THE GRAPE-VINE FAMILY. 577 



the Bowood Muscat with Black Hamburg. All differed from 

 their parents, and none were so good, except one grizzly Grape, 

 something like a badly-coloured Mrs Pince. This had a large 

 berry, strong foliage, and exquisite flavour, but not over four 

 or five berries could be got to set on a bunch. This Grape I 

 crossed with the Hamburg again, in as far as I used the pollen 

 of that Grape to induce this seedling to set its fruit. I sowed 

 some seeds taken out of one berry of it, and one grew, and 

 this was named the ' Golden Champion.' It fruited most 

 freely with me and with my brother, then at Archerfield, and 

 finished splendidly, showing no signs of the spot which it has 

 since developed in so many instances, but which I maintain 

 is the result of growing it in an atmosphere overcharged with 

 moisture. 



" I felt the want there was of a companion White Grape for 

 Lady Downe's one that would succeed under the same treat- 

 ment and hang as late and raised a number of seedlings from 

 it uncrossed. Some were like Sloes in flavour, some not larger 

 than Currants, but one I thought worth saving, and named 

 it ' White Lady Downe's.' Before offering this Vine to the 

 public, I sent fruit of it and its black parent to my employer's 

 table, perfectly plump and sound, on the 2oth of April, and I 

 still believe there is no White Grape will keep plump and fresh 

 so late as will this variety. 



" My next attempt was in the direction of getting a larger 

 early Grape than the Hamburg, but of the same colour, and I 

 attempted to cross the Golden Champion with the Hamburg 

 and the Hamburg with it. From the former I got the Duke 

 of Buccleuch, as the one I thought best worth keeping, and, 

 before offering it to the public, I sent over a ton of its fruit to 

 the various markets, where it sold well. 



" The cross where the Hamburg was the female parent 

 yielded no seedling I thought worth fruiting a second time 

 except one white one ; and after fruiting it several years I dis- 

 carded it, as being no advance on such a Grape as Buckland's 

 Sweetwater. 



" To obtain the four varieties I have referred to, and which 

 I offered to the public, believing them to be acquisitions, I 

 fruited about 200 seedlings, and was clearly impressed with 

 the strong tendency they had as a rule to degenerate, as com- 

 pared with their parents." 



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