382 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGR GARDENER. 



[ October 28, 1875. 



we have in the north, and certainly Bays much for the pure 

 air we have in this subuib of " ecioiy Newcastle." — Thomas 

 Aba^ho'S, Springfield House, SoutliGosfoTtli,Neur.astlc-on-Tync. 



GKAPES AT THE EDINBUEGH SHOW. 



As an exhibitor of Grapes and frequently a jadge I see no 

 diflicnlty whatever about what constitutes a bunch and what 

 does not ; but there exists, nevertheless, a wide difference be- 

 tween a true bunch and such monstrosities as are met with, and 

 which are not so uncommon as many would set in to surmise. 



A true buDch of Grapes is produced directly and immediately 

 from any single bud of a Vine, but it should have no extrane- 

 ous — no additional growths, either in the shape of wood or 

 leaves ; because wherever these are permitted the bunch ceases 

 to be the outcome of a pure fruit-bud, and, being a mixture of 

 wood and fruit-buds, bfcomes a monstrosity. 



Tou must not define what shape a bunch should be : hence 

 to aver that a simple bud may not push forth a stem, split, 

 and branching into duplicate stems, is an incongruity, pro- 

 vided always these duplicate stems have an immediate and 

 indivisible base origin — that is, come together from the eye. 

 Ey the weight and finish of the legitimate produce of such 

 alone is real skill in culture shown. 



Where, however, an accidental or adventitious bud pushes 

 forth a mixture of wood and flowers, the latter in duplicate 

 bunches close together, even if the wood growth is removed 

 to influence the whole in forming one huge mass of Grapes, 

 these cannot be called a bunch, but is the aggregate produce 

 of a twin branchlet, fasciated or otherwise. 



Aa this subject seems so indifferently understood I send a 

 sketch (fig. 80) of a monstrous and improper bunch, which 

 may casually, however, be 

 considered a true one. A 

 growing shoot was pinched 

 off in its very infancy aa 

 marked at a. The berries, 

 nevertheless, could have been 

 so arranged as to cover this, 

 and thus what are two 

 bunches be made to appear 

 as one ! 



Finally, in regard to the two 

 bunches lately shown, I think 

 some of the controversialists 

 may overlook the fact that 

 judges' decisions are final if 

 no complaints were made 

 within reasonable time after 

 the decisions. 



I do not believe the .Tudgea 

 acted unjustly even, and it 

 becomes probable they erred 

 in judgment or by oversight ; 

 but if any accident happened to either bunch during prooesa of 

 weighing it will conduce to better understanding and greater 

 satisfaction if they communicate together and see whether 

 some statement may not be tendered to lessen the irritation 

 which exists. — William Eauley, Valenlines. 



Fig. 60. 



I AM truly sorry that any unpleasantness has arisen about 

 the large bunches of Grapes. There are several points I can 

 clear up to show that I fully believe the Show from first to 

 last was conducted in a perfectly honourable way. In the first 

 place, I believe that no one was admitted except the Judges, 

 Stewards of the Show, and members of the Committee; and 

 to prove what I say, a friend of my own — a gardener and a 

 member of the London Pomologioal Society — who travelled 

 down with me in the train from London, came to take a hasty 

 glance at the Show about 7 a ji., because he was obliged to 

 start with the train soon after eight, he was bundled out as 

 soon as it was found he was not in office. 



Now comes the subject of weighing the Grape?. I saw them 

 weighed, and nothing could be fairer than the way it was done, 

 and I do not believe a person was present but those I have 

 mentioned, but I will not be positive on this head, and cer- 

 tainly no Grapes could be more carefully handled and more 

 tenderly dealt with. Tben as regards the photographing: that 

 was done to oblige the proprietors of the Garclcneri' Chronicle, 

 and they were ctirried near to the window for light. I cer- 

 tainly did not see the slip mentioned by J.Ir. Dickson. With 

 regard to the clapping of hands, that was not done in any 



party spirit. It was simply an outburst of enthusiasm when 

 the noble cluster turned the scale at 2C lbs. I beg of Mr. 

