THE VINE. 



297 



free setting. Berries large oval, jet black, and densely 

 covered with a bluish bloom; skin tough when the fruit 

 is not properly ripened; when it has hung on the Vine 

 until January it has been mistaken for Black Hambro. 

 Flesh tender, juicy, slightly red, of indifferent flavour 

 unless well-ripened. It is a decidedly late Grape, second 

 to Lady Downes in keeping qualities, and succeeds best 

 when grown with it. 



Alnwick Seedling (Clive House Seedling) (fig. 1082). — 

 Leaves large, green, much serrated, and handsomely col- 

 oured in the autumn immediately before falling. Habit 

 vigorous, growth strong, and extremely fruitful. Supposed 

 to be a seedling from a cross between Black Morocco and 

 Syrian. A very fine Grape of easy cultivation that will 

 keep in fine condition for a long time after it is ripe. Should 

 be grown in the coolest end of the latest vinery if required 

 for winter use. The only drawback to this otherwise fine 

 variety is that it is a bad setter, and great care is needed 

 in the setting, otherwise a crop of nothing but small and 

 seedless berries will result. If the flowers are syringed 

 in the early morning, the gummy exudation at the points 

 of the stigmas, which is the cause of sterility incidental 

 to this variety, is washed off. At mid-day fertilize the 

 bunches with pollen collected on a camel-hair brush 

 from a free-setting kind. By adopting these means a 

 very heavy set may be ensured. Bunches large, often 

 irregularly formed, heavily shouldered, sometimes long, 

 often short and conical ; berries large, roundish, sutured 

 down one side ; skin thick, tough, deep-black, covered 

 with a copious blue bloom ; flesh firm, purplish ; flavour 

 rich, and much resembling that of Black Hambro. The 

 flavour is much enhanced by working it on the Muscat; 

 the bunches then come longer and more tapering. 



Appley Towers. — A fine black Grape of recent intro- 

 duction; highly esteemed by many growers for its late- 

 keeping qualities. Bunch large-shouldered, symmetrically 

 formed ; berries medium to large, roundish - oval ; skin 

 thick, black, covered with a blue bloom ; flesh tender, 

 juicy, and richly flavoured when well ripened. Should 

 be grown to succeed Black Hambro ; also in the late 

 house for mid -winter supply. Was raised at Appley 

 Towers, Isle of Wight. 



Black Cluster (Black Burgundy, Early Black, Small 

 Black Cluster). — Leaves nearly smooth, rather deeply 

 lobed, but having shallow serratures. Bunch small and 

 compact; berries rather small, roundish -oval; skin deep- 

 black, thick; flesh sweet, juicy, and rich. This is a very 

 old variety, and one of the hardiest known. In this 

 country its wood becomes firmer and better matured in 

 the open air than that of any other kind. 



Black Frontif/nan. — Leaves roundish, sharply serrated, 

 but not deeply lobed ; midribs smooth. Bunch medium 

 to large, tapering, frequently shouldered; berries small, 

 round; skin blue-black, covered with an abundant bloom, 

 thin in texture ; flesh firm, juicy, with a rich Muscat 

 flavour, on which account this Grape should be included 

 in every collection. 



Black Hambro (fig. 1080). — Leaves large, with three 

 principal lobes, the middle one tapering and elongated, 

 smooth above, slightly pubescent beneath; footstalks long. 

 Bunches medium to large, broadly shouldered ; berries 

 large, round and occasionally oval, when highly fed oblate, 

 measuring less from the stalk to the opposite end than 

 transversely; skin black covered with a copious bloom, 

 rather thick, unless allowed to hang till at the point of 

 commencing to shrivel. It is only then that the fruit is 

 perfectly ripe, and the flesh acquires to its fullest extent 

 its rich and delicious flavour; indeed it may be affirmed 



that nine-tenths of the produce of this excellent variety is 

 consumed when only well coloured, and even in that state 

 is considered good. A bunch of Black Hambro has been 

 grown by Mr. Hunter of Lambton Castle which weighed 

 21 lbs. 12 ozs. 



Black Monukka.—A very distinct and peculiar Grape 

 but seldom cultivated. Bunches very large, with heavy 

 shoulders; berries oblong, truncate at the ends; skin deep 

 dull brownish-purple, very thin, adhering to the flesh, 

 which is firm, crisp, and juicy, with a remarkably pleasant 

 flavour. The fruit may be eaten with comfort, as there 

 are no seeds. It is a strong grower, a great cropper, and 

 suitable for mid-season supply. 



Black Morocco (Black Muscadel). — Leaves very deeply 

 lobed, the lobes overlapping the broad open sinuses; very 

 beautiful when dying off in autumn. Bunch very large, 

 long and regularly shaped, and shouldered; berries large, 

 oval, black; pulp firm and sweet. A noble-looking Grape, 

 but a shy setter. It should be fertilized with the pollen 

 of Hambro or Alicante, and grown in a Muscat house. 

 A robust grower, but somewhat shy of producing bunches 

 if too closely primed. 



Black Muscat of Alexandria (Muscat Hambro). — Leaves 

 large, three-lobed, nearly smooth above, pubescent beneath, 

 the ribs set with short bristly hairs. Bunch very long, 

 tapering, and shouldered, ofttimes setting badly, and much 

 given to shanking; berries large, oval or roundish -ovaL 

 black; skin thin; flesh of the consistence of Black Hambro, 

 very rich, and when fully ripened cf true Muscat flavour. 

 This fine Grape appears to have almost gone out of culti- 

 vation until about 1848, when, with the increased skill of 

 modern practice, examples of it produced as a supposed 

 new Grape by Mr. Snow of Wrest Park again brought it 

 into notice, since which time it has been highly esteemed 

 by many cultivators. It is both free-growing and fruitful, 

 especially when grafted either on Black Hambro or Muscat 

 of Alexandria, and fertilized with the pollen of a free- 

 setting variety when in flower. Will succeed either in a 

 Muscat house or with Black Hambro. 



Black Prince. — Leaves lobed, generally overlapping, 

 pubescent, the ribs slightly bristled, dying off purple in 

 the open. Bunches very long and tapering, occasionally 

 shouldered; stalk long; berries medium, oval, bluish-black, 

 covered with a copious bloom; flesh white, purplish under 

 the skin, juicy, and rich in flavour, but not equal to Black 

 Hambro. It is a free-bearing, vigorous-growing variety; 

 valuable for early forcing, as the berries always colour 

 well. Will succeed in the open air in warm situations. 



Bowood Muscat. — Bunch large-shouldered; stalks green, 

 differing in this respect from those of Muscat of Alex- 

 andria, which are tinged with red ; berries very large, oval 

 or obovate, deep-amber when fully ripe; flesh firm, juicy, 

 with a rich, sugary, Muscat flavour. It requires the same 

 cultural treatment as Muscat of Alexandria, is a more free 

 setter than it, while it has the merit of keeping equally 

 as long and well. Raised at Bowood, from Canon Hall 

 and Muscat of Alexandria. 



Buckland Sweetwater. — Bunches very large shouldered, 

 sometimes unsymmetrical in appearance ; berries large, 

 round, and occasionally hammered; skin thin, golden or 

 amber when ripe, otherwise pale -green; flesh melting, 

 juicy, and richly flavoured. This is one of the best white 

 Grapes other than Muscat. It is rather later in starting 

 than Black Hambro, and should be grafted on that 

 variety. It ripens with Hambro, and requires precisely 

 similar treatment; does not set its berries quite so freely, 

 and when forced early should be fertilized by hand when 

 in flower. It is not adapted for late work. 



