May 27, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTURU AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



417 



itself Buoh in two inatanoes where all the ordinary varieties 

 have been tested, but the owners would never eat it themselves, 

 and it was sent to London by the hundredweight. Dr. Hogg's 

 " Fruit Manual " states that Black Alicante has nearly twenty 

 aliases — good proof of its worth ; and after describing it the 

 author speaks of its flavour as " similar to that of Black Ham- 

 burgh." What could be more correct ? But who will eat 

 Black Hamburgh except as a change when Lady Downe's Seed- 

 ling cau be had ? Bat what does the author of the " Fruit 

 Manual " say of Lady Downe's ? I turn to page 293, and find 

 it described as a "very valuable Grape, and may be ripened 

 in the heat of an ordinary vinery ; richly flavoured with a faint 

 trace of Muscat flavour, but not so much as to include it among 

 Muscats." This is equally precise, as all must know who have 

 cultivated the Grapes, only in some soils the Muscat flavour 

 is much greater than in others, but in none is the Grape de- 

 stitute of that fine aroma. The work also says that the berries 

 are increased in size but not improved in flavour when grafted 

 on the Black Hamburgh, while on Gros Guillaume it does not 

 succeed so well, but the flavour is improved. On the first 

 stock I have tested it but not on the second, and Mr. Luck- 

 hurst may do much to rectify one of the only faults he cau 

 bring against Lady Downe's Seedling by working it on the 

 Black Hamburgh stock; and the other — scalding, will, as I 

 have found, be less serious than when on its own roots. 



Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat I have found under ordinary 

 temperature to be infinitely superior to Alicante in flavour but 

 deficient in colour. It requires more than Hamburgh heat, 

 must carry plenty of foliage, and have good support at the 

 roots to colour it well. It is then a splendid Grape. Its fail- 

 ing point is in being slow to colour. 



I now turn to Gros Guillaume. This, as Mr. Lnckhurst 

 observes, is a splendid variety, and, as he opportunely suggests, 

 it is only shy when improperly treated. Pruned on the ortho- 

 dox spur system and with only ordinary heat it will seldom be 

 satisfactory ; but afford it heat, light, and room, and it will 

 return such bunches that no black Grape can equal, and in 

 flavour it is difficult to surpass, only let it hang until February 

 or March. This is a most valuable late Grape, and when 

 pruned long, and young shoots are trained-in annually, it 

 seldom fails to carry a sulHcieut number of enormous bunches 

 to yield a heavy crop. It is little use attempting to grow this 

 variety where it cannot have room to extend, light to perfect, 

 and heat to mature its growth ; but these necessary conditions 

 provided, it will fruit as a matter of course. 



But why do we not hear more of Madresfield Court as a 

 Black Grape to succeed the Hamburgh, and to use until the 

 very late sorts are in perfection ? It is one of the finest Grapes 

 ever raised ; it will ripen and colour in an ordinary tempera- 

 ture, and is a good cropper, free setter, and of superior flavour. 



— A NOETHEKN GaEDENEK. 



house contains such a mixed multitude, I naually assist them 

 with a little fire heat. 



I may state that the quality of the Alicante grown in an 

 early vinery have always been superior to those grown in a 

 late house. — G. R. Allis. 



I AM glad Mr. Luckhurst has brought the subject of late- 

 keeping Grapes before the public. I have often wondered how 

 it was that Lady Downe's Seedling should be placed at the 

 head of the list of late-keeping Grapes. I can bear out all 

 Mr. Luckhurst has said about Alicante and Lady Downe's 

 Seedling. My late vinery is similar to that of Mr. Luckhurst ; 

 it contains the following varieties — Lady Downe's Seedling, 

 Black Alicante, Mrs. Pince, Muscat of Alexandria, Duchess of 

 Buccleuch, Gros GuUlaume, Madresfield Court Muscat, and 

 Bowood Muscat. 



I suffer in the same way as Mr. Luckhurst, for in very hot 

 weather the Lady Downe's becomes almost baked, and some- 

 times to such an extent that many of the bunches are almost 

 skeletons after the thinning. This has occurred, and with 

 abundance of air circulating through the house, from early 

 morning until late in the afternoon. This scalding has never 

 happened to Alicante. Out of all the Grapes I have here 

 enumerated Alicante is the best late keeper. Mine, I feel satis- 

 fied, is the true kind, and answers exactly to ihe description 

 given by Mr. Pearson ; indeed I believe the Vines were supplied 

 by Mr. Pearson. 



