KEEPING THE FRUIT : VARIETIES WHICH KEEP WELL. 



67 



the room is dry and suitable, certain sorts of Grapes will keep in 

 plump condition until the month of May, and even later. 



Fig. 29 shows, in section, one side of the Grape-room at Heckfield, 

 and indicates the arrangement of the Grape-bottles in three tiers of 

 racks running horizontally round the room. 



In the excellent fruit-room at Combe Abbey, 

 Coventry, Mr. Miller has fitted up a case like an 

 ordinary book-case, with glass doors, in which the 

 Grapes are kept in bottles in very good condition. 



Opinions differ as to whether the fruit is deteri- 

 orated in quality by being thus kept. It is obvious 

 that support is derived from the water, and this 

 subsequent absorption of water can scarcely act 

 otherwise than to reduce the amount of saccharine 

 properties in the fruit. Mr. Thomson, in The 

 Florist and Pomoloyist, records an instance of an 

 invalid lady being made ill by eating "bottled 

 Grapes," while fresh-cut fruit, on the contrary, 

 proved to be invigorating. 



The best late-keeping Grapes are those varieties 

 having thick skins, viz., Gros Colman, Lady Downe's 

 Seedling, Alnwick Seedling, West's St. Peter's, 

 Gros Guillaume, Trebbiano, White Tokay, and 

 Muscat of Alexandria. It is difficult to keep Black 

 Hamburgh Grapes in good condition on the Vines 

 after Christmas but if cut before that time, and 

 placed in bottles, they may be had in a sound state 

 during the month of January or later. 



Fig. 29. SECTION- 

 SHOWING SIDE OF 

 GRAPE-ROOM AT 

 HECKFIELD WITH 



THE MODE OF 

 ARRANGING AND 



FIXING THE 

 BOTTLES. 



(From Parks and 

 Gardens of Paris,) 



UNIVERSITY 



