September 30, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
291 
worth reading. His papers were always mai-lred with originality 
of thought. At times trenchant in his criticism without an atom 
of ill nature, and never heeding criticism himself; unlike some 
who, ready to find fault with others, are “ mighty tetchy” when 
the same process is applied to themselves. 
It is by his contributions to horticulture that he will he best 
known to the readers of the Journal; but in the North and 
East Ridings of Yorkshire he will be long remembered and 
deeply mourned as the indefatigable parish clergyman, the friend 
of all around him, and the helper of the needy; and by nearly 
every agriculturist in the Ridings he will be long remembered as 
practically the founder of one of the most successful agricultural 
associations in the county in which he always was the energetic 
organiser; while those who were ever associated with him as 
judge, as I have been, know how keen was his judgment and 
how rapid the conclusions which he drew. 
Those who had the privilege of knowing him in private life 
will ever remember him with the kindliest feelings, and will, I 
am sure, deeply sympathise with those who have to mourn him 
as husband and father.—D., Deal. 
SEEDLING GLADIOLT. 
When I a year or two ago expressed my opinion that we should soon 
hear more of Mr. J. Burrell of Cambridge in the matter of Gladioli, I 
hardly anticipated that he would so soon come to the very front. As I 
have already said, the stand which he exhibited at the Crystal Palace was 
a most remarkable one for a first exhibit at a metropolitan exhibition. I 
regret that I was unable to see the one he showed at ihe Aquarium, not 
only because it was even better than his at the Palace, but because he had 
on it a large number of seedlings of his own raising. I received, however, 
from him the other day half a dozen blooms, which were testimony enough 
to the excellence of the strain on which he is working, for he is not 
trusting to chance fertilisation, but carefully hybridises and keeps a 
record of the seedlings, both male and female parents, and thus not only 
is enabled to trace the origin of his seedlings but also to see which give 
the best results. 
Anyone who has grown Gladioli knows that there is a great deal of 
difference in their constitution ; some kinds, such as Adolphe Brongniart, 
produce seed freely ; others, such as Baroness Burdett Coutts, never have 
a seed pod. It is the same with regard to the production of spawn. In 
some varieties, such as Horace Yernet and Orphde, they cluster round the 
old corm as thickly as they can possibly get together in all shapes and 
sizes; others, such as Adolphe Brongniart, rarely produce any. Other 
kinds, again, are not only sparing in producing bulbs, but are liable to decay 
more than others. Thus Michel Ange and Madame Desportes are still 
quoted in the French catalogues at two francs and a half, while flowers 
which came out at the same time can be had for a few centimes. All this 
Mr. Burrell has noted in his hybridising ; he has crossed the very best of 
the French varieties, and has obtained very valuable results. As he 
observes, it is remarkable what small bulbs of seedlings will produce good 
spikes of bloom, and, a9 all raisers of seedlings know, there are all sorts 
of surprises in store for them ; there are a good many blanks, but also 
some prizes. 
Of the six spikes sent me by Mr. Burrell, No. 1 is a fine white, the 
flowers closely packed together on the spike ; this, indeed, is the charac¬ 
teristic of all of them, and with a beautiful lilac feathering in the lower 
petals. No. 2 is a delicately tinted light flesh-coloured pink, with deeper 
edges to the petals, and a creamy yellow lower lip, edged with pink. 
No. 3 is a large light pink flower with purple markings, the flower a 
little too loose, but still handsome, and quite as good as many beauties 
what have been put into commerce. No. 4 is a brilliant intense scarlet 
flower of fine form; the lower lip has a white blotch with deeper crimson 
feather in the centre. No. 5 is a pale-coloured flower with pink edges, but 
the lower petals are too narrow. No. 6 is a beautiful pink-coloured 
flower of the type of De Mirbel, with white lines in the petaD, and a lilac 
purple feather in the lower petals. All these are remaikable for the 
denseness of the spike, and for the number of blooms expanded at one 
time. I have bloomed some of the new French varieties of last autumn, 
and wish I could say that they were as good as these, but they must have 
another trial, as I of'en find that flowers which I had discarded on their 
fir^t blooming have afterwards turned out very well. I think Mr. Burrell 
is right when he says that the Gladiolus, like the Rose and otter flowers, 
has its season— i.e., some varieties are good one year which fail in another, 
and I am now reverting to the culture of some sorts which I had discarded. 
One gladly welcomes such an enthusiastic grower as Mr. Burrell, as he 
is pretty sure to infect others with his enthusiasm.—D., Beal. 
A REVIEW OE GRAPES AT SOUTH KENSINGTON. 
Grapes were shown in good condition at the Show cn the 7th and 
8th inst., but in some classes the specimens staged were of but moderate 
quality. Omitting the collections of Grapes from the schedule was con¬ 
sidered to be a satisfactory arrangement, as a few large growers generally 
succeed in taking the prizes yearly, thus limiting the competition in the 
variety classes. Twenty bunches in ten varieties is a difficult number 
for any but the largest growers to cut at one time, thus inferior quality is 
often staged to make up the neccstary dishes. Where prizes are offered 
for two bunches in the most popular grown sorts all growers are placed 
more on an equal footing. 
