CHAPTEE XXX. 

 HOT-HOUSE FRUITS. 



GRAPES. 



To produce grapes to perfection is the height of the 

 ambition of most young practical gardeners ; and, with 

 careful attention, no fruit is so likely to "pay" the 

 market grower, if he only resolves to excel in their 

 cultivation. But if the British fruit grower is to 

 maintain his ground as the champion vine cultivator of 

 the world, he must make trials carefully from some of 

 the new sorts occasionally, to see whether the " Black 

 Hambro' " and the " Muscat of Alexandria," for flavour 

 and size, cannot be beaten, as these are to-day the 

 standard black and white, or recognized leading sorts. 



As we export grapes to nearly all the more wealthy 

 seaport towns of North Europe, the English growers 

 have obtained a connexion and reputation which will 

 ensure, probably, a good outlet for all the first-class 

 quality that can be produced near our eastern seaports. 



There is, however, but little encouragement to-day for 

 home consumption, for cultivating any but really well- 

 grown fruit of fine flavour, now that foreign supplies, of 

 excellent quality, are so abundant, throughout the last 



