96 NOMENCLATURE OF GRAPES. 



the Israelites, a bunch of which they cut down at the brook of 

 Eshcol, in the southern part of Canaan, and bore on their re- 

 turn between two, upon a staff. Numbers, Chap. xiii. 



Be this as it may, it certainly has produced the most enor- 

 mous clusters that the gardens of Europe can boast, and has 

 been nearly equalled only by the Gros Guillaume, which being 

 black, would form with this an admirable spectacle, when 

 growing in the same house or the same vineyard. 



The berries of the Syrian are white, large, and oval, with a 

 thick skin, and solid flesh the bunches handsomely formed, 

 and of enormous size, making a noble appearance. 



Although it is generally considered a coarse fruit, it is not 

 more so than the Malaga, which we so often import in jars ; 

 and it may be kept in perfection on the vine for many months, 

 or be preserved fresh in jars, in the same manner as the grapes 

 we import. The berries sometimes require thinning, in order 

 to advance their maturity ; that is, in climates where the sea- 

 sons are not of sufficient length, but in the southern states no 

 attention of that kind is required. 



It is a prolific bearer ; but it may be taken as a general 

 standard, that the size of a bunch lessens the number in due 

 proportion, and that, be the clusters as large as they may, there 

 will not be on a vine of a given size, a greater weight of fruit, 

 than on one of another kind of equal size, of an equally thrifty 

 variety. 



GRAND GUILLAUME. PR. CAT. No. 255. 



Gros Guillaume, 



Rognon de Coq, of Provence, 



Vitis uvd maxima et longissima, acinis mqjoribus, <$-c. 



This variety is, according to Garidel, one of the most in- 

 teresting, and produces bunches which weigh from twelve to 

 fifteen pounds. Mr. Michel states, that the clusters are so 

 large, and the berries so nnmerous, that they can seldom be 

 found with the whole perfectly ripe at the same time. When the 

 berries begin to change colour and ripen, the thinness of the 



