JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r January 30, 1890. 
who is earnest in discharging the duties pertaining to it. Working 
assiduously and gratuitously in the interests of the Society, Jlr. 
Wilks has won the confidence of the Fellows, and to his clear 
judgment and active endeavour a large share of its increasing 
prosperity is due’. Elected on the Council and appointed Secretary at 
a critical time, he has proved himself a “ man for an emergency.” 
Broad minded, free from the suspicion of pedantry, a good listener, 
great worker, and forcible speaker, he has done yeoman service to 
the Society, which is growing in infiuence and usefulness under his 
guiding hand. Mr. Wilks wisely recognises the work of special 
societies, not regarding them as opponents of the Eoyal Horticultural 
Society, but helpers in the advancement of national horticulture, of 
which it is the accredited head, and no one is more warmly welcomed 
at the festival gatherings of those societies than he is. AVe can say 
on their behalf, and on behalf of the Fellows of the Eoyal Horticultural 
Society, in the words of a famous statesman as applied to one who 
honestly tried to do his duty to his country, “ We are all proud of him.” 
CULTURE OF THE MUSCAT GRAPE. 
So much has been written of late years on the cultivation of the 
Grape in general by so many successful cultivators, that at the present 
time it is difficult to bring forward anything new on the subject ; but 
the principal object of my paper is to bring into notice a class of Grapes 
which of late years have very much gone out of cultivation, or (as the 
more popular saying is) out of fashion. Grapes, I suppose, are subject 
to changes ; and these are not at all times made without some sacrifice, 
and old favourites are often brought forward again to begin life 
anew. In the rage for changes many good Grapes are well nigh 
forgotten, and probably by many have never been seen. The most 
popular varieties of the present day are brought to a high state of per¬ 
fection, owing, no doubt, to i mproved facilities in the form of houses 
better adapted for their successful cultivation, and the improvements in 
obtaining artificial heat, also to advanced knowledge of the constituents 
of the soils and manures, which play an important part in their success¬ 
ful cultivation. ' 
We have not had many recent additions to the list of Muscat- 
flavoured Grapes, and it is questionable if some of our later additions 
will bear comparison with our old favourites when flavour is the primary 
consideration. We have advanced slightly in size of berry, and doubt¬ 
less some of the old varieties might be improved in that respect if 
brought under the high cultivation of the present day. Our old and 
almost neglected varieties, such as the Grizzly, Black and AVhite Fron- 
tignans, Chasselas Musqud, and Muscat Hamburgh are of the finest 
flavour, and not surpassed by any save that still valued variety Muscat 
of Alexandria. The Frontignans appear to have passed out of date 
owing to the smallness of their berries, and I am afraid the Grizzly 
Frontignan would not find favour generally in the present day owing to 
its peculi.ar colour, but it can be grown to produce fair size berries. A 
friend once in walking through a vinery where this variety was grown 
remarked, '■ AVhat a bad colour your Lady Downe’s Grape is 1” “ Yes,” 
I replied, “ but the flavour is good,” and after he had tasted it exclaimed, 
1 never tasted Lady Downe’s Grape with such a flavour.” “ I suppose 
not,” was my reply, “ but that Grape is the Grizzly Frontignan.” He 
was still more surprised to see it with such large berries, as he had 
mistaken it for Lady Downe’s badly coloured. I believe the Frontignans 
might be very much improved in size of bunch and berry by high 
cultivation ; they would then, 1 feel convinced, surpass some of our later 
introductions. 
Chasselas Musque is another variety which is rarely seen now, but 
which has a fine Muscat flavour, but is liable to crack its berries if not 
carefully cultivated. It can be had earlier than the Muscat of Alexan¬ 
dria, and is eonsidered to be equally as good in flavour, and is valuable 
for early use where Muscat flavoured Grapes are required. 
Muscat Hamburgh is also a flne Grape, and not cultivated to the ex¬ 
tent that its fine qualities deserve. Some complaints have been made as 
to its having a delicate constitution, but I consider that is more 
imaginary than real, and when well grown it is good both in bunch and 
berry, and not to be surpassed by any black Grape for quality or appear¬ 
ance. 
Among the more recent introductions Mrs. Pince and Madresfield 
Court Black Muscats claim a fair share of attention, although the 
former is not so often seen in the best condition as is the Madresfield 
Court; and it is only of late years that this variety appears to have come 
to the front, for I believe it was originally considered to be a late Grape, 
but since it has become better understood its successful cultivation has 
been attained, and it makes a valuable addition to the list of black 
Grapes. Mrs. Pince’s Black Muscat deserves to be well cultivated, for it 
is a fine flavoured Grape, and few would care to return to such varieties 
as Gros Colman after eating it. It forms a good companion to that 
justly esteemed variety Muscat of Alexandria, and I think it would be 
difficult to name a better black and white Grape for late use when 
quality is taken into consideration.— W. Simpsok. (Read at a meeting 
of the Liverpool Horticultural Association.') 
