THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 24, 1858. 
been partly discussed at the previous Meeting, namely, 
to consider the means best calculated to collect, from 
different localities and soils, accurate information, as 
to how far certain fruits were affected by such cir¬ 
cumstances ; where their quality was very good, me¬ 
dium, or indifferent: to the end that the Society might 
be able to decide, for general information, what kinds 
of fruits were best adapted for cultivation under each 
variety of circumstance. 
Messrs. Scrutton, Busby, Moore, and J. Milne, 
were appointed as a Committee, to meet at half-past 
one o’clock, on the 9th of September, to consider the 
subject, and prepare, for the Meeting on that day, re¬ 
commendations as to the best mode of proceeding, 
with a view to accomplish those objects. 
The Secretary was instructed to have prepared, 
according to a specimen he laid before the Meeting, 
large placards, briefly explaining the objects of the 
Society, their days of meeting, &c., and to distribute 
them amongst the principal nurserymen, seedsmen, 
and other members who have public places of business, 
requesting that they may be fixed conspicuouly about 
their premises, so that they may aid in bringing the 
Society more prominently under public notice. 
The Secretary was also instructed to forward copies 
of the Transactions and Reports regularly to certain 
scientific societies, whose objects embrace the advance¬ 
ment of those branches of social science and art which 
have reference to botany and the cultivation of the 
earth. 
FRUIT. 
A very good display was laid before the Meeting, 
amongst which the following were the most interest¬ 
ing : 
GRAPES. 
Mr. Melville, of Dalmeney Park Gardens, near 
Edinburgh, gardener to the Earl of Roseberry, sent 
a Seedling Muscat, accompanied by the following 
particulars: — “It wa3 raised from Canon Hall 
Muscat, impregnated by the White Nice, the object 
being to raise a variety which would set more freely, 
and possess a hardier constitution.” The Vine was 
said to be a very free setter, great bearer, and of very 
strong habit. These assertions appeared to be fully 
borne out by a fore-shortened lateral enclosed with the 
bunch, and containing on itself, and its sub-laterals, 
three strong bunches, two of which were enough ad¬ 
vanced to show the free - setting properties of the 
variety at this season of the year. The young wood 
and leaves were very strong, hairy, and deeply veined 
with purple, something like the JBarbarossa. The 
leaves were deeply cleft, coarsely, and very acutely 
serrated. The bunch, said to be the first cut from the 
plant, was small, and not quite ripe, but appeared to 
have set freely; berry about the size and shape of 
Muscat of Alexandria; skin thick ; flesh melting, as 
that of Sweetwater, sweet, and decidedly Muscat, but 
not richly so in the state of ripeness in which it was 
exhibited. It was impossible for the Society to speak 
decisively regarding it, and a desire was expressed 
that it should be laid before them again, when more 
fully developed. 
Messrs. J. and C. Lee sent bunches of the following 
four imported varieties which had been grown in a 
house along with young Vines, and constantly syringed, 
which was mentioned, to account for their loss of 
bloom :—• 
Chasselas Rose de Ealloux. —A Grape of the 
Chasselas section, but not nearly so high flavoured as 
C. musque; the bunches exhibited, however, displayed 
no tendency to split, although grown in a constantly 
syringed house. The bunch was long, compact, and ap¬ 
peared to have set well; colour pale yellow, approach¬ 
ing to amber; form ot berry oblate, irregular, those 
terminating each branch of bunch being the largest; 
skin tough; flesh firm, juicy, moderately sweet and 
musky, separating easily from the seeds, which are 
few, but large. It was not considered likely, from 
this examination, to be a valuable addition to varieties 
in cultivation. 
Ulliade. —A Grape apparently of the Hamburgh 
section. Bunch moderate size, and compact; colour 
black ; berry slightly oval; skin thin; flesh tender, j 
very juicy; flavour very sweet, more so than Black 
Hamburgh, but less vinous and luscious. Altogether 
it was considered a variety which the Meeting would 
be glad to see again. 
Calliaba. —A Grape of the St. JPeter's section. 
Bunch long, black ; berry rather small, round; skin 
about equal in thickness to Black St. Peter s ; flesh 
tender, juicy; flavour very sweet, but slightly astrin¬ 
gent. If it hangs well it may be a useful variety of 
this section. 
Another variety, sent without a name, was be¬ 
lieved to be Dutch Hamburgh, though smaller in 
berry, and more highly coloured than that variety is 
usually seen, which often results from pot cultivation. 
They were very good flavoured. 
MELON. 
Mr. Pottle, of Little Bealings, Suffolk, sent a j 
Seedling Green-fleshed Melon ; fruit oval, hand¬ 
some, about four pounds weight; colour, outside, i 
warm orange, very beautifully and closely netted; 
rind thick; flesh rather coarse. But the fruit was 
too unripe to enable the Meeting to pronounee upon 
its flavour, which was juicy, and not unpromising. 
The beauty of the fruit alone would render it an orna¬ 
ment to a dessert. 
peaches. 
Mr. Wighton, of Cossey Hall, Norfolk, with other 
varieties, sent specimens of Royal Kingston, sup¬ 
posed to be a misnomer for j Royal Kensington, which 
is a synonyme of G-rosse Mignonne. The fruit, how¬ 
ever, was not of that variety, and could not be recog¬ 
nised, being over-ripe, and sent without leaves. 
Early Purple. This was the variety known as 
Williams' Early Purple. 
Mr. Eergltson, of Stowe, Buckingham, brought a 
quantity of very fine Royal George, which he de¬ 
scribed as gathered from very old trees, in an old 
span-roofed house. 
nectarines. 
Mr. Ferguson brought Violette Hative. Very 
good and fine. 
Mr. Lane, of Berkhampstead, brought specimens 
of Balgone, a very good early variety, but one that is 
not so much grown as it perhaps deserves, because in 
some situations it is a shy bearer. Mr. Lane finds it 
bear well in his nursery. 
apricots. 
Mr. Edmonds, of Chiswick, brought a water-colour 
drawing, and read a very interesting account of a re¬ 
markable tree of that well-known and hardy variety, 
the Breda, growing in the grounds of Joseph Coleman, 
Esq., Bohemia House, Turnham Green. The trunk 
measures four feet eight inches in circumference, and 
the tree covers an extent of ground thirty-nine feet 
diameter in one direction, and forty-six in the other. 
It is literally loaded and breaking down with its 
thousands of fruit, and has been considered the most 
remarkable horticultural wonder of the year by all 
who have seen it. 
Mr. Epps, of Maidstone, sent fruit of a Seedling, 
said to be grown on a standard in an orchard; an 
abundant bearer, and now in the third year of fruiting. 
The Iruit was about the size of the Poman, much 
compressed; colour rich orange; flesh also rich 
