Octobsr SO, isa4. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
387 
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Fruit and Vegetable Show at South Kensington. 
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Sun 
2 ST Sunday after Trinity. 
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Royal ITorticultnral Society’s Fruit and Floral Committee Meetings. 
5 
W 
Ealing Chrysanthemum Show. 
THE GEA.PE SEASON. 
may safely be premised that the season now 
fast drawing to a close has been an eventful and 
most interesting one to all concerned in Grape 
culture. I do not remember having seen or 
read of so many fine examples of different varie¬ 
ties being shown, not merely at the leading 
horticultural exhibitions but also at many local 
meetings, and on all sides there were or are now 
to be seen really fine crops of good Grapes. I 
have certainly seen during previous seasons a few better 
examples of one or two varieties than this season; but on 
the whole a general improvement is to be observed, this 
being by no means due to the favourable season experienced. 
On the contrary, I would attribute it to the fact that all are 
becoming more enlightened and enthusiastic in the matter, 
and more disposed to depart from old hard-and-fast lines. 
The recent works on Grape culture, and what has at various 
times appeared in the gardening periodicals, have had much 
to do with the improvement effected, and not a few have 
gained valuable information from various successful growers 
they may have been fortunate in meeting or visiting. We 
are not so selfish as we used to be, and few gardeners make 
a secret of their practices or go to the trouble of locking 
themselves in the potting shed while they are mixing a 
mysterious and presumably valuable compost. This is a 
digression, however, as it is about the merits of the varieties 
of Grapes I have had some experience with that I am setting 
myself to write, and if what is advanced provokes a contro¬ 
versy so much the better, provided it is conducted solely 
with the view of deciding which are the best varieties. 
The question is often asked “ Will the Black Hamburgh 
ever be generally superseded by any new variety ? ” and I 
have never yet heard anyone assert that it would be. At 
present it is the most serviceable Grape we have, and it may 
be safely asserted that half the Vines in the country are of 
this good old sort. When well grown no other variety is 
more admired by gardeners generally, or is much more 
pleasing to the palate, and no other Grape v/ill so long 
continue to be fairly satisfactory under bad treatment. For 
amateurs, for pot culture, forcing, and cool greenhouse 
treatment it is still invaluable; but I do not think so many 
Vines of it are now grown for the late supplies, as there are 
several excellent sorts—some well known and others fast 
coming to the front—which, if slightly inferior in quality at 
times, are easily grown and much better keepers. Several 
of the latter are successfully grown in a few cases with little 
or no fire heat, but they are under the charge of practical 
men, and it is very doubtful if novices would succeed with 
them. It is very evident there are inferior forms of Black 
Hamburgh in cultivation, these not unfrequently serving to 
puzzle and disappoint good cultivators. I do not, however, 
go so far as to say there is a distinct variety of red Ham¬ 
burgh, although I have seen this season more than one 
heavy crop the colour of which was nearer red than black, 
the quality and the size of the berries fortunately being first- 
class. This want of finish may be accounted for, but unless 
there are forms of the variety it would be a difficult matter 
to account for the dissimilarity of the crops on Vines growing 
together in one border. Some produce compact bunches 
and fine berries, and others large and loose bunches and 
much smaller berries. The fine Black Hamburgh Vines in 
the large vinery at Longleat, and from which were cut the 
first prize bunches that were recently shown at South Ken¬ 
sington, are not of the best variety, as in spite of the liberal 
and intelligent treatment they have long received they never 
produce such fine berries as might reasonably be expected. 
No doubt there are numerous Vines of Mill Hill Ham¬ 
burgh grown as Black Hamburgh, and this may have much 
to do with numerous failures, as it is by no means so easily 
grown as the true Black Hamburgh. For a time it will do 
well with ordinary Black Hamburgh treatment, and produce 
compact bunches, very fine berries, and colour fairly well; 
but later on it is less free in fruiting, especially if closely 
spurred at pruning time, and the berries, tliough still large, 
are nearer red than black in colour. According to my 
experience it is the most difficult to keep rooting near the 
surface, and requires to be lifted every two or three years. 
It is best grown on the long-rod system, though it will con¬ 
tinue to bear fairly well on the spur system, provided three 
or four buds are left to each spur. Owing to its thin skin it 
does not keep well, and on the whole it is an unsatisfactory 
variety, and those who have it under a mistake will act 
wisely in planting in its stead a Vine of the genuine Black 
Hamburgh. 
Muscat Hamburgh is perhaps the richest flavoured Black 
Grape we have, and is also the most disappointing variety I 
am acquainted with. The name and description has, to my 
knowledge, beguiled more than one novice into bujing it, 
thinking it possessed some of the well-known characteristics 
of the Black Hamburgh, whereas it resembles it in colour 
only. Dr. Hogg, in his “ Fruit Manual,” describes it under 
the name of Black Muscat of Alexandria, and under this 
name it should be catalogued by the vendors. It grows 
freely and is very fruitful, but unfortunately very few growers 
ever succeed in effecting anything approaching a perfect set. 
One-third or perhaps one-half of the berries may swell to the 
full size or thereabouts, according to the number of stones, 
but the remainder become no larger than peas, and this 
completely spoils the appearance of the bunch. The most 
perfectly set bunches of this variety that I have seen for a 
long time were at Hejtesbury under the charge of Mr. 
Horsefield, and perhaps on reading these remarks he may be 
induced to give us a few hints as to the treatment given. 
Venn’s ISeedling is now generally considered synonymous 
with Muscat Hamburgh, though the raiser, an experienced 
and practical man, still considers them distinct. 
Madresfield Court, where the berries do not crack badly, 
has become a great favourite—in fact, this tendency to crack 
is its only drawback. It possesses a good constitution, forces 
well, keeps fairly well, will ripen without fire heat equally as 
well as the Black Hamburgh, forms fine tapering bunches, 
sets freely, colours well, and is of most pleasing quality. 
Altogether it may be said to be one of the most attrac¬ 
tive of black Grapes, and everyone possessing a vinery 
should give it a trial. From what I can learn, the tendency 
to crack is almost entirely due to the character of the soil in 
which it is growing. In some places cracking of the berries 
rarely occurs, while in others the greatest difficulty is ex¬ 
perienced in preventing it. At Gunnersbury Park, where 
some of the most perfect examples of this variety I liave yet 
seen were grown, Mr. Boberts prevents cracking by keeping 
the inside borders in which the Vines are rooting much drier 
at the final ripening period than would suit any other black 
Grape; while at Elvaston Castle, where remarkably even 
and well-finished bunches are annually grown, the laterals 
beyond the bunches are encouraged to extend, with appa¬ 
rently the best of results. We have a Vine of this variety 
No. 227.—VoL. IX., Third Skries. 
No. 1883.—VoL. LXXI., Old Series. 
