SOME LTTTLE-KNOWN CiRAPES. 



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SOME LITTLE-KNOWN GEAPES. 

 By A. G. Smith, Assistant-Superintendent E.H.S. Garden, Wisley. 

 [Read August 16, 1910.] 



The earliest references we have of grapes being grown in England is 

 in the year 1285. At this remote period grape-growing was apparently 

 an important industry, for we learn that vineyards were extensively 

 planted near Winchester, and it is generally supposed that this town 

 took its name from the fact that it was the centre of the wine-making 

 industry. Of the same period it is reported that vines were grown 

 out of doors as far north as the county of Derby, the village of Winger- 

 worth taking its name from vineyards flourishing in those parts. There 

 is also a well-founded tradition that the Archbishop of Canterbury had 

 nn extensive vineyard attached to his palace at Charing in Kent. It 

 thus seems undoubted that wine grapes were at one time extensively 

 cultivated in this country. 



That the cultivation of the vine outside was eventually discontinued 

 here may be due to two reasons : first, that in all probability better 

 flavoured wines could be brought from France, and, secondly, that 

 agriculture was rapidly advancing at that time, and, being more pro- 

 fitable, it eventually ousted the grape. One of the finest vineyards 

 to produce good wine was that at Pains Hill, Cobham, not far distant 

 from the Eoyal Horticultural Society's present Garden at Wisley, 

 where we are told that wine quite as good as any produced on the Oon- 

 tiuent was made. 



No great progress seems to have been made with the cultivation 

 of the grape as a dessert fruit until about the year 1718, when the 

 Duke of Eutland had his garden walls fitted with flues, and by so doing 

 was able to obtain ripe grapes in July by carefully matting them up 

 a,t night. This seems to have been the commencement of grape-growing 

 for dessert purposes. There are no reliable records concerning the 

 varieties he grew, but we have proof that in 1724 ' Muscat of Alex- 

 andria ' and * Black Hamburgh ' were being grown, although they were 

 not considered to be hardy, and consequently were not much planted. 



Somewhere about that period, however, vineries were built, and the 

 cultivation of good grapes was seriously taken up, and new varieties 

 were constantly being raised and tried. When we see the fine 

 bunches of the varieties already mentioned which are annually exhibited 

 at Shrewsbury, Edinburgh, London, and other large shows, it must 

 be admitted that these two varieties more than hold their own ; in fact, 

 special classes are always provided for them. The large vine at 

 Hampton Court, from which most excellent fruit was exhibited only 

 hist year, was planted as long ago as the year 1769, a fact that proves 

 not only the longevity of the vine, but shows how this fine grape has 



