292 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 1, 1885. 
■which is almost concealed when the flower is expanded, “it may not 
unaptly be compared to an arm thrust into a large loose glove;” from 
which circumstanoe it is presumed that Jussieu gave it its specific name 
of manicate, or gauntletted. 
The fruit is not the least remarkable part of the plant. In Tacsonia 
pinnatistipula it is 5 or 6 inches in circumference, spherical, and when 
ripe of a yellow tint, hanging by the very long peduncle to which the 
remains of the flower are usually attached. The seeds are surrounded 
with a pulpy arillus of an edible nature, especially in a few species, 
which are not unfrequently cultivated for the sake of their fruit, as 
P. edulis and P. quadrangularis. 
T. manicata may be increased by cuttings either of the old wood in 
spring or of short young shoots in summer, under a bellglass with a little 
bottom heat. When grown under glass most of the Tacsonias will ripen 
seed, from which they may be readily increased. 
The specific name has been already explained ; the name of the genus 
appears to be a latinised form of Tacso, that by which the plants are 
known in Peru. There are several species besides T. manicata, those best 
known being mollissima, pinnatistipula, princeps, Van Volxemi, and 
grandis. 
We must not omit to observe that the shoots of the Tacsonias do not 
require shortening, but if they are too crowded they may be thinned out 
while young. When the growth is too rampant and sterile^of blossom, a 
flowering habit may often be induced by training the shoots horizontally, 
or nearly so.—W. T. 
GRAPES AND GRAPE JUDGING. 
A recent article on the above, and the Grape Exhibition at South 
Kensington, have caused me to put a few thoughts on paper. I have 
again re-read my article in “our Journal” for October 13th, 1870, 
page 279, with some pleasure, for it seems to strike at the root of Grape 
exhibition". I have now several points to note, but first I would ask, 
Has not the judging at the last few Grape shows favoured the huge 
clusters of unrip a , or, at least, not the ripest fruit, rather than the medium 
or smaller bunches of presentable size, colour, and ripeness. All honour 
is due to those who by their skill and perseverance can produce such 
clusters as I have seen of late, which must be very profitable from a 
market point, but are such bunches what we ought to see on the exhibi¬ 
tion table 1 
The South Kensington Exhibition, good as it was, must have been 
disappointing. No doubt some of the Grapes from having been at the 
Palace did not look so fresh, and there was a weakness in several classes. 
As the aim now is to get the finest possible berries, this is sometimes done 
at the expense of colour. My contention, however, is that medium 
bunohes with larger and better coloured berries are passed for the monster 
bunches with smaller berries and less colour. At the above Show judging 
should have been comparatively easy, the Grapes being staged in their 
own classes, as they should be whenever practicable. Judging mixed 
Grapes is a very different and difficult matter. No doubt the small 
number of entries in some of the classes was caused by the fact of 
growers, more especially private growers, not having their Grapes fit for 
table; market men have always the advantage in this respect. What we 
want is a good show in December, say the week before Christmas, just 
to see what is in perfection then. The South Kensington results were 
very gratifying to me so far as that goes, so I am not complaining of my 
own exhibits, but the opinion of several good men was the same as my 
own, though nothing pleases the general public better than the prizes 
going to the largest bunches. I should like to make a note of the two 
splendid bunches with large berries of Gros Guillaume, which when first 
cut must have been superb, now these were not clusters or double 
bunches. 
When Madresfield Court is shown in a mixed class with Alicante and 
Black Hamburgh, at first sight the Alicante would have first place, but 
considering the quality of Alicante with either of the others, and Alicante 
would not have a place. I am fully aware of the qualities of Alicante as 
a late Grape. I had it in March of the present year next to Lady D owne's 
for flavour. As regards berries, Madresfield Court will generally surpass 
Alicante, but not in colour. Now, to my idea, Madresfield Court, if 
ripe, with good berries, even if slightly deficient in colour at the tip, 
should stand before Alicante, and Black Hamburgh generally will stand 
last unless the bunches and berries are good. The Madresfield Court 
exhibited at the July Show, South Kensington, were grand. This variety 
is first-rate as a summer or autumn black Grape when well done, and 
now the culture of it is getting understood it will hold its own. Its two 
weak points are its liability to crack and want of finish in colour. The 
first defect, with patience, can be overcome by extra ventilation and less 
water at the roots. From the time mine show the least signs of colour, 
not only do I withhold water, but also cover the border with a good layer 
of straw to stop the damp rising, and the roots are entirely inside. 
Colour, or, rather, want of colour, is caused, I believe, not so much by 
overcropping as by want of fire heat. In other years, when 1 started 
them earlier, consequently using more fire heat, I had them much better 
in colour than I have now with starting late, but I gain this time by heavy 
crop of sound fruit. There is nothing like a good crop to keep them from 
cracking, and if Vines are healthy it is astonishing the weight they will 
carry. Two Vines last year ripened 70 lbs. of fine fruit. 
i expect Gros Maroc will be the general Grape in time, as it crops 
well and colours without any trouble. 
