12 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
I am about to plant three new vineries, and if the Alicante be really different 
from the Dlack Prince, and a superior Grape, I would feel inclined to add it to 
the collection. I will therefore esteem it a favour if some of your correspondents 
will inform me what difference there is between the two Grapes ; and I am 
certain the information will be acceptable to others as well as myself, who think 
they are S 3 mon 3 r mous. Only last week I was told by a first-class practical man 
that there was no difference between the two—that they were one and the same 
thing- M. Saul. 
OUR MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 
Royal Horticultural Society. •— The 
December Fruit and Vegetable Show, which 
lasted from the 7 th to the 16th, though lack¬ 
ing somewhat in variety, was the most ex¬ 
tensive display of the kind which has taken 
place at South Kensington since 1862. The 
exhibitions of forced fruit were very scanty, 
but Apples and Pears mustered in great force; J 
and vegetables were likewise tolerably well 
represented. The only collections of fruit 
were those of Messrs. Webber & Co., of Co¬ 
vent Garden, and M. Chevet, of the Palais 
Royal at Paris, but, unfortunately, the latter 
did not arrive in time for the first day of the 
Show. Messrs. Webber had in their collection 
a dozen Uvedale’s St. Germain Pears, weigh¬ 
ing collectively 29f lbs., besides fine speci¬ 
mens of foreign Catillac, Easter Beurre, and 
Glou Morceau Pears, Reinette du Canada and 
White Calville Apples, and seven good Pines. 
In the latter fruit Mr. Ingram, gardener to 
Her Majesty, sent two handsome smooth¬ 
leaved Cayennes, which, when cut, weighed 
7h lbs. each ; and in Grapes excellent bunches 
of Black Hamburgh were contributed by 
Messrs. Lane, of Berkliampstead, and Hill, 
of Keele Hall; also of West’s St. Peter’s 
b} r Mr. Tiltyard. Of Muscats there were 
only two exhibitions, but the deficiency in 
quantity was compensated by excellence of 
quality, the bunches being large, regular in 
berry, and very well ripened. They r came 
from Mr. Tillyard and Mr. A. Ingram, High- 
grove, Reading. Of dessert Pears the best 
collections were those from Mr. T. Ingram 
and Mr. Tillyard, comprising finely-grown 
examples of Chaumontel, Easter Beurre, 
Beurre de Ranee, Glou Morceau, Passe Colmar, 
Prince Albert, and Groom’s Princess Royal. 
Kitchen Pears were not remarkable for size ; 
the heaviest dish was Catillac, from Mr. Ross, 
gardener to C. Eyre, E-q., Newbury. Of 
Apples there was a long array ; the fruit was 
genei'ally in excellent condition, and, as in the 
case of the collections from Messrs. T. Ingram, 
Betteridge, and Cox, in some instances very 
highly coloured. Blenheim Orange was well 
shown in most of the collections, as well as 
that old favourite the Ribston. Of Cox’s 
Orange Pippin, Court-Pendu-Plat, Fearn’s 
Pippin, Cornish Gillifiower, and King of the 
Pippins, fine specimens were shown in several 
collections. The first-named proved to be the 
best in point of flavour in the class for single 
dishes. Kitchen Apples were also numerously 
shown, and most of the varieties grown for 
culinary purposes figured in one or other of 
the collections. Mr. Betteridge, of Steventon, 
was first both for twelve and six dishes ; the 
heaviest five (weight not stated) were Gloria 
Mundi, from Mr. Lumsden, of Sleaford. Nova 
Scotia sent a large collection of Apples, among 
which were good examples of man}*- of the 
kinds cultivated in this country, as well as 
several of local reputation. M. Gregoire, 
of Jodoigne, Belgium, sent sevent 3 ^-one seed¬ 
ling Pears, but none of them of any merit; 
and Mr. Hardie, gardener to the Viceny 
of Egypt, Pomegranates, Oranges, Lemons, 
Shaddocks, Custard Apples, Dates, fruit of 
the Papaw tree, &c. 
Among vegetables were several good col¬ 
lections of Potatoes; and Mr. Spary, of 
Brighton, had 268 tubers the produce of a 
single Potato. Onions, Leeks, Carrots, Par¬ 
snips, Salsafy, ScorEonera, and Horseradish 
were also well represented; but in salading 
of all kinds there was a deficiency, by which 
it was evident that this department of gar¬ 
dening, at least as regards the winter months, 
is too little attended to. One great feature in 
this portion of the Show was the stand of 
Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, which, besides 
roots and Gourds, contained no less than a 
thousand kinds of seeds. 
The Floral and Fruit Committees met on 
the first day of the Show. At the former 
Manettia cordifolia major, from Mr. Veitch, 
and having bright scarlet flowers, was awarded 
a first-class certificate; and a similar distinction 
was conferred on Asplenium Hemionitis cris - 
tatum, a handsome-crested Fern from R. J. 
Gray, Esq., of Exeter. At the Fruit Com¬ 
mittee a new Pear called Prince Consort, from 
the Rev. John Huyshe, of Clysthydon, re¬ 
ceived a first-class certificate. It is large and 
handsome, resembling in shape a vey large 
Marie Louise or Yan Mons Leon le Clerc; 
the skin is jmllowish green, the flesh 3 -ellowish, 
firm, very juicy, and rich, partaking of the 
flavour of Gansel’s Bergamot. Mathews’ 
Eliza, from Mr. Mathews, of Clapham, proved 
the same as Groom’s Princess Royal. A good 
late Melon was also shown by r Mr. Short, 
Clewer Park. 
A special general meeting was held on the 
