340 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



stood the test of time. Grape-growing has during the last fifty years , 

 become quite an art, towards the perfection of which the Eoyal Horti- j 

 cultural Society has done very much. A special feature of vine cultiva- 

 tion has always been made in the vineries both at Chiswick and at Wisley. 

 Numberless varieties have been tried and many discarded, and now we 

 have a standard collection planted at Wisley numbering over forty 

 varieties, and it is of some of these I propose to speak, as they very 

 properly come within the designation of " some little-known grapes." 



I know of no kind of glass house which affords more pleasure in 

 summer to its owner than a well-stocked vinery, and for the amateur 

 wdio has room for only one vine there is no grape more suitable than 

 'Black Hamburgh.' It has a strong constitution, grows vigorously, j 

 is of good flavour, and is also a free setter. Should, however, a Muscat- 

 flavoured grape be desired, T would strongly recommend ' Muscat of 

 Hungary. ' This is a delicious grape with a pronounced Muscat flavour. 

 The bunches are not large, but when well grown the berries attain a 

 nice size, are of a pale greenish-yellow colour, and will keep till well i 

 after Christmas, retaining their full Muscat flavour. It sets quite as j 

 freely as ' Black Hamburgh ' and is well worth a place in every collec- 

 tion. It is frequently called the * Small-berried Muscat of Alexandria.' 



* Chasselas Napoleon.' — This is a grape with many synonyms. Its 

 origin is not known. It is a variety which has been a long time in 

 cultivation, but it is an error to classify it amongst the Chasselas 

 section. How it got there in the first place is a mystery. Although i 

 it is not cultivated in quantity anywhere, isolated specimens are 

 not rare. In warm districts the fruit is of a soft golden colour, : 

 whilst further north it keeps its transparent white tint, which 

 justifies one of its synonyms, the Large White Pearl {Grosse perle, 

 blanche). As a dessert grape it must be classed amongst the most beauti- 

 ful and the most decorative, and, started at the same time as ' Black 

 Hamburgh ' or ' Foster's Seedling,' it will be ripe quite a fortnight i 

 before them. * Chasselas Napoleon ' does best if worked on a Muscat, , 

 and has been exhibited in splendid condition on many occasions by 

 Mr. Jordan, formerly of Impney Gardens, Droitwich. It is desirable to 

 practise artificial pollination. This grape is largely grown under glass i 

 around Paris, and sells well. One grower, from a vine twelve years old, 

 gathered in 1900, 125 bunches, weighing on an average over 2^ lb. , and in 

 1909 he gathered 170 bunches, averaging 2 lb. 3 oz. At W^isley it is a 

 strong grower, making handsome bunches, and will frequently set three 

 clusters on one lateral, proving how very prolific a variety it is. Intend- 

 ing planters will never regret including this fine grape in their collec- 

 tion. It received a First-class Certificate from the Royal Horticultural 

 Society on October 27, 1891. 



' Muscat Champion.' — This is without doubt one of the most hand- 

 some and finest flavoured grapes grown. It was raised by Mr. Melville, 

 gardener to the Earl of Rosebery, and is a cross between ' Canon 

 Hall Muscat ' and 'Mill Hill Hamburgh,' being sent out about the 

 year 1858 by Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea. It is sometimes rather 



