REMARKS ON VARIETIES SELECTED 37 



of a fine Muscat flavour. This is a very old and highly 

 appreciated grape, notwithstanding its character of hav- 

 ing a tendency to shank. Many other grapes have a 

 tendency to shank when over-cropped, and also when 

 the roots are in an unhealthy condition. Shanking of 

 the berries is not a disease ; it is, on the contrary, un- 

 mistakable evidence of lack of vigour, want of healthy 

 root and branch growth, perhaps brought about by over- 

 cropping the individual vines. However, it will be wise 

 to graft or inarch the Muscat Hamburg on the Black 

 Hamburg, which is a safe stock on which to work any 

 grape. 



Canon Hall Muscat is a grand grape ; big, full bunches 

 of its large, straw-coloured, nearly round berries having 

 a fine appearance when ripe. The skin is thin and the 

 flesh firm, rich, and full of flavour. The vine is strong 

 and free-growing, producing large, pale green leaves, 

 which, like the leaves of all white grape vines, die off 

 yellow. This grape has the character an undeserved 

 one, according to my experience of it of being a bad 

 "setter" unless subjected to a very high temperature 

 during the flowering period, and unless the flowers be 

 artificially impregnated. I have thirty-four vines in a 

 span-house two hundred feet by twenty-five feet, and 

 these I allowed to bear a few bunches each last year for 

 the first time. The greater width of the borders on 

 either side of the central pathway was occupied by 

 tomato plants, some planted in the borders and others 

 in pots and boxes for transplanting out of doors the 

 end of May. These latter plants occupied the space 

 immediately in front of, and partly under, the Canon 

 Hall vines. The house was kept fairly close and 

 moist until the tomato plants had rooted well into 

 the soil, when plenty of air was afforded by opening 

 the top ventilators to their full extent (there being no 

 front ones in this house) to promote a sturdy growth in 



