42 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the sweet and rich wines made from the Grapes of which some 

 very excellent specimens are shown here to-day. The principal 

 wines of the department are Beziers, Lunel, and Frontignan or 

 Muscat — sweet and luscious wines, which in hot seasons are 

 almost liqueurs ; consequently they have never been popular as 

 ordinary beverages, and in the department do not appear to 

 have been considered as a profitable industry. In a list of these 

 wines published in 1863 seven varieties are named ; these are 

 Bassan, Beziers, Cazouls, Frontignan, Maraussan, Pommerols, 

 and Sauvian — a proof that the demand for the produce of these 

 delicious Grapes is not large enough to tempt the owners of 

 vineyards to incur the expense of cultivating them to any great 

 extent. In fact, according to a recent writer, the old vineyards 

 have been replanted with the ordinary and popular sorts, princi- 

 pally the Gamais, from which a common red wine is made fit 

 for everyday consumption. Although the Grapes are too luscious 

 for wine, they are very popular for the table, and are much and 

 justly appreciated for their fine flavour throughout France. 

 They will ripen in the open air from Paris to the Mediterranean, 

 the time of maturity varying with the degrees of latitude, and 

 they can be grown on trellises as easily as we grow Currants. 



Neither the bunches nor the berries of the Frontignans are 

 large, and no sort of culture appears to increase the size of the 

 berries. They possess, however, a delicate and refined flavour 

 which is singularly grateful, and which does not exist in any other 

 class of Grape, the so-called Muscat or Frontignan flavour pre- 

 dominating. The skin is tender, the juice abundant and sugary, 

 and the flesh crisp. The varieties which I have grown and found 

 to succeed well in cool houses are the Muscat Precoce de Saumur, 

 a very early sort, ripening in September ; the Muscat Precoce de 

 Smyrne, or Isaker Da'iko or Daioiko ; the Muscat Precoce d'Au- 

 vergne ; the Muscat Bifere (Early Silver Frontignan) ; the Muscat 

 Primavis ; the Muscat Tokai, said to be identical with Chasselas 

 Musque, the variety which I have under this name differing very 

 considerably, as it will ripen in a cool house. These sorts are 

 all white, and with good culture attain the size of the Royal 

 Muscadine. The Muscat Citronelle and the Ascot Frontignan 

 are very early, but very small. The Muscat Trouveren is large 

 and late, with a strong Frontignan flavour ; but the berries are 

 rusty, and it will not ripen without strong heat. The Chasselas 



