44 THE BOOK OF THE GRAPE 



saleable than lopsided bunches. The vine is a very 

 strong grower and free fruiter. The leaves are large, 

 broad, leathery and downy on both upper and lower 

 surfaces, developing a rusty appearance as the season 

 advances. By these peculiar characteristics the vine is 

 easily identified whether in fruit or not. 



The history of this grape is rather meagre. Mr 

 Rivers received it from Leroy of Angers. Afterwards 

 Mr Standish cultivated it at Ascot, and showed it at 

 South Kensington Gardens, then in the hands of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society, in 1862, where its large 

 berries and handsome appearance attracted a good deal 

 of attention. 



The late Mr William Thomson, when he erected the 

 numerous ranges of span vineries at Clovenfords, by 

 Galashiels, planted several of them with Gros Colmar 

 for market purposes, and to him is due the credit of the 

 grape being grown so extensively for market use. I well 

 remember the heavy crops of this grape which I saw in 

 the Clovenfords vineries in the autumn of 1885. 



Gros Guillaume is remarkable as much for the size of 

 bunch which it is capable of producing when subjected to 

 special treatment, as it is for its handsome shape and fine 

 appearance when seen at its best, the quality also being 

 good. It is an excellent late black grape, and as such 

 should not be used before Christmas or the New Year. 

 The vine is a strong grower, making rather long-jointed 

 wood, and the large leaves which are borne on long foot- 

 stalks become beautifully and highly coloured in the 

 process of maturation, being very effective and useful 

 for garnishing purposes. When treated on the close- 

 pruning system, it produces plenty of bunches, and 

 the bunches which vary from two and a half to five 

 pounds in weight colour most satisfactorily. The 

 berries are generally round, and about the same size 

 as those of the Black Hamburg. The skin is thin, 



