FEBRUARY. 



17 



THE GRAPE CONTEST. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S FRUIT COMMITTEE. 

 A special Meeting of the Trait Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society was held 

 on Wednesday, the 21st rdt., to decide the challenge offered by Mr. W. Thomson, of 

 Dalkeith, through our pages, to Mr. Tillery, of Welbeek. Some discussion had taken place 

 between these two eminent gardeners as to the relative merits of old and new Grapes, 

 Mr. Thomson having succeeded in producing new Black Hamburghs on New Year's-day, 

 and he held that new Grapes were preferable to old ones. Mr. Tillery advocated the merits 

 of the old or hung Grapes against the new, and for some time a lively discussion was kept 

 up, one or two other members of the upper stratum joining in the discussion. At length 

 Mr. Thomson stated, at page 70 of our volume just completed, "If Mr. Tillery has no objec- 

 tion, and we are spared till the time, I will send newly-ripened Black Ilamhurghs to any 

 of the January or February Meetings of the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society, and he can send his best Black Grapes, for Hamburghs and Muscats could not well 

 be compared in point of flavour, and let the Committee decide which are the best Grapes in 

 point of flavour." 



Accordingly, there being no regular meeting of the Fruit Committee in January, this 

 special meeting was appointed, which was numerously attended bolh by members and visitors 

 to witness the result of the contest. Mr. Thomson sent three beautiful bunches of new Black 

 Hamburghs which were ripe on Christmas- day. The bunches were of good size, well B$t } 

 wide-shouldered, and shortly ovate. The berries large, and some of them quite hammered ; 

 but, th< ugh quite black, the colour as a whole was not so intense and even as in the bunch 

 sent to us last year. This, we are told, has arisen from the dark, dull, and gloomy weather 

 they had in Scotland during the whole of the autumn, when the season was more unfavour- 

 able than any that has been experienced for some years. Nevertheless, the Grapes were so 

 beautiful that the Committee decided first of all that in appearance they had the advantage 

 over the bunches of Black Hamburgh, of Black Tripoli, and of West's St. Peter's that were 

 exhibited by Mr. Tillery. These, too, were as good of their kind as could be seen anywhere, 

 but the shrivelled appearance which had begun to set in contrasted unfavourably with the 

 plump fresh-looking new Hamburghs. Then came the question of all others, the most 

 important in the decision — flavour ; for it was on this point that the issue hung. After a 

 very patient and very close comparison the decision was in favour of the old Black Ham- 

 burghs. Having begun to shrivel, and the juice being inspissated, the sugar was more con- 

 centrated than in the new. The quesion then arose as to the general merits of old and new 

 in regard of appearance and general utility, and the decision was in favour of new Grapes. 

 We confess tj a leaning in that direction ourselves, for we think there cannot be a doubt 

 but that fine, plump, and fresh Black Hamburghs, with their fresh, crisp, green stalks, are 

 more attractive, pleasing to the eye, and much more sightly at table than Black Hamburghs 

 that are shrivelled, and from which the rigidity of the bunch and berry stalks has dis- 

 appeared. Even in point of flavour the difference is so slight that it has to yield to the other 

 qualifications. Altogether the discussion was a very interesting one, and no doubt the public 

 will duly appreciate the opportunity that Mr. Thomson and Mr. TiUery have given them of 

 coming to a decision on the subject. 



In addition to those exhibited by Mr. Thomson, there was a small box containing 

 several bunches of new Black Hamburghs from Mr. McKenzie, of Kemp Town, Brighton. 

 These, though not so large either in bunch or berry as Mr. Thomson's, were as black as jet 

 and covered with a dense bloom ; a finer " blae " we never saw. But the climate of Brighton 

 is a very different one from that of Dalkeith, and the amount of light in the one place during 

 the winter months is very much greater than in the other, and hence the difference in colour. 

 The flavour of the two was, however, very close; the very black berries of Mr. Thomson's 

 being equally rich in flavour with Mr. McKenzie's. 



Three magnificent bunches of Muscat of Alexandria were exhibited by Mr. Tillyard, 

 gardener to John Kelk, Esq., of Stanmore Priory. So large and so beautiful were they that 

 the Committee^ unanimously awarded Mr. Tillyard a certificate of commendation for meri- 

 torious cultivation. 



Mr. Tillery also sent a splendid bunch of Trebbiano and some nice bunches of Muscat 

 of Alexandria shrivelled nearly to raisins, which were very rich and sugary in flavour. 



Mr. F. W. Pack, gardener to G. H. Vernon, Esq , Grove Hall, East Retford, sent a fine 

 bunch of Black Barbarossa ; and Mr. James Fowler, gardener to the Earl of Harewood, sent 

 some very nice specimens of the Charlesworth Tokay, from which it is clear that this variety, 

 if at all different from Muscat of Alexandria, is only a slight variation from it. 



Mr. John Cox, of Redleaf, exhibited dishes of a seedling Pear which he has found to be 

 very useful, from its ripening in succession from the beginning of December till now. 



Mr. Francis, of 'Hertford, exhibited a seedling Apple, which, however, did not possess 

 any merit to recommend it. 



