348 Transactio7is of the London Horticultural Society. 



directly below the edge of the frame, which is then covered 

 with hot dung, but in greater abundance than in the case of 

 sea-kale, because there is more earth to be heated." 



" The management of the forcing consists in taking care 

 that the heat is not strong for some time after the frame is 

 placed. The heads which first appear will be small and 

 weak, as is always the case, but they will be gradually suc- 

 ceeded by stronger. The cutting should not be prolonged 

 too much ; a fortnight, or a little more, is as much as is expe- 

 dient. In the end, the bed is to be gradually cooled, and the 

 frame removed, and the bed will cease to produce asparagus 

 till the natural period of its growth arrives, when it will 

 revive, and may be cut again if required. This is, however, 

 not advisable, as the unimpeded growth of the asparagus 

 through the summer will nearly restore the bed to its former 

 vigour before the succeeding winter. It is better, however, 

 not to force a bed oftener than every two years. If aspara- 

 gus were grown in rows, instead of beds, then the frame 

 described for sea'-kale, &c., would serve equally well for 

 asparagus. 



27. Note upon the Cannon Hall Muscat Grape. By John Lindley, 

 Esq. F.R.S., Assistant Secretary. Read Jan. 17. 1832. 



A delicious grape resembling the muscat of Alexandria. 

 Specimens of it were sent to the Society in August, 1831, 

 by Mr. Robert Buck of Blackheath, who first became ac- 

 quainted with it " while in the service of Lord Bagot, at 

 Blithfield Hall, in consequence of a plant having been pre- 

 sented to his lordship by Charles Spencer Stanhope, Esq., 

 of Cannon Hall, in Yorkshire, as one of the finest and 

 largest grapes in England, a character which it has been 

 found by experience to deserve." It differs from the muscat 

 of Alexandria, in having wood rather stronger, leaves much 

 larger, and petioles much thicker ; its bunch also sets more 

 thinly and regularly ; its berries are perceptibly longer, their 

 flesh is less firm, although equally rich ; and it ripens by the 

 side of the muscat of Alexandria full a fortnight earlier. 

 Mr. Buck " grows it in a succession pine stove, and keeps 

 the temperature as low as his pines will bear in winter, till 

 the middle or end of February, when he gradually increases 

 the warmth, so that it shall arrive at about pine-apple heat 

 by the time the berries are swelling; this he does in order to 

 extend the pedicels as much as possible ; for one of the pecu- 

 liarities of the variety is, that although the berries in setting 

 are so far apart that it would seem as if the bunch would be 

 very imperfect when ripe, yet they finally become so large 



