January  10,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
27 
Late  Grapes. 
Relative  to  the  discussion  that  has  taken  place  in  our  columns  in 
relation  to  late  Grapes,  Mr.  Ross,  Downside  Gardens,  Bristol,  sends  us 
the  accompanying  photograph  of  two  bunches  of  Grapes  which  he 
exhibited  at  a  meeting  of  the  Bristol  Gardeners’  Association  a  few 
weeks  ago.  The  varieties  represent  Mrs.  Pince  on  the  left  and  Black 
Alicante  on  the  right,  and  for  these  Mr.  Ross  received  the  bronze  Flora 
medal  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
We  have  so  many  good  varieties  of  late  Grapes  that  early 
forcing  is  not  essential.  There  is,  however,  much  difference  in  the 
keeping  qualities  of  Grapes.  Black  Hamburghs,  for  instance,  will 
not  remain  in  good  condition  nearly  so  well  ripened  in  a  cool 
house  or  very  late  as  when  the  Grapes  are  brought  to  a  high  finish 
by  fire  heat  when  there  is  sun  or  light  to  secure  a  high  development 
of  the  saccharine  matter  so  characteristic  of  high  quality  and 
known  loDg-keeping  properties.  Muscat  of  Alexandria  is  a  notable 
for  some  time,  springs  all  at  once  into  prominence.  Its  appearance  is 
good,  and  is  an  earlier  type  of  Gros  Colman,  and  in  keeping  qualities 
not  going  beyond  Black  Alicante,  say  February.  The  great  merit  of 
Gros  Maroc  is  that  of  its  fine  appearance,  and  in  not  requiring  more 
heat  than  a  Black  Hamburgh.  For  quality,  West’s  St.  Peter’s,  not  so 
often  seen  as  it  deserves,  is  good,  and  though  not  so  imposing  in  bunch 
or  berry  as  many,  it  is  very  taking  when  well  done,  and  always  pleases 
at  table  those  who  like  something  in  a  Grape  beyond  appearance.  It  is 
one  of  the  best  Grapes  for  keeping  to  February. 
Gros  Colman  is  perhaps  the  most  magnificent  in  appearance  of  all 
Grapes.  In  bunches  of  4  lbs.  weight,  and  berries  4  inches  in  circum¬ 
ference,  and  in  its  best  form  it  is  simply  superb.  Well  ripened  and 
allowed  time  to  mature,  it  loses  much  of  that  earthy  taste  so  characteristic 
of  this  variety.  It  requires  a  longer  time  and  stronger  heat  to  finish  it 
satisfactorily  than  the  majority  of  late  Grapes.  Gros  Guillaume  is  little 
inferior  to  Gros  Colman  in  appearance.  It  surpasses  it  in  size  of  bunch, 
and  the  berries  are  little  less  in  size,  and  it  is  very  much  better  in  quality. 
It  requires  time  in  ripening,  and  shows  soonest  of  any  Grape  we  know 
the  evil  effects  of  overcropping,  not  only  not  colouring,  but  even  not 
MR.  ROSS’  LATE  GRAPES  AT  BRISTOL. 
example  of  this,  for  unless  its  berries  are  ripened  up  to  an  amber  colour 
they  are  almost  certain  to  spot,  and  worse  still,  to  decay  at  their  junction 
with  the  shank  when  the  weather  is  damp,  whilst  if  the  atmosphere  is 
kept  dry  the  berries  lose  moisture  and  shrivel,  never  again  to  be  restored 
to  their  former  plumpness. 
All  Grapes  owe  their  keeping  to  thorough  ripening  under  the 
influence  of  sun  and  strong  heat.  Of  late  Grapes  we  consider  Lady 
Downe’s  the  most  valuable.  It  is  a  free  bearer,  and  the  fruit  is  of  a 
quality  simply  unapproached  in  late  Grapes,  for  when  well  ripened  it 
has  the  Muscat  flavour  nearly  as  highly  developed  as  in  Mrs.  Pince, 
and  the  keeping  qualities  of  Lady  Downe’s  are  unsurpassed,  keeping 
excellently  up  to  May  or  even  June.  Mrs.  Pince,  if  we  only  knew  how 
to  get  the  berries  to  ripen  thoroughly  and  colour  to  the  shank,  would  be 
a  very  great  rival,  indeed  it  would  be  hard  to  say  which  would  win. 
Neither  is  very  large  either  in  bunch  or  berry,  but  they  have  quality 
which  no  other  late  Grape  possesses  in  the  remotest  degree.  Some  have 
size,  colour,  and  some  are  sweet,  but  they  have,  on  the  palate  of  those 
accustomed  to  high  quality  fruit,  a  most  disagreeable  earthy  taste. 
Alicante  is  free  from  this  defect,  is  an  excellent  keeper,  and  invariably 
•finishes  well. 
Gros  Maroc  is  one  of  those  Grapes  that,  after  being  little  noticed 
ipening.  Of  late  white  Grapes,  Trebbiano  is  perhaps  the  best.  It 
3  coarse  generally,  but  well  ripened  the  flesh  is  firm,  crisp,  sweet,  and 
equires  well  thinning  and  time  to  ripen.  Syrian  has  very  large  bunchesj 
thick  skin,  and  ripened  in  a  strong  heat  is  not  bad  in  flavoui. 
lalabrian  Raisin  has  large  bunches,  is  sweet  when  well  ripened,  and  the 
lerries  a  good  size  when  thinned.  The  raiser  of  a  white  Grape  having 
he  quality  and  keeping  of  Lady.Downe’s  would  have  no  further  need 
f  the  blue  apron.  With  the  above  or  other  varieties  to  maintain  the 
upply  of  Grapes  up  to  May,  the  necessity  of  starting  permanently 
ilanted  out  Vines  does  not  arise.  This  is  a  great  advantage  to  the  Vines 
,nd  to  the  erower  from  an  economic  point  of  view.  A.  G. 
Mr.  Ross  makes  the  following  remarks  : — “  I  have  read  with  much 
interest  the  article  on  ‘  Late  Keeping  Grapes  ’  by  your  correspondent, 
‘  H.  D.,’  on  November  29th.  I  quite  agree  with  him  that  Mrs.  Pince 
is  a  valuable  late  Grape  of  excellent  flavour,  as  I  have  (grown  it  for 
fifteen  years  very  successfully.  I  find  no  difficulty  about  its  setting 
qualities,  and  it  keeps  in  good  condition  until  March.  I  have  now  oyer 
twenty  bunches,  quite  fresh  and  plump  in  berry,  as  the  accompanying 
illustration  will  show.” 
