November 8, 1888. ) 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
419 
•of Grapes. As far as my observations have gone when attending 
shows in various parts of the country a great want of colour has 
’been noticeable in white Grapes, especially at some of the early 
shows. I naturally expected to find them rather green after so 
•prolonged an absence of sunshine, but in this respect the samples 
exhibited were, as a rule, far worse than I anticipated. Towards 
•the end of the summer a great improvement could be seen, but in 
mo instance did we see Muscats possessing that beautiful bright tint 
which they should have assumed during more sunny seasons. Black 
^Grapes have not, on the whole, been so well coloured as usual, 
-although the falling off in that respect has not been so marked as in 
-the case of white Grapes. Occasionally samples of splendid colour 
and finish have been met with, but these have been the exceptions 
rather than the rule. The old and general favourite, Black Ham¬ 
burgh, seems to have been the most satisfactory in point of 
■colour, of all really first-class black Grapes this season, which goes 
to confirm the opinion I have long held, that this variety colours 
■quite as well iu dull as in bright weather, and if the weather 
happen to be Very bright at colouring time should always be 
slightly shaded, excepting those cases where the Vines are growing 
in old and comparatively dark houses. 
Alnwick Seedling has fully maintained its reputation of colour¬ 
ing perfectly under all sorts of conditions. Either in a warm house 
-or a cool one it seems to colour equally well, and whether the weather 
is bright or dull there is no perceptible difference in that respect. 
By far the best bunches I have seen of this showy Grape were 
■growing in the large vinery under the charge of Mr. W. Taylor at 
Bath when I visited his now famous Vines in August last. The 
•bunches were unusually large and shapely, the berries blue-black in 
colour, and carrying a dense bloom. Gros Maroc has also in many 
cases coloured well this season, but it is by no means so reliable 
in regird to colour as the last named variety. It is often seen in 
"the hands of Grape growers of the front rank very deficient in that 
respect. This I think plainly shows that the art of colouring 
Grapes is by no means easily mastered ; each locality and the vary¬ 
ing conditions of each season must guide our treatment. When 
cmce these facts are thoroughly understood I believe it is possible to 
colour many varieties of Grapes as certainly in one season as 
another, but not so with all. 
I am firmly convinced that to have that noble yet capricious 
drape, Madresfield Court, in a perfect condition we are to a great 
•extent dependent on the state of the weather during the time the 
colouring process is going on. In very few instances during the 
past season have we seen this Grape in really good condition as 
regards colour, and at the September show held at the Crystal 
Palace, where we should expect to find it well finished if any¬ 
where, the class provided for Madresfield Court was notoriously the 
worst in the show, although several of the exhibitors in that 
class have in previous years shown the same variety in exception- 
ally good condition. This to my mind clearly shows that either a 
•certain amount of sunshine, or at least immunity from a series of 
wet days during the colouring period, is necessary to ensure good 
colour without cracking, or we have yet to learn how we can 
supply by artificial means the conditions under w'hich these 
•evidences of high culture can be ensured in unfavourable seasons. 
When the weather is dull without being wet the matter is simple 
enough. Maintain a steady heat in the hot-water pipes, and keep a 
little air on the top and bottom ventilators constantly ; but when a 
■succession of wet days is experienced the case is quite different. 
During such weather a little air may be admitted at the top of the 
house with perfect safety, but the moment the bottom ventilators 
s.re opened the damp air finds its way into the house and cracking 
■takes place in a few hours. Constant watchfulness on the part of 
those in charge soon discovers that cracking has begun. The 
bottom ventilators are at once closed, more heat is kept in the hot- 
water pipes, and cracking is arrested, and it is this want of bottom 
ventilation that has to answer for lack of colour in Madresfield 
Court this season ; at least such is my opinion. It is a matter of 
choosing between two evils—cracked berries on the one hand by 
giving bottom ventilation in damp weather, or lack of colour 
through not giving it. Those who are situated on high ground 
have a great advantage in colouring Grapes. Low-lying districls 
during August and September are frequently enveloped in cold fogs 
and mists at night (which are well known to be detrimental to the 
colour of Grapes) while the air on the rising ground around is per¬ 
fectly clear and bracing. Large bunches of Gros Guillaume have not 
coloured quite so well as usual this season, excepting cases where 
the Vines were started very early. The pleasant sunshine which 
we have experienced during the past few weeks has, however, im¬ 
proved matters considerably. 
Of all white Grapes Muscat of Alexandria has shown the effect 
of the season in the most marked degree. That beautiful bright 
amber tint which all strive to attain has been conspicuous by its 
absence among exhibits this season, although in a few instances 
during the September shows some of the examples staged of this 
fine Grape were of excellent colour for the season, notably those 
shown by Messrs. Taylor, Pratt, and Goldsmith at the Crystal 
Palace Show. Foster’s Seedling and Buckland Sweetwater among 
white Grapes seem to have been the least affected by the absence 
of sunshine ; indeed those that won the premier position in the 
class for any other white at the above named show could scarcely 
have been improved in colour. Foster’s Seedling as shown by Mr. 
