Morillon Jaconné. Bradley, No. 2. according to the Pom. Mag. Bunches short and thick. Berries small, roundish, black, even-sized, and grow very close on the bunches. Skin not thick, with a fine blue bloom. Flesh tender, and filled with clear, very sweet, and high-flavoured Juice. The Seeds are two, and small. The leaves distinguish this from almost every other sort; they are covered on both sides, especially in the spring, with a cottony wool, or hoary down, which in their young state is almost white; hence the name of the Miller's Grape. It ripens perfectly on a south wall. The figure in the Pom. Mag., above quoted, is a very excellent representation. The drawing was made from a bunch produced in the Horticultural Garden at Chiswick, the plant of which had been obtained from the remains of an ancient vineyard at Tortworth in Gloucestershire, fifteen miles from Bristol, and was undoubtedly one of the sorts cultivated formerly in that ancient place. SECT II.- Red or Purple Fruited. 23. CAMBRIDGE BOTANIC GARDEN GRAPE. Pom. Mag. t. 21. Bunches from nine to ten inches long, sometimes with a rather narrow shoulder. Berries closely set, very even-sized, of a rather oval figure, deep purple, inclining to brown. Flesh firm, juicy, sweet, high-flavoured, and very pleasant. Seeds two or three in each berry. The leaves become of a bright crimson colour late in the autumn. It ripens very well on a south wall, upon a dry bottom; but it deserves to be planted in the vinery, where the bunches would be larger, and the berries of a higher flavour. This grape, although standing in a public establishment like that of the Botanic Garden at Cambridge, does not appear to have attracted any particular notice until a few years ago. It is planted against a south wall, in a department of the garden allotted principally to compost soils and empty pots; a place wholly unfrequented by visiters. I saw it for the first time in the beginning of July, 1815, and my attention was directed to it in consequence of the forward state of its berries, which were then as large as a full-sized marrow pea. In the September following I received a bunch of it from Mr. Biggs, the curator, which corresponded fully with the one figured in the Pom. Mag. I believe it to be wholly distinct from any other grape in our gardens. How it came into the garden there I could obtain no information. 24. DAMSON GRAPE. Speechly, No. 41. Black Damson, of some Collections. Damask Grape. Miller, No. 14. Berries Bunches large, with short stiff shoulders. very large, oval, with short stiff footstalks, of a beautiful purple colour, and grow very loose on the bunches. The Juice, when fully ripened, has a sort of Damson or Medlar-like flavour, which to some palates may be agreeable. The wood is very strong, and the leaves thick and succulent, more so than almost any other sort. It ripens late, and requires a hothouse. 25. GREY AUVERNAT. Miller, No. 33. Berries middle-sized, somewhat oval, and placed thinner on the bunches than those of the Black Auvernat; they are of a pale muddy colour, inclining to brown, and contain a sweet Juice. It ripens on the common wall, and is well adapted to the purpose of making wine. 26. GRIZZLY FRONTIGNAN. Grizzly Frontignac. Speechly, No. 12. Bunches middle-sized, with small narrow shoulders. Berries round, larger than those of the White Frontignan, and growing closer upon the bunches: they are of a pale brown colour, intermixed with red and yellow. The Juice is very rich, and possesses a high musky flavour. Requires a hothouse. It was introduced by Sir William Temple previously to 1654. 26. LANGFORD'S INCOMPARABLE. Bunches rather large, about seven inches deep, with well-formed shoulders of about the same extent. Berries of unequal sizes: the largest are oval, six eighths of an inch long, and five eighths of an inch in diameter, but rather the widest at the apex: the smaller ones are less oval, and the smallest ones nearly globular; these contain one small seed, and the larger ones two large seeds, each. Skin brown, but of a deep purple when fully ripe, and covered with a blue bloom. Flesh tender, and full of Juice, which, if well ripened, is saccharine, but without any peculiar musky flavour, somewhat resembling that of the Black Cluster. The berries set remarkably thick upon the bunches, which, if not thinned out, are apt to spoil each other. The original plant of this fine grape is now growing against the house of Mr. William Langford, at Wilton, near Salisbury, where it appears to have been planted some years. He says he has gathered two hundred weight and a quarter of grapes from it at one time; and some *No. 26. is inserted twice, in consequence of Langford's Incomparable having been sent me after the numerical arrangement had been completed. of the bunches, which he has sent to Mr. Beckford, have been pronounced superior, as an out-door grape, to any he has tasted out of Italy. A basket, containing a few bunches, was sent by Mr. Langford to Mrs. Mackie, of Norwich, on the 8th of November, 1830, from which this description is taken, and from whom plants may be obtained. This grape was observed a few years ago by a friend of mine, in passing through Wilton, in consequence of the crop, which was abundant, being at that time nearly ripe, although other out-door grapes had not begun to change their colour. 27. LE CŒUR. Speechly, No. 6. Berries Bunches short, with small stiff shoulders. somewhat heart-shaped, of a tawny grizzly colour: they are very unequal in size, some being exceedingly large; these never contain more than one stone in each, and the lesser ones have none: their stalks are short, and singularly large. Juice rich and musky. This is a late grape, and requires a hothouse. The small berries are generally ripe and decayed before the large ones are matured, which often renders the bunches unsightly. Mr. Speechly says it is a much esteemed grape, and very scarce. I do not find it mentioned by any other author.' 28. LOMBARDY. Speechly, No. 23. Flame-coloured Tokay. Ib. Rhenish Grape. Ib. Red Rhenish, of some Collections. Bunches very large, frequently weighing six or seven pounds; they generally terminate abruptly, but they are always handsomely formed, with proportionate shoulders. Berries large, of a somewhat oval figure. Skin of a pale red or flame colour. Flesh firm, with a pretty well flavoured Juice. Requires a hothouse. 29. POONAH. Hort. Trans. Vol. iv. p. 516. Bunches large and well shouldered, tapering gradually to a point. Berries slightly oval, dark red when fully exposed to the sun, but pale when shaded, fleshy, with seldom more than two seeds in each: sweet, but not very juicy. This is a late sort, and requires as high a temperature to ripen it as the Muscat of Alexandria: it will then keep a long time. It makes vigorous wood, and is a free bearer. Introduced by Sir Joseph Banks, in 1817, from Bombay. It is cultivated successfully at Poonah, and the ripe fruit regularly sent thence to Bombay and its dependencies. 30. PURPLE FRONTIGNAN. Purple Frontignac. Speechly, No. 13. Black Constantia. Hort. Soc. Cat. No. 45. Purple Constantia. Ib. No. 47. Bunches very long. Berries of a middling size, round, of a black or deep purple colour. Juice very rich, and of a very high flavour. Requires a hothouse, or a warm vinery. This was received by Mr. Speechly from the Cape of Good Hope, under the name of Black Constantia: he says it is one of our very best grapes. 31. RAISIN DES CARMES. Forsyth, Ed. 7. p. 27. Raisin de Cuba. Hooker, Pom. Lond. t. 10. Bunches long, loose. Berries very large, of an irregular oval figure, with a few small berries intermixed. Skin rather thick, of a dusky reddish purple colour, and covered with a fine bloom. Flesh firm, juicy, and very rich, combined with a little acid. Seeds large, seldom more than one in each berry. Requires a hothouse or vinery. 32. RED CHASSELAS. Forsyth, Ed. 7. No. 7. Red Muscadine. Miller, No. 9. Chasselas Rouge. Duhamel, No. 3. |