5r4 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  5,  1895. 
I  ava  samples  of  Grapes  before  us  now  under  both  the  names  men¬ 
tioned,  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  any  experienced  judge  in 
Britain  to  declare  were  distinct.  They  are  not  distinct  but 
identical,  and  their  right  name  is  Gros  Maroc,  unless  it  can  be 
proved  that  the  name  of  “  Cooper’s  Black  ”  has  priority  in  culti¬ 
vation.  “Cooper’s  Black”  is  grown  much  more  extensively  in 
Ireland  and  Scotland  than  in  England  ;  an  I  judging  by  the 
samples  we  have  been  favoured  with,  Gros  Maroc  is  somewhat 
better  in  quality  when  grown  in  the  South  than  the  North,  but 
not  in  size  and  appearance  as  indicating  high  culture.  The  best 
flavoured  we  have  had  are  those  from  Mr.  Rivers,  and  they  are 
pleasant  and  refreshing. 
This  brings  us  to  the  introduction  of  Gros  Maroc.  It  was 
obtained  by  the  late  Mr.  Thomas  Rivers  from  M.  Vibert  of 
Angers,  about  1850,  with  a  very  high  character,  and  as  ripening 
under  the  same  treatment  as  the  Black  Hamburgh.  When  Mr. 
Rivers  found  that  this  was  not  correct  he  was  disappointed,  and 
though  he  retained  the  variety,  and  sold  a  Tine  now  and  then 
when  it  was  ordered,  he  dia  not  in  the  least  press  its  claims  on 
the  public  ;  nor  did  he  attempt  to  grow  the  variety  well,  and  it 
was  left  to  the  present  accomplished  head  of  Sawbridgeworth  to 
bring  out  its  full  beauty  and  quality.  He  has  grown  it  admirably, 
and  obtained  a  first-class  certificate  for  it  as  a  distinct  variety 
and  fine  exhibition  Grape  also,  as  he  showed  it  of  more  than 
“second  rate”  quality.  So  much  for  the  introduction  of  Gros 
Maroc. 
Now  to  “  Cooper’s  Black.”  We  have  ascertained  that  it 
emanated  from  the  Armagh  Palace  Gardens,  and  is  supposed  to 
have  been  raised  there,  as  it  may  have  been,  but  when  and  in 
what  manner  we  are  unable  to  say.  It  may  have  been  from  a 
cutting  brought  from  France,  and  it  may  have  been  from  seed. 
If  from  seed  it  would  be  interesting  to  know  from  what  variety. 
Mr.  Rivers  says  seedlings  from  Gros  Maroc  are  apt  to  come  true, 
or  a  near  approach  thereto.  Mr.  Cooper,  we  are  informed,  is 
still  alive  and  prosperous  “somewhere  in  the  South  of  Ireland,” 
but  his  exact  whereabouts  is  not  yet  discovered.  Perhaps  it  may 
be,  and  if  so  we  shall  be  much  obliged  to  him  for  information 
on  the  subject. 
In  the  meantime  we  have  been  fortunate  in  obtaining  a  narrative 
of  considerable  interest  from  a  representative  who  was  desired  to 
investigate  the  subject.  This  narrative  carries  on  the  face  of  it 
evidence  of  the  writer’s  absolute  impartiality.  He  is  an  accom¬ 
plished  Grape  grower,  a  close  observer,  and  excellent  judge.  The 
account  that  he  sends  to  us  will  be  admitted  to  be  an  able  one — 
historical,  critical,  and  judicial.  No  trouble  has  been  too  great 
for  him  in  his  endeavour  to  arrive  at  the  truth,  and  he  is  as  fully 
convinced,  as  we  are,  that  this  only  is  the  object  of  friends  whom 
he  has  consulted,  on  whichever  side  their  proclivities  may  have 
leaned  ;  also  we  believe  that  whatever  has  been  said  or  done  in 
reference  to  the  subject  in  question  has  been  the  result  of  genuine 
conviction,  and  not  a  suspicion  of  reproach  or  incapacity  can 
attach  to  any  person  who  has  taken  part  in  the  discussion,  or 
who  has  supplied  us  with  unpublished  information  founded  on 
experience.  But  to  the  narrative  of  our  commissioner.  It  is  as 
follows :  — 
“  I  duly  received  your  favour  anent  ‘  Cooper’s  Black  ’  Grape,  and 
siuce  then  I  have  seen  the  Grapes  at  both  the  Belfast  and  Edinburgh 
shows,  and  carefully  examined  all  the  samples  of  ‘  Cooper’s  Black  ’  and 
•Gros  Maroc’  exhibited  at  them.  I  have  also  discussed  their  ‘points’ 
vviiii  Mr.  Wm.  Lees  at  the  Edinburgh  show,  and  with  Mr.  Bradshaw 
("gaidener  at  Hillsborough)  at  the  Belfast  show,  as  well  as  with  a  host 
of  others,  about  both  the  Grapes  in  question  and  the  history  of  one  of 
them. 
