234 



GRAPE. 



The famous hunch, weighing near twenty pounds, 

 produced on a tree at Welbec, in the year 1/81, 

 by Speechley, produced also a great sensation and 

 call for this kind of vine. Everybody having a pine 

 stove must also have a Syrian grape ; and in many 

 places the bunches are often brought to the weight 

 of from seven to ten pounds. It has also been 

 found, that by giving up the aim of large bunches, 

 the qualities of the fruit may be greatly improved ; 

 that is, by planting the tree in a very shallow, 

 dry, sandy soil. This treatment raises the flavour 

 of the grapes to nearly that of the white Musca- 

 dine. 



The bunches are of a regular shape, having large 

 projecting shoulders, which require to be tied up, 

 to allow the berries in the centre to swell and ripen 

 with the rest. The berries are large, oval, and of a 

 greenish white colour ; skin thick, pulp firmish but 

 not very juicy ; flavour very mild, unless very highly 

 ripened. The tree is of vigorous growth, and re- 

 quires thin pruning, and plenty of room in the hottest 

 end of the house. 



Having described the above twenty-eight diff'erent 

 sorts of grapes, and which are grouped according 

 to their fitness for the open wall, the vinery, and 

 for the pine stove ; the writer now proceeds to 

 append some general observations, which may be 

 serviceable to the cultivator of this highly-prized 

 fruit. 



Vines may be safely transplanted when twelve or 

 fifteen years old ; only requiring care to be taken in 



