There is so great diuersities of Grapes, and so consequently of Vines that bear them, that I cannot giue you names to all that here grow with vs: for Iohn Tradescante my verie good friend, so often before remembred, hath assured me, that he hath twentie sorts growing with him, that hee neuer knew how or by what name to call them. One description therefore shall serue (as I vse to doe in such varieties) for all the rest, with the names afterwards, of as many as we can giue, and the seuerall formes, colours and proportions of the grapes.
The manured Vine, in the places where it hath abiden long time, groweth to haue a great bodie, stemme or trunke, sometimes of the bignesse of a mans arme, sleeue and all, spreading branches if it bee suffered without end or measure, but vsually stored with many armes or branches, both old and new, but weake, and therefore must bee sustained; whereof the old are couered with a thin scaly rinde, which will often chap and peele off of it selfe; the youngest being of a reddish colour, smooth and firme, with a hollownesse or pith in the middle: from the ioints of the young branches, and sometimes from the bodie of the elder, breake out on euerie side broade greene leaues, cut on the edges into fiue diuisions for the most part, and besides notched or dented about: right against the leafe, and likewise at other ioynts of the branches, come forth long twining or clasping tendrels, winding themselues about any thing standeth next vnto them: at the bottome of these leaues come forth clusters of small greenish yellow bloomes or flowers, and after them the berries, growing in the same manner in clusters, but of diuers formes, colours, tastes and greatnesse. For some grapes are great, others lesse, some very small (as the Currans that the Grocers sell) some white, some red, blew, blacke, or partie-coloured, some are as it were square, others round: some the clusters are close, others open, some are sweete, others sower or harsh, or of some other mixed taste; euerie one differing from others, verie notably either in taste, colour or forme; within euerie one of which grapes, (and yet there is a grape without stones) are contained one, two, or more kernels or stones, some of them being smal, others greater: the rootes spread far and deepe. They that keepe their Vines in the best order, doe cut them low, not suffering them to grow high, or with too many branches, whereby they grow the better, take vp the lesser roome, and bring their grapes fairer and sweeter.
The kindes of Vines and Grapes.
Our ordinarie Grape both white and red, which excelleth Crabs for veriuice, and is not fit for wine with vs.
The white Muscadine Grape is a verie great Grape, sweete and firme, some of the bunches haue weighed sixe pound, and some of the grapes halfe an ounce.
The redde Muscadine is as great as the white, and chiefly differeth in colour.
The Burlet is a very great white Grape, but fitter for veriuice; then wine for the most part; yet when a hot yeare happeneth fit for it, the Grape is pleasant.
The little blacke Grape that is ripe very early.
The Raisin of the Sunne Grape is a very great Grape, and very great clusters, of a reddish colour when it is ripe with vs, yet in an extraordinarie hot yeare, it hath got a little blewnesse cast ouer by the best: but naturally verie blew.
The Curran Grape (or the Grape of Corinth) is the least Grape of all, and beareth both few, and verie seldome with vs, but in reasonable great clusters, and of a blackish blew colour, when they are ripe with vs, and very sweete. There is another sort of them that are red or browne, and of a sower taste, nothing so sweete.