March 19, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
225 
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Royal Society at 4.30 P.M. Linnean Society at 8 P.M. 
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5th Sunday in Lent. 
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Royal Horticultural Society, Fruit and Floral Committees at 11 A.M. 
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Royal Botanic Society, Spring Show. Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH GRAPE—GRAPES 
CRACKING. 
0 much has been written for and against this 
Grape that there is some difficulty in 
finding words to express ideas that have 
not already been publicly made known. It 
is generally admitted that more grievous 
disappointments have occurred over this one 
variety than all the other sorts of Grapes that 
have been sent out during the past quarter of a 
century. It is also very remarkable that most of 
the writers upon the Vine in the horticultural 
press have failed to give a satisfactory report of 
their success in the cultivation of the “ Duke.” 
Like all other Grapes this one has its peculiarities, and these 
when understood make it when grown in a suitable house as 
easy to manage as any other variety. When Mr. Thomson 
decided upon sending out the Duke I think he made a mis¬ 
take in recommending it as an early variety that would come 
in two or three weeks before the Black Hamburgh. As he is 
such an eminent authority upon everything appertaining to 
Vine culture almost every Grape-growing gardener got it, 
myself included, and as a matter of course at once had it 
either planted or grafted on another Vine in small early 
vineries—just the house of all others where it ought never to 
have been placed. 
The whole family to which the Duke belongs—namely, 
its near relative Golden Champion, Muscat Champion, and 
Cannon Hall Muscat, are totally unsuited for very early or 
small vineries, hence the many disappointments with those 
grand and noble-looking Grapes. If anyone takes the trouble 
to carefully examine the leaves, wood, and pith of these 
varieties he cannot fail to observe how very different they are 
in constitution from most other sorts, and in order to pro¬ 
perly develope and consolidate the tissues of their gross 
robust leaves and wood it is absolutely necessary that they 
have abundance of room, light, and plenty of genial whole¬ 
some air during the growing season. In the case of the 
Duke and Golden Champion such an atmosphere will pro¬ 
duce perfectly finished Black Hamburghs that are wanted to 
be ripe in the early autumn. Such is my experience, and I 
have grown both sorts ever since they were in the hands of 
tke public. When treated as above described, and the wood 
perfectly ripened, no fear need be entertained about pruning 
the laterals close back to the shoulder bud. I find with the 
Duke, as with many other kinds, the best and most compact 
bunches spring from the shoulder bud, but in cases where 
the shoots are imperfectly ripened, and in order that there 
may be more to choose from, it is advisable to leave two or 
three buds. 
Another fertile source of disappointment in connection 
with the culture of this Grape is the tendency of its berries 
to crack and split just at the time when we begin to con¬ 
gratulate ourselves upon having achieved the height of our 
ambition. The causes of splitting have long been a source of 
No. 247.— Vol. X., Thibd Skives. 
contention amongst Grape-growers, and much nonsense 
has been written upon allowing sub-laterals as much 
play as possible during the ripening period. Ringing, 
nicking, gimbletirig, keeping the atmosphere of the house 
very dry, &c., are the usual remedies recommended. I have 
never seen an argument advanced to prove the theory that 
the evil originates with the roots. If this is so, what good 
purpose can it serve to hack and mutilate the Vine, or even 
allow all the sub-laterals to run to an inordinate length ? If 
splitting is caused by the sap being rapidly sent up from the 
roots, surely some of this would leak out through the aper¬ 
tures. Such, however, is not the case ; therefore we must 
look to other sources for the cause of the ruptures. In my 
opinion cracking is entirely brought on by sudden changes of 
atmosphere, such as is caused by closing the house too early 
in the afternoon and thereby causing a high temperature; 
then by damping the paths the house is heavily charged with 
vapour. This soon penetrates through the porous skin of 
the berries, causes an expansion of the juice or tissues of the 
flesh, and the skin not being elastic soon gives way; hence 
the cracking. I have also often observed cracking produced 
by neglecting to ventilate soon enough after a sudden out¬ 
burst of sunshine, and more especially after rain or a thunder¬ 
storm. 
I am not chemist enough to scientifically describe these 
details, but this much I can say—viz., if anyone cuts a 
bunch of the Duke, Golden Champion, or Madresfield Court, 
dips it into hot water and hangs it up to dry, he will soon 
observe that almost every berry will split. Should his 
inquisitiveness lead him to further experiments with other 
fruits, take a few ripe Whitesmith Gooseberries, put them 
into water, then place them out to dry, and he will soon 
observe almost every one split. The same remark is applic¬ 
able to Bigarreau Cherries and Green Gage Plums. Some of 
the best sorts of Melons and Apples, such as Golden Pippin 
and Red Astrachan, easily split if put into a dose tin box 
and placed in a hot moist house; therefore it is quite clear 
splitting is not caused by sap flowing from the roots. With 
us the Duke has given the most satisfactory returns when 
grafted upon the Black Hamburgh and grown in a large 
span-roofed late Hamburgh house. In such a position it is 
without a doubt the grandest and most noble-looking Grape 
in cultivation. Three good bunches of the Black Hamburgh 
topped with one of the Duke make a dish of Grapes fit to 
“ set before a kingand certainly no Grape that ever goes 
on to my employer’s table has more praise bestowed upon it 
than the Duke of Buccleuch.—J. McIndoe. 
HEATING AND HOT-WATER PIPES. 
Many mistakes are made in heating houses by means of 
hot water, but whether gardeners or hot-water engineers are 
to blame for many of the blunders I shall leave an open 
question. Not unfrequently we find the pipes masse 
together, while the plants arranged directly over them are 
baked and dried to such an extent that they are seriously 
injured, while Peach trees, Vines, Melons, and ucum ers 
become a prey to red spider and other insects. One instance 
of this system must suffice to show the evils that result from 
it. In a large lofty house with which I am familiar the 
pipes, six in number, are arranged round the sides of the 
house and directly below an open trellis of wood, upon which 
hundreds of small decorative plants are placed while in 
bloom. The individual that undertook the responsibility of 
this arrangement had either very little regard for the plants 
or was sadly deficient in his knowledge of their requiremen s. 
The dry heat arising from this number of pipes proves 
ruinous to Heaths, Epacrises, Azaleas, and many other hard 
as well as soft-wooded plants. Not only are they serious y 
injured, but the flowers under such conditions do not last 
more than half their natural time. Every precaution should 
be taken to distribute as regularly as possible through 
No. 1903.—Vol. LXXII., Old Sebies. 