J. Lloyd (who invariably colours this variety well) at Taunton, was 
very bright and clear, as also were some good bunches I saw at 
Gunnersbury Park. Golden Queen, when grown in an early house, 
has in some cases assumed a clear bright colour, but in later houses 
it has this season been disappointing, never getting beyond that 
“ cloudy ” appearance which generally characterises the variety 
when grown under the most favourable conditions, as it requires 
plenty of light from the time the berries set, and abundance of 
heat and air when ripening. Trebbiano where plenty of time has 
been given for ripening has improved in colour wonderfully during 
the last few weeks’ sunshine, and is with us as well coloured as in 
ordinary seasons.—H. Dunkin. 
IN THE MIDLANDS. 
Dubing a recent run out of town I saw more of horticultural 
interest than I shall perhaps ever be able to record, but that is no new 
experience. More than once I have made a resolve to narrate all the 
episodes of a journey, but failed to complete the work. Too much was 
perhaps done at the beginning, and the end has not yet been reached. 
It may be well, therefore, to try a change of tactics, dwelling first on 
what was seen last, touching lightly on points of call and objects on the 
way, returning to these as opportunities may permit. It is no doubt a 
roundabout way to the midlands via Ipswish and the east coast, but as 
I wanted to see the tree that produced the twin Apples, round and Pear 
shaped, from the same stalk, a quick run was made to the busy Suffolk 
capital by a Great Eastern express that had no time to stop by the way. 
The tree was found in the back yard of a public house. It is a young 
tree, and had borne about thirty of the curious fruits as perfect in shape 
as Pears could be, yet Apples, which it produces in “ proper ” form also, 
the two kinds from the same truss of blossoms. There is no mistake 
about it, and, what is more, the tree had never been grafted, but was either 
a seedling or a sucker. Its origin, however, cannot be traced now, nor 
can an example of good culture in the production of Pears be dwelt on, 
and the way in -which canker is conquered by their grower, Mr. R. 
Garrod, without either dressing the branches or touching or feeding the 
roots. 
The next call was at Bury St. Edmunds, for Nowton, where Mr. 
Edward Luckhurst is managing an estate of 5000 acres, and making 
neglected and impoverished farms profitable, showing as fast as he 
brings the land into condition that farming will yet “ pay.” Then as a 
chan.e there is something to admire in Mr. Porteous Oakes’ pleasure 
grounds and unique Conifers. There is much of interest in the old 
ecclesiastical town of Bury, including its abbey gardens, and to horti¬ 
culturists a famous townsman, Mr. Peter Grieve, the father, so to say, 
of the great race of golden tricolor Pelargoniums. Mr. Grieve lives 
retired a gentleman in the true sense, and widely respected. As may 
be imagined he begins to look ancient, but nothing in comparison with 
a pillar of the historical church of St. Edmunds, on which is affixed a 
marble tablet containing the names of the nobles who before the high 
altar took oath of the ratification of Magna Charta 670 years ago come 
the 20th of this month. I am tempted to dwell at Bury in such 
good company as the “ raiser of Mrs. Pollock,” but must rush on through 
the Fens to Peterborough, there changing train for Ketton for a call 
on Mr. H. Divers. So far as I know he has the finest Peach houses in 
the kingdom under his charge, and is certainly one of the best cultiva¬ 
tors of the fruit. He gathered 6500 fruits, including Nectarines, 
during the season ; also managed to cut 9000 Marshal Niel Rose3 out 
of one of the houses, grand blooms from vigorous plants grown on the 
rational system. Ketton, however, must be left, for Mr. Richard 
Gilbert had to be called on at Burghlev and his vegetable novelties in¬ 
spected, his Universal Savoy, which is as good as it is distinct, and the 
Victoria Brocco’i, which stirred a good clergyman into poetry, but I can 
only remember two lines of the verse :— 
“ As a cure for all ills, e'en superior to > Cockle,’ I 
fctrougly commend Kicliard Gilbert’s White Broccoli. 
L rhyming feat worth mention ; perhaps I shall think of the rest of the 
mes some°day. From Burghley the next call is at Pinchbeck, but as 
omething has been heard of Mr. C. Parker s success in Gooseberry and 
L ppl e growing there, we will push on to Southwell, via Lincoln, to see 
n extraordinary combination of Apples and Osiers that will be more 
eebly referred to, and from thence to Nottingham to the end of the 
ourney, Beeston and Chilwell. Much cannot be said about either 
uring the Chrysanthemum month, still perhaps space can be found for 
few lines. 
A note has already appeared on the Chrysanthemums in, to employ 
the familiar appellation, “Pearson’s Nurseries,” and an illustrated 
advertisement last week gives an idea of the display. Imposing as is 
the view of the large show house there represented, it may, without 
