THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



BUCKLAND'S SWEETWATER (White). Bunches medium 

 sized to large, short, with broad shoulders, hand- 

 some heart-shaped, but not always well set ; berries 

 large, round, inclining to oval ; skin thin, trans- 

 parent, pale yellowish green, becoming pale amber 

 when thoroughly ripe ; flesh tender, juicy, and 

 sweet ; leaves medium sized, pale green, dying off 

 pale yellow ; vine moderately strong and a free 

 bearer. This early white grape succeeds under the 

 same conditions as the Black Hamburgh, forming a 

 good white companion, and is esteemed for exhibi- 

 tion. It is, however, quite secondary in quality, 

 and loses its pleasant Sweetwater flavour in keeping, 

 therefore is only useful as a summer variety. 



DUKE OP BUCCLEUCH (White). Bunches large, about 

 10 inches long, with broad shoulders ; stalk thick, 

 rather gross and fleshy ; berries very large, roundish 

 inclined to oblate, flattened at the ends, with a 

 large style-point ; skin thin, pale clear greenish 

 yellow, becoming a fine golden amber when 

 thoroughly finished ; flesh very tender, juicy, rich, 

 sprightly, and pleasantly flavoured ; leaves large, 

 roundish, stout textured, only slightly lobed, but 

 deeply serrated ; vine robust, producing soft, thick 

 shoots. This variety is the noblest white Sweet- 

 water grape. Its defects are : difficulty in estab- 

 lishing the vine, not showing nor setting fruit 



freely, and liability of the fruit to be spotted. To 

 overcome these a little patience needs exercising 

 after planting, so as to get the vine well established, 

 training the canes thinly, pruning on the long 

 system, carefully fertilising the flowers, and pre- 

 venting the deposition of moisture on the berries 

 when ripening, by a gentle warmth 'n the hot- water 

 pipes, and a little ventilation, it is best as an 

 early summer fruit, grown in an inside border. 

 When required for late summer use, say in August 

 and September, the growth must not be started 

 before April. Treatment the same as the Black 

 Hamburgh, with a somewhat dry atmosphere when 

 ripening. 



FOSTER'S SEEDLING (White). Bunches medium sized to 

 large, shouldered, remarkably well set ; stalk rather 

 slender ; berries medium sized, oval ; skin greenish 

 yellow, becoming clear amber when ripe, occasion- 

 ally russeted ; flesh tender, melting, juicy, sweet, 

 and well flavoured ; leaves large, deeply lobed and 

 serrated, rather downy, dying off yellow ; vine 

 moderately robust, very healthy, and remarkably 

 fruitful. It is a useful white grape, succeeding 

 either in a heated or unheated house. Its freedom 

 of growth and productiveness render it the most 

 easily cultivated and the most certain cropper of 

 all grapes. 



V. VINOUS AND THICK-SKINNED LATE GRAPES. 



Tiiese possess a brisk vinous flavour, with varied degrees of sweetness, and have no decided characteristics of the 

 preceding classes, each variety possessing some special peculiarity. A few of the more useful of the black and white 

 varieties are described. 



ALICANTE (Black) (Black Lisbon, Black Portugal, 

 Black St. Peters, Black Spanish, Black Tokay, 

 Espagnin Noir, Meredith's Alicante). Bunches 

 large, broadly shouldered, always well set ; stalk 

 stout and short ; berries large, oval ; footstalk 

 short, stout, slightly warted ; skin thick, tough, 

 jet black, covered with a fine blue bloom ; flesh 

 tender, adhering to the skin, juicy, brisk, and 

 pleasantly flavoured after hanging until matured ; 

 leaves large, thick, and downy on the under side, 

 dark green above, ripening late and dying off 

 yellow, occasionally tinged with red ; vine strong, 

 with prominent buds, and when the wood ripens 

 well it fruits freely. This is a showy grape, both 

 in bunch and berry, easily cultivated, and hangs 

 remarkably well in a cool temperature to Feb- 

 ruary. 



ALNWICK SEEDLING (Black) (Olive House Seedling). 

 Bunches large, bluntly conical, usually with a 

 shoulder, and long ; berries large, roundish ovate ; 



skin thick, tough, purplish black, covered with a 

 fine blue bloom ; flesh firm, juicy, vinous, sweet 

 and rich when well matured, with a sprightly 

 pleasant flavour ; leaves large, wrinkled, deeply 

 toothed, dying off yellow ; vine robust, wood long- 

 jointed, ripening well, and bearing freely. This 

 grape is very handsome and easily grown, but its 

 berries require to be carefully set v, ith pollen from 

 a free-setting variety ; a good keeper, shrivelling 

 rather than decaying. It succeeds under the usual 

 treatment given to late grapes. 



GROS COLMAN (Black) (Gros Colmar, Gros Kolner). 

 Bunches medium sized to large, moderate in length 

 and broad, generally one shouldered ; berries very 

 large, round ; skin thick, tough, adhering to the 

 flesh, jet black, covered with a fine bloom ; flesh 

 rather firm, coarse, juicy, austere rather than sweet, 

 with an earthy flavour until matured by hanging, 

 then it is vinous and agreeable ; leaves large, downy 

 and somewhat rusty, ultimately assuming a reddiab. 



