102 PIOTORTAL FBACTIGAL FRUIT GROWING. 



hence " scalding." Scorching of the leaves may arise from the same cause. 

 Look at it which way you will, the Grape grower should be an early riser. 

 If there are ventilators on both sides of the house, do not open those on the 

 windward side in cold weather. The syringe should be used freely about 

 3 p.m. and an hour afterwards the house should be shut up, in order to 

 bottle up as much heat as possible. 



Notes on Varieties. — A few remarks about the leading varieties of 

 Grapes may assist anyone who is anxious to make a selection. I take them 

 alphabetically : Alicante, a very useful late black Grape, easy to grow and 

 colouring well. Almvick Seedling, a handsome black Grape, but a bad 

 setter ; leave it alone, alack Hamiurgh, the most useful variety grown. 

 It will do well in a cool house, crops and colours well, and has a brisk 

 flavour. Choose it unhesitatingly if only one sort is wanted. Black Unseat 

 or Unseat Havilmrgh, a most delicious Grape, but a bad setter. It is one of 

 the varieties which should be left to experienced cultivators. BucMand 

 Smeetmater, a useful white Grape, very frequently selected for a cool house. 

 I consider Foster's Seedling rather better. Canon Hall Muscat, a white 

 Grape with immense berries, but a bad setter. Viilte of Buccleuch, a large 

 berried white Grape, of very fine appearance when well done. It succeeds 

 better when young rods are trained in for fruiting than when spur pruned. 

 Foste7''s Seed ling, 'the best all-round white Grape, although not the richest 

 in flavour. It grows, bears, and sets well, and will do in a cool house. 

 Gros Colman, perhaps the largest-berried Grape grown, and a good bearer, 

 but difficult to colour unless plenty of heat can be jjrovided a.t the finishing 

 stage. Ch'os Guillaume, a variety which produces very large bunches. It 

 is a black Grape, and colours well, but the flavour is commonplace. Gros 

 Ma/roo, a useful black Grape, cropping well and giving very large berries. 

 I prefer its flavour to that of Gros Colman, but that is not saying very much. 

 Lady Bowne's, a very valuable black sort for late keeping, but liable to 

 scald. See remarks on ventilation. Madresjield Court, a delicious black 

 variety, which will do well under cool conditions, but is addicted to cracking. 

 Extensive removals of foliage at one time must be avoided. Mrs. Plnce, a 

 black ol' good flavour, but bad to colour and set. Muscat of Alexandria, a 

 delicious white Grape, which ought to be grown by everybody who can 

 provide a warm house. White Frontignan, a capital cool house Grape. 

 The berries are small, but the flavour is excellent. The following selections 

 of Grapes may be found useful — Varieties for outdoor malls : Miller's 

 Burgundy and Royal Muscadine. Varieties for cool vineries : Black Ham- 

 burgh, Foster's Seedling, Madresfield Court, and White Frontignan. Choose 

 the first pair if only two are wanted. Varieties for early forcing : Black 

 Hamburgh, Foster's Seedling, and White Frontignan. Varieties for late use : 

 Alicante and Lady Downe's. 



neuovating Old Vines. — This matter has been touched upon in 

 connection with shanking. Vines which have been systematically over- 

 cropped fall into ill-health sooner or later. It frequently happens that 

 Vines are seen in small conservatories or greenhouses wherein a whole 

 medley of plants is grown. The Vine rods are close together, the laterals 

 crowded and weak, the bunches numerous but miserably small, and the colour 

 of the Grapes is bad. Shanking, or shrivelling up of the stems of the berries, 

 usually supervenes, and the mischief is complete. Such cases are difficult 

 to cure, but improvement can often be effected when the case seems hope- 

 less, providing the cultivator is prepared to content himself with fewer 



