6G 
THE FLORIST AND POJIOLOGIST. 
[ Mat, 
sometimes being quite round, the smaller berries 
being generally ovate and quite smooth, the larger 
ones rounder, and with a distinctly hammered ap¬ 
pearance. Skin deep bluish-black, covered with a 
fine bloom. Flesh firm, yet tender, juicy and melt¬ 
ing, with a rich sugary and very pleasant flavour. 
History, Sfc .—The Black Hamburgh Grape is 
stated to have been imported from Hamburgh, in 
the early part of the last century by Mr. John 
Warner, a London merchant, who established a 
vineyard. Hence it became known as Warner’s 
Black Hambro’— i.e., Mr. Warner’s black grape, 
from Hamburgh, Hamburgh being the seaport town 
of northern Germany. It is essentially a German 
grape, being met with in every part of that country 
where grapes are cultivated, and under very 
numerous synonyms, the best known being that of 
Frankenthaler,’which, of late years, has been much 
adopted in this country—by some as synonymous 
with Black Hamburgh, by others as representing a 
larger and stronger variety. The confusion that 
has arisen in this respect is entirely due to acci¬ 
dental circumstances. A very excellent illustration 
of this was afforded in the great conservatory of 
Chiswick. The varieties of vines planted therein 
were procured from all quarters, one-half being 
planted in an outside border, and the others in a 
shallow border inside. On fruiting, the varieties of 
Black Hamburgh which were planted in the outside 
border were all large, the berry round, and with a 
hammered appearance, &c.; while the others wero 
small, smooth, ovate, &c., and apparently sweeter. 
The former were duly labelled “ Frankenthal,” the 
latter “Black Hamburgh,” but cuttings of each being 
grown under reversed conditions, the appearance 
and the character of each were alike reversed. 
There is no permanent distinction amongst the many 
so-called varieties of Black Hamburgh, excepting 
the Mill Hill and Dutch, which are so decidedly 
distinct that no possible confusion need arise. 
Amongst the other synonyms, Black Tripoli was 
for a long time considered a larger and superior 
variety, through its excellent and extensive cultiva¬ 
tion at Welbeck, but that name is obsolete now ; the 
same may be said of Braddick’s, Garnston, and 
Knevett’s Black Hamburghs. Pope Hamburgh was 
so called through one of the ancestors of Basil 
Fitzherbert, Esq., of SvvynnertonHall, Staffordshire., 
bringing cuttings from a friend who resided near 
Borne, upwards of ninety years ago, and naming it 
“The Pope.” The original vine may still be seen 
at Swynnertou Hall. The late Mr. Fleming, of 
Trentliam, on seeing this vine, considered it a dis¬ 
tinct variety, and distributed it as Pope’s Ham¬ 
burghs. Hampton Court Black Hamburgh is so 
called from the large vine atHampton Court Palace, 
and has the reputation of being the true variety, pro¬ 
ducing smaller berries. Victoria Hamburgh w r as 
for a long time popular as the largest and finest 
variety, but that name is not now referred to. Even 
the Bed Hamburgh had its champions in regard 
to its distinctive features, but there are not 
many growers now who are proud of producing 
it. From France, we have received it under the 
names of Gros Bleu, Chasselas de Jerusalem, and 
Muscatellier noir; but these are merely modern 
nursery names, and mean little. In France proper, 
this Grape is scarcely known, excepting under the 
English name of Black Hamburgh, or the German 
one of Frankenthal. 
Amongst the many remarkable Black Hamburgh 
vines in this country, the following maybe noted :— 
1. The great vine at Hampton Court, which if not 
the largest, is probably the best known. This is 
stated to be 112 years old, and fills a house 66 ft. 
long by 30 ft. wide, with a main stem 3| ft. in cir¬ 
cumference. This viue is in remarkably good 
health, and annually bears a large crop of small 
bunches, as many as 1,700 in one season. 
2. The vine at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Park, 
which completely fills a house 138 ft. 4 in. long and 
20 ft. wide, and has a stem 3 ft. 8 in. in circum¬ 
ference. This noble vine is nearly twice the size of 
the Hampton Court plant, and is in perfect health 
and vigour, the produce being good. Last year’s 
crop (1879) was 2,000 bunches, of an average weight 
of jj- lb., or a total of 1,500 lb. of Grapes. 
3. Another celebrated vine is that of Mr. P. Kay, 
at Finchley, which annually produces magnificent 
Grapes. 
4. The vine at Shardeloes, Bucks, covering 80 ft. 
in length of house, and 90 years old. 
5. The vine at Wrotham Park, 82 years old, but 
much smaller than the others. 
6. The vine at Kinnell House, Breadalbane, Scot¬ 
land, stated to have been planted in 1832, and now 
to cover a house 172 feet long by 25 feet broad, 
about 475 square yards, and to produce very fine 
crops of large bunches and berries. 
Cultural Notes .—The Black Hamburgh is the 
standard and national grape of England, the most 
generally cultivated, and the best. It is, moreover, 
the easiest of all grapes to cultivate, the treatment 
required being of the ordinary character, as recom¬ 
mended in the previous chapters. It is the garden¬ 
er’s friend amongst grapes. Many examples of 
superior cultivation might be'mentioned, the cham¬ 
pion grower of the present day being undoubtedly 
Mr. Coleman, of Eastnor Castle. Amongst extra¬ 
ordinary results, Mr. Hunter, of Lambton Castle, 
has the honour of having grown the largest bunch 
of this variety, which was exhibited at Belfast in 
1874, and weighed 211b. 12 oz. A second bunch, 
weighing 131b. 2oz., also grown by Mr. Hunter, 
was shown in Manchester in 1875. Mr. Meredith, 
of Garston, comes next, with a bunch weighing 
91 lb., grown in 1865; Mr. Bayne, Chelmsford, with 
a bunch weighing 81b. 14 oz., in 1860; and Mr. 
Davis, at Oakhill, in 1858, with a bunch weighing 
8^ lb., the single berries of which measured 41- 
inches in circumference. 
Season .—The Black Hamburgh is excellent for 
use as an early forcing grape, and is the best of all 
for a general crop, but requires considerable skill 
and careful treatment to keep it in good condition 
after Christmas. 
Merits. —First-class in every sense; the best and 
most useful of all grapes. 
—A. F. Barron. 
THE LATE DECEMBER FROST, 
AND OUB FBUIT PBOSPECTS. 
OW tliat we can pretty clearly see tlie 
amount of mischief done by the severe 
frosts of December last, we may con¬ 
gratulate ourselves that things are really no 
worse. For a long time, I thought many of 
the shrubs would have been killed outright, 
seeing we had the thermometer six degrees 
below zero on the morning of the 6th of De¬ 
cember, but with the exception of the young 
wood of the Aucubas and of the common 
Laurel, we have suffered very little on the west 
side of Ripon ; and at Lawley Hall, a few miles 
