Plants in the Hortus

Vitis vinifera ‘Black Hamburgh’

‘Bunches tolerably large, with two short compact shoulders, nearly as broad across as the bunch is deep. Berries pretty large, of an oval figure, but when grown to an extraordinary size, they are much enlarged at the head. Skin rather thick, of a deep purple colour, nearly black, and covered with a blue bloom. Flesh tender. Juice sugary, and well-flavoured.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.192/1831].

Vitis vinifera ‘Black Prince’

‘Bunches rather long, and generally unshouldered; they are, however, occasionally well shouldered. Berries oval, and, when well thinned out, of a very good size. Skin dark blackish purple, covered with a thick blue bloom. Flesh white, abounding with sweet well flavoured Juice. In pulling the berry from the stalk, a long receptacle is left, which is red, and covered with the white flesh. Seeds large, generally four, and sometimes five, in each berry. Leaves rather fleshy, broad in proportion to their length, with long footstalks, tinged with red: the principal lobes not deeply divided, broadly serrated, becoming variegated in the autumn with pale red and dark purple.

The Black Prince is of easy culture, requiring only the protection of the greenhouse or common vinery; and in favourable seasons it will, on a warm dry soil, ripen its fruit on a south wall.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.195/1831].

Vitis vinifera ‘Blanquette’

Described by William Macarthur: ‘No. 37 - Blanquette (6/1, or No. 6 of the private collection [of Busby]). Avery productive white grape, said to be used to impart strength to the white wines of Languedoc, ripens later than any other sort I have named; a very hardy plant.’ [Maro p.29/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Bolas Blanco’

This grape remains unidentified.

Vitis vinifera ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’

‘One of the choicest red varieties of France, making the high-class Medoc wine. Season: mid-season (third period). Merits: of the highest as to quality, but giving a small crop. Vine: growth vigorous when young, somewhat spreading, but on unsuitable soil grows weak with age; shoots of a dark-reddish mahogany colour, of medium thickness, long joints; buds medium size, downy. Leaves very characteristic, medium sized, as long as they are broad; five-lobed; the indentation or sinus deep, rounded, and overlapping towards their extremities in such a way as to make the leaves appear as if they were pierced with fine holes; teeth sharp and uneven; upper surface of a dark-green colour, smooth and glossy, but uneven; under surface covered with close, short down. Fruit: bunches medium size, conical, slightly shouldered, and rather loose, slender peduncle. Berries, small, round, on along and slender foot-stalk, which turns red as the grape ripens. Skin thick, hard, and black, covered with a fine blue bloom when ripe, apt to fall off when over-ripe. Flesh hard and juicy, with peculiar flavour, which is common to the Cabernets.’ [Despeissis p.258/1903].

Vitis vinifera ‘Carignan’

‘No. 33 — Carignan (1/1, or No. 1 of Mr. Busby’s private collection). Black grape, bearing occasionally in great abundance, and sometimes comparatively little, appears to be hardy, and subject to no disease; ripens too late with me to estimate its qualities as a wine grape.

The foregoing three [Carignan, Grenache and Mataro], with sometimes the addition of No. 36 [Mourastell], are described by Mr. Busby, in his journal, and by French authors, as the sorts used in making the wine of Roussillon; the whole being usually planted together. Some of the wine made from them, on decomposing schistus, is said to have been kept more than 150 years, and to have continued to improve to the last.’ [Maro p.29/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Chasselas’

‘Bunches, long, loose, and shouldered; sometimes compact and cylindrical. Berries, large, round, and, in the compact bunches, inclining to oval. Skin, thin and transparent, greenish yellow, becoming pale amber when quite ripe, and sometimes marked with tracings and dots of russet; covered with thin white bloom. Flesh, tender and juicy, sweet, and richly flavoured.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.404/1884].

Vitis vinifera ‘Ciotat’

‘Bunches nearly the size of the White Muscadine. Berries round, white, of a middling size, with a thin skin, and a delicate juicy flesh, which is very sweet, but not highly flavoured. The leaves are finely divided, wholly different from any other sort. It will ripen pretty well on a south wall, in a warm season; but the bunches are larger, and the berries much better flavoured, in the vinery.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.208/1831].

Vitis vinifera ‘Corinth’

Probably the grape called Black Corinth by George Lindley. ‘Bunches short and rather small. Berries small, roundish, about the size of a pea, with a few much larger ones intermixed, generally without stones, and much clustered on the bunches. Skin thin, of a deep black colour. Juice sugary, but without perfume.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.190/1831].

Vitis vinifera ‘Dolcetto’

‘No.3 – Dolcetto (85/3, or No. 85 of Mr. Busby’s 3rd or Montpelier collection). Black grape, very early ripe, sugary, generally very productive, but uncertain, yields an agreeably flavoured red wine of good body, but not of good colour. The clusters large, with round berries loosely [closely in errata] set. It is in very hot weather subject to disease or accident, called by gardeners “shanking off”, that is the stems, or portions of the stems, of the bunches become withered after the berries change colour, but before they are ripe. the latter in consequence remain quite acidic and unfit for wine, and usually but not always, drop off by the time the uninjured portions attain perfect maturity. Such of the damaged berries as remain should be carefully removed previously to crushing the grapes.’ [Maro p.22/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Epicier’

‘No. 21 – Epicier (172/3 or No. 172 of the third or Montpelier collection [of Busby]). Black grape, round berries, bunches rather large or of medium size, sweet, bears well, promising for wine. Same room as No. 3 [Dolcetto]).’ [Maro p.25/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Fine White Grape No. 22’

Unidentified but described by William Macarthur: ‘No. 22 – White Grape (56/2, or No.56 of the 2nd or Luxembourg, collection [of Busby], misnamed Chasselas Violet in the catalogue). A remarkably sweet, juicy, thin skinned, delicately flavoured grape, to my taste, the best table grape in the colony, not in the least resembling the family of Chasselas in its habit, moderately productive, but uncertain, the flowers being apt to become abortive. Fruit very liable to burst and rot, if heavy rain falls near the period of maturity, makes delicately flavoured summer wine.’ [Maro p.25/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘Fine White Grape No. 23’

An unidentified variety, but described by William Macarthur: ‘No.23 – White Grape (295/3, or 295 of the Montpelier collection [of Busby]). An excellent grape for wine of medium strength, bearing considerable affinity to the preceding [Fine White Grape No.22], but much more productive; it bears large beautifully formed bunches, the berries moderately closely set, not liable to burst and rot, excepting under long continued rains. It has the peculiarity of being from 10 to 14 days behind almost every other variety in bursting into leaf, of being late before the fruit commences to swell to maturity, and yet of ripening as early as the greatest part of the varieties in this division [mid-season ripening]. Next to No. 19 [Raisin Vert], it is considered to be the best white grape to cultivate where produce combined with medium strength is an object, and it may even prove to be superior to it. Both this and the last [Fine White Grape No.22] are excellent table grapes.’ [Maro p.26/1844]

Vitis vinifera ‘German Small Black’

‘No. 9 – Small Black Grape. Probably of the Pineau family, also from Germany, bears little, but promising for wine. This and the preceding [Small Pink Grape] are small hardy plants and would probably succeed in cold elevated sites. I have never seem their produce made into wine. They should be planted at least as close as No.1 [Pineau Gris].’ [Maro p.23/1844].

Vitis vinifera ‘German Small Pink’

‘No. 8 – Small Pink Grape. I believe from Germany, very early ripe, bears little, but is probably good for wine.’ [Maro p.23/1844].