Exhibiting is a trade of its own, and the large London shows represent 
the growers for market generally, but there is nothing like a good local 
exhibition. At these shows Grapes are only staged that are fit to place 
on the table, so that if not perhaps very large, there is quality.— Stephen 
Castle, West Lynn, Norfolk. 
I consider that Mr. Iggulden has done gardeners generally a good 
service in bringing this subject to the front. It is one that badly wanted 
ventilating, for I cannot help thinking that many gardeners who are 
allowed to exhibit are doing wrong by cutting Grapes for exhibition in 
July and August, which “ A Young Exhibitor ” says “ ought not to appear 
before the judges until September has well nigh passed into October.” 
There are two sentences in Mr. Iggulden’s article, on page 251, which I 
hope may be impressed upon the mind of every gardener who may chance 
to read them. They are as follows. After his able criticism on “S.’s/ 1 
remarks on his former article on this subject, he says :—“ It is quite 
certain that he would get no reward for them (meaning unripe Peaches, 
Nectarines, See.) if he exhibited them ; and exhibitors of unripe Grapes 
ought also to be made to feel that it is a very uuwise proceeding to cut 
them.” Again, he says, “ Are they fit to send to table after the show is 
over ? and, if not, ought they to be sacrificed ? ” These are questions 
which might well be asked when Grapes as green as grass are seen set up 
in the classes for white Grapes, and Gros Colman and Alicante staged in 
the classes for any other black in J uly. If there is one thing more likely 
than another to disgust employers and cause them to prohibit their 
gardeners from showing fruit we think this is it. I well remember seeing 
some so-called white Grapes staged at one of our large provincial shows, 
and could not help wondering what they would be used for after the show 
was over. 
I hope now that the subject has been started that it will be thoroughly 
well threshed out, for it certainly is one of considerable importance. I 
am particularly glad to see Madresfield Court so justly praised by “A 
Young Exhibitor,” and I consider that every possible encouragement 
should be given to growers who, even if they only produce this grand 
Grape in what may be termed second-rate condition, for, after all, are not 
Grapes for eating ? Do not misunderstand me, for I am one of the 
strongest advocates for sending fruit to table perfectly clean and finished 
in every way, but the fine flavour of Madresfield Court should make up 
for any little deficiency of colour at the footstalks. However, I suppo=e 
that the Judges at the late Taunton Show will disagree with what has 
been written on this subject, and I fear also that very many of the framers 
of schedules are not aiming solely at the advance of horticulture in the 
highest sense, otherwise so many societies would not be completely 
wrecked by a wet day. I think it a pity that prizes are not 
offered solely for Madresfield Court at our summer shows. This would 
greatly encourage growers to persevere with it, and I feel sure that many 
who have almost lost heart on account of the berries splitting, would, by 
paying more attention to atmospheric conditions, eventually succeed. At 
any rate, such examples of judging as Mr. Iggulden quotes require some 
explanation, for even if we say nothing about the flavour of Madresfield 
Court, all will admit that there are hundreds of growers who annually 
produce good examples of Alicante who have not, so far, been successful 
with the former. Such adjudication is most certainly calculated only to 
aggravate the evil of which we complain. 
I hope that the remarks from Mr. Iggulden and “ A Young Exhibitor ” 
will have the effect of mending matters in this respect.— Wh. Jenkins, 
Aldin Grange, Durham. 
The excellent exhibitions of Grapes held recently in London and 
Edinburgh indicate the vast amount of interest taken in this superb 
fruit, and it must be a source of much gratification to many to find the 
Journal devoting so much space to the subject of Grape culture. There 
is hardly a week passes without some important hints being recorded, and 
the weekly questions which appear in your correspondence columns relating 
to the Vine show that the matter never flags; indeed Vine culture may be 
placed at the top of the list of interesting fruit subjects. Of late the notes 
on judging and exhibiting have commanded attention. Mr. Iggulden, in 
his complaints at page 204, wishes it to be understood that he does not 
grumble through being a disappointed exhibitor. He cannot be suspected 
of this, but let me ask him one question, Has his Madresfield Court, or 
any other of his summer Grapes, been passed once this season in favour of 
later varieties ? “ No one, I think,” writes Mr. Iggulden, “ will dispute 
the fact of the great superiority of Madresfield Court over Alicante.” I 
will. Where there is one Madresfield Court grown for either private or 
market use twenty Alicantes may be placed against it. The Alicante is every¬ 
body’s Grape. It will grow most luxuriantly either in the hands of profes¬ 
sional or amateur. It never fails to produce bunches in the utmost profusion. 
They always set well, swell freely, colour superbly throughout, and keep 
sound and in splendid condition for months. Its value on the table may 
be reckoned from the quantity grown everywhere, and the great demand 
for it in the market. Such is the character of Alicante. Madresfield 
Court, on the other hand, frequently fails to form its berries properly, 
numbers of them split before they are ripe. When the points ar6 black 
the back ends are often perfectly green. It is impossible to keep it for 
any length of time after it is ripe; and what with its splitting, inferior 
colouring, and non-keeping properties, it is distrusted by professional 
gardeners and shunned by amateurs. 
