512 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jam 28,1887. 
Seedling are quite safe. The Madresfield Court is planted in the centre 
•of the house, borders inside and out. I think if the fumigating is the 
cause it may have been because the Vine was more vigorous than the 
•others, and a thin-skinned variety. I should be very glad of your 
opinion in the next issue.—A Hampshire Gardener. 
[We print this letter in order that those of our readers who have 
fumigated vineries containing the Madresfield Court Grape may record 
their experience on the subject. The Grapes referred to are very fine 
indeed, the few that are not injured being quite green and upwards of 
inch long and an inch in diameter; the others, and they are the 
majority, a dirty brown colour, more or less shrivelled, and undergoing 
the process of decay. The footstalks are healthy. The leaf sent was 
very stout and indicated good health and good cultivation, but the crop 
is ruined. What was the cause of this? Can it have been the fumiga¬ 
tion ? We have never known such injury to result from the process, 
even when the fumigating has not been light; but we have not had 
occasion to try its effects on the variety in question. 
The Grapes appear as if scalded, or rather chilled. It is quite certain 
that there has been an escape of moisture from them, for only the few 
green berries are plump and distended, the others having shrunk so 
much that the skins are loose and wrinkled. Extreme evaporation is 
accompanied by a sudden lowering of temperature of the substance 
from which the moisture escapes ; this lowering of temperature results 
in contraction, and this may be sufficient to injure the tissue and give 
the appearance of scalding ; but it is really chilling. The opinion 
that the temperature of closed vineries heats the moisture that 
is in contact with the Grapes to a degree that actually causes 
scalding is, we believe, what Mr. Iggulden would call a “ fad,” 
and a very old established one. We have applied water to Grapes very 
much hotter than the moisture of the house, and in contact with the 
berries, could possibly be, yet no “ scalding” followed the experiment; 
but a sudden outrush of air through throwing the too long closed venti¬ 
lators too widely open has dragged the moisture, and with it the heat, 
from the berries to such an extent that they have been chilled—not 
scalded. 
The very fine examples of Madresfield Court that we are sorry to see 
before us have exactly the appearance of Grapes that have been subjected 
to the ordeal indicated, but we are not prepared to assume that such a 
good cultivator as our correspondent evidently is has made such a mistake; 
yet we think he would not have erred if, when the first signs of discolora¬ 
tion were apparent, he had afforded some shade to the Vine. We shall 
be glad if some of our Grape-growing friends can account for the cause 
of the injury that has resulted in the loss of a crop of Grapes that must, 
if they had continued swelling, have been very fine indeed.] 
We are desired to remind our readers that a special general 
meeting of the Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society will 
be held at 3 P.M., on Tuesday, June 28th, in the Conservatory, to 
consider the results of the negotiations and inquiries which have been 
made by the Council as to the future maintenance and housing of the 
Society. 
-Leeds Horticultural Society. —A four-days exhibition, 
under the auspices of the above Society opened on Tuesday, the chief 
exhibitors in the plant classes being Mr. Letts of Upleatham, and Mr. 
Edmonds of Bestwood Lodge. In order to connect it more intimately 
with the great object of the national festivities, Her Majesty consented 
to receive a basket of Roses from the Society. This was delivered by 
special messenger on Monday, and its grateful acceptance acknowledged 
by telegram. Photographs of the arrangement, also a fao Kindle basket, 
were a centre of attraction in the Show. The blooms consisted appro¬ 
priately of fifty red and fifty white Roses, bordered with Brussels lace, 
and the ribbon was embossed with the crown and Royal arms. The 
flowers were arranged with great taste by Mr. R. Featherstone. 
- Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens, Chiswick.—A 
Strawberry Fete, with band and promenade, will be held early in July, 
date of which will be duly announced. Admission.—As on ordinary 
days to Fellows and their orders, season ticket holders, and subscribers 
to the Chiswick Horticultural Society, or bearers of their tickets. 
- It is with much regret that we learn of the death of Madame 
Van Geert, wife of Mr. Charles Prosper Van Geert of Antwerp, and 
one of the oldest and most esteemed of Belgian nurserymen. Madame 
Van Geert had been a sufferer for some years from a paralytic seizure 
that refused to yield to the best medical treatment. Visitors, of what¬ 
ever nationality, to Mr. Van Geert’s horticultural establishment cannot 
fail to have been impressed with the unvarying amiability of the de¬ 
ceased lady, and her constant solicitude for the comfort of all by whom 
she was surrounded ; and we join in the wide expression of sympathy 
that will be tendered to the family on the great loss they have sustained. 
