COMMONPLACE NOTES. 



855 



Hildehrandiana, Buddleias {Colcilei, Lindlcyana, and madagascariensis). 

 Acacias (in variety, including ^ZoZa/:^ra^a), Abutilons, Agapanthus, Dianellas, 

 are bearing the same cold, viz., 12 degrees of frost, without injury. 

 They have no protection. The Mimosa is almost in full bloom. Agapan- 

 .thus holds its foliage well, though it is the gigantea variety. A chance 

 seedling of Primula sinensis is looking perfectly happy outside, though 

 white with frost. The Spider Lily of Japan seems to enjoy cold, whilst a 

 Jbig plant of Kniphofia {K. a. grandiflora) has not been out of bloom since 

 October. At Christmas it had fifteen flower-spikes, now it has four. It 

 certainly does not mind frost, neither does Persica Davidiana, both white 

 and pink, both of which are in full flower. Piosa Banksice was not to be 

 beaten. I have gathered several sprays of half-open flowers, and every 

 ' node ' has a knot of buds. I fancy soil has much more to do with plant 

 life than temperature." 



Of course Dawlish is to some extent a warm and favoured spot, but 

 the mere fact of these plants flourishing amid 12 degrees of frost shows 

 them not to be quite so tender as we are wont to think them. 



Neglected Varieties of Grapes. 



The vulgar love of size and of appearance, quite irrespective of quality 

 and flavour, has caused many of the most delicious varieties of Grapes to 

 go practically out of cultivation, and they are only very occasionally to be 

 met with in the gardens of those connoisseurs who still consider the flavour 

 of a fruit to be of more importance than its size and its appearance. 

 There is, for instance, no comparison whatever between the quality and 

 flavour of the rusty-looking ' Grizzly Frontignan ' and the insipid ' Gros 

 Colmar ' or ' Gros Maroc' And yet how very, very rarely is the former 

 found even in gardens where the Grapes are not grown for sale, but are 

 used entirely for home consumption ! All the small-berried varieties, in 

 fact, are suffering from most unmerited neglect. We are not, however, 

 without hope that the tide is turning, and that the days are coming when 

 the exquisitely delicious small-berried Grapes will again find favour and 

 once more be grown extensively. They require no special treatment, as 

 the same soil and the same cultural skill bestowed on, say, ' Black Ham- 

 burgh,' will prove equally suitable for all the varieties that we name below. 



' Grizzly Frontignan.' — We put this at the head of the list as being 

 one of the very finest flavoured and best of all the Frontignan class of 

 Grapes. The bunch is similar to ' Lady Downes ' in form, but the berries 

 5,re distinctly smaller, and, as the name implies, are of a grizzly or dull 

 red colour. When the berries just begin to shrivel, the flavour is remark- 

 ably rich and sweet. It is a very good variety for a mid-season vinery, the 

 bunches hanging well till Christmas. It is also known as ' Red Frontignan." 



'Angers Frontignan.' — A very pretty deep black variety, with small 

 bunches and small berries, but of excellent flavour. Where early forcing 

 is desired this variety is very reliable, as it always sets its fruit well 

 either when planted out or when grown in pots. 



'White Frontignan.' — Another free setting and delicious Grape, 

 succeeding equally w^ell in the eai ly or mid-season vinery, and, like both 

 of the above, a good and constant bearer. The bunches and berries are 

 of the usual Frontignan size. 