To grow the Alicante successfully it will bear as much forcing 

 as a Muscat of Alexandria. I have one Alicante planted in 

 the first vinery, and this Vine is always more satisfactory than 

 any of the same kind in a late house. The Grapes on this 

 Vine are always left hanging until we want to prune the Vines, 

 we then place them in bottles. Usually these Grapes are 

 always in good condition after the same kind grown in a late 

 house have been used. This is a convincing proof that late- 

 keeping Grapes are better with a little forcing, and, as my lato 



A REMINDER-COLEWOETS. 



On or about the ,^Oth of May I have for a number of years 

 made it a practice to sow Early York Cabbage and the Dwarf 

 Green Colewort. But what a simple subject that is to write 

 about. True, it is simple, but then it is, like many other 

 simple matters, very useful. It often requires the withdrawal 

 of a simpUeity of lite to render its value appreciable. When 

 we have anything in abundance its value is apt to be under- 

 estimated, but take it away for a season and the blank created 

 is every day pressing its unwelcome presence on our notice. 

 I was for one season without these simple necessities. I 

 omitted to sow the seed, and my neighbours, like a great many 

 neighbours of other people, had not recognised the value ef 

 the crop, and I could not obtain a supply of plants. I think 

 as long as I am a gardener I shall not again forget to sow the 

 seed, as my well-remembered blank is always a reminder of the 

 importance of doing so somewhere near the time stated. 



I felt the loss in more ways than one. My employer and 

 his family missed the usual autumn supply of delicious vege- 

 tables, and for which no substitute was admitted to be satis- 

 factory, and the winter greens had to be commenced, and a 

 great portion of them consumed a month before the usual 

 time, and a spring scarcity of vegetables followed the autumn 

 of disappointment, and all from the omission of the simple 

 subject of this reminder. A neglect of what may appear 

 trivial at the time may thus result in disappointment of no 

 small magnitude, and be a source of discomfort, if nothing 

 more, several months afterwards, and when too late to rectify 

 the mistake. 



Plants from this sowing not only give valuable cuttings in 

 the autumn, but they are ready for planting in ground made 

 vacant by the removal of early Peas, Potatoes, &c. Such 

 ground seldom needs to be dug, but the plants are simply 

 dibbed-in 15 inches apart, and the autumn rains may be 

 depended on to give them support and make their produce 

 sweet. They are used, and the ground again ready foe winter 

 digging and spring crops; also the winter greens proper are 

 really preserved and prolonged for winter and spring use, 

 which is a matter of no small importance where, as is often 

 the case, ground is scarce and household wants are not easy 

 to meet and satisfy. — A Kitchen Gabdenee. 



THE GARDENERS' LESSON. 



Two gardeners had their crops of Peas killed by the frost. 

 One of them was very impatient under the loss, and fretted 

 about it very much. The other went patiently to work at 

 once to plant a new crop. After awhile the impatient fretting 

 man went to his neighbour. To his surprise he found another 

 crop of Peas growing finely. He wondered how this could be. 



" These are what I sowed while you were fretting," said his 

 neighbour. 



" But don't you ever fret ?" he asked. 



" Yes, I do ; but I put it off till I have repaired the mischief 

 that has been done." 



" Why, then you have no need to fret at all." 



" True," said his friend, " and that's the reason I put it off." 



NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Abrangino and Planting Bedding Plants. — How pleasant it 

 is to many an amateur, as well as the gardener, when the time 

 has arrived for it to be considered safe to trust his stock of plants 

 out in the beds. The anxiety brought about by having to nurse 

 a stock of plants for so long under cover, and the amount of 

 labour attached to them while so situated, turns into a sense of 

 relief at the thought of being able once more to have them put 

 into their proper places. Let us see if we cau suggest a few 

 simple arrangements for those who are not initiated. 



Without entering into particularities, which would not be 

 profitable, I presume there will be two main objects looked for 

 or aimed at— that is, arrangement to be seen close at hand, or 

 more distinct aud contrasting to be seen from a distance. This 

 last mode is found most popular in the amateur's garden, because 

 as a rule the beds are small and borders narrow, aud the colours 

 to be arranged are but few. It is, however, always well to make 



