132 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 18, 1892. 
'too large pots, do not pot firmly lenough, and give too little drainage. 
The material cannot be made too firm. The Azalea is a very fine-rooted 
plant, and if the soil is not firm the water runs through the loose soil 
instead of moistening the whole mass equally. Another way in which 
amateurs fail in Azalea culture is in neglecting the plants after bloom¬ 
ing. They should be taken in hand and prepared for another year’s 
flowering, but letting them get dry is fatal to success, and often to the 
plants altogether. 
He then alluded to the benefits of syringing when plants were making 
new growth. By syringing the bark gets moist and soft, and encourages 
the sap to move readily. When the branches and stems are thoroughly 
moist the pores of the wood are open and the sap flows easily. New 
wood must be had before flowers can be produced. Have new growth 
well ripened, then there will be no fear of not having bloom. Another 
question asked Mr. Hannah was, whether it would not be better to place 
Azaleas outdoors in summer in preference to keeping them in a mixed 
greenhouse where they did not get so much air ? 
Mr. Hannah thought that if no provision could be made to keep them 
dnside he should erect a shade over them during hot sun and stormy 
weather. If Azaleas are exposed to all the elements they lose the colour 
of their foliage and it becomes stunted, the buds get dry, and ultimately 
become blind. Outdoors they are liable to have too much wet, which 
brings on disease. 
A vote of thanks to Mr. Hannah was ably proposed, seconded, and 
supported, and the Chairman (Mr. H. Slaney) was thanked for his 
services. At the next monthly meeting, March 9th, C. E. Shea, Esq., of 
Sidcup, Kent, will read a paper on “ The Chrysanthemum, from Potting 
to the Exhibition Board.” 
GRAPES FOR EXHIBITION. 
fRead at the Bournemouth and District G-ardeners’ Association, Jan. 20th, 1892, by 
Mr. C. Wabden.] 
(^Continued from page lOi.') 
Muscat of Alexandria, probably introduced from Alexandria, is 
one of the oldest varieties in cultivation. There are records of some very 
fine specimens of this variety which are both large and productive, and 
it is justly pronounced the queen of Grapes, and is one of the best either 
for home use or exhibition. Where sufficient heat and light can be com¬ 
manded it should do well. Unlike the Black Hamburgh and some other 
black kinds, almost all the white varieties do best when a good amount of 
subdued light reaches the bunches, and Muscat of Alexandria is no 
exception. The ripening process may be hastened by tying the leaves 
aside, but when this is done they are very liable to scorch or become 
brown. The best results will follow a fair amount of light for a longer 
season. 
Gros Maroc was introduced by Mr. T. F. Rivers from M. Vibert’s of 
Angiers, but has remained comparatively obscure until the last six or 
seven years. It is an exhibition Grape in every sense of the word, being 
large in bunch and berry, carries a fine bloom, and can mostly be relied 
upon to colour well. This Grape, more than any other, injures the 
reputation of such varieties as Madresfield Court and Black Hamburgh 
when admitted into competition with them, for only ordinary examples 
of Gros Maroc will have the advantage of fairly good examples of the 
others when judged on the ordinary lines. Too often these late varieties, 
although coloured, are not sweet, but those who have seen this noble 
Grape as it is sometimes seen at our best fruit shows cannot but admire 
it, and when it is well ripened and allowed to hang, say until October, 
after being ripe about a month or six weeks, it is of fair table quality. 
Black Alicante is of Spanish origin, and has been cultivated in this 
country for many years, but it is to Mr. Meredith, late of the Gorston 
Vineyard, that the credit of the popularity of this Grape is due. It may 
be said to be everybody’s Grape, as it seems to succeed everywhere, and 
sometimes under very adverse circumstances. The Vine is of robust 
growth, good constitution, and produces abundance of large bunches, 
sometimes weighing 8 lbs. or 9 lbs., but more commonly 2 lbs. to 4 lbs., 
sets well, and invariably colours well. This variety is very liable to 
produce wide shouldry and spreading bunches, but these are of little 
value for exhibiting. Long tapering bunches, with well proportioned 
shoulders are the best, and if size of berry, colour, bloom, and weight 
can be combined, success is insured. 
Mrs. Pearson was raised from Alicante crossed with Ferdinand de 
Lesseps by Mr. Pearson, of Chilwell, and was first brought before the 
public in 1874. It is a Grape that is not nearly so often met with as 
its merits entitle it to be, and as it becomes better known I believe 
it will become more generally cultivated. The Vine is of good constitu¬ 
tion, a robust grower, and free fruiter, carrying handsome bunches, and 
the berries, when ripe, put on a beautiful golden colour. The berries 
are round and a little undersized, but of first-rate flavour, in these 
latter points taking after Ferdinand de Lesseps more than Alicante. 
The coolest end of the Muscat house is the best place for this Grape, 
which is a first-class keeper, hanging, if anything, better than Muscat 
of Alexandria. 
Gros Colman is of Hungary origin, and was introduced from Angiers 
to this country. But to Mr. Standish of Ascot is due the credit of first 
bringing it prominently before the public in 1861 or 1862, and more 
recently Mr. W. Thomson of Clovenfords. This noble Grape must 
always take a high place amongst exhibition kinds in the autumn 
months ; but like some others, being presented in bad condition has 
been the means of bringing it into bad repute, but well grown and well 
coloured examples would be hard to beat about Christmas among the 
black kinds. It is not an easy matter to point out why so many fail to 
colour this Grape, but often overcropping has much to answer for in 
this respect, it being heavy both in bunch and berry, and so often 
deceives many when thinning the bunches. Sometimes failure may be 
attributed to the starvation fare, and at others to not giving it a season 
long enough. This variety with me often commences to colour early 
in August and does not finish till far into October. 
