March i, 1883 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 181 
early ventilation for drying the pollen as soon as possible for insuring 
its dispersion ; artificial aids for effecting this are also noted. 
The author has left us little to find fault with thus far, but we are 
quite unable to pass the chapter on thinning the fruit with unquali¬ 
fied approval. With the author’s remarks we find no fault whatever, 
but we_ cannot regard the figui-e on page 93 of the volume as re¬ 
presenting a “ properly thinned ” bunch. This being an educational 
subject we are bound to point out the faults of this specimen. It is 
impossible for a bunch so thinned to be well furnished and well 
balanced. In the first place too many berries are removed from the 
upper side of the top shoulders. This is a common mistake. It is 
there, if anywhere, that the Grapes have room to swell, and sufficient 
should always be left to curl back, as it were, and hide the stalk as 
much as possible, as in plates i. and vi. of the work. It is impossible 
that this desideratum can be accomplished by the removal of so many 
“ top berries.” Again, while the two upper shoulders are of the same 
length in the engraving, and originally contained an equal number 
of berries, in one shoulder they are reduced to four, while on the 
other six are retained. This may appear to some persons a small 
matter to mention, but if we look at the branchlets immediately below 
ive find the one under the shoulder with four berries only contains 
two, while on that under the shoulder with six berries five are left; 
or together six are shown on one side of the bunch and eleven on 
the other. Such a bunch cannot be evenly and well shouldered ; and 
the lower part is also faulty, as one side, the light-shouldered side 
by the way, contains—from the two top branchlets indicated to the 
point—eleven berries, while on the opposite side from the same point 
there are only seven. This method of thinning can have only one 
result—an irregular bunch, and the work is also shown as roughly 
performed. All the figure does is to give an idea of the number of 
berries that should be removed. In this respect it is suggestive, and 
we can only say that those who have Grapes to thin should endeavour 
to improve on the example shown as much as possible. The bunch 
has evidently been hurriedly thinned, has not been well selected, nor 
has the figure been well executed for the purpose it was designed 
to serve. 
An illustrated chapter is devoted to keeping the fruit, followed by 
one on packing Grapes for market and exhibition. The requisite 
details are given on growing, fruiting, and forcing Vines in pots, an 
illustration being furnished of a handsome example for table decora¬ 
tion grown by Mr. Sage ; and a method is submitted of growing 
“ Tom Thumb ” Vines in small pots for the same purpose. 
The experience recorded on the effects of grafting in the large 
vinery at Chiswick are interesting, and the chapters on Vines on 
open walls and in ground vineries will be useful to many. 
The diseases and injuries to which Vines are liable are fully yet 
concisely treated, their causes and prevention suggested, and 
remedies provided. These apply to rust, spot, scalding, warts on 
the leaves, bleeding, shanking, and mildew on the roots and berries. 
The various insects attacking the Vine are also clearly illustrated, 
this being the concluding chapter on what may be termed the 
practical part of the book, and not the least instructive in this 
valuable work. 
The remaining pages are occupied with selections of Grapes, a 
classification of Grapes, and a comprehensive series of descriptive, 
historical, and cultural notes on the varieties of European Grapes. 
All the leading varieties are further admirably figured on tinted 
paper, the bunches being shown one-third of their natural size, with 
separate full-sized berries of each accompanying them. In the 
selections lists of varieties are compiled for pot culture, for the open 
