Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-04-04

The Concord Grape.

Urape. WIN you lavor me with Z
little space In your columns. to repl,
TO his queries : He says his Isabel.
las did not ripen nor even the Gin
ton, and that 4" the past season was a
very, Uery bad year for grapes. -
This is my experience in regard Ia
, all the grapes IN my garden except
the Concord. The Isabella, againSi
the house, ripened only about three.
quarters Of ITS croo, which was taxi
en- oft the vine The 18th of October.
having escaped the frosts until that
time. The crop was small, the
punches small, and the berries, and
to some extent the foliage widowed,
as were all the Isabellas have met
with, with ore or two exceptions
The Clinton ! have discarded Tor
some years, as it did not always rip
en-, and never arrived at the good
/ quality said to characterize it in
mlder attitudes. continue TO grow
the Diana, although it generally fails
with me, which IS probably owing.
IN part al least, to the short season
incident to the deep valley in winch
Co"cord is situated. Frost pre-
vailed here on the LIST Of June, and
indeed IN some parts of our town on
the l2lh of juno, and again IN the
last week OF August, during which
we had three lrosls, and hayd lrosk
the thermometer p on the ninht
OF the l9th September; water lroze
an inch IN thickness III some places
10 tins vicinity, and the foliage ol
the grape-vlnes was frozen stuff
splcules of ice were plainly TO be
seen on breaking open the ripe
grapes, which had not been picked.
as | was absent and the frost had
not been anticipated When add
that one.fourth Of my corn crop was
cut off 10y the frost, and Of the re-
malnder none was fit for household
purposes, you will agree with me. |
think, that we have had a most un-
favorable season for the grape crop.
Notwithstanding all this, the Con
cord riPened its whole crop, and was,
IN opinion of good Judges, even bet
ter than usual. Fearing, however.
that the severe frost might have i'm
Pnlred IT'S flavor, or its keeping prop.
critics, | took The occasion to max
II into wine, and may say in tins
connection that the little patch Of
vines IN my garden yielded me
barrel of 30 gallons, which is at the
rate OF more than 600 gallons to the
acre.
! observe you speak of the Con
cord as unlrled as yet, except in
the place of its origin" 1t has
however borne fruit elsewhere. and
fully sustaIns It's reputation In No. /.
M'ddlsseS, so~~g vines eruited Tins
year, aud the frs, pre- mum was
awarded to it as the best Native
Grape. 1t took the first premium al
so in Central MiddIesex and Mr..
Samuel Miller of CalmdaIc, Pa, the
well known hurticullurisl, says it has
fruIted in Lancaster, Pa, aud re-
celved very high praise. He says
also that the Concord was the only
grape IN his vineyard which held its
foliage TO the end of the season I'M
touched by rust or mIdew he adds
+" | would not take fifty dollars Tor
my vine. As to vi-or or growth, it
has in many instances within nv
knowledge, surpassed all other grapes
making shoots twenty feet ia length
aud half an inch IN diameter in
single scasOn." Ad / to this, that
the Concord has for SIX consecutive
years given full crops of well ripened
fruit, without a single failure, aud !
think your correspondent will agree
that the Concord is not failure"
but an acquisition. 1t has proved
perfectly hardy without protection,
aud will bear neglect better than any
grape have ever me, with
Yon remember, Messrs. Editors,
that when this new grape was off
cred to the public, many persons be-
lievcd that The account gwen of its
size and beauty were exaggerated -
This was very natural as many
overslalements had been made in re-
gard to new fruits. have exhibit
ted, however, punches ono-fourth
larger than tIe drawing which we
offered TO the public, and as 10 taste
about which there is proverbiaIly
no dispute-nine out of ten Of
those to whom have offered the
Concord, perler it to the Isabella.
Ii is especially gratifying to me to |
6nd the statements which / had |
made in regard to this new grape,
corroborated by subsequent exper.
encr.
Should any of your correspond |
enIs feel disposed to raise grapes
from seed, with a view of getting
improved varieties, shall be happy !
upon application by mil, with |
stamps enclosed, to forward a few
seeds Of the Concord, which have
saved for that purpose.
f. W. BULL.
Concord, Mass
A CHEAP HOT RFn -A(ter laval