Taking the schedule in alphabetical order, the Alicantes first claim 
attention, those taking first prize from Mr. Taylor being perfect in form 
of bunch and berry, but better coloured examples have been seen, there 
being a slight want of that density of bloom which characterises the 
variety when presented in its best condition. Alnwick Seedling was fine 
in quality, indeed this was the best all-round class, all being highly 
coloured. It is a pity this Grape is not of better flavour ; at its best it is 
but second-rate. The first prize bunches from Mr. Taylor were splendid 
examples, the berries being large and even in size. This is one of the 
main features in a good bunch of Grapes of any variety. This variety 
invariably colours well, but in this instance the winning examples were 
superb. 
Considering that Black Hamburgh is the most popular variety of 
Grape growD, seldom is it generally well shown. On this occasion it was 
poorly represented, none was above third-rate quality. All were wanting 
in colour, while those placed first were but of fair size, and uneven in the 
size of the berries. Some allowance Bhould be made for the lateness of 
the season at which the Show was held, as this variety does not long 
retain its colour after being ripe. There is no Grape which deteriorates 
in appearance so quickly as Black Hamburgh. Black Prince was only of 
moderate quality. Buckland Sweetwater was very fine. Seldom are 
such large and even berries shown as the first prize pair of bunches. One 
of the chief features of this Grape is the unevenness of the berries in a 
general way. 
Duke of Buccleuch was represented by four exhibitors, the prize¬ 
winners from Mr. Allan being fine in colour, but all the others showed 
the variety in its more general appearance—viz., much too green to be 
particularly attractive. One now and again meets with good samples of 
this variety, but when a Grape requires so much special treatment to 
present it in its true character, it loses much in popularity. Generally 
the larger the berries the greener the colour they assume. Foster’s Seedling 
was generally well shown ; the first from Mr. Roberts were of extra good 
colour, large and even in berry. This is an excellent Grape for mid¬ 
season, as it is for an early crop. It sets freely. The constitution being 
strong, enables it to carry and perfect a heavy crop of bunches. 
Gros Colman, which is generally staged largely in point of numbers 
and good in quality, on this occasion was only shown by three exhibitors, 
owing, I presume, to the sunless weather at times during the season.. 
Where this variety is grown in a mixed collection it suffers more through 
the reason named, and does not assume such a good finish as when grown 
in more heat, hence the reason of the scarcity. The first prize bunches 
were very fine in berry but slightly wanting in finish. Gros Guillaume 
had evidently felt the effects of want of sun, judging from the specimens 
staged, as all were wanting considerably in colour. It is a pity this 
variety is not generally better grown. When in its best form it is 
handsome in appearance. The bunches are most shapely; the berries of 
large size ; it keeps well, and the flavour is good when properly ripened 
and kept till say December. Many people imagine this variety will not 
produce bunches freely when grown on the close-spur system, but this is 
a great mistake, for if the Bpurs are allo wed ample room whereby the 
foliage has free development, the wood thoroughly ripened, depend upon 
it bunches will be freely produced upon the close-spur method of pruning ; 
at least such is my experience of the variety. 
Gros Maroc was represented by six pairs, the first prize being awarded 
to the much-discussed bunches staged by Mr. Taylor at the Crystal 
Palace Show the previous week; certainly the two bunches were 
not identical in appearance, the larger bunch having berries much 
rounder at the point than the other. It partook strongly of the colour of 
Gros Colman when not in its very best condition a9 to colour ; the bunch 
in question was large in size and excellent in form, while the berries were 
extra large, but the colour and bloom was slightly deficient, and it was the 
general opinion at both shows that the two bunches were not the same 
variety. The second prize pair, although much smaller in bunch, were 
typical of the variety in its best form owing to their grand colour. 
Lady Downe’s was staged by nine competitors, all being most creditable, 
the bunch form of all was excellent. Mr. Osman's first prize pair were- 
c mpact in bunch, extra large in berry, but just the merest shade short in 
colour ; the second and third prizetakers were perhaps slightly superior in 
colour, but lacked the size of berry which characterised the winning 
stand. 
Six competed with Madresfield Court, and there, in my opinion, a 
mistake occurred in awarding the prizes. The first was given to bunches' 
large in size ; this was their only recommendation, the berries being 
tightly wedged owing to not being sufficiently thinned; they were notr 
even in size, were rather red, much rubbed, and, wbat was worse, many 
berries in the centre of the largest bunch were much decayed; their proper 
place, in my opinion, was third. Those placed second were much smaller 
in bunch, but the berries not only were much larger but even in Bize, 
better colour, and were quite plump and fresh and really fit for a dessert 
table ; merely size of bunch must have carried the Judges away in this 
class. Again, in the class for Mrs Pearson, size of bunch was the 
winning .element, the berries were small and quite green, while the 
second prize bunches, although smaller, had better berries, and, what was 
of more importance, the colour was infinitely better; the positions of 
these two should have been reversed. 
Both Mrs. Pince and Muscat Hamburgh were anything but first-class ; 
indeed the latter was very poor, while the former showed that want of 
colour which baffles many men to produce it in any other form. A large 
entry of Muscat of Alexandria (nine) brought out some excellent samples 
