Transactions of the London Horticultural Siociety. 411 



was sent to the Society, by the late John "Wynne Griffith, Esq., containing 

 specimens of twenty-four sorts of pears, from his garden at Garn in Denbigh- 

 shire ; with a statement that they were from grafts received from the garden 

 of the Society in 1830, worked on branches of four old trees, viz. brown 

 beurre, crassane, autumn bergamot, and jargonelle, which were growing 

 against a south-west wall, and the grafts brought over to the south-east side. 

 The sorts were all true to their names, and very well grown. From an account 

 of the number of fruits produced, it appeared that upwards of ten dozens bad 

 been obtained in the second year after grafting, and more than thirty dozens 

 in the third year, from the grafts on these four trees ; a proof of the rapidity 

 with which a supply of good pears may be procured under favourable circum- 

 stances. 



" Grapes. On the 9th of November, 1831, a bunch of White Muscat of 

 Alexandria grapes was received from John Williams, Esq., of Pitmaston, 

 grown on the open wall, on a south-east aspect. A ligature of waxed string 

 was tied tight round the stem in April, which was found nearly as beneficial 

 as ringing, and less injurious to the future health of the tree. 



" On the 2d of January, 1833, fruit of the Charlesworth Tokay grape was 

 received from the Hon. William Booth Grey. Bunch large, long and tapering, 

 rather loose; the shoulders moderately strong. 



" On the 24th of February, 1834, the following communication was sent to 

 the Society relating to the Nice Black Cluster grape ; fruit of which was 

 subsequently received. 



" ' The Nice Black Cluster, I have no hesitation in saying, if planted against 

 southern walls facing any point between s. e. and s. w., or against the fronts 

 of houses or trellised to balconies, will ripen in ordinary seasons at London, 

 by the end of September or beginning of October, sufficiently for the purpose 

 of making wine of the nature of champagne, and much better than half the 

 champagne sold in London. But for this purpose I recommend to use the 

 pure juice only, without any admixture of sugar and water, or brandy. It is 

 also an excellent grape for a cool late forcing-house, not being liable to rot ; 

 nor do the berries wither so much when kept late on the plant, as is the case 

 with many other kinds : this is rather an unusual circumstance, considering 

 that it is not a fleshy grape. It is remarkably juicy, and the seeds readily 

 separate in the mouth without trouble, I only gathered the last from my 

 grapery three days ago, and they were still very juicy, notwithstanding the dry 

 heat and ventilation they were exposed to from the daily fire in the flue, made 

 in order to prevent their rotting. By reference to the long article on Grapes 

 cultivated in Burgundy, in Miller's Gardener'' s Dictionary, you will observe the 

 finest Burgundy is made from a variety of the Auvernat grape, having its 

 bunches formed with loose berries : but, owing to the tenderness of the 

 grape, planters in general, for the sake of quantity at the expense of quality, 

 cultivate the more hardy sorts with crowded berries. Now, I have reason to 

 believe my seedling grape is as hardy, with the advantage of loose berries, as 

 the common crowded Auvernats ; and for this reason I wish to have it tried 

 in France.' 



" The bunches were loosely formed with regularly middle-sized berries, 

 which, from not being overcrowded, were thoroughly ripened and sugary j and 

 on this account it seems highly deserving of cultivation. 



" Strawberry. On the 5th of July, 1831, fruit of Myatt's Pine-apple straw- 

 berry was exhibited by Mr. Joseph Myatt, Manor Farm, Deptford. Fruit as 

 large as the old pine, oblong, with a neck, and having the calyx spreading or 

 reflexed." It is added, that this variety produces but sparingly in many soils, 

 on which subject see p. 302. 



" Gourds. On the 21st of December, 1831, a very large gourd, the 

 Potiron Jaune, was presented for exhibition by Mr. Carpenter, from the 

 garden of the Rev. H. Wise, Offchurch, near Leamington [a descendant of 

 Mr. Wise, gardener to Queen Anne]. Its weight was 153 lb., and it was one 

 of a crop weighing altogether 555 lb. from the same vine. 



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