October 22, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
3G1 
no one will agree with Mr. Jenkins that the Black Hamburgh cannot 
compete with Madresfleld Court as a summer Grape.—A Kitchen 
Gardener. 
This discussion seems in danger of ending, as others before it hare 
done, in personalities, which are no aids to the decision of a question, and 
which only tend to lower the tone and weaken the effect for good which 
free expression of opinion and experience otherwise would have. I hope, 
however, that the little symptoms of personalities which have already 
displayed themselves may be nipped in the bud by the good sense of the 
controversialists, and even if that does not promise to be the case, that the 
editorial curb will be applied in time. My only aim and object in taking 
part in the discussion was the advancement of what would benefit Grape¬ 
showing and judging, totally apart from any personal desire to either 
appear as a “clever” arguer, or as evading important questions when put 
to me, as Mr. Iggulden seems disposed to think. 
Whatever comes of the present discusion, I hope it will be clearly 
understood by Mr. Iggulden and those who side with him, that I have no 
desire to champion the Alicante against the Madresfleld Court in a blind 
or bigoted way. When I said that, “ other points being superior,” Alicante 
should get the award at an autumn show in a competition for any black 
Grape, even when brought face to face with Madresfleld Court, which at 
that time would be superior—much superior, I admit—in regard to eating 
qualities, I simply said what I honestly think. 
As long as prizes are offered in the way they are, “ in season ” and 
“ out of season ” distinctions will always bring about controversy. Judges 
must be allowed discretion in the matter, and 1 believe that the cases 
where gross injustice is done, as some would have us believe, are very rare 
indeed. Let there be, if it can be managed, entirely distinct classes for 
summer and winter Grapes at our shows. Let Alicante, Lady Downe’s, 
Gros Colman, and other late kinds never be brought into competition with 
Madresfleld Court, &c., and then a difficulty would be swept away. Prizes 
may be offered for late Grapes at autumn shows—as there will always be 
some growers who think they may be shown then—but keep them distinct 
and do away with “ any other black class” if it is to be the cause of 
controversy. 
In collections of fruit shown at our autumn shows, something the same 
would need to be done in regard to the varieties of Grapes shown in them. 
We see often a first-prize collection which has all or nearly all its Grapes 
composed of late varieties, which according to Mr. Iggulden should not 
be shown then. Collections of fruit must he in future only made up with 
those “in season ” if the views of Mr. Iggulden and others are to prevail, 
or two classes be made, one in which the Grapes would need to be “ in 
season ” and the other in which late Grapes might find a place. 
There can be no doubt that to exclude all late Grapes from early 
autumn shows would raise as much controversy as this question of “ in 
season ” and “ out of season ” has done. It remains, therefore, that the 
best that can be done is to make some re-arrangement in the classes to 
obviate this difficulty as far as possible, and also, be it remarked, that 
judges of experience and skill be in all cases chosen, so that there may 
be no occasion for after remarks and reflections. Those who would 
publicly denounce the judgment of men who are known to be without 
fear and without reproach, especially when their judgment has been made 
somewhat simpler by a slight re-arrangement of classes, are so very few 
that I venture to think they would never appear. 
I do not forget that there are many Chrysanthemum shows held in 
England during November and December, but in Scotland such is not the 
case. This November there is to be an Apple Congress in Edinburgh, at 
which opportunities for displaying Grapes “ in season ” may be had, but 
I am not aware if there are any—or, if any, very many—prizes offered for 
Grapes, and this Congress is entirely exceptional. From September till 
March in Scotland there is as a rule no chance of showing Grapes at 
flower shows. Can it he wondered at, then, if there are numerous 
exhibits of late Grapes in September, especially when prizes are freely 
offered for them ? 
But Mr. Iggulden would have me believe that at these English Chrys¬ 
anthemum shows there are plenty of opportunities, and much encou¬ 
ragement given for the aisplayal of Grapes “ in season.” Now I read in 
your Journal for October 15th some suggestions for the encouragement of 
Grape-showing at January Chrysanthemum shows, a time when late 
Grapes generally may be considered “ in season.” They certainly are not 
all, or nearly all, “ in season ” in November when the bulk of the shows 
are held to which Mr. Iggulden draws my attention. By “in season” of 
course Mr. Iggulden and others will understand the time when Grapes are 
at their best for the table. These suggestions for prizes for late Grapes 
in January are remarked on as being something novel, and therefore 
justify my remarks on the paucity of opportunities hitherto afforded for 
showing late Grapes at proper times. Even at the Chrysanthemum 
shows held in November and December I am disposed to doubt if there 
are as many inducements held out to Grape-growers to exhibit as Mr. 
Iggulden would wish to make out. Until there are many more opportu¬ 
nities afforded in November, December, January, February, and March 
for the proper displayal of late Grapes, I maintain that to discourage 
their exhibition at autumn shows will be considered a mistake ; and this 
I do at the risk of being told that my arguments are “ sentimental and 
worthless.” 