“  To  begin  with  Belfast.  On  Tuesday,  12th  ult.,  Mr.  Bradshaw 
and  several  other  gardeners  in  the  north  of  Ireland  exhibited  ‘  Cooper’s 
Black’  varying  in  shape  from  ‘round,’  or  nearly  so,  to  ‘oval  as  a 
Muscat’  in  the  berry,  generally  well  coloured,  and  carrying  a  fine  deep 
bloom.  Bunches,  compact  and  shapely,  but  occasionally  irregular  and 
one-sided.  The  Grape  is  well  known  in  Ulster,  and  most  gardeners 
grow  it  who  ‘go  in’  for  Grapes.  On  the  other  hand  no  ‘Gros  Maroc’ 
were  exhibited  under  that  name,  and  it  does  not  appear  to  be  much 
grown,  or  even  known,  in  Ulster.  I  took  a  few  berries  of  my  own  Gros 
Maroc  with  me  for  the  purpose  of  comparison.  Some  of  the  ‘  Cooper’s  ’ 
were  undoubtedly  identical  in  every  i)o%nt  with  my  own  ;  while  every 
one  of  the  samples  so  closely  resembled  it,  that  had  they  all  been 
exhibited  as  ‘  Gros  Maroc  ’  no  fair-minded  person  would  have  dis¬ 
qualified  a  single  bunch,  knowing  as  we  do  how  much  some  varieties  of 
Grapes  vary  in  size,  colour,  form  of  bunch,  and  shape  of  berry,  and  also 
in  flavour,  with  different  soils  and  treatment.  Take  our  two  best  known 
Grapes — Black  Hamburgh  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria — how  many  forms 
have  they  assumed  at  one  time  and  another?  Let  Dr.  Hogg’s  and  Mr. 
Barron’s  lists  answer.  The  greatest  differences  I  could  find  in  the 
Belfast  samples  was  in  their  ripeness  and  flavour.  Toe  one  is  a  con¬ 
sequence  of  the  other  as  a  rule,  and  although  there  was  a  clear  difference 
in  the  juicy  ripeness  and  refreshing  flavour  of  some  of  the  samples,  it 
amounted  to  no  more  than  can  be  found  in  a  similar  number  of  samples 
of  Muscats  or  Hamburghs  grown  in  different  places  and  in  various  stages 
of  ripeness.  The  opinion  held  by  Ulster  gardeners  generally  is  that 
Cooper’s  Black  is  a  distinct  variety  of  Grape ;  but  then  it  has  to  be 
remembered  they  are  not  familiar  with  Gros  Maroc  any  more  than  south 
of  England  gardeners  are  with  Cooper’s  Black. 
“  To  sum  up  the  whole  matter,  I  am  more  confident  than  ever  that 
the  Cooper’s  Black  grown  in  the  north  of  Ireland  is  identical  with  Gros 
Maroc,  although  I  am  not  prepared  to  prove  that  Mr.  Cooper  did  not 
raise  the  Grape  at  Armagh,  or  that  the  Grape  now  grown  is,  or  is  not, 
the  progeny  of  his  ‘Vine.’ 
“  Now  about  what  took  place  at  Edinburgh  at  the  show  in  the 
Waverley  Market.  There  were  about  half  a  dozen  bunches  of  Gros 
Maroc  exhibited,  one  of  which  was  ‘  Cooper’s  Black  ’  on  the  label,  but 
according  to  Mr.  Lees  was  Gros  Maroc.  Mr.  Lees  went  over  the  bunches 
with  me,  carefully  examining  every  one  of  them,  and  be  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  a  very  nice  bunch  (named  ‘  Gros  Maroc’)  was  the  only 
real  Cooper’s  Black  in  the  show  I  A  bunch  of  ‘  Gros  Maroc  ’  in  another 
lot  he  ‘  thought  ’  might  be  it ;  but  he  said  it  was  not  ‘  quite  the  right 
thing,’  and  he  was  certain  the  bunch  exhibited  as  ‘Cooper’s  Black’ 
was  wrong.  The  one  he  selected  as  the  real  ‘  Cooper’s  ’  was  probably 
the  finest  type  (in  colour,  bloom,  size  of  berry,  and  shape  of  bunch)  of 
Gros  Maroc  at  the  show. 
“  I  must  give  Mr.  Lees  credit  for  h&ing  most  gjainstaking ,  and  anxious 
to  point  out  what  he  believed  to  be  the  distinguishing  points  (oval 
berry,  deeper  bloom,  earlier  maturity,  and  better  quality  or  flavour  of 
Cooper’s)  between  the  supposed  varieties  ;  but  while  I  am  ready  to 
admit  that  all  these  points  or  some  of  them  may  be  found  in  any  parti¬ 
cular  bunch,  I  must  candidly  say  I  am  sceptical  about  th.e\v gjermayiency . 
