THE GRAPE VINE. 



635 



remarkable success in this species of improve- 

 ment has followed the persevering skill of Mr 

 Burn at Tottenham Park, and Mr Saunders at 

 Tedworth Court, Wiltshire, who have each 

 reared several varieties of great merit. What- 

 ever opinion may be entertained regarding the 

 identity of the Tottenham Park Muscat with 

 the original sort, is perhaps now unimportant ; 

 and hence we have followed Mr Thompson in 

 giving it above as a synonym only. Of one 

 thing we are certain, that both these eminent 

 horticulturists have in cultivation varieties pecu- 

 liarly their own. We have examined them mi- 

 nutely in both gardens, and strongly as we hold 

 thatsoil and management have the effect of greatly 

 altering the general characters of fruits, we be- 

 lieve that neither has produced the change un- 

 mistakably obvious in certain vines grown by 

 these individuals. Indeed, we have their own 

 acknowledgment that they were originated by 

 them from seed. Of the origin of the Cannon 

 Hall Muscat we have no certain account; in all 

 probability it arose accidentally from seed. 

 We, through the kindness of Colonel Stanhope, 

 and his very intelligent gardener, Mr Wilson, 

 received two plants of this variety in 1841. 

 They were planted in a pine-stove at Dalkeith 

 along with other Muscats, but from that day to 

 this we have been unable to distinguish any dif- 

 ference whatever between the Cannon Hall, the 

 Tottenham Park, and other Muscats growing 

 together. This, we know, is contrary to received 

 opinions; and had we not received the plants 

 from Cannon Hall direct, and seen them planted, 

 we would have naturally set it down to some 

 mistake or other. Mr Thompson, in " The Fruit 

 Cat. of the Hort. Soc," states the difference be- 

 tween the Cannon Hall and the common Muscat 

 consists merely in these words, "Scarcely so high- 

 flavoured as the White Muscat of Alexandria? 



The Queen Muscat grape is described in the 

 " Journ. of the Lond. Hort. Soc." as being well 

 adapted to pot culture, and to be somewhat 

 larger than the Boyal Muscadine. " The ber- 

 ries are also fully as large as that variety, but 

 perfectly distinct, being oval. They are yellow- 

 ish white, semi-transparent, so that the one seed 

 which each berry contains can be seen through 

 the skin. The flesh is firmer than that of the 

 Sweetwater, but much more tender than that of 

 the White Muscat of Alexandria, rich and 

 sugary. It is an early grape, and, as far as can 

 be judged of it," grown in a pot, " it appears 

 highly deserving of cultivation." 



Muscadine royal. — Bunches of medium size, 

 sometimes, however, exceeding that standard : 

 berries globular ; size medium ; colour at first 

 greenish white, but when thoroughly ripened in 

 sufficient light turning to an amber colour, some- 

 what tanned with a brownish tinge ; skin thin ; 

 flavour excellent. One of our hardiest grapes, 

 ripening well in the south on the open wall. 

 •We remember seeing a number of plants of this 

 sort trained as low standards, much in the way 

 the Rhenish vine-growers train theirs, and loaded 

 with ripe fruit, growing in a warm sheltered 

 border in the late Mr Kirk's nursery at Bromp- 

 ton. It also forces well, and is very productive. 

 This is the Chasselas par excellence of the French, 



who cultivate it to a large extent at Fontaine- 

 bleau near Paris. Synonyms — Common musca- 

 dine, Amber muscadine, DArbois, DArboyce, 

 Pearl of some, Early white Teneriffe, Amiens, 

 Raisin de champagne, White chasselas, Chasselas, 

 Chasselas dore, Chasselas de Fontaineblcau. 



Major Moray s grape, or Abercairney grape. — 

 The history of this excellent variety is rather 

 obscure ; all that is known of it is, that it was 

 first noticed in the garden of the gentleman in 

 Perthshire whose name it bears. It is a fine 

 handsome medium-sized grape, of quality some- 

 what similar to a well-perfected Black Hamburg. 

 It is probably a cross between that grape and 

 the St Peter's, evidently the result of accident. 



Nice. — Bunches of the largest size, loose, with 

 extending shoulders ; berries medium sized ; 

 form globular ; skin rather tough ; colour 

 greenish white, changing, when fully ripened 

 in the sun, to a yellowish green ; leaves of large 

 size, very downy underneath; whole plant robust 

 and strong; sets freely, and is a very great bearer. 

 It is not a grape of high flavour, but its enor- 

 mous bunches, and the great length of time the 

 fruit keeps after ripening, claim for it a place 

 in every large establishment. Unsuited for the 

 open wall, and requires about the same tempera- 

 ture as the /Syrian and most other large-growing 

 sorts. It is singular Mr Lindley takes no notice 

 of this grape, nor does his cotemporary Rogers. 

 We believe the first notice of it is to be found in 

 the "Transactions of the Horticultural Society," 

 " Fruit Catalogue of Horticultural Society," and 

 in our " Orchard," p. 383, " Practical Gardener," 

 p. 439, " Encyclopedia of Gardening," p. 950, 

 " Downing," p. 245. It must therefore be of 

 comparatively modern introduction. 



Reeve' 's muscadine. — Berries oval ; skin yel- 

 lowish white, rather thick ; flavour rich ; flesh 

 melting and juicy ; bunches large and broad- 

 shouldered ; stalk of the berries short and stiff. 

 A good grape, ripening as early as the Black 

 Hamburg, and an excellent bearer. 



JSahibee.— Esteemed the best grape at Kerman- 

 shah in Persia. Several sorts from that land of 

 fruits have been tried in Britain, but none of 

 them rivals the Muscat or Black Hamburg. 

 Bunches large ; berries oval, yellow, white, and 

 red ; skin thick ; flavour good. Requires, as do 

 all Persian grapes, a high temperature to ripen 

 it thoroughly. This variety breaks early into 

 leaf, and appears adapted to very early forcing. 

 It prospers best in a dry atmosphere, and should 

 not be syringed over the foliage after the fruit 

 is set. 



St Peter's, black. — Bunches above medium size, 

 loose, very generally without shoulders ; colour 

 very black when properly ripened ; berries about 

 medium size ; form round ; skin thin ; flavour 

 excellent, but its greatest merit is in its keeping 

 propei'ties. If ripened by the beginning of 

 October, it will hang on the vines till March. 

 Mr Lindley says in " Guide to the Orchard," p. 

 198 : " The berries, when subjected to a high 

 temperature, are very apt to crack, on which 

 account it is not advisable to plant it in the 

 forcing-house ; but for the vinery it is a most 

 excellent grape." We do not find this to be the 

 case, although ours are planted in a pine stove. 



