THE VINE. ] 521 



32. GHENEB TAT-TOROC. (Darkaja noire, Persia 

 or Htrlani). This oriedtal vine was first grown in the 

 Mahommedan Cemetery at the Marsa, hence its name 

 tat-ioroc, where it was introduced towards 1895. This vine 

 is very vigorous and fairly productive, with long stout 

 canes having very swollen nodes, and requires half-long 

 or long pruning. The leaves are very large, broad, five- 

 lobed, slightly hairy on the under surface. The bunches 

 are large or very large, irregular, winged, rather loose. 

 The berries are very large, olive-shaped, bluntly oval, 

 often irregular in shape and size, violet- black, well 

 covered with bloom. The flesh is rather firm, juicy, 

 sweet with a mild flavour. It is a very fine table grape, 

 and rather slow to come to iruit, but is afterwards a 

 regular bearer. Requires a deep soil and a sunny 

 situation. 



33. GORBIN or GORBINA or CORBIN, (\.\..~corbina 

 or corbinella). This vine is largely grown in Gozo, but 

 is also well known in the vineyards of Melleha, Fiddien, 

 Zebbieh, Ghain Tuffieha, Bahria, etc. It is middling in 

 vigour, with spreading habit, requiring half -long pruning. 

 The leaves are middling, deep green thin and soft, 

 somewhat hairy on the lower surfuce, with 3 to 5 deep 

 lobes, acutely toothed, and a long, thin deep red leaf- 

 stalk. The bunch is long, pyramidal, winged, rather 

 compact. The berries are small, round or roundish, 

 deep black-blue, with a heavy whitish bloom. The pulp 

 is soft and very juicy, sweet and acidulous. This is a 

 well known wine grape, producing highly coloured wines, 

 weakly alcoholic, but foamy and dry, of rather inferior 

 keeping quality. 



34. GORBINA BAJDA. This vine is cultivated rather 

 extensively at Xaghra and Nadur, and has nothing in 

 common with Gorbin or Gorbina. It is probably a local 

 seedling nicknamed gorbina bajJa on account of the size 

 and beauty of the bunch. It is very vigorous, with a 



