1868 . ] 
GRAPE CULTURE 
243 
and altogether is a worthy rival to that noble variety. The following later 
varieties likewise fruited well:—Rifleman, Ingram’s Late Pine, Cockscomb, 
Bicton White Pine, and Elton. 
Apples and Pears, trained as bushes, pyramids, or “ en quenouille,” 
have made stronger and healthier shoots and flower buds than I ever 
remember before, owing, no doubt, to the Italian climate they had in June 
and July. Some early Pears on Quince stocks, grown as pyramids, were 
delicious this year, the kinds being Doyenne d’Ete and Citron des Carmes. 
They were as juicy and high-flavoured as Jargonelles, with a slight smack 
of astringency. Doyenne d’Ete ripened two weeks earlier on walls, was 
worthless in flavour compared to those ripened on pyramids. The finest 
and best-flavoured Pears grown here this year have been gathered from a 
trellised arcade, the sorts being Louise Bonne, Flemish Beauty, Marie 
Louise, Chaumontel, Beurre Superfin, Doyenne Blanc, Ambrosia, and 
Fondante d’Automne. Some of these kinds, such as Beurre Superfin and 
Marie Louise, ripened on south walls, are worthless this year as regards 
flavour and keeping. The hot sun, day after day, seems to have heated the 
walls so much, that the fruits were forced on prematurely, and never 
attained their proper flavour or solidity. Some table varieties of early 
Apples, growing on a west wall here, show the fruit quite marked and 
shrunk up on the sunny side. On our strong soil and clayey subsoil the 
Apples, as pyramids and hushes, have produced larger and finer fruit this 
year than I have seen before ; the following kinds particularly produced 
large fruit:—Warner’s King, Gloria Mundi, Mere de Menage, Lord Suffield, 
Alfriston, and New Hawtliornden. The very largest specimens of Apples 
have, -however, been grown on cordons, only planted in March last, the 
kinds being Reinette du Canada, and Belle Dubois. 
Welbeck. William Tillery. 
GRAPE CULTURE. 
S CRAPES are certainly most luscious fruits, sweet, refreshing, and 
pleasant to the palate, beautiful to the eye, and to crown the whole, 
f easily produced. “ A bold assertion that,” some pragmatical readers 
may say; “ show us your proofs, and if we are convinced, we will 
admit what you assert,” “ C'est le premier pas qui coute ” says a 
French proverb, and now I have made the first step I will proceed. 
To grow fine Grapes it is essentially necessary that the elements most 
conducive to the vigorous development of the plant should surround it. These 
are—well-drained soil, free ventilation, judicious and careful thinning of 
both.wood, bunches, and berries, coupled with persevering attention that the 
crop, when produced, does not suffer from want or excess of moisture and 
heat during its progress to maturity. “ These are all very fine as preliminary 
