VARIETIES OF GRAPES GROWN IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. 5 



These must have been cultivated in the open air, as hot-houses were 

 little used, if at all, in England, even at the beginning of the last 

 century ; while talc, not glass, or what was termed " Muscovy glass," 

 was the lighting medium used in their construction. 



Speechly mentions a Yine that was growing in the open air at 

 Northallerton, in Yorkshire, in 1789, that had covered a space of one 

 hundred and thirty-two square yards, and was supposed to have been 

 planted one hundred and fifty years. During the last century, the 

 cultivation of Grapes seems to have become pretty general ; several 

 notable examples being still in existence as that of the Black 

 Hamburgh Vine at Valentine's, Ilford, in Essex which Gilpin, in his 

 Forest Scenery, says was planted in 1758. This was stated to be the 

 oldest Vine in England, and to be the parent of the still more 

 celebrated Vine at Hampton Court, which was planted in 1769, and 

 now covers a space of about two hundred and twenty square yards. 

 Of more modern Vines, the most remarkable examples are those at 

 Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, which annually produces about two 

 thousand pounds weight of Grapes ; the great Vine at Hampton Court, 

 and that at Sillwood Park, Sunninghill. 



The cultivation of Grapes in the open air in this country is not 

 now practised to any extent, the introduction of cheap glass, orchard 

 houses, ground vineries, etc., leading to far more satisfactory results. 

 At Castle Coch, Cardiff, the Marquis of Bute has established a Vine- 

 yard on a somewhat extensive scale, as an experiment. See chap. xxi. 

 In congenial seasons, in the southern and warmer parts of England, 

 fairly good Grapes may undoubtedly be grown on walls in the open 

 air, and it does seems a pity that more attention is not bestowed on 

 this branch of their cultivation. 



In regard to the number of varieties existing in olden times, very 

 little information is to be obtained. Pliny says that in his time they 

 had a " multiplicity of Vines, both thick-skinned and thin-skinned." 

 In Europe, at the present time, the number of varieties is beyond 

 computation. In one catalogue of 1881 alone, that of M. Andr& 

 Leroy, of Angers, four hundred and seventeen names are given. Every 

 country every district almost has varieties peculiar to itself, adapted 

 to the several climates, as well as to the purposes required ; thus there 

 are the Hungarian and Italian Grapes, few of which are known in 

 this country ; the French Grapes, and the Spanish Grapes, etc., not to 

 speak of the American Grapes, which belong to another species. 

 Grapes are no\v also largely cultivated in various parts of Australia, 

 the South African Colonies, and many other countries. 



In this country, Grapes being almost exclusively grown for dessert 

 purposes, the number of varieties in general cultivation is comparatively 

 limited. Until a very few years ago these were all of foreign intro- 

 duction, but of late years many English seedlings have been added. 

 Miller, in 1768, describes eighteen sorts ; Speechly, in 1791, records 



