370 THE FRUIT MANUAL. 



heavily shouldered, short conical, with long stout stalks. Berry-stalks, 

 short and stout. Berries, large, roundish oval marked with sutural 

 furrows which extend over the apex of the fruit. Skin, stout mem- 

 branous, quite black, covered with a fine bloom. Flesh, firm, tender, 

 very juicy and sweet, with a sprightly flavour like that of Black Morocco. 

 A very fine late grape, surpassing in flavour the Black Alicante, 

 which is of the same class and season. It may be distinguished from 

 Alicante by the smooth glossy upper surface of the leaves, that of 

 Alicante being woolly. The only disadvantage this vine possesses is 

 the sterile disposition of its flowers, which require to be artificially im- 

 pregnated to secure a good crop of fruit, and this is not a difficulty with 

 experienced gardeners. The easiest mode of doing this is to get a 

 small bunch of feather grass (Stipa pennata), and with it collect pollen 

 from the flowers of a vine which has it more abundantly, and then gently 

 pass the grass over the flowers of the vine which it is intended to 

 fertilise. 



Alnwick Seedling was raised about the year 1857 in the garden at Alnwick 

 Castle, the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, and, according to an account which 

 I have every reason to believe to be authentic, the raiser was William Caseley, 

 who was then employed in the forcing-houses there. The female parent was 

 Black Morocco, fertilised with Syrian for the purpose of making it set its fruit better, 

 as it is one of those varieties inclined naturally to sterility. By the time the 

 grapes were ripe some of the berries were observed to be of unusual size. From 

 these Mr. Caseley saved seeds, which were sown by him, and produced several plants, 

 the fruit of some being black and others white. Only two were found to be worth 

 cultivating, and one of these is that which is known as Alnwick Seedling. It is 

 called Clive House Seedling from having been first brought into notice by Mr. D. 

 P. Bell, of Clive House, Alnwick, who exhibited it before the Fruit Committee of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society, Dec. 6th, 1876, when it was awarded a first-class 

 certificate under that name. 



Amber Muscadine. See Eoyal Muscadine. 



ANGERS FRONTIGNAN (Muscat Noir d' Angers). Bunches, 

 medium sized, compact, and shouldered. Berries, about medium size, 

 round. Skin, dark purple, covered with thick blue bloom. Flesh, 

 tender, juicy, richly flavoured, and with a powerful Muscat aroma. 



This is a first-rate grape, ripening earlier than Black Hamburgh, 

 and requiring the same treatment. The vine is a strong grower and a 

 free bearer. 

 It was raised at Angers by M. Vibert. 



Ansley's Large Oval. See Morocco. 

 Arkansas. See Catawba. 



ARAMON (Burchardt's Prince; Plant Eiclie ; Ugni Noir}. 

 Bunches, with a long, herbaceous, brittle stalk ; large, long, and taper- 

 ing, and well set. Berries, large, round, with a few that are occasion- 

 ally inclining to oval. Skin, thick, of a deep black colour, and covered 

 with a dense bloom. Flesh, tender, juicy, melting, rich, and vinous. 



A first-rate late grape, which requires artificial heat to bring it to 



