EUROPEAN GRAPES DESCRIBED. 139 



SYN. Black Tripoli, Braddictts Seedling Hamburgh, Ohasselas de 

 Jerusalem, Frankenthal, Garston Black Hamburgh, Gros Bleu, Hamp- 

 ton Court Black Hamburgh, Kish-mish Ali, Knevett's Black. Hamburgh, 

 Muscatellier noir, Pope Hamburgh, Red Hamburgh, Tripoli, Victoria 

 Hamburgh, Warner's Hamburgh, and Trollinger, the best known 

 German synonym. 



VINE. Growth free and vigorous, with a remarkably fine constitution ; the 

 wood moderately strong, always ripening well ; very fruitful ; young shoots pale 

 green, yet occasionally tinged with red. Leaves of medium size, nearly smooth, 

 pale green in colour. Leaf-stalks and venation sometimes reddish, and when so, 

 the leaves in dying off become slightly coloured, and thus differ from the ordinary 

 dull yellow colour which the decaying leaves of this variety usually assume. 



FRUIT. Bunches medium sized, ovate in shape, with broad shoulders, 

 generally very compact, but sometimes loose and straggling ; average weight 

 from one pound to two pounds ; sets very freely at all times. Berries large, from 

 one inch to one-and-a-half inch in diameter, roundish-ovate in shape, but varying 

 greatly in this respect, sometimes being quite round ; the smaller berries generally 

 ovate and quite smooth, the larger ones having a distinctly hammered appearance. 

 Skin deep bluish black, covered with a fine bloom. Flesh firm, yet tender, juicy 

 and melting, with a rich sugary and very pleasant flavour. 



HISTORY, ETC. The Black Hamburgh Grape is stated to have been imported 

 from Hamburgh, in the early part of the last century, by Mr. John Warner, a 

 London merchant, who established a Vineyard. Hence it became known as 

 Warner's Black Hamburgh i.e., Mr. Warner's Black Grape, from Hamburgh; 

 Hamburgh being the seaport town of northern Germany. It is essentially a German 

 Grape, being met with in every part of that country where Grapes are cultivated, 

 and under very numerous synonyms ; the best known being that of Trollinger and 

 Frankenthaler, which, of late years, has been much adopted in this country by 

 some as synonymous with Black Hamburgh, by others as representing a larger 

 and coarser variety. The confusion that has arisen in this respect is entirely 

 due to accidental circumstances. A very excellent illustration of this was afforded 

 in the great conservatory at Chiswick. The varieties of Vines planted therein 

 were procured from all quarters ; one half being planted in an outside border, 

 and the others in a shallow border inside. On fruiting, the varieties of Black 

 Hamburgh, which were planted in the outside border, were all large, the berries 

 round, with a hammered appearance, etc. ; while the others were small, smooth, 

 ovate, etc. , and generally sweeter. The former were duly labelled Frankenthal, 

 the latter Black Hamburgh, eyes of each being propagated and grown under 

 reversed conditions the appearance and the characters of each were alike 

 reversed. There is no permanent distinction among the many so-called varieties of 

 Black Hamburgh, the Mill Hill and Dutch excepted, which are so decidedly 

 distinct that no possible confusion need arise about them. 



Amongst the other synonyms, Black Tripoli was long considered to apply to 

 a larger and superior variety, through its excellent and extensive cultivation at 

 Welbeck, but that name is now obsolete ; the same may be said of Braddick's, 

 Garnston, and Knevett's Black Hamburghs. Pope Hamburgh was so called 

 through one of the ancestors of Basil Fitzherbert, Esq., of Swynnerton Hall, 

 a Staffordshire, bringing cuttings from a friend who resided near Rome, upwards of 

 one hundred years ago, and naming it The Pope. The original Vine may still be 

 seen at Swynnerton Hall. The late Mr. Fleming, of Trentham, on seeing this Vine, 

 considered it a distinct variety, and distributed it as The Pope's Hamburgh. 

 Hampton Court Black Hamburgh is so called from the large Vine at Hampton 

 Court Palace, and has the reputation of being the true variety, producing small 

 ovate berries. Victoria Hamburgh was for a long time popular, as the largest 

 and finest variety, but that name is not now referred to. Even the Red Ham- 



