HISTORY OF THE GRAPE VINE 19 



first-class certificate for an exhibit tiiereof from tiie Royal Horticultural Society 

 of Great Britain; then its popularity became established; from that time on 

 it has graced many an exhibition and often carried off the highest honors for 

 black Grapes. While it has not an extra rich flavor, it is popular on account 

 of its appearance, the size of the berry, its finish, and it is also an easy doer. 



The same may be said of Gros Colman. The early history of this Grape 

 is not very clear. Mr. Thomson of Scotland was the first to recognize the possi- 

 bilities of this variety for growing on a large scale for the market. Thomson 

 & Sons, Clovenfords, Scotland, have made their name known far and wide 

 through their success with Gros Colman as a late-keeping Grape, and today 

 more Grapes of this variety, for a late fruit, are probably grown than of any 

 other. 



Under favorable circumstances the \ine will Vivf to a great age. There 

 are records of vines five hundred years old. The celebrated vine at Hampton 

 Court, England, was planted in 1769 and is still bearing annually a large number 

 of medium-sized bunches. This is proof sufficient that the Grape vine will reach 

 a good old age provided it is well cared for. 



It is only during the past fifty years or so that the Grape \"ine has occupied 

 so much space under glass, and its cultivation today does not vary to any great 

 extent from that practiced years ago. In my younger days I have seen some 

 very old-fashioned graperies, where the vines were planted outside and brought 

 in through crevices in the wall, there being no inside border at all. Good Grapes 

 may be grown in this way for Midseason, but for early forcing or for late growth 

 it is very unsatisfactory. However, going back twenty-fi\e to thirty years, we 

 find some magnificent specimens of Grapes, and we have records of bunches 

 of great weight, such as Trebbiano, weighing 26 pounds; W hite Nice, 25 pounds; 

 Gros Guillaume, commonK known as Barbarossa, 23 pounds; Black Ham- 

 burg, 21 pounds. Such record weights are surely of interest to look back upon, 

 and we can truly say that the men who grew those bunches have left these 

 records as a monument to their skill in the cultivation of Grapes under glass. 

 Records equal to these will not easily be eclipsed. 



