From Richard Strachey   25 August 1873

Dear M^r. Darwin

I have just heard from my Sister in law who was a Cape of Good Hope lady that it was a recognized fact there that rain at the time of the vintage was liable to be very mischievous—& that Grapes with any little imperfection in them caused by birds or insects, or the bloom on which was injured were much more susceptible to injury by rain than others. In fact that such damaged fruits were in a few hours destroyed or rendered useless while the perfect fruit which retained its bloom intact received no harm.¹

I have thought that this experience of a grape growing country narrated by a lady who is very observant of such matters & had proved her position & bringing up the means of becoming practically acquainted with them would be of interest in connexion with your present enquiry & I therefore write it down as I have heard it.

I may add that in Northern India where the grapes commonly ripen about the end of June, which is the time the rain begins, it is notorious that the grapes are frequently quite destroyed by rain, showing that there is a special reason at all events for giving them protection from its effects.²

My sister adds that it was a common saying, if rain occurred about the time of the vintage, that the wine would be bad, and that the goodness of the wine depended greatly on the grapes not being affected by rain—

Believe me | Yours truly | R Strachey

P.S. Your sons Glo⁠⟨⁠b⁠⟩⁠e has come & I will write to him about it.³