DISTRIBUTION OF GRAPE VINE PLANTS. 



A number of cuttings of the best English Grapes were last year received from the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick, through the kindness of the authorities at Kew. These have 

 been grown by Mr. W. J. Thompson of the Botanical Department in the King's House grounds by 

 permission of His Excellency the Governor, and rooted plants are ready now for distribution. 



Application should be made at once to the Director of Public Gardens and Plantations, Gordon 

 Town P. 0., stating the number of plants required. The price is 2d. each plant, delivered in King- 

 ston. Special arrangements will be made with those requiring 50 or more. 



The following descriptions of the grapes are from a valuable work on the subject, " Vines and 

 Vine Culture" by Mr. Barron, who has charge of the Chiswick Gardens. 



Alicante : — Fruit quite black, with a thick bloom, large, of a true ovate shape ; flesh squashy ; 

 flavour somewhat earthy, unless well ripened; skin thick and leathery bunches large, averaging from 

 21b8. to Gibs, in weight, very broadly shouldered, conical and regular, closely set ; stalk very stout; 

 Late. Very handsome, and easily cultivated. 



Black Hamburgh, or Frankenthal : — Fruit deep bluish-black, covered with a fine bloom, large, 

 roundish-ovate ; flesh firm, yet tender, juicy, and with a pleasant, rich flavour ; bunches medium, 

 ovate with broad shoulders, compact. A mid-season Sweetwater. This is the chief Grape in culti- 

 vation in England. 



Black Monukka : — Fruit purplish- red, small, long-ovate, or in shape like an acorn ; flesh firm, 

 tender, seedless, very sweet and pleasant to the taste ; branches very large, long-tapering. A distinct 

 Sweetwater variety, of Indian origin. 



Gros Colman : — Fruit black, with a thick bloom, large, round ; flesh thick, coarse, with a poor 

 watery flavour ; bunches medium, broadly shouldered, well set. An extremely handsome and excel- 

 lent keeping, late, vinous Grape. 



Muscat of Alexandria: — Fruit greenish-yellow, golden when highly ripened, large, long-ovate; 

 flesh firm, juicy, sweet and rich, with a high Muscat flavour, bunches large, long-tapering. A very 

 handsome and excellent, late Grape. 



RaiSin de Calabre : — Fruit white, medium-sized, round ; flesh firm, and possessing little fla- 

 vour ; branches long-tapering. A late, vinous Grape, which keeps well. 



Royal Ascot : — Fruit purplish-black, large, ovate ; flesh very firm with a strong, piquant, plum- 

 like flavour ; bunches small, short, compact, well set. A mid-season vinous Grape. 



Royal Muscadine: — Fruit greenish-white, small, round ; flesh firm, juicy, sweet, and exceed- 

 ingly pleasant ; bunches small, long-tapering, compact, well set. A good, open air, early Sweetwater 

 Grape, also known as White Chasselas. 



Trebbiano : — Fruit greenish-white, changing to pale amber when fully ripe, large, ovate ; flesh 

 firm, sweetly flavoured, but not rich ; bunches very large (one example weighing 26ilbs. has been 

 grown) broadly shouldered, well set. A late, vinous Grape. 



White Frontignan : — Fruit greenish-white, small, round ; flesh firm, .yet juicy, and very richly- 

 flavoured ; bunches medium, long-cylindrical, well set. A mid-season Muscat Grape. 



EARLY ORANGES. 



The following is a copy of correspondence in regard to the steps suggested to be taken to accele* 

 ratethe production of early crops of Oranges in this island. 



The suggestions are, (1) choice of site : shallow, rocky sub-soil, light soil, warm position on side 

 of hill, adequate amount of rain ; (2) manuring ; (3) pruning to allow of free play of sua and air ; 

 (4) budding from early varieties ; (5) seedlings from early varieties. 



All these suggestions are well worthy of trial, and I may add, (6) irrigation, where possible, 

 from the termination of the crop to the time when the fruits are forming. 



Personally I agree with Mr. Bunyard, who proposes No. (5) and says : — " I cannot suggest any 

 " plan except evolution i.e., selecting the earliest fruits from the earliest trees, and continuing the 

 "process through many generations." 



The following note from a lecture which I delivered last February states my views on the subject 

 of budding in Jamaica: — "Mr. Cradwick, the Superintendent at Hope Gardens, has lately been suc- 

 cessful to some extent in budding oranges on a lime stock by cutting down the branches of the bushes, 

 and budding when they began to make a fresh start. The precaution should be taken of budding as 

 the rains come on. If this method "can be carried out, we shall be in a position to grow oranges of 

 any particular size, flavour, &c. But the caution is necessary that they will have to be thoroughly 

 cultivated as they are in Florida. 



" But another point in the physiology of plants has here to be taken into account, and that is the 

 effect of cross-fertilisation. The pollen of flowers is conveyed by insects from plant to plant, and 

 Darwin has shown that in nature, and as a rule, plants benefit by cross-fertilisation. The ovary fer- 

 tilised by pollen from another flower rather than its own, yields more seeds and these produce larger 

 and stronger plants. Generally pollen is only operative when carried to flowers belonging to the 

 Bame species, but I think there is no doubt that in the different species of Citrus, the fruit itself is 

 effected by pollen of diff^erent species, and still more by different varieties of the same species. The 



