314 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Ootober 8, 1885. 
them. At any rate, I will suggest a compromise for their con¬ 
sideration. it is not practicable to give prizes for the best 
examples of different varieties of Grapes at all shows, and at 
most of them held in summer the usual classes for Black H am- 
burghs and “ any other black variety ” will have to suffice' but 
where the finances permit it is very desirable to have a class for 
encouraging the better and more extended culture of Madresfield 
Court .Now, why is the Black Hamburgh taken as the type of 
black summer Grapes? Obviously because it is “in season.” 
Should not, then, other varieties that are associated with it and 
placed in competition in the orthodox classes be “ in season ” 
too ? That, to my mind, seems both logical and reasonable, and 
I would have a note appended in the schedule that the prizes in 
these classes should be awarded for “ appearance and quality.” 
If the Alicante, Gros Colman, or any other in those respects 
excel let them have the prize, not otherwise. It is true there 
may be a clashing of virtues, for bunches of Alicante may excel 
in appearance, Madresfield Court in quality. What then ? Let 
experienced cultivators and competent judges determine which 
they would prize the most if they had grown them, and which 
they would choose for a high-class dessert, and there would be 
so few mistakes that grumblers could be ignored. 
Now to the Grapes not “in season.” These should, indeed 
must, be included in the classes for four, six, or more varieties, 
and be in appearance fit for table, a note being inserted in the 
schedule that the prizes in these classes be awarded for “ excel¬ 
lence of culture.” Growers having these Grapes in presentable 
condition previous to October could then stage them, have the 
recognition they deserve, while the best possible displays of 
Grapes would be provided or inspection and instruction. This 
is one way out of an admitted difficulty; but the better way, as 
above suggested, would be to have classes both for the Black 
Hamburgh and Madresfield Court, then another for “ any other 
variety.” At numbers of shows this could be done, and this fine 
summer Grape is deserving of encouragement. At present, 
quality i3 often swamped by size, according to the peculiar 
fancies of persons appointed as judges, and the absence of any 
instruction in schedules to guide them in awarding the prizes. 
For instance, a gardener staging Madresfield Court in a “ variety 
class” would vote for Mr. ggulden as a judge, but if exhibiting 
Alicante he would hold up his hand for “ A Kitchen Gardener.” 
Good prizes should be offered for late Grapes at winter and 
spring shows. 
The active gardener last mentioned and Mr. J. Muir appear 
to estimate the merits of what is grown on diametrically opposite 
principles. Because we are “ accustomed to hear Stephanotis and 
Gardenias praised so much ” and they are grown so extensively, 
Mr. Muir would discard those plants; or rather their popularity 
i3 not regarded by him as sufficient evidence of merit, and he is 
disposed to throw them away. “ A Kitchen Gardener ” reasons 
otherwise in respect of Alicante Grape, and submits that because 
it is 30 extensively grown as to be everybody’s Grape it must of 
necessity be good, and he accordingly advocates its culture. In 
-one case the “public instinct” is trusted for giving a sound 
verdict, in the other it is not. Which is right is more than can 
be said by—A Thinker. 
PEAKS AND GRAPES CRACKING. 
So much has been said in the Journal on the cracking of 
fruit, that it has induced me to try and find out the cause of 
the evil. Having a fine crop of Van Mons Leon Leclerc Pear, 
and knowing how subject it is to crack, made me keep a close 
watch on the tree. Every Pear was sound on the 23rd of this 
month; the three following days we had heavy showers, and my 
fine Pears went wrong. Out of 4 stone gathered from the tree 
I could only pick 1 stone of sound fruit, all the rest being 
cracked. All the damage was done to the Pears in six days. I 
believe that if I had gathered these Pears before they were quite 
ready or before this rain, 1 should have kept them all sound. 
The question is, What caused them to crack ? Was it caused by 
the overflow of the sap from the roots owing to the rains, or was 
it emsed by the sun’s rays coming in contact with the Pears 
before they got dry ? My opinion is that these are the two 
causes of the Pears cracking. First the overflow of sap from 
the root, second the surface of the Pear being rough holds the 
wet, which softens the skin, and cracking ensues; but why should 
this Pear crack more than others ? 