In  my  opinion  the  bunches  exhibited  at  Edinburgh  differed  less  in  their 
‘  points  ’  than  those  at  Belfast,  and  I  have  a  lurking  suspicion  that  the 
whole  of  them  were  neither  more  nor  less  than  Gros  Maroc.  The  pre¬ 
vailing  opinion  at  Edinburgh  was  that  the  Grapes  are  identical,  but 
there  was  no  lack  of  vigour  in  those  who  protested  they  were  different. 
Still,  there  was  no  difference  of  opinion  amongst  those  who  had  grown 
both  Grapes  about  the  fact  of  their  similarity  in  growth,  wood,  and 
foliage.  In  short,  the  preponderance  of  the  evidence  is  in  accordance 
with  my  own  experience  of  the  Grapes,  and  that  is,  they  are  so  much 
alike  that  the  same  Vine,  say  Gros  Maroc,  produces  types  of  both 
‘  Gros  Maroc’  and  ‘  Cooper’s  Black  !  ’ 
‘•The  only  point  which  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  clear  up  is  the 
date  at  which  Mr.  Cooper  is  said  to  have  raised  the  Grape  in  the  Palace 
Gardens  at  Armagh.  None  of  the  gardeners  whom  I  met  in  Ireland 
could  inform  me,  but  the  present  gardener  at  Armagh  Palace,  Mr. 
Charles  Crombie,  writes  me  that  he  has  heard  that  Mr.  Cooper  is  still  alive 
and  doing  well  somewhere  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  and  has  promised  to 
try  to  find  him  out,  and  to  let  me  know  his  address.  In  any  case, 
there  has  been  no  diflBculty  whatever  to  prevent  the  direet  introduction 
of  Gros  Maroc  from  Touraine,  or  the  Valley  of  the  Loire,  in  France, 
where  it  is  well  known,  any  time  within  the  past  century  or  two  ;  and 
nothing  is  more  natural  than  that  a  visitor  to  Touraine  with  a  fancy  for 
Grapes  brought  back  with  him  (or  her)  a  cutting  of  such  a  fine  showy 
Grape  as  Gros  Maroc.  The  name  might,  or  might  not,  be  brought  with 
it,  but  it  is  quite  within  the  bounds  of  probability  that  the  Grape  first 
found  its  way  into  Ulster  as  a  cutting,  and  a  seedling  may  have  been 
raised  from  it. 
“  The  credit  of  its  introduction  to  popular  notice  as  an  exhibition 
Grape,  under  the  name  of  Cooper’s  Black,  is  certainly  due  to  Mr.  Wm. 
Lees,  who  is  an  enthusiastic  grower  of  Grapes,  and  for  years  was  a  very 
successful  exhibitor  of  them.  Suppose  the  Grape  in  question  is  Gros 
Maroc,  he  was  the  first  to  exhibit  it  in  its  best  style  in  Ireland,  and  the 
North  of  England  and  Scotland  ;  and  in  his  hands  at  Hillsborough  there 
is  not  any  doubt  but  that  such  qualities  as  the  Grape  possesses  were 
brought  to  a  high  state  of  perfection.  I  asked  his  permission  to  send 
you  the  first  letter  I  had  from  him  on  the  subject,  which  gives  his  views 
about  the  Grape  as  fairly  as  I  could  put  them  ;  and  if  you  think  it 
worth  printing  after  you  have  read  it  you  are  at  liberty  to  do  so.  The 
“eyes”  he  refers  to  were  sent  to  me  early  in  1878,  and  from  them  I 
raised  the  Vine  that  proved  to  be  identical  with  Gros  Maroc  got  from 
Messrs.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Chelsea,  and  the  fruit  of  which  you  identified 
as  Gros  Maroc  of  Rivers. 
“  My  first  experience  of  ‘Gros  Maroc’  was  at  Trentham,  1858  to 
1861.  The  late  Mr.  Stevens  (who  was  there  at  that  time),  as  well  as 
myself,  had  the  idea  that  there  was  a  ‘  strong  family  likeness  ’  between 
‘  Cooper’s  Black,’  as  exhibited  at  Carlisle  and  later  shows,  and  Gros 
Maroc,  as  grown  at  Trentham  in  those  early  days.  Gros  Maioc  was 
bearing  fruit  in  a  late  vinery  in  the  latter  end  of  1858,  when  I  went  to 
Trentham,  and  continued  bearing  for  the  next  three  seasons,  it  being 
then  considered  a  superior  Grape  to  Gros  Colman.  At  that  time  a  large 
