1874. ] 
ON KEEPINO LATE MUSCAT GRAPES. 
81 
Perfume. 
Absorption. 
Perfume. 
Absorption, 
Perfume. 
Absorption. 
Patchouli . 
. 30 
Neroli. 
. 47 
Oil of Laurel. 
. 80 
Sandal-wood. 
. 32 
Lavender . 
. 60 
Camomile-flowers.. 
. 87 
Geranium. 
. 33 
Lemon . 
. 65 
Cassia . 
. 20-9 
Oil of Cloves. 
. 33'5 
Portugal . 
. 67 
Spikenard .. 
. 35-5 
Otto of Roses. 
. 36-5 
Thyme . 
. 68 
Aniseed. 
. 37-2 
Bergamot . 
. 44 
Rosemary. 
. 74 
A number of dried herbs from Covent Garden Market were also tried, with the 
following results :—Thyme gave a ratio of 33 times that of the air ; Peppermint, 
34 times; Spearmint, 38 times; Lavender, 32 times ; Horehound, 41 times; 
Cinnamon, 53 times that of the air. It would be idle, the author says, to 
speculate on the quantities of matter implicated in these results. Probably they 
would have to be multiplied by millions to bring them up to the pressure of 
ordinary air. Thus,— ' 
The sweet South 
That breathes upon a bank of violets, 
Stealing and giving odour,” 
owes its sweetness to an agent which, though almost infinitely attenuated, may 
be more potent as an interruption of terrestrial radiation than the entire 
atmosphere from “ bank to sky.” 
If so, the advice to plant out the cold with sweet-scented flowers may really 
prove practical, after all. Why not ? Does not the fact that scents are most 
freely liberated at night point this way. May they not be Nature’s antidote to 
the energy of terrestrial radiation, when the sun has sunk to rest, and left the 
earth, for cold to do its worst?—to put the matter popularly rather than 
correctly. May I invite the thought of your readers to this matter, which is one 
of great practical moment. In the war with climate, no weapon is too weak or 
too insignificant, and none too strong to use, for climate year by year seems to 
become more erratic, and hence more dangerous.—D. T. Fish, Hardwiche. 
Two facts in connection with this subject may be noted. It is well 
known that in some instances, which have been made the subject of experiment, the 
discharge of the pollen is accompanied by a considerable emission of heat. It is 
also, we believe, considered that at least in many flowers the pollen is the source 
of their odour. There does', therefore, seem to be some connection between 
odour and warmth, enough to justify further observation and inquiry.—^E d. 
ON KEEPING LATE MUSCAT GKAPES. 
j S your correspondent, Mr. Plester (p. 52), wishes for the experience of other 
growers in respect to keeping Muscat Grapes late, in bottles of water, 
I will explain to him the way in which they keep well with me. I gene¬ 
rally manage to have them in good condition up to the end of February, 
and this year up to this date (March 10) I have still a few bunches left, with 
the berries plump and good. They were cut from a vinery about the middle of 
December, and put into bottles of water, which were tied to the wires in a late 
house of Lady Downe’s seedling. The bottles I use here are made of clear glass, 
BO that the state of the water can be seen, and more added when rendered neces- 
