34 THE BOOK OF THE GRAPE 



weight. This fine early as well as mid-season grape 

 was raised by the late Mr Cox, who was many years 

 gardener to Earl Beauchamp at Madresfield Court, 

 Malvern. It is the result of a cross between Muscat of 

 Alexandria and Black Morocco, and was distributed in 

 1868 by Messrs John and Charles Lee of Hammer- 

 smith. The wood and foliage are easily distinguished 

 from that of other varieties, the leaves acquiring a rich 

 crimson tint in maturing. 



Buckland Siveetvuater is a good early white grape. 

 Bunches average in weight from one and a half to four 

 and a half pounds. (The writer took off a vine the first 

 year after striking three handsome bunches, which 

 together weighed twelve and a half pounds, and were 

 awarded a medal by the Fruit Committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society.) The flesh is thin, juicy and 

 pleasant to the palate when eaten at the right time. 

 It does not improve by keeping. This, like other 

 grapes having long foot-stalks, does not require much 

 thinning ; if compact solid bunches are aimed at, all 

 that is necessary is to remove all the small stoneless 

 berries ; the remaining properly stoned berries will 

 (owing to their long foot-stalks) have plenty of room 

 to attain to large dimensions. This popular grape was 

 raised at Buckland, near Reigate, Surrey, from seed 

 brought from the Continent, and it was introduced 

 into commerce by Messrs Ivery & Son of Dorking, 

 in 1860. 



Muscat of Alexandria is without doubt the finest and 

 best grape in cultivation. It is a free grower and a 

 reliable bearer. When well done, the broad-shouldered 

 tapering bunches, consisting of large oval-shaped amber 

 coloured berries, extending from fifteen inches to twenty 

 inches in length, are everything that can be desired in a 

 grape, solid bunches sometimes attaining to from four 

 to six pounds in weight. The late Mr William Pratt, 



