478 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 11, 1885. 
Mr. Iggulden will have to advance something more than such vague 
generalities as are contained in. his letter before his so-called “facts ” are 
difficult to controvert. It is not any facts that I will question, but 
erroneous deductions from them. The cracking of nearly ripe fruit rarely 
occurs in dry weather, because the evaporation is rapid, says Mr. Iggulden. 
Precisely so, and the hotter it is, and according to his logic, the greater 
the expanse n of fluids, the less liable it is to crack, for it will shrivel. 
The moisture passes from it then ; and it would be curious indeed if 
moisture that passes from the inside outwards would not also pass from 
the outside inwards under suitable conditions, such as a constantly wet 
surface or surrounding atmosphere. It not only passes through the 
cuticles of fruit of all kinds from the exterior, but also through the seeds, 
branches, and leaves of plants, all of which are very sensibly and of.en 
beneficially distended thereby. If it were not so, how are the many 
thousands of dry rootless Orchids that arrive in this country from abroad 
“ plumped ” and established F 
I hen your correspondent goes on to say, when evaporation ceases by 
the intervention of showery weather the excess of sap partly finds its way 
to the fruit and partly back to the roots, the former becoming gorged. I 
have never said that an extra supply of water does not affect the fruit 
that it reaches through the ordinary channels, because I know it does ; 
but I say in addition to that the fruit absorbs moisture, and numbers of 
Grapes, and other soft kinds, split through that cause alone. Surely the 
‘excess of sap resulting from diminished evaporation from the Vines at 
Hutton Hall did not “ find its way ’’ into and gorge ihe Grapes that had 
been cut some days at Manchester. No, the moisture in the tent did the 
mischief, this simply passing through their skins to their destruction ; and 
all that Mr. Iggulden has said in contravention is the delightfully lucid 
explanation that the “ state of affairs was toomuch for the Duke,” because, 
forsooth, its skin was softened, which predisposed it to crack. 
He seems half afraid this “ skin-softening may not be found tenable.” 
. . y, then, does he build on such a doubtful foundation ? But weak as 
it is, it is the strongest point in his argument. In elucidation he passes 
to himself, and we find him making the astounding suggestion that a 
humid atmosphere affects the skin of individuals, predisposing it to 
crack. Those who suffer from chapped hands know that the exact reverse 
is the case, and they resort to softening remedies accordingly. The 
natural inference from this is that my critic is either different from other 
persons or there is a crack in his logic. 
There have been no worse examples of Grapes splitting than when the 
roots of Madresfield Court, the Frontignans, and other delicate-skinned 
Grapes have been much too dry and the leaves flagging in consequence. 
The prevention of the evil is to be found in a well-conducted method of 
ventilation, and Mr. Iggulden’s remarks on that subject go a long way 
towards compensating for the most illogical literary production I have 
ever seen placed over his name. He is no doubt a first-rale “ practical” 
gardener, but more practice of another kind is needed before he can 
hit off the “fads ’ of pretentious scientists with the neatness of his late 
neighbour and really “scientific and practical” cultivator, Mr. William 
laylor ; at least, that is the opinion of—A Thinkee. 
P-S- Let no reader fear that Mr. Iggulden will be “ hurt ” by any¬ 
thing I have said ; he will enjoy it, as I have enjoyed his hard “ hits.” I 
^ a ° 0 ^ er ,y° 0( i shot in my looker, and a reserve force behind that, 
which I consider much more weighty than anything that has been said in 
this discussion.—A. T. 
In reply to Mr. Henderson’s remarks on the above subject, your 
correspondent, “ thinker,” does not exhibit his usual acumen when he 
illustrates the supposed action of endosmose by the circumstance that 
jruii, foliage, and Cucumbers remain longer fresh—unfaded, so to speak— 
if immersed in water, though their cut stems may not be so immersed, than 
ey would do if exposed to the air. I grant this at once, and add that 
ey remain longer tresh immersed than they would with their cut stems 
in water if they were themselves exposed to the air, but I see a different 
cause that may account for this to that to which “ Thinker ” attributes 
it not to the action of endosmose, though I do not deny its infinitessimal 
action, but to the stoppage of the action of exosmosis, or perspiration 
more strictly speaking.. The action of the water prevents the dissipation 
o he natural sap, and is so far negative. In the case of foliage partially 
desiccated the case would be to some extent different there : there would 
ie empty cells into which, by capillary attraction, aided by gravitation, 
wa er would enter, but such are excluded by the necessities of the case in 
point. 
this is one of the.many instances where negative action is mistaken 
■ °r P 081 tive, and vitiates the whole argument. Given foliage full of sap, 
immerse it in wa'er, and though no more sap may be able to enter none 
wi escape. Result, the foliage will keep plump till decay sets in. As an 
argument to prove that Grapes already full of sap will from a much drier 
me mm an their own br.dy—the air of a well-ventilated vinery—absorb 
more sap an split through such action alone is to my mind a perfectly 
untenable theory.— W. Thomson. 
T A, -T ,? A Thinker’s ” remarks on the above subject on page 458 
. ls . °. e ‘ im that I have proved years ago that Cucumbers with 
eir si e in wa.er, but the stalk out of it, will wither much sooner than 
o.hers with their stalks only immersed ; but to be entirely immersed in 
water with stalk protruding and not to wither does not prove that thej 
soi u a er through the skin, as no evaporation can take place undei 
such circumstances. Fern fronds will undoubtedly absorb water if im- 
meised in water, even if the stems are out of it. “ A Thinker ” may have 
ser\c. the interesting phenomenon of Ferns being able to breathe 
through their fronds, and aTso absorb moisture frim the atmosphere, a 
fact which I have never heard of in the case of the fruit of the Vine, or 
Cucumbers either. 
