As long ago as in the Autumn of 1873, Mr. P. C. Dempsey, Albury, Prince
Edward County, exhibited at the Fruit Growers’ meeting a few bunches of
a grape that on account of the beauty of its appearance, its earliness
of ripening, and delicacy of flavor, attracted much attention and called
forth universal praise. In due time a committee was appointed to visit
Mr. Dempsey’s grounds and examine the vine and fruit; and such was the
character of their report that the Directors requested Mr. Dempsey to
propagate it largely, so as to be able to supply the Association with
vines sufficient to give one to each member. Since this arrangement was
made, the members have become familiar with its general appearance
through the colored lithograph which was presented to them in the Report
for 1876. Mr. Dempsey has given to this excellent grape the name of our
honored President, and henceforth it will be known in the Pomological
world as the “Burnet” grape.
This grape was raised by fertilizing the Hartford Prolific with pollen
from the Black Hamburgh. The vine seems to possess much resemblance to
the Hartford Prolific, is a vigorous grower, of robust and healthy
constitution, very productive and hardy. The fruit is very like that of
the Black Hamburgh, the bunch is large, slightly shouldered; berries
large, sweet, and delicately flavored, having nothing of the foxiness of
the Hartford Prolific. The flesh is tender, almost melting, with none of
the tough pulpiness of the most of our hardy grapes. It also ripens
early, somewhat earlier than the Hartford Prolific, and considerably
before the Concord. Our members are to be congratulated on the reception
of so valuable a grape—one that gives promise of being held in lasting
estimation as a variety of unusual excellence, and adapted to general
cultivation in nearly all parts of our Province. It will be sent to all
who are members this year as early in the Spring as the season will
permit.
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