EUROPEAN GRAPES DESCRIBED. 169 1 



CULTURAL NOTES. Succeeds well in any ordinary Vinery, and will ripen in 

 a cool greenhouse ; but in cold or damp weaiher, the skin being thin and tender, 

 it is liable to crack and decay. 



MADRESFIELD COURT (38). Plate XVIII. An oval black Muscat 

 Grape. Season : early. Merits : first-class, excellent in quality, and 

 very handsome. 



YINE. Moderately strong in growth, very free, the shoots always ripening 

 freely, producing prominent dark brown buds, and generally covered with a thin 

 coating of down ; very fruitful. Leaves meiium-sized, rugose, deep green, 

 sharply or deeply lobed ; leaf-stalks and venations reddish. The leaves die off 

 crimson, and are very beautiful. 



FRUIT. Bunches above medium size, long, very regularly tapering, the point 

 often forked ; shoulders generally small, stalk stout ; weight averaging from two 

 to four pounds ; always freely and well set. Berries large, sometimes very large, 

 of a long ovate shape, on stout foot-stalks, very regular. Skin tough and mem- 

 braneous, of a dark purplish shade generally, seldom quite black, and covered 

 with a very dense blue bloom, like some varieties of Plums. Flesh thick, 

 greenish, very tender, sweet and rich ; generally, but not always, with a very 

 distinct Muscat flavour. Extremely handsome. 



HISTORY, ETC. A hybrid, raised by the late Mr. Cox, gardener to Earl 

 Beauchamp, at Madrestield Court, "Worcestershire, by crossing Muscat of 

 Alexandria with the Black Morocco. It was awarded a Certificate by the Royal 

 Horticultural Society in 1868, and was subsequently sent out by Messrs. Lee, 

 Hammersmith. 



CULTURAL NOTES. Remarkably easy of cultivation, possessing a fine free 

 constitution. Being at first recommended as a late Grape, many failed in its 

 cultivation by giving it too much heat ; whereas it is actually an early Grape, is 

 best suited for early work, and requires less heat than the Black Hamburgh. In 

 some places it has succeeded remarkably well in a cool orchard-house. If allowed 

 to hang long, the berries are somewhat liable to crack. The finest examples we 

 have seen were grown by Mr. Roberts, late of Gunnersbury. It is now being 

 largely grown as an early Grape for the London Market. 



MAJOR MORAY'S. West's St. Peter's. 

 MALMSEY MUSCADINE. Ciotat. 

 MALVOISIE NOIRE. (Eillade JSToire. 

 MAROCAIN. Gros Maroc. 

 MEREDITH'S ALICANTE. Alicante. 



MEURTHE FRONTIGNAN (46). A round black Muscat Grape. Season: 

 mid-season or general crop. Merits : quality excellent ; one of the 

 best of its class. 



SYN. Muscat Noir de Meurthe. 



VINE. Growth moderately vigorous, the shoots ripening freely ; free -fruiting. 

 Leaves small, rounded, not deeply lobed, but deeply toothed ; dying off reddish. 



FRUIT. Bundles medium-sized, cylindrical, sometimes slightly shouldered, 

 very close and compact, well set. Berries round, medium-sized, larger than 

 those of the Black Frontignan, on short, thick, fleshy stalks. Skin purplish 

 black, covered with a heavy bloom, and with a very prominent style-point. 

 Flesh firm, crackling, rich, brisk and juicy, with a very distinct Muscat flavour. 



