October  20,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
303 
imposing  variety.  Perhaps  the  most  remarkable  result  of  all  was  iu 
the  case  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria.  One  Vine  was  carrying  sixty 
bunches,  many  weighing  upwards  of  4  lbs.  each.  The  berries  were 
large,  and  carried  that  charming  ami  er  tint  that  is  so  gladdening  to 
the  heart  of  cultivators. 
One  Vine  of  Lady  Hastings  represented  this  new  Grape  in  its  best 
condition.  It  originated  at  Melton  as  a  sport  from  Muscat  Hamburgh. 
In  appearance  it  is  much  like  Madresfield  Court  in  the  shape  and 
colour  of  the  berries  as  well  as  in  formation  of  bunch.  The  flavour  ol 
ot  the  conddeuce  displayed  in  it  one  of  the  largest  Grape-growers  for 
market  is  planting  a  large  house  with  it  entirely. 
Mr.  Shingler,  as  a  Grape-grower,  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  encourage¬ 
ment  ot  surface  roots,  and  judging  from  the  network  immediately 
under  the  surface,  he  knows  how  to  produce  them.  An  annual 
mulching  of  cow  manure  in  the  spring  incites  the  multiplication  of 
their  food-imbibing  organs.  Mr.  Stringier  speaks  highly  of  Dicksons’ 
Vine  manure;  it  is  applied  in  a  liquid  state,  dissolving  it  overnight, 
|  and  saturating  the  soil  occasionally. 
Fig.  5:5.— SEEDLING  GRAPE— LADY  HASTINGS  x 
GROS  COLMAN. 
the  parent  is'preserved  in  its  progeny  in  a  reinirsable  degree.  Ferti¬ 
lisation  appears  to  be  easy,  for  the  berries  are  evenly  “  set,”  and  there 
is  no  cracking  of  the  skin ;  a  defect  with  Madresfield  Court  in  not 
a  few  instances,  though  some  people  say  it  is  the  fault  of  its 
cultivators. 
The  foliage  of  Lady  Hastings  is  quite  distinct  from  any  variety 
with  which  I  am  acquainted.  The  only  fault  that  I  can  urge  against 
this  Grape  is  its  somewhat  tough  skin.  This  defect,  however,  is  not 
so  noticeable  in  fully  ripened  specimens.  As  a  September  and 
October  Grape  this  newcomer  should  be  much  in  request.  As  a  proof 
I  referred  earlier  in  my  notes  to  the  unsatisfactory  condition^  of 
the  supernumerary  Vines.  These  were  planted  without  any  special 
border  preparation,  and  although  the  growth  is  vigorous,  amounting 
in  some  instances  to  grossness,  there  is  an  entire  absence  of  maturity 
in  either  wood  or  foliage.  The  colour  of  the  leaves  is  exceptionally 
pale,  while  the  few  bunches  of  fruit  produced  are  poor  in  the  extreme, 
the  berries  being  small  and  flavourless.  This  failure  is  attributed  to 
the  unsuitability  of  the  natural  soil  for  Grape  culture,  owing  to  the 
entire  absence  of  lime. 
Mr.  Shingler  has  apparently  a  strong  penchant  for  intercrossing 
