1. Gar. Chron., 1857:645. 2. Horticulturist, 13:167. 1858. 3. Ib., 14:95. 1859. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1862:92. 5. Gar. Mon., 9:285. 1867.
As one of the parents of a number of valuable hybrids cultivated in American vineyards, Muscat Hamburg is illustrated and described in The Grapes of New York. It is described below in detail that grape-breeders may detect any of its characters transmitted to its offspring. The grapes and vines described here were grown under glass, as the variety cannot be grown out of doors in eastern America.
Muscat Hamburg is a forcing grape only and is apparently unknown in the grape-growing districts of Europe. It is said to grow better grafted on Black Hamburg than on its own roots.
Seward Snow of Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, England, originated Muscat Hamburg more than a half century ago from seed of Black Hamburg fertilized by White Muscat of Alexandria. It was placed on the grape list of the American Pomological Society fruit catalog for 1862 as an exotic recommended for growing under glass.
Vine very vigorous, tender, productive. Canes long, numerous, slender to medium, light brown, slightly darker at nodes which are enlarged and somewhat flattened; internodes short to medium; diaphragm thick; pith nearly large; shoots glabrous; tendrils inclined to dehisce early, intermittent or frequently with only one tendril present with vacancy on either side, long, bifid to trifid.
Leaf-buds large, long to medium, inclined to thick. Leaves medium to large, intermediate in thickness; upper surface light green, dull, somewhat smooth; lower surface slightly lighter green than upper surface, faintly pubescent, densely hairy; lobes usually five with terminus acute to acuminate; petiolar sinus of average depth, medium to narrow, rarely closed or overlapping; basal sinus intermediate in depth; lateral sinus deep; teeth very irregular in depth and width, some teeth approaching a tendency to lobing.
