84 GRAPES GROWN IN THE GREAT CONSERVATORY AT CHISWICK. 



At the present time the varieties cultivated are chiefly those 

 standard sorts which have been found suited to the house, viz., Black 

 Hamburgh or Frankenthal, which is the best of all, Alicante, Gros 

 Guillaume, Madresfield Court, Gros Colman, Lady Downe's Seedling, 

 Black Prince, Black Monukka, West's St. Peter's, Dutch Hamburgh, 

 Buckland Sweetwater, Raisin de Calabre, and Muscat of Alexandria. 



The greatest number of bunches produced in one season was four 

 thousand five hundred, their aggregate weight being somewhat over 

 two tons. 



The ladder employed for gaming access to the Grapes deserves a 

 word of mention. This is formed of wrought angle iron, and runs on 

 wheels, being moved with ease by one .man at each side. It is so- 

 constructed that the men, in whatever position, are within easy reach 

 of the Vines. From ten to twenty men may be at work on it at one 

 time. It was constructed at a cost of thirty pounds, from designs 

 supplied by us to a working blacksmith in Hammersmith, and has 

 been found to effect an immense saving in labour and glass over the 

 ordinary ladders formerly in use. The illustration, fig. 33, which 

 shows the ladder in situ, is taken from a photograph. 



