The Hampton Court Vine

Manawatu Herald, 28 May 1892, Page 3

The Hampton Court Vine

Mr Ernest Law, in his history of Hampton Court Palace, says that fie famous vine yielded forty years ago on an average between 2300 and 2100 bunches, weighing about a pound each. But recently both the number and size of the bunches have fallen off, until in 1874 the crop was as low as 1750, and in 1882 only 1250 \ which wag due perhaps to its having been previously overcropped -and' mismanaged . Lately, howeverlt has been better cared for, and the tree is greatly improved in appearance ; but its average mature crop is not usually raised abovfr 1200 — no less than 2000 bunches or so being's pinched off to improve the quality of the remaining fruit, and with great benefit to the old tree. The greatest girth of its stem is now as much as--Bft 9tn, and its branches cover a space of 2300 square feet. The hr-gth of the principal branch still ron. tins stationary at 90ft, doubtless becautS it had years ago reached tbd limit* effcha vfn» hous«j whM M

[now 00ft long. Had the house been 1 enlarged, the vine would by this time have covered a space three or four times as large as it does. Unj fortunately Us position, in a corner ! between two walls niakes-i its'extension a matter of some difficulty, and iio person in authority ha 3 yet taken sufficient Merest in it to have this obstacle surmounted.