481 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 4, 1880. 
are three other classes in this section, the aggregate value of the 
prizes amounting to upwards of £113, truly a liberal provision. 
Referring to the twelve dishes of fruit grown in an orchard 
house, our correspondent regards the conditions of this prize as 
correctly drawn, but the collection of eighteen dishes of hardy fruit, 
not more than two dishes distinct varieties of each kind, grown in 
the open air in Scotland, he regards as vague, and thinks it should 
be made clear whether such fruits as Grapes, Figs, Peaches, Nec¬ 
tarines, and Apricots, that require the protection of a wall or other 
structure to bring them to perfection in most parts of Great 
Britain and Ireland, are admissible as hardy fruits. The same re¬ 
marks apply to the eighteen dishes of hardy fruit grown in the 
open air in England. As there is a wide difference of opinion on 
this point among some leading exhibitors it seems desirable that 
the conditions should be made very explicit. 
Handsome prizes are offered for single dishes of Figs, Peaches, 
Nectarines, Apricots, and the like, but class G7 for twelve Plums, 
three sorts, four of each, together with classes 69 and 70, appear 
to our correspondent as “somewhat strangely drawn.” Class 67 
consists of three dishes, four of each sort, the prizes offered being 
£2, £1, and 10s., whilst in class 69 the collection of Plums to con¬ 
sist of six each of the following :—Jefferson, Coe’s Golden Drop, 
Lawson s Golden Gage, Ivirke’s Seedling (?), Early Prolific, and 
Transparent Gage, the same prizes are only offered. We offer no 
opinion on this, but may remark that Kirke’s Seedling is a 
misnomer, for Kirke did not raise the Plum referred to. It is also 
pointed out to us that it seems hard on exhibitors to compel them 
to include such varieties as Coe’s Golden Drop and Early Prolific 
in a collection, on the ground that it is almost impossible to have 
these two varieties in perfection together when grown out of doors, 
one being a July and the other a September and October Plum. 
Numerous varieties of Pears are invited, amongst others Winter 
Nelis, Glou Mor^eau, Easter Beurre, and Beurre Ranee. As these 
varieties must be grown out of doors, it is impossible to have them 
much more than half developed by the second week in September, 
and why not invite such fine varieties of autumn Pears as Clapp’s 
Favourite, Pitmaston Duchess, and Doyenne du Comice? The 
same remarks apply to Apples Court of Wick, Duke of Devon¬ 
shire, Wellington, and Northern Greening being invited, and which 
will not be at maturity until months after the show, to the 
exclusion of other varieties that are in season at the time. Ex¬ 
cellent prizes are offered for plants, cut flowers, and vegetables. 
Some of the points referred to in the schedule appear to 
require some reconsideration with the object of making it clear 
to exhibitors, and enabling them to do their best in making the 
Exhibition what we hope it will be—a brilliant success. 
KEEPING GRAPES. 
The practice of keeping back Vines in spring and employing 
fires freely during October to ripen their fruit is nearly obsolete, and 
nghtJy so, because it is the reverse of economical, and the fruit keeps 
badly afterwards. Some late varieties, however, need to be started 
mto growth earlier than others. For instance, Gros Colman, 
which takes a long season to bring it to perfection. Perhaps the 
best flavoured Gros Colman I have ever tasted was ripened in 
t le temperature of a Muscat house. The Muscat of Alexandria 
was used as a stock, but in spite of this the variety appears to 
finish better under comparatively cool treatment. If the crop is 
too heavy and hurried from the time the Grapes commence 
co ouring, they are seldom black, but if the crop is moderate, and 
abundance of air is admitted day and night, there is no difficulty 
in colouring them. It would be wise to start Gros Colman a month 
earlier than is necessary for Lady Downe’s and Alicante. 
Iam not m favour of having fruit lipe too soon that has to 
be kept some months on the Vines and in bottles. If thoroughly 
ripened by the end of September under cool airy treatment the 
truit will keep well, but I would prefer having fruit ripe by the end 
of August rather than in October, and it -would certainly keep 
better.. I his is not the only advantage gained by assisting them 
m spring, instead of when the days are short and the sun has 
but little power to solidify the wood. This is accomplished by 
starting the Vines early enough instead of having to ripen the 
wood by the unnatural process when light and natural heat are 
at a discount. 