Alnwick Seedling is a Grape of comparatively recent introduction, 
and was first brought to notice by Mr. Bell in 1876. It subsequently 
transpired that it was raised at Alnwick Castle, hence the name now 
adopted. It is an extremely handsome and useful Grape, and were it 
not for its fickleness in setting badly it would come still more to the 
front. The viscid matter which exudes from the pistil of the berry 
when in flower seems to throw off rather than retain the pollen grains 
that may fall upon it. A moderately high and dry atmosphere, early 
ventilation, and the removal of the superabundance of this fluid, and 
the fertilisation with the pollen from some other free-setting kind, is 
the best remedy for this evil. This variety is the blackest of all black 
Grapes. So dense is the colour that when a bunch is held to the sun¬ 
light not a trace of red can be seen. It also makes a good bunch, the 
berries swell to a good size when properly set, and carries a beautiful 
bloom. It is of fair table quality during October and November. The 
Vine is a good grower. 
Buckland Sweetwater is of English origin, and was raised at 
Buckland, near Reigate, by a gentleman who brought the seeds from 
tho continent. But to Messrs. Ivery of Dorking is due the credit of 
retaining and raising the stock, and subsequently sending it out in 1860. 
This Grape, like some others, is not in high repute as regards flavour 
owing to its being presented to table either badly grown or over-ripe. 
In the latter case the berries are as though they were fllled with 
sweetened water, in which case it is not good, but catch this Grape just 
right, and it is as firm in flesh as Hamburghs, and thin in the skin. 
Foster's Seedling is the rival to this Grape, but the dull, cloudy 
colour and small berries that are only too characteristic of the last- 
named makes, in my opinion, Buckland Sweetwater preferable. The 
Vine is of good constitution, producing abundance of bunches on 
well-ripened wood, and colours to a bright amber. This Grape has the 
peculiarity of not throwing off the capsule of the flower until after the 
berries arc set; therefore it is almost always self-fertilised. 
Muscat Hamburgh is a very old variety, and has been known under 
several names, such as Black Muscat of Alexandria, Red Muscat, and 
Venn’s Black Muscat. This kind is without doubt the best flavoured 
black Grape grown, and therefore, if it can be had in fair condition, it 
should have weight with the judges. Unfortunately, in many places, 
it is much addicted to shanking, and is also a difficult Grape to colour 
well. The foliage of this variety is tender—much after Muscat of 
Alexandria in that respect—and it would, in my opinion, do best at 
the shadiest end of the late house, as it does well with me in such a 
position. Whatever may be said against grafting good varieties on 
inferior stocks, I am of opinion that much good would result from 
giving this kind the benefit of the roots of a more robust variety—say, 
Alicante or Black Hamburgh. 
Lady Downe’s was raised by Mr. Foster, gardener to Viscount Downe, 
about the year 1835, and was sent out by Messrs. Backhouse of York 
about eighteen years after. It was obtained from a cross between 
Sweetwater and Black Morocco, and the seeds were saved and sown by 
Lady Down herself. The same potful of seedlings also produced the 
variety known as Foster’s Seedling. Lady Downe’s is an indispensable 
variety, and were it not for its berries being liable to scald from fluctu¬ 
ations of temperature during the stoning period, it would be one of the 
most reliable, if not the most reliable, late Grapes grown. It is an 
enormous cropper, often carrying two bunches to a lateral and finishing 
them well. The tapering form of the bunch—when the ungaitly 
shoulder has been removed—and the strong stalk to the berry fits it in 
every way for late keeping, and it is, without doubt, the best late- 
keeping Grape from Christmas onwards. 
Foster’s Seedling was raised by Mr. Foster at Beningborough Hall, 
York, on the same date as Lady Downe’s, and was not brought before 
the public until 1860. It is a Grape of first-class constitution, an 
abundant bearer, and the best companion to Black Hamburgh that can 
be found among the white kinds when forced early. I have made my 
selection so long that it must be brought to a close, but before doing so 
the merits of two or three others might be mentioned. Gros Guillaume 
is an extremely handsome Grape, and Mr. Roberts of Charleville Forest, 
Ireland, has done much to bring this variety under notice. If for no 
other purpose, it would be worth growing in many places for the leaves 
alone, as they die off to a beautiful red, which is very rich under 
artificial light. Trebbiano is also a good white Grape for autumn use, 
and Chasselas Napoleon bids fair to become ’oetter known than it is at 
present. It is a white Grape, producing abundance of handsome tapering 
bunches, and is truly a white and not amber Grape. 
Mrs. Pince’s Black Muscat, if mentioned last, is not least as regards 
flavour, for it will rank as one of the best in this respect. It was 
raised at the Exeter Nurseries from a seed of Muscat of Alexandria ; 
and Black Prince, a notoriously bad-keeping Grape, is supposed to have 
been the pollen parent. Where high-flavoured Grapes are insisted upon 
Mrs. Pince should be included. A noted grower once said of the Rose, 
“ Treat it like the Vine—grow hard and prune hard.” This may or 
may not be true ; certainly size is of little value without finish. Some 
growers prefer to prune to a good bud—that is, a plump bud, sometimes 
