476 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
May 30, 1895. 
GROS COLMAN GRAPE. 
No Grape that I know of can be so much improved in flavour 
and general quality as Gros Colman. It really needs a high 
temperature to develop its best qualities, and this muse of course 
be combined with a judicious amount of air. When this treatment 
is given to Gros Colman it is vastly improved. Under cool condi¬ 
tions you may secure a good colour and heavy bloom, but the 
edible conditions of the fruit are much inferior. 
Gros Colman, when well grown, is a most useful and handsome 
Grape, possessing sufficient quality to make it an acceptable fruit 
on the dessert table. Noble in appearance, firm in fleshy and 
not wanting in flavour, it is a Grape worthy of the attention of all 
growers and consumers. Time was when Lady Downe’s fetched a 
high price in the winter and spring ; those days are gone, never to 
return. The bolder appearance of the Gros Colman has entirely 
put the Lady Downe’s in the background, though the latt.;r is most 
pleasant to eat when hung for a month or more after becoming 
thoroughly black. 
One thing that greatly enhances the value of Gros Colman as a 
Grape for market growers is the comparative ease with which it 
can be thinned. Compared to the thinning of Black Alicante or 
Lady Downe’s the thinning of Gros Colman is a pleasure—if only 
one thins them enough. When Colman Vines are in full vigour 
the amount of thinning the bunches require is wonderful. When 
one thinks that berries 4| inches and even more in circum¬ 
ference can be had when the Vines are in prime order, the berries 
must be wide apart when thinned. The inexperienced thinner 
is often much deceived in this matter, as his mind’s eye cannot 
picture the enormous berries that are to develop. I speak, of 
course, of Vines in the best possible condition. 
Taken all in all Gros Colman is well worthy of the best culture 
that can be bestowed on it, as it is a most satisfactory Grape in 
many ways. Sometimes it happens, during a very sunny, hot 
summer, that the Colman is better for a very slight shade. A 
little whiting and skim milk squirted on the glass with a sjringe 
has been found useful for this purpose. It prevents the foliage 
suffering and helps to keep down spider. For a Grape with a 
robust habit Gros Colman is—like Mu®cat of Alexandria—peculiarly 
subject to the attacks of red spider if not carefully watched and 
attended to. 
Gros Colman hangs well on the Vine, but onr experience of 
it as a Grape for keeping in bottles has not been favourable. It 
requires a long time to colour and ripen as a rule, and has a 
strange habit of colouring even as late as Christmas. All things 
considered, this Grape is deserving of the position it has acquired 
as a market variety. 
The importance of an abundant supply of fresh fruits and 
vegetables is every year becoming more evident, and there can 
be no doubt that an ample supply of well-ripened Grapes is 
most important for the public health. Grapes are not only 
refreshing and sustaining, but most truly medicinal, and are 
calculated to assist very much in maintaining a generally good 
condition of health. Their value is vastly enhanced when high 
culture has been applied to them, and the more this is recognised 
the better for all concerned.— John Thomson, Clovenfords. 
Miltonia Bleuiana vieginalis. 
Amongst the many superb Orchids staged at the Temple show 
none was more beautiful or attracted more attention than Miltonia 
Bleuiana virginalis, sent from Belgium by Mons. Jules Hye. The 
woodcut (fig. 83) will convey some idea of its quality, the single 
bloom being almost exactly the natural size. The colour is a pure 
white, the base of each petal being flushed with rosy purple, while 
the lip has a blotch of rosy buff. The first-class certificate awarded 
was thoroughly deserved. 
Orchids at Woodhatch, Reigate. 
Although there were such wonderful collections of Orchids at 
the Temple show there were numbers of others unrepresented, 
and amongst these the fine one which Mr. Hajwood has at 
Reigate merits inclusion. Probably not so representative as many 
other collections in certain respects, because here it seems to be 
more desirable to have certain species or families in big groups, 
hence we find houses devoted respectively to Miltonias, Phalsenopsis, 
Odontoglossums, Cypripediums, Masdevallias,Vandas, Dendrobiums, 
Cattleyas, and Lselias, of each of which sections there is an almost 
immense number, and in every case all are in the most admirable 
condition. 