After the fruit is ripe the treatment the Vines receive is often 
the reverse of what it should be. Instead of trying to keep the 
temperature at 55° to 60° as is too frequently done, until the Grapes 
are cut, say at the close of the year, the temperature should be 
gradually decreased until the Vines can have cool treatment. More 
Grapes decay through the use of fire heat after they are-jripe 
than is the case if it is not used. Fire heat tends largely to shrivel 
the berries and dry the borders, so that recourse to watering is- 
necessary, which by the opposite treatment would not be required. 
If one Grape more than another dislikes fire heat after it is- 
ripe it is Alnwick Seedling. If the structure in which it is grown 
is freely ventilated and kept cool the Grapes will hang in good con¬ 
dition for six weeks or two months longer than where the orthodox 
system of firing is practised. Closed ventilators and fire heat create- 
atmospheric conditions that are highly favourable to decay in the 
berries. It should never be employed after the fruit is ripe when 
the ventilators are closed, except to keep out frost, and even then it is- 
preferable to leave the ventilators open a little at the base and top, 
and have recourse to extra warmth in the pipes. 
The only advantage fire heat affords in the keeping of Grapes 
is to expel damp, and this as far as possible should be used early 
in the day when the ventilators can be opened. Any moisture that 
may have become deposited on the berries through a low night 
temperature will do no harm, provided it is evaporated early in the 
day without fail. 
Perhaps the most critical period for keeping Grapes is from the 
time the foliage commences fading until it falls. The period 
when this takes place varies considerably according to the time the 
fruit is ripe and the condition of the roots. Vines in healthy 
vigorous condition, with their roots in outside borders, and the 
fruit ripe by the end of September, will retain their foliage until 
near the close of the year, while under many other conditions the 
foliage will be off before the end of November. If the Grapes- 
are preserved in good condition until the foliage has fallen 
naturally, there need be no difficulty in keeping them afterwards. 
A cool dry room should be selected for them after they are cut 
from the Vines. It is important that the room be liberally venti¬ 
lated, for the whole secret of keeping Grapes in good condition 
depends upon a free circulation of air. If a uniform temperature 
can be maintained, that is, if the room is so situated that the tem¬ 
perature varies little, all the better. But the temperature had 
better vary considerably by the influence of external conditions- 
than be kept uniform by fire heat. It is not only necessary to 
employ fire heat judiciously while the fruit is hanging on the 
Vines but also after they are cut and the stems placed in bottles of 
water. 
The bottles to be used should, as far as practicable, be of clear 
glass, so that it can be seen at a glance whether the end of the stem is 
in the water or not. With many of the stems of the bunches this- 
care is not necessary, but with others the case is different, and they 
need examining frequently. The best plan is to hang all with 
short stems together, so that they can be attended to whenever 
they need it. It is important to keep the stem well in the water. 
The bottles should slope gently so that the bunches hang perfectly 
clear. If the bunches are heavy shouldered do not allow the 
shoulders to press on the remaining portion of the bunch f but sus ¬ 
pend them the same as when growing upon the Vines. If the 
berries press upon each other they are certain to decay however 
carefully they may be attended to. When they are in the bottles 
the bunches should be looked over once a week, so that any berries- 
which decay do not remain to affect those surrounding them. Many 
bunches are spoiled in appearance by inattention to details of 
this nature. It is unnecessary to seal the ends of the shoots or 
even to place charcoal in the water. The necks of the bottles 
need not be stopped. The room should be cool and ventilated 
liberally. If fire heat is used the water from the bottles is 
evaporated, and causes a moist atmosphere that quickly ends in the 
destruction of the berries. Close the door and windows, light a 
fire, and moisture will scon be expelled when the door is opened. 
This state of things is avoided by using no heat, except the 
doors and windows can be thrown open at the same time. As 
long as frost can be kept out of the room we strongly urge the 
use of no artificial heat. Those] who try this plan will find that 
their fruit will keep much better than is the case when used more 
or less frequently. Rather than employ fire heat prepare straw 
shutters for blocking up the windows during severe weather. If 
these are thick and kept dry they prevent the temperature of the 
room falling considerably ; they should be removed daily and dried 
unless the weather is of such a nature that it is necessary to keep 
tlfem up. 
No room is suitable for this purpose in which a thorough circula- 
