PREFACE. 



peculiarities of, the different varieties of Grapes in cultivation, many 

 hundreds of sorts having come under our personal care and observation. 

 With the exception of six of the American kinds which, although 

 under cultivation, have not yet fruited, the descriptions given of the 

 several varieties are all derived from our own observations, verified in 

 some cases by the excellent descriptions given in The Fruit Manual, 

 the author of which we have to thank for many lessons pomological. 



For the examples of Grapes figured, and which have been selected 

 as fair average samples, we are indebted to many kind friends, to 

 whom w now tender our warmest acknowledgments ; without their 

 help in so kindly supplying us with typical examples of their splendid 

 cultures, our task would have been much more difficult. 



The present treatise being based on the papers published and 

 illustrated in The Florist and Pomologist, our thanks are especially due 

 to the Editor of that excellent periodical for the care which has been 

 so ungrudgingly expended on their original publication. It is, more- 

 over, our pleasing duty to record our indebtedness to the Editors of 

 The Gardeners' Chronicle and The Garden, for the use of various 

 illustrations that would otherwise have been difficult to obtain. We 

 have also specially to thank Mr. Harrison Weir, Mr. James Boyd. Mr. 

 Jones of the Royal Gardens, Mr. T. F. Rivers, Mr. Woodbridge of 

 Syon House, Mr. Roberts of Gunnersbury, Mr. W. Thomson, and 

 others, for valuable information which they have supplied, and for so 

 readily replying to the numerous enquiries addressed to them. 



To Mr. Thomas Moore, our thanks are due in an especial degree, 

 and are here gratefully tendered, for much valuable advice and 

 assistance which have been rendered by him while the revised work 

 has been passing through the press, and which have more than com- 

 pensated for our own inexperience in these matters. 



With these feelings of gratefulness for help freely given, we now 

 offer to the Horticultural world the results of our experience amongst 

 Grapes, in the hope that in this way we may be making ourselves 

 useful in our day and generation, and lending a willing hand to help 

 forward the development of practical Horticulture. 



A. F. B. 



Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens, 

 Cliisicick, February, 1883. 