(To be continued.) 
LUPINUS ARBOREUS. 
OuK gardens are largely indebted to the Lupines for many orna¬ 
mental flowers. Besides the annual species several of the perennials are 
also useful. The species under notice, L. arboreus, the Tree Lupine, 
will yield to none of these in decorative qualities. The specific name 
is, however, somewhat a misnomer, as, if left to its own devices, the 
plant will assume more the form of a decumbent shrub than of a tree. 
If properly staked and tied it will, however, make a fine object in tbe 
shrubbery border, or at the back of a border next a hedge or a wall. 
Grown as a wall plant it is very attractive, but should have a warm and 
sheltered position in every locality. I have grown the Tree Lupines for 
a few years, and am a great admirer of their beauty ; but have been 
somewhat puzzled by the uncertainty of their duration of life. Thus, 
out of some seedlings raised about five years ago, four plants were kept, 
being all for which space could be afforded. Of these one died in its 
second year, one in its third, and another this year, the fourth still sur¬ 
vives and is flourishing. Nor can the time of their death account for it. 
One died in late autumn, one in early spring, and the last in September. 
In the case of the last I am disposed to attribute the cause to its bear¬ 
ing a very heavy crop of seed, and to the plant being unable to recover 
from the exhaustion consequent on the process. I should be glad if any 
of the readers of the Journal could enlighten me on the subject, as it is 
when these Lupines are of a large size that they are most decorative 
and most useful from a garden point of view. In all probability the 
safe plan will be to consider them as biennials, sowing the seeds singly 
in pots, and planting out the seedlings without disturbing the roots, 
although ! find they transplant fairly well when young. 
L. arboreus was introduced about 1795, and is, I am led to’believe, a 
native of North America, but my information as to this is not very pre¬ 
cise. The original colours appear to have been lilac and yellow, but 
several intermediate shades may be obtained from a packet of mixed 
seeds. I have had pale creamy-white, pale lilac-white, pale, but bright, 
yellow, and the last plant whose loss I had to mourn was a bright lilac. 
This was grown in the baclr of a border next a high hedge, was carefully 
tied up, and when in flower attracted much attention, the handsome 
spikes of bright lilac flowers showing well on the fine pinnate foliage. 
If we may be pardoned a somewhat far-fetched simile it was like a 
Christmas tree laden with ornaments, but all of Nature’s handiwork. 
L. arboreus prefers a light but rich soil, but must have sunny sheltered 
position protected from the north. Should these requisites be afforded 
it, and a succession of seedlings kept to renew the stock, the grower will 
have no reason to regret making its acquaintance. We have very many 
beautiful plants among the hardy leguminosfe, and although I dare not 
say it is the most beautiful it will, at all events, hold its own among 
them. Time after time I have seated myself in a snug corner in his 
garden, a short distance from the Tree Lupines, and viewed them with 
admiration, an admiration perhaps not lessened by the knowledge that 
possibly by another season their glory would be departed, but that its 
memory would abide.— S. Aenott, iV.i?. 
EDITORS AIRING THEMSELVES. 
Editoe.s of gardening journals, like other mortals, no doubt 
enjoy a change now and then, and if they cannot wholly leave then- 
old habits behind them, they can at least wander into new fields, 
indulge in a literary romp, and have, what is good for all men in 
city pent, an airing. Wonderful men are editors, as a body. They 
“we” this and “we” that, or somebody “ we’s” for them, the 
authorship being shrouded in obscurity ; but when those of a 
special class step beyond the confines of their own domain, and launch 
on the broad sea of general literature, to teach an ignorant world 
matters on which they assume to be wise, it is curious to notice 
they contrive to let the wide world know either who they are, what 
they are, or where they come fiom. This is presumably to give 
weight to their, utterances, and as their object it must be assumed 
is the public good, not private distinction, they are permitted to 
have their airing. Let us hope they benefit by it, and benefit others 
by their words of wisdom scattered so freely around. 
I have been led to allude to the interesting subject of editorial 
peregrinations by some copies of the Times which my master has 
been good enough to lend me, with the suggestion that I might, 
perhaps, write a little about them in the Journal, of which he is a 
reader, and to which he knows I send one or two communications 
a year. “ Perhaps they will not insert what I send,” I ventured to 
remark. “ Oh ves they will,” was the reply, “ if you mind how 
