484 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



met with the expected demand. In regard to pi tie- apples, 

 I was informed, that Mr Isaac Andrews of Lambeth alone 

 cut sixty ripe fruit on the occasion, and that many hundreds, 

 remarkable for size and flavour, came from distant parts of 

 the country. One from Lord Cawdor's, weighed 10 lb. ; 

 and after being exhibited at a meeting of the London Hor- 

 ticultural Society, was sent to the Royal Banquet. Pine- 

 apples, it has been already remarked, p. 457. are not to be 

 got at Paris. From our possessing coals, and from our 

 gardeners being well versed in the modes of raising fruit 

 under glass, it is probable that we will always maintain a 

 superiority in the production of this fruit. — The quan- 

 tity of ripe grapes exhibited for sale in Covcnt Garden 

 market from the middle to the end of July, would, if told, 

 surpass the belief of Parisian cultivators ; more especially 

 when it is added, that the kinds were chiefly the Black 

 Hamburgh, the white muscat of Alexandria, and the Fron- 

 tignacs. Andrews also took the lead in the grape depart- 

 ment ; insomuch that while very good Black Hamburgh 

 grapes, from different parts of the country, were selling, 

 during the crowded state of the capital, at 4s. per lb., his 

 bunches currently gave 6s. 6d. per lb. Their excellence 

 consisted chiefly in the berries having been well thinned 

 and thoroughly ripened. His vineries, I may add, are all 

 heated by means of steam. On the 29th of July great 

 quantities of grapes, remarkable for size and excellence, 

 still remained in the market, and were selling at 3s. and 

 :1s. Od. a pound. At Paris ripe grapes are not to be pro- 

 cured, at this season of the year, for any sum. On the 

 14th August, Prince Leopold, then on his way to Italy, 

 dined with the English Ambassador, when a splendid des- 

 sert wu desirable; but ripe grapes could not be found at 

 A price equal to 12s. Sterling per lb. was paid for 

 lome unripe bunches, merely to make a show, for they 



