Notes and Gleanings. 



43 



oval, and in a minute degree hammered ; the flesh is almost melting, sweet, 

 vinous, and gratefully rich. This grape keeps well, and may be had in perfec- 

 tion at all seasons, as the vine readily submits to forcing ; but, as it requires 

 little heat, it may be grown to perfection in the cool vinery. Young canes prop- 

 erly treated miy be fruited well in twelve months froai the eyes: so the pur-* 

 chaser need not wait long to put to the best of all tests its merits as a table-fruit. 

 The remarkable adaptiveness of this variety has led Mr. Standish into the ab- 

 surd extravagance of describing it as a "perpetual grape." It is not a perpetual 



Standish's Roval Ascot Grape. 



grape ; there is no perpetual grape ; nobody wants a perpetual grape : we might 

 as well sigh for a perpetual thunder-storm, or perpetual dinner of herbs, as for a 

 perpetual grape. It must be grown and pruned like any other grape ; and it 

 will be found so addicted to production, that new bunches will show while the 

 main crop is ripening. Do away with the word " perpetual," and we heartily 

 indorse all that has been said in favor of Royal Ascot : and, if we wanted a term 

 to indicate its character in the concrete, we should call it a useful grape ; and, 

 \f that is too tame, we have no objection to recommend it as everybody'' s giape. 



