THE CULTUKE OF THE GRAPE. 279 



to the gardener, we entered a large vineyard, in which 

 was a splendid crop of Muscat of Alexandria grapes ; 

 good bunches, with finely swelled berries, and beautifully 

 colored. I expressed my delight at the sight, and he 

 stated the means employed to bring about so desirable a 

 result. Tlie vine was worn out, and bore little ; arid, he 

 added, ' being possessed of your Treatise, I top-dressed, 

 as recommended, and the result is what you see ; they 

 have been the admiration of all who have seen them.' " — 

 Gardeners' GhronicU, 1848. 



"We should not treat Mr. Eoberts's letter on vines, in 

 our last Chronicle, with the consideration to which the 

 indisputable skill of the writer is entitled, if we passed 

 it over without remark. "We are also called upon to no- 

 tice it by some of the reasoning introduced into it. 



" Mr." Eroberts first questions whether his carrion-fed 

 vines have been excelled by others treated to a less offen- 

 sive diet. That his grapes were excellent, we have re- 

 peated over and over again ; they did the greatest credit 

 to his skill, as his work on the vine does to his intelli- 

 gence and knowledge of his profession. But, until he 

 can show that a bunch of Hamburgh, weighing five 

 pounds, is not superior to one weighing two pounds five 

 ounces, or a bunch of Muscats, of two pounds nine 

 ounces, to one of the same kind weighing two pounds 

 three ounces, — and such are the dififerences between Mr. 

 Hutchison's Castle Malgwyn grapes and those of Eshton 

 Hall, — we must retain our opinion, that grapes are not 

 improved by being fed on carrion. It is said that Mr. 

 Hutchison's vines were seven years old, and those of Mr. 

 Roberts but two ; hut we learn, by the present gardenc;- 