Mr. Iggulden seems anxious to account for the great popularity of 
Alicante. I think he may do so by calling to mind the fact that Alicante, 
while, to quote Mr. Iggulden, “ fit for the table ” in October—though I 
would rather say end of November—keeps plump and fresh till April, 
and thus allows one to “cut and come again” without the fear of finding 
a “ burst up ” in the way of wholesale cracking, as is too often the case 
with Madresfleld Court. 
Certainly no one with much taste would care for Alicante in October, 
when so many other Grapes are to be had ; but there comes a time when 
it may be deservedly appreciated. At the present moment we have both 
Duke of Buccleuch and Black Hamburgh in splendid condition for the 
table, the former being golden coloured, with a rich lusciousness which 
cannot be excelled, if even attained, by any other Grape. As long as these 
last no one with any taste would think of taking the late Grapes in pre¬ 
ference ; but the latter have their value at the proper time, and are there¬ 
fore duly prized. 
It may be remarked that as a rule early-coloured late Grapes keep 
much better than those which are behindhand in that respect. This is 
the reason why they are in general started and forced along, so that they 
may be black in September, and not because, as some of your correspon¬ 
dents seem to think, they are wanted for showing in September, and for 
that alone. Experience has taught that early-coloured late Grapes are 
best. When prizes are offered in September, why should fault be found 
with those growers who have successfully coloured their late Grapes at 
that time—sure augury of their having Grapes that will keep—and who 
respond to the invitations of the prize schedules 1 No reasonable employer 
will ever grudge the cutting of a few bunches of late Grapes in Septem¬ 
ber, when he is well served by his gardener, and knows that there is a 
good general crop to rely upon for the winter and spring, as there should 
ever be with those who exhibit. 
Prohibit late Grapes entirely if you like from early autumn shows, if 
thereby Grape-growing will be improved. I for one would then not 
object. But until such provision can be made as would insure the exhibi¬ 
tion and proper appreciation of late Grapes when “ in season,” I think it 
a pity to talk about excluding them from autumn shows because they are 
not “ in season.” Does Mr. Iggulden mean to assert that at the Chrysan¬ 
themum shows to be held in November and December there are prizes 
for late Grapes equal to those which every autumn show offers in all 
quarters of the land ? I am afraid he cannot prove that sufficient induce¬ 
ment is held out at the present time, whatever may come to pass. How¬ 
ever, I trust the outcome of the present discussion will be nothing but 
good, and that Grape culture maybe stimulated and not discouraged by 
the different opinions expressed, I now take leave of the subject for the 
present.—S. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
Popularity op Chrysanthemums. —Once more the season 
has rolled round, brimful of expectation. The anxious exhibitor 
is looking forward to the time when he hopes to recoup himself 
for his past year’s labour and watchful care. Not in a pecuniary 
sense would he ever expect to be paid, but in the pleasurable 
anxiety in watching the unfolding of the flowers of the old 
favourites, and the anticipation of the characters of the newer 
varieties. The zeal and enthusiasm thrown into the cultivation 
of the Chrysanthemum in some districts can scarcely be ex¬ 
aggerated. We have heard of the same thing with the old 
school of florists, but we in the south never hear of a complaint 
called “ the Tulip fever,” or “ the Auricula fever,” but the 
Chrysanthemum fever is now very prevalent, and very con¬ 
tagious both amongst gardeners and amateurs when once it gets 
in a district. 
The Season—Earwigs. —This year I anticipate will prove 
no exception to the rule; indeed, the increasing number of 
exhibitions and the extra amount of prizes a 1 help and keep 
alive the interest amongst the older growers, and each year 
adds new recruits to the ranks of cultivators. Whether the 
exhibits this season will be up to the usual standard remains to 
be proved ; it is rather too early to say, as much depends on the 
weather during the next fortnight, but certain is it the season has 
so far been most fickle. The early part of the year was favour¬ 
able to a good growth, as the weather was so mild that the 
plants could be exposed to make them sturdy. Then the long 
spell of drought brought green fly, which was very prevalent in 
the neighbourhood, and also seemed to favour the production of 
an extra amount of earwigs, which throughout the autumn have 
been very troublesome. One noted grower in this neighbour¬ 
hood has filled a pint and a half bottle with them in this way. 
A quantity of short pieces of bean stalks have been ^uck in the 
rows of plants, and every morning these have been blown into a 
bottle which had a small quantity of salad oil put in at first; 
this kept working up as the bottle filled, and suffocated the 
insects as they were put in. There is not the least doubt but 
that these earwigs do much damage to the young shoots and 
buds in an early stage, and cause many deformed flowers, and if 
not well looked after now will soon damage a good bloom by 
eating away the base of the florets. If any loose florets appear 
lying about under the plants of a morning it is a sure indication 
that one has been to work in the night. The best plan is to 
search the plants every night by candlelight It needs a quick 
action to catch them, as they have such a knack of slipping off 
the plants at the sight of a candle, and lying motionless on the 
ground. 