Houses and Orchids alike are extremely clean, and the latter 
are most healthy and robust. A rare form is Miltonia Daisy 
Haywood, one of the finest whites there is, and of great beauty. 
Phaljenopsis grandiflora is well represented by several grand 
spikes. A noble and most effective Orchid. There are many 
very fine varieties amongst Cypripediums, such as Lawrenceanum, 
Rothschildianum, caudatum Wallasi, with very long appendages ; 
Victoria Marie, and beautiful bellatulums. 
In many respects the bulk of the collection is past blooming, 
but in such variety something interesting may always be found. 
Mr. Salter mentioned that he had during the long spell of hard 
frost in the winter a very anxious time, as it was most difficult to 
maintain anything like a suitable temperature and keep the 
houses from becoming thickly coated with ice.—D. 
Acineta Humboldti. 
This singular and pretty species with its pendant scapes of 
purple spotted flowers is very attractive while it lasts, but the 
evanescent character of its flowers is a great fault. Like all the 
genus this species may be grown in wire baskets suspended, but to 
leave them, as is too often done, in one position all through the 
year with very scant attention is to court failure. 
I find that Acinetas enjoy a very high temperature during the 
growing season, and in order to keep the foliage in good condition, 
and red spider and other insects in check, the syringe must be 
constantly plied about the plants, as the atmosphere is frequently 
drier close under the roof than in the body of the house. The 
roots, too, if in a rough open compost, delight in copious supplies 
of moisture until well on in the autumn. A frequent mistake made 
with pseudo-bulbous Orchids is diminishing the water supply too 
soon, in fact just as the roots are actively searching for it at the 
time of finishing up the pseudo-bulbs. The species m question is 
almost aquatic in its needs from the time the growth is well on the 
move until about the beginning of October, when the supply must 
be dimini.shed, the temperature also being lowered. In the winter 
very little will suffice if the atmosphere is fairly moist, and a 
minimum temperature of 50° will be found suitable. 
Good peat fibre, loam, and sphagnum moss in equal propor¬ 
tions, with a good sprinkling of rough nodules of charcoal, will 
be found a suitable compost. Acinetas dislike frequent disturb¬ 
ance at the roots, therefore the drainage must have very careful 
attention, some large pieces of charcoal being first laid in the 
bottom to insure the safe passage of any spikes that may be pushed 
down through the compost. If fairly wide baskets are used the 
plants may be kept in good health for a number of years by 
removing a little of the top compost yearly and substituting fresh. 
It is a native of Venezuela, and produces its flowers freely when 
well established from the base of the robust-locking pseudo-bulbs. 
Its flowering season is during March and April, and the blooms 
usually last about ten days only.—H. R. R. 
Orchids at Chelsea. 
The famous nursery of Mr. William Bull is at the present 
time more than usually gay, owing to the fact that tbe annual 
exhibition of Orchids in bloom is now open. The display this 
year is quite equal to any of its predecessors, and the view on 
entering the large span-roofed bouse which is used for the above 
purpose is one of exceptional beauty. The name of Bull is 
synonymous with that of new and rare plants, so that one expects 
to find something out of the ordinary when paying a viiit to this 
establishment. In this respect no one need feel disappointed, as 
amid the large army of flowers there are many which can only be 
seen in very choice collections. The plants are tastefully arranged 
along the centre and side stages of the house, and form a picture 
of gorgeous beauty that would be difficult to excel. 
The most striking in this maze of flower are the Cattleyas, 
Lselias, and many well-furnished plants of Odontoglossums vexil- 
larium and citrosmum. Amongst the former was noted a fine 
specimen of Cattleya Mossiae fimbriata, with flowers of most pleas¬ 
ing form and very sweetly scented, while scarcely less beautiful is 
a good example of C. Mossiai Lawrenceana. A feature, however, 
amongst the Cattleyas is the many magnificent specimens of the 
different forms of C. Mendeli, giving a good idea of the variety 
that is obtained in this charming flower. Time did not allow of a 
close inspection, but amongst many others C. Mendeli Empress, 
with its large white sepals and petals and very deep crimson lip, 
called forth acclamations of praise. Of an equal standard of merit 
is C. Mendeli majestica of a like colour, but with a long and 
delightfully fimbriated lip. Another pleasing form is that of 
