GRAPES FROM GREAT VINE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19125, 21 September 1936, Page 12

GRAPES FROM GREAT VINE

HAMPTON 'COURT BUNCHES A REFRESHING SIGHT - LONDON, Aug. 26. i Forty people bought bunches of grapes from the famous Great Vine at Hampton Court yesterday, the-first day tins yeai that they \vere cut for sale to the public. The grapes are .packed, lib at a time, in baskets. made, by the St. Dunstan s blind ex-servicemen.' _ The vinery: was a. refreshing, sight on a hot day such, as yesterday, and seemed cooler than outside, although the lowest temperature the keepers could obtain was 89 degrees- The temperature is varied carefully in the growing season. .'-'The vine, bears annually about 500 -bunches, which is less than it produced in early days. The quantity is kept down deliberately to improve the quality. -Tin grapes themselves, although sip all or than the-big hothouse varieties, have a peon liarly sweet and fragrant flavour, • A percentage of proceeds goes to tit! Du'estan’s, the remainder being paid into the Treasury for the upkeep of the -palace. Although the price is 6s a ka»--Mt', there is said never to ho any dillicnlty in disposing of them. < : The vine was planted in 1768 during the reign of George 111. It is the oldest vine in existence, and although smaller (ban (he Kippin Vine in .Scotland, the girth of. the stem, which is 6ft. 9in. at ground level, is nearly twice the size of any other/ ■ --Originally the stem was outside lln vinerv in the open until the building ot the present house. Loaves and bunches already cover the whole roof, and as there is no more space for its extension it is kept carefully pruned. . S' Tlie present vine-keeper, who lias been •in charge for 25 years, says it has never Jjeeh-iii health. Although I is is not an exceptionally good year, the plant ha* borne .well' considering' the season and has reached its average standard-