 

 of the bunches from the first. This I consider is conclusive 

 as to the merits of half-charring the cut before insertion in 

 the water. 



On the 3rd of January another lot was cut and half-charred ; 

 these kept beautifully to the last, lost very few berries, and 

 caused little trouble. 



On the 11th of Februar,y another lot was cut, and in order 

 to satisfy myself as to the capability of the bark to take up 

 water the cut-ends of all those branches on which the bunches 

 hung were quite sealed up with a composition of shellac and 

 spirits of wine rubbed into the pores of the wood, when dry 

 rubbed over again with the same composition, and when 

 again dry the ends were put as deeply into the water as the 

 length of the branch would allow. By the 25th the foot- 

 stalks exhibited signs of distress, clearly showing that no 

 •water had passed through the bark. The sealed ends were at 

 once cut off, and the bunches put into the water ; they re- 

 covered in a couple of days, were then taken out and dried, 

 half-charred, and re-inserted in the water. After this the 

 Grapes kept perfectly as long as retjuired, and I had no more 

 trouble with them. 



The last house of Grapes was cut on the 27th of February ; 

 the ends of aU the shoots were half-charred, then put into the 

 water irrespective of depth, as I had previously proved that 

 water did not pass through the bark. These kept perfectly to 

 the last without any further trouble, as, I believe, very few 

 berries had to be taken out. In all cases, by keeping perfectly, 

 I wish it to be understood that I mean the footstalks of the 

 herries remained gnen and firm and the berries plump, retain- 

 ing their bloom and flavour. 



The varieties of Grapes kept as above at Belton were chiefly 

 Muscat of Alexandria aud Black Alicante, with Madresfield 

 Court, White Tokay, and White Nice. Madresfield Court did 

 not keep well after the middle of January. White Tokay kept 

 well, as also did White Nice, although the last-named were 

 large bunches, but when placed in the room their shoulders 

 were tied up. The Muscats kept perfectly when charred or 

 cemented ; when not so treated the skin of some of the berries 

 was discoloured, showing the effect of taking up too much 

 water. 



I consider the past has been au unfavourable season for 

 keeping Grapes, owing to the unusually wet late autumn and 

 winter, and the mildness of the latter. From the 9th of De- 

 cember to the 15th of I''ebruary inclusive there were forty-nine 

 days on which the thermometer indicated 40° or upwards, the 

 highest being 53° on the 3rd of January. I ought to say in 

 conclusion that the Grape room was kept thoroughly dry and 

 as cool as the esttrual temperature would allow. Plenty of 

 air and light were given on all faioirable occasioas. The pipes 

 were used only to dry the room, and for this purpose the heat 

 was turned on during the early part of fine days, when plenty of 

 air could be given at the same time. In all cases the heat was 

 shut off by two o'clock in the afternoon, so that the pipes were 

 cool by the time the room was closed. I had canvas pads 

 stuffed with hay made to fit inside the windows and venti- 

 lators so as to be applied in a few minutes. In case of sharp 

 frost the doors and windows were also protected by thick canvas 

 outside, and by these means a considerable degree of frost 

 could be kept out without having recourse to the pipes, which 

 should be used only when other meaus fail. Mr. Nisbet says 

 very truly the three evils to be guarded against are damp, 

 frost, and artificial heat ; and I will add a fourth — namely, too 

 much water being taken up through the pores of the wood. 

 It is quite unimportant whether the bottles are stoppered or 

 not. — W. Moore, late Gardener to Earl Brou-nlow. 



NEW ROSES AT SOUTH KENSINGTON— 

 AUEICULAS. 

 Why need my good friend who objects to my judgment write 

 with such acerbity ? Surely one may question the decision 

 even of the Floral Committee without benig considered pre- 

 sumptuous. One might almost imagine it was some newly 

 elected member, who, proud of his honours, was anxious like a 

 prrux clu'valier to defend his lady-love against all comers. I 

 am no way convinced by your correspondent's notes that I am 

 wrong, and time will show whether my judgment wiU be en 



dorsed by Rose-growers generally. I do not think Lyonnais 

 or President Thiers worthy of the honours they received, and 

 I do maintain that, although Etienne Levet was slightly defec- 

 tive, it ought to have supplanted one of them ; and with all 

 humility I would here say that it is just possible that the judg- 

 ment of one who has lived among Roses may be quite as likely 

 to be correct as the decision of a heterogeneous C'ummittee, 

 many of whom, perhaps, never grew a Rose, however celebrated 

 they may be in other directions, and who decide by majorities 

 whether a flower is to be certificated or not. 



