J78 
THE FLORIST. 
absolutely necessary. Supposing an attempt made at cultivating them 
in January, and that you start with dry bulbs, pot the bulbs in medium 
sized pots, allowing plenty of drainage, and using a rather rich loam 
and sand for potting. Ycu may now place the pots on the surface of a 
''tan or leaf bed, to afford a slight bottom heat, and within 18 or 24 
inches of the glass. The temperature, if they are not wanted in bloom 
very early, may be 60°, raised gradually to as they show for 
blooming. This latter temperature is quite sufficient for ordinary 
culture by fire heat. As they throw up their flower-scapes, the plants 
may be removed to the conservatory or greenhouse, or for in-door 
decoration, than which, when mixed with h erns and Mosses, nothing 
is more useful or beautiful. If they are not wanted to bloom before 
June a much less heat would suffice ; and, indeed, an ordinary brick 
pit, without fire heat, would bring them sufficiently forward. After 
they have done blooming they should be placed near the glass, and 
encouraged to perfect as many leaves as they produce. When these 
give indication of turning yellow or ripening, reduce the quantity of 
water and allow more air, by which treatment the bulbs will gradually 
ripen off their leaves and get into a dormant state by October, when the 
bulbs in their pots may be laid on one side, in a shed or cool house, to 
winter. By forcing them a little earlier, in May or June, I have 
managed to ripen the bulbs by August, when, by placing them on the 
shady side of a wall for a month, and again introducing them to the 
frame, they have given me a second bloom in October, and on to 
Christmas. 
I see, by the Bulb Catalogue of the Messrs. Henderson, Wellington 
Road, that they cultivate a valuable collection of Amaryllises; should 
any of your readers wish to start with them, they cannot do better than 
apply at once. 
R. 
LATE GRAPES. 
A VALUABLE collection of these was shown in February last at one of, 
the meetings of the Horticultural Society. They had been grown in 
the great vinery in the Society’s Garden at Chiswick, and the fruit had 
been allowed to hang on the Vines till the first week in February, 
when it was cut and placed in the fruit room. The berries of all the 
varieties were very much shrivelled, and some had almost assumed the 
appearance of Raisins. They consisted of:—Barbarossa, quite plump 
and fresh, very juicy, but last season not richly flavoured ; Burchardt’s 
Prince, a long tapering bunch, the berries much shrivelled, very rich 
and vinous; Blussard Noir, which, though an early Grape, hangs well, 
and when shrivelled has tender juicy flesh, rich and rather vinous, but 
not equal to many others ; Catalenesia Nera, a long tapering bunch 
with oval berries, thick skin, and firm flesh, very rich and vinous, but 
not so piquant as Burchardt’s Prince; Gros Panse, a wine Grape with 
firm crisp flesh without much flavour; Morocco Prince, bunch long and 