It is the same with Grapes, only we have not the same ex¬ 
cuse because we have vineries, and Grapes crack just when they 
begin to colour, we have to give some reason for it. This is not 
so with the Pear and other fruit which is grown outside, as 
owners of gardens, as a rule, will pass the cracking of this as 
a natural cause, but not so with the Grapes. In one of my 
vineries I have Alicante, Black Hamburgh, and Foster’s Seed¬ 
ling. The latter is the only one that has ever shown any 
signs of cracking, and it is worse this year than previously. To 
prevent this going very far I put a gentle fire on with plenty of 
air night and day. I found this answered very well, so much so 
that a gentleman from one of our largest estates in West Norfolk 
said he never saw anything like them before, and by taking a 
drive round to several places myself I find that where Foster’s 
Seedling is grown with other Grapes there is the one fault of 
cracking. Why should this Grape crack so much while the 
black drapes give no signs of cracking ? Is it because the skin 
is so fine that it cannot resist the tiow of sap which appears to 
be supplied in extra quantity just when the fruit begins to 
ripen ? or is it from letting the moisture settle on the berries 
through not ventilating early enough in the morning ? If this 
is the case, which I believe it is, why should it not be the 
same with the Pear ? It seems to me that the cracking arises 
from the same causes, only the gardener is held responsible for 
the Grapes, while the Pear is passed with little notice.—J. W., 
The, Elms. 
[The Grapes accompanying this communication were good, 
but much crushed by the Pears. The Pears were also fine fruit, 
but the cracks in them have not been caused by the sun shining 
on the fruit when wet, because the fissures are on the shaded side, 
just where the fruit thickens and where the moisture remains the 
longest. This is a delicate-skinned Pear. It appears that fire 
heat and a free circulation of air checked the cracking of the 
Grapes, and perhaps if the air had been dried sooner the evil 
would have been averted. There is the same difference in the 
texture of the skins of Grapes as in those of other kinds of fruits. 
We know a garden in which the soil is very sandy and dry, and 
Pears grown in it can only be prevented from cracking by copious 
applications of water and thick mulchings of manure to check 
evaporation and keep the roots moist. Without this assistance 
the fruit cracks so seriously as to spoil the crop. In this case, 
dry and poor soil appears to be cause of the evil; but we are not 
prepared to say that a great influx of sap caused by heavy rains 
is not a predisposing cause of Grapes cracking, though we appre¬ 
hend more danger from a damp atmosphere at a critical time. 
Delicate skinned Grapes on Vines in pots stood on hot-water 
pipes and the roots kept purposely dry have cracked seriously 
through the effects of atmospheric moisture and syringing.] 
Proposed International Horticultural Show in 1887.—A 
Meeting of the Council and Committees of the Royal Horticultural 
Society is summoned for October 13th with a view of ascertaining the 
possibility of holding an International Show in 1887. 
- The first meeting of the Floral Committee of the Na¬ 
tional Chrysanthemum Society will be held at the Royal Aquarium, 
Westminster, in the Organ Gallery, on Wednesday, Oct. 14th, at 2.30 p.m. 
precisely, when new or rare Chrysanthemums or other subjects may be 
submitted. Certificates will be awarded according to merit. Exhibitors 
can obtain admission to these meetings by signing the attendance book at 
the staff entrance of the Royal Aquarium (next to the theatre). Exhibits 
should be staged not later than 2.15 p.h. Parcels (carriage paid) may be 
directed to Mr. William Holmes, Honorary Secretary, care of F. Cates, 
Esq., Royal Aquarium, Westminster. Exhibitors need not be members 
of the Society. 
- Mr. George BunyArd of Maidstone has sent us specimens of 
Triomphe de Vienne Pear. They are large handsome fruits, some of 
them upwards of 4 inches in length. It is a deliciously flavoured Pear 
when caught at the right time, for it is one of those varieties that decay 
treacherously at the core while the surface is sound. We have also 
received specimens of that beautiful and valuable Apple Lady Sndeley. 
- “ W. D.” writes :—“ In reply to your correspondent’s inquiry 
about Mignonette Machet in last week’s Journal, I may say that it is 
a new variety which I received from Germany in the spring, and I regaid 