Mons. Claude Levet, alluded to by your correspondent, I had 

 already so marked as a valuable Rose that I secured the bloom 

 to have a drawing made of it for publication ; and Mr. George 

 Paul's foreman, whose opinion I should be as much inclined to 

 take as that of anyone I know, says it is the best Rose of this 

 year that he has seen. 



A word or two as to the Auriculas on the Ifith. If the show 

 last season was the best seen in London for many years, one 

 may without question say that the show this year was the 

 poorest. I have grown Auriculas for thirty-five years, and 

 never remember to have seen them so late as they are this 

 season. In all my collection I could not get six fully open, 

 and other growers were equally late, while as a rule plants, 

 though healthy, are not throwing up strong trusses. It is one 

 of those disappointments all growers of flowers must meet 

 with, even although their theories may be good and their- 

 practice correct. — D., Deal. 



CULVEEKEYS. 

 The popular name for Cowslips in this part of Kent (near 

 Ashford) is Covekeys, the villagers never calling the CowsUps 

 anythmg else, while the Oxlips they call Cowslips. It seems 

 to me as near Culverkeys as any of the names mentioned in 

 the Journal, especially as they have curious modes of pro- 

 nouncing words, frequently leaving out letters entirely. — Edith 

 DoMBRiiN, If'cstwell Vicarage. 



The term Culverkeys is in general use among all the poorer 

 classes of this neighboui'hood, and is applied to the Cowslip 

 (Primula veris), while the Oxlip (P. elatior) they term Cowslip. 

 Culverkey wine is a much-admired beverage. Of the deriva- 

 tion of the word I can give no opinion. — E. D. Swan, Hothfield 

 Rectory, Ashford, Kent. 



The Culverkey is well known in Somersetshire, and applies 

 to the Bluebell (Hyacinthus non-scriptus). In Oxfordshire 

 and Essex the same flower is by some called Culvers. I trust 

 this may help to clear-up the mystery. — A Gaiideneb, llalsall 

 Heath, Birminijham. 



[So far is our "Gaedener" correspondent, and our two 

 manse correspondents from clearing-up the mystery, that they 

 have made it more mysterious. If, in Kent, Cowslips are called 

 Culverkeys, then they are not tlje flowers that are alluded to 

 in the verses of Lennys in 1C12, for he distinguishes them 

 especially as being blue, " azor (azure) Culverkayes." Walton 

 expressly distinguishes them, for he says, " Looking down the 

 meadows I could see a girl cropping Culverkeys and Cow- 

 slips to make garlands." If, too, the Cowslip, Hyacinth non- 

 scriptus, and Meadow Orchis, are in various localities known as 

 " Culverkeys," then it would seem that our country-folk apply 

 the name to any flower having a cluster of flowers on the top 

 of a common stalk. Yet we do not swerve from our conclusion 

 that the name is derived from the ancient British, or Welsh, 

 and that the name in that language was appropriated ex- 

 clusively to the Meadow Orchis. — Ens.] 



PRINCE ALBERT PINE APPLE. 



Man-y thanks to Mr. J. Foden for his descriptive explana- 

 tion of the Black Prince and King Alfred Pine Apples. Any- 

 thing that has a tendency to popularise a variety of Pine 

 Apple is perused with interest. According to the account at 

 page 315, I am of opinion that Prince Albert remains distinct, 

 and has no connection whatever with Black Prince and King 

 Alfred — the two creditable productions of the deceased Mr. 

 Joseph Foden. 



The great peouUarity or characteristic of Foden's Black 

 Prince, throwing-up its long fruiting stem without any appear- 

 ance of fruit for a long time, never occurs with the variety which 

 has so long retained the unquestioned name of Prince Albert. 

 I have a strong aversion, for obvious reasons, to the naked 



