J an liars 6, 1887. ] 
13 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND 
COTTAOE OARDEFER. 
of Muscats are the first to shrivel. No Grape will repay for good 
attention more than this. A higher temperature at flowering time 
is of great assistance in setting. Gros Colman Vines grafted on 
Muscat require strict attention, or they will not stone nor attain 
the best size. This Grape on its own roots is the only variety that 
fertilises itself, yet even here I shall try artificial impregnation 
another year. Madresfield Court is always better for the brush. 
One or two bunches not so set were small, but the berries were 
black. A rather strange freak took place here with the Black 
Hamburgh. One young rod was left without attempting to dust 
it, and this rod all through was noticeable for its small berries, yet 
on the same Hamburgh roots a rod of Gros Maroc set itself, swelling 
very fine fruit and of a beautiful colour. Gros Maroc here has 
never required fertilising. Alicante on Black Hamburgh is, I think, 
Madresfield Court here in a natural state it is very faulty at stoning. 
Now by repeated supplies of lime I have had berries with not only 
the normal number of stones, but have in some berries this year six 
stones. Could I work all so I should be glad, but in some cases I 
have used double the quantity of lime with less effect. To me it 
appears that different localities and varieties require special treat¬ 
ment. A light or sandy soil, if well looked after, I should consider 
much better for Vines as far as setting and stoning are concerned. 
In endeavouring to state my views on this subject I have only 
lecorded the practice put in operation here. Without doubt I shall 
make a special point not only to increase fertility but also stoning.. 
I know it can be done, the simpleness of the work being, no doubt, 
to some, the reason why it is not done. I have no hesitation in 
stating that, without any exceptions, artificial aid at flowering time 
Fig. 2 .—Victoria regla at Chatsworth. 
better for brushing ; yet even with this I am not satisfied the stock 
is right, the berries are not large enough for me. Buckland Sweet¬ 
water came into flower at a very sunless time, so I used the brush : 
with Black Hamburgh pollen I succeeded in getting a heavy crop 
of fine fruit. 
Lime, gypsum, or ground coprolites play a very important part 
in stoning my Grapes. I have a very heavy marshland soil to deal 
with, naturally containing no lime, and I am now compelled to 
believe that the mortar or lime rubbish I used in making the borders 
was only good mechanically. As a lime fertiliser, one load of 
slacked new lime I think preferable to double or treble the quantity 
of old lime rubbish. In all new borders I would mix new lime 
with the compost, so that the soil should be thoroughly impregnated. 
It is surprising with a little practice in brushing the flowers how 
few can be touched, in fact a skilful hand can and will just set the 
outside blooms only. In the case of the Alicante, for instance, were 
all the berries to be set it would entail a much extra thinning. No 
fixed rule can be laid down for root treatment with a view to in¬ 
suring good stoning, as varieties differ so much. In the case of 
is of very great importance in any case, especially where Grapes 
have to be kept till April or May.— Stephen Castle, West Lynn. 
[The specimens received showed conclusively the great value of 
artificial fertilisation at West Lynn, and the failure of the attempts 
at setting the berries with the aid of the syringe. The good sam¬ 
ples before us are very good indeed, and we trust our correspondent 
will continue his experiments in Grape culture for the benefit of 
himself and other cultivators.] 
LEEDS PROFESSIONAL GARDENERS’ FRIENDLY BENEFIT 
SOCIETY. 
The twentieth anniversary dinner of this flourishing and very useful 
Society was held on Tuesday evening, the 28th ult., at the Green Dragon 
Hotel, Guildford Street, Leeds. About sixty-five gentlemen sat down to 
dinner, and included, in addition to members of the Society, representatives 
from the Sheffield Floral and Horticultural Society, the Sheffield and 
Hallamshire Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society, the Wakefield 
Paxton Society, the Barnsley Paxton Society, the Bradford Paxton 