 Dickson not to think that we had any fpite towards him. I for 

 one have never seen, to my knowledge, cither him or Mr. Curror, 

 consequently could have no selfish interest in the affair. 



Now comes the question, Was it one bunch or two? I was 

 under the impression it was one, and am still ; but of this I 

 think the three gentlemen who acted as Judges, and the Judges 

 for the Veitch Memorial Medal who followed them, can of 

 course easily settle that point.— One of the Fruit Jcdces, 

 BUT KOT or THE Lalge BcNcnES. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The funded stock of the Gardeners' Eoyal Benevolent In- 

 stitution has been increased by the sum of £200, making the 

 total amount now standing in the names of the trustees £10,000. 



Messhs. James Veitch & Son have decided to hold 



another of their series of feuit snows next year, and to repeat 

 their former schedule. It will be held in the garden of the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society at South Kensington, simul- 

 taneously with the Society's Show on the 10th of July. 



We have had many inquiries 



about the French tecning scissoes re- 

 commended by Mr. Taylor a week or 

 two ago, and we are now informed that 

 they can be had of Mr. Fisher in Fleet 

 Street. This uEeful and invaluable little 

 tool is the si'catcnr of the French, and 

 may be carried in the pocket as con- 

 veniently as a pruning-knife, and the 

 amount of work that can be performed 

 with it is much greater and done with 

 greater ease to the operator than by the 

 ordinary pruning-knife. We annex an 

 illustration, which will give our readers 

 an idea of it. It is represented as 

 being open in the cut. 



Fig. 81. 



• We are authorised by Messrs. Hooper of Covent Gar- 

 den, to announce that all competitors for tiieir Potato phizes 

 at the forthcoming Great Fruit Show of the Eoyal Horticul- 

 tural Society on the 10th November, must deliver their 

 Potatoes at South Kensington not later than Wednesday the 

 3rd, as the weighing will take place on the 4th. 



Mr. William Bull has again offered his prizes of silver 



cups to be competed for at the Great Summer Snow on the 

 7th and 8th June, and at the Provincial Show of the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society in 1876. 



Messes. Sutton & Sons of Beading have intimated 



their intention of offering a series of prizes for vegetables in 

 seven classes at the great shows of the Eoyal Horticultural 

 Society to be held in 1870. These prizes will be open to the 

 competition of honii fide gentlemen's or noblemen's gardeners 

 or gentlemen amateurs. 



Mr. .Jackson, gardener to Col. Smyth, Welton-le- Wold, 



Louth, has sent us flowering spikes of Polygonum amplexi- 

 CAULE, introduced by Col. E. Smyth from India four or five 

 years ago. He finds it perfectly hardy. For cut flowers he 

 justly thinks it very suitable, especially for the vase. The 

 plant this week had 130 spikes iu flower, and has been full 

 ever since July. No wet seems to injure its blooms. Dr. 

 Hooker sent for a plant in exchange for Saxifrages last year. 



The death is announced of Sigismund Eucker, Esq., 



and in him has passed away one of the most liberal patrons of 

 gardening. He died, aged sixty-six, at his residence West 

 Hill, Wandsworth, on the 19th inst. Every branch of flori- 

 culture he loved and pursued ardently, but Orchids were his 

 special favonritei'. His collections — for he made more than 

 one — were rich and admirably cultivated, so that he well 

 deserved to have his memory made prominent in the name of 

 one species — Stanhopea Euckeri. He was at one time a mem- 

 ber of the Council of the Eoyal Horticultural Society. We 

 know the intimate friend of Mr. Eucker who wrote as follows 

 in one of the morning papers: — "No expense was spared in 

 keeping up his collections, and his tact and temper always 

 secured him the aid of first-ciass head gardeners, but he was 

 his own chief gardener. Those who have been privileged to 

 accompany him on his evening inspection of hie plants by 

 lantern light are aware how thoronghly and intimately he 

 knew them all. His gardens, always open to those who 