I have not tried the dipping system that enables Grapes to imbibe too 
much water for the resistance of the skin. Will “A Thinker” kindly 
tell us how long he leaves the Grapes in the water, and whether the skins 
crack in the water or when exposed to atmospheric influences after 
immersion ? and also the temperature of the water he uses? as the water 
if sufficiently hot would cause cracking by their being scalded. If he 
use3 water at a temperature of, say, from 50° to 70° Fahr., sealing up the 
cut end of the branch carrying the bunch of Grapes, or both ends if cut, 
so that no air or moisture can enter that way, and then immerse the 
bunch for as many minutes as he may think necessary for his purpose, 
and then find that the skins crack, he will have some grounds for 
his assertion, “ that moisture passing through the skins of fruit has 
caused ten times more injury than has yet been generally admitted.” 
I may mention, in conclu ion, that I have tried a few experiments on 
Grapes before now, one of which was to see if Grapes which had shrivelled 
by hanging in the* fruit-room during winter and early spring could be 
plumped up again in more heat. I had a bottle filled with water at a 
temperature of 75°, into which I put the end of the branch carrying the 
bunch of shrivelled Grapes, and placed it in a stove at 68° or 70°, and 
found in the course of a few days that the berries had swelled out con¬ 
siderably, not, in my opinion, by absorbing the water through their skins, 
but caused by the influence of the higher temperature, enabling the 
inert branch to resume, to a certain extent, itsHormer functions.— HUGH 
Henderson. 
As the author of the remarks that have led to an interesting discussion 
upon the important question of Grapes and other fruits splitting, I beg 
a small space for a few notes made upon the remarks of my various 
critics. My esteemed friend, Mr. Thomson, first claims attention. I 
regret to observe that 1 have failed to convince him that splitting is 
mainly, if not wholly, caused by atmospheric influences, or as Mr. 
Iggulden puts it, “ faulty ventilation,” which, I presume, means where 
the ventilators are kept closer than is good‘for the well-being of the 
Grapes, and the atmosphere, being heavily charged with vapour, swiftly 
penetrates the thin porous skin of somo vari-ties (notably the Duke of 
Buccleuch), and acting upon the tissues or fluids therein contained, causes 
an expansion of the same, and the skin being non-elastic soon give3 way ; 
hence the dry aperture so familiar to Grape-growers. Now, if splitting is 
caused by an extraordinary rush of sap s mt up from the roots in such a 
way that it is not possible for the skin of the berries to contain the same, 
surely at least one drop of this sap will be found to oose out of the 
opening, but such is not the case ; on the contrary, upon examination it 
will be found that the moment the berries split the juices are seen to be 
congealed and dry, showing no trace whatever that an extraordinary 
quantity of crude sap had been suddenly sent into them. 
Mr. Thomson, page 402, attributes the vigorous growing and rooting 
qualities of the Duke and Golden Champion as one of the causes of 
splitting, but I think no one knows better than he that of all Grapes in 
cultivation none is more liable to split than the weak spindly growing 
Chasselas Musqud. So far as my experience goes it makes but little 
difference whether the Duke or Golden Champion are growing upon their 
own roots or grafted upon another stock, their liability to split is precisely 
the same. Mr. Thomson further adds, “ In the light, rather poor dry soil 
and climate of Dalkeith Gardens ncdther cracked or had spots on them.” 
This is easily accounted for, because on light dry soils the atmosphere is 
always drier and more buoyant than is the case upon heavy soils. 
Especially is this so during dull or wet weather. My recollection of the 
Grapes at Dalkeith when under Mr. Thomson’s charge is that their appear¬ 
ance proved (and I daresay many will bear me out in this statement) that 
they showed signs of growing in the jvery reverse of a “ rather poor dry 
soil.” 
Mr. Hugh Henderson affects to sneer at the ignorance displayed by 
both “ A Thinker ” and myself, but surely he would respect the opinions 
of such men as Dr. Lindley when he says, “ Beyond all dispute it is by 
endosmose that vapour is absorbed from the atmosphere and water from 
the earth ; the sap is attracted into fruits by virtue of their greater density.” 
Mr. Kirk pleads for a fair trial being given to the gimlet; to this I sav, By 
all means let those who believe in its efficiency give it a fair trial, keeping 
the same amount of moisture in the atmosphere after the mutilating 
operation has been performed as was previous to the berries splitting, but 
the question under notice is the cause of splitting. 
Lastly, Mr. Iggulden agrees with me in saying, “ Judicious ventilation, 
coupled with a moderate heat from the hot-water pipes, is the best pre¬ 
ventive of splitting but added to this there must be maintained at all 
times and in all weathers after the stoning period a moderately dry and 
“ buoyant atmosphere.” This has long been proved to be beneficial to 
more sorts of Grapes than the Duke and Golden Champion. Mr. Iggul¬ 
den’s neglected Lady Downe’s Vine reminds me of a case that occurred 
in the heated orchard house here the week before last. This house is partly 
filled with Cherries in pots, and were at that time changing to ripeness. 
After a bright morning a sudden change, accompanied with a thunder¬ 
storm, set in during the afternoon. Oa this the ventilators were closed ; 
the man in charge incautiously damped the house. Next morning I ob¬ 
served upon three trees of Governor Wood more split Cherries than I care 
to see, while May Duke, Bigarreau Napoleon, Werder’s Early Black, aud 
Black Tartarian were perfectly free from a split fruit, and only a few 
were observed upon three trees of Elton. These trees are alike in the 
most robust state of health, and had not in any way been subjected to 