Madame Van Geert was in the 70th year of her a e. 
- Fruit at the Early Summer Shows. —The collection of 
fruit with which Mr. Parker, gardener to J. Corbett, Esq., M.P., Impney, 
Droitwich, won the chief prize at the R >yal Botanic Society's Show 
last week, was a most creditable one both for variety and even quality 
in such a season as the present. His Black Hamburgh and Foster’s 
Seedling Grapes were his strong points, but the Peaches and Nectarines 
were also fine. Mr. Hollingsworth, gardener to J. Campbell, Esq., Wood- 
seat, Uttoxeter, had three very handsome bunches of Black Hamburgh 
Grapes in the class for black Grapes, and very rarely do we see such 
excellent samples at the June shows. They were of medium size, com¬ 
pact, with fine berries, and admirably coloured. Mr. P. Feist, gardener 
to R. J. Ashton, Esq., Bishopsgate House, Staines, who make3 a specialty 
of Muscat of Alexandria, had his favourite in capital form on the same 
occasion, though it would have been improved considerably by a few 
more days on the Vines. As an exhibit worthy of special notice we 
must not omit the beautiful samples of Sir Charles Napier Strawberries 
from Mr. Norman, Hatfield Gardens, at Kensington, on the previous - 
day. In size, form, and colour they were all that could be wished —quite 
models in fact. At York Mr. Mclndoe was the most successful exhi¬ 
bitor, where also a general good quality was noticeable. 
- At the Royal Botanic Society’s evening fete, Regent’s 
Park, Thursday, July 7th, 1887, there will be an exhibition of floral 
decorations, &c., prizes of £5 to 10s. being offered. All classes 
open to all competitors. All plants and cut flowers must be natural ; 
no artificial flowers admitted. The following are the principal classes : 
—Floral decorations arranged for a dinner table 10 by 5 ; ditto, ditto 
dressed ready for use ; ditto, three groups for ditto, only one kind of 
flower in each group ; foliage and flowers, suitable for a sideboard; small 
group of growing plants, suitable for table ; group of plants, arranged 
for the decoration of a recess, alcove, or fire-place in a room ; standing 
basket, furnished with plants suitable for growing in a living-room ; 
hanging basket, with growing plants ; bridal bouquet; ball-room 
bouquet ; group of flowers, <5co., stalks in water, and neither tied nor 
wired ; flowers (either cut or on the plant) which only expand at night. 
Medals are also offered for the following :—Arrangements of flowers, 
leaves, &c., for personal adornment, such as wreaths, chaplets, and the 
like, and also for use in dress trimming and ornament. These may be 
prepared rea ly for attachment to the dress, or the dress may be exhibited 
as ornamented. Lamps or illuminants for ornamental outdoor or con¬ 
servatory U3e. Self-contained garden and conservatory fountains. 
Works of art.—The Glass Corridor and Museum will be reserved for the 
exhibition of paintings and carvings of trees, plants, flowers as pictures, 
or on glass, china, wood, or other material. Exhibitors desiring space 
for such exhibits should make early application for space, which is 
limited. 
- Mr. W. J. Murphy writes :— I cannot allow you to close the 
very important Discussion on Potatoes and Potato Degenera¬ 
tion initiated by me some months since in your pages without notifying 
that already some good seems likely to arise from it. I have found in 
Sutton’s No. 36, planted 17th February last, and Laxton’s No. 1 planted 
later, two of the latest growing Potatoes in cultivation. The former, 
though quite sound and vigorous, did not come above the ground until 
about 20th May, three months after planting, so I have come to the con¬ 
clusion that here is a fine opportunity for the hybridist. A cross of either 
of those with the Champion, the first to move, or with such vigorous 
growers as Carter’s Freedom or Carter’s King of the Potato (new) should 
give valuable results.” - 
- “ E. M.” writes— 1; Seldom indeed do we see Mandevtlla 
SUAVEOLENS so well grown as it deserves, probably owing to the 
difficulty in keeping the foliage free from red spider, to which this 
plant is much subjected. It does not require much roof space, and 
being deciduous, does not obstruct the light from plants growing under¬ 
neath it during the winter months. It may be planted at the foot of a 
back wall, and trained up with one or two stems until it reaches the 
roof, when more branches can be allowed to grow at will. Plants may 
