Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-10-20
@d(Ottrstes Daily syn.
grape Culture.
II sti'N NuItuFC.
From the Address of Marshall p. Wilder

FROM the Address of Marshall 7. Wilder
Until within few years it was supposed
thft providence had assigned grape culture
and the manufacture of wine to counties in the
south OF Europe, and that the soil and climate
OF America were not at all adapted to thoir
production. Still later the theory was pro.
mulgated, which has not as vet Welded in
full to more enlightened Judgment, that no
good grape could flourish on our eastern slope.
NOW 1t is known to succeed il almost every
aspect where soil and cultivation are suitable
and 1t Is believed that no country on earth is
better adapted to the extensive cultivation of
the grape than the United States of America.
This branch Of fruit culture is yet in its incip-
lent state, but it has progressed so far as to
authorize the belief that the grape can be
grown with success in alm ost every state and
territory OF the Union.
with the progress already made in raising
new sorts, it ii onlya question of time when
we shall have varieties adapted to almost eve.
ny locality. Thousand Of cultivators scattered
over our extended country, are each of them
raising new varieties from seed in the expecta
ton Of success. While some of them NAV be
valuable, many must of necessity be failures
having been originated from natural and acct
dental impregnatien, without any settled or
philosophical plan. The laws of reproduc ion
i'll this department are the same as in other
branches of the vegetabl kingdom For
instance, in northern ATTITUDES, the great OBJ
ject should be to produce good kinds which
rlpen early and are perfectly hardy. To pro
cure these from the limited number of our
native grapes, we must resort to the art of nv
bridizatiOn, taking for the parents those sorts
which contain the characteristics we desire to
combine. This work has already been com
menced in good earnest, and is progressing
rapidly i'll the hands Of many practitioners
illustrations have occurred under our own OBJ.
servatlOn, proving the immediate and happy
results from the crossing Of native with for
eign grapes A gentleman in my own vicinity
has taken as the mother parent, the Pitis La
bruSca, common native grape and crossed
these vines with the pollen OF the Black Ham
burg, and the White Chasseas grapes or
forty five seedlings, thirty-Seven have borne
fruit. All the progeny Of these has proved
perfectly hardy, and have stood without pro.
lection for several winters, where the Isabella
and Diana have been much injured OF the
seedlings procured from mpregnation of the
Black Hamburg, most of them inherit, in
good degree the color and characteristics OF
the male parent; while those fertilized with
the White Chasseas, all were of reddish
Color intermediate between the natural colors
of the parents Thus we see the positive and
powerful effect of the art Of Adjudication in
the hands Of scientific cutivators, who can, in
measure, control the process of re-produc
ton, and render it subservent to their Dur-
pose
But, to prevent encouragement and sustain
perseverance, it should be remembered that
in conformity with the experience of Van
Mons, and other pioneers, a Seeding does not
attain to perfection at once. To arrive at its
eliminating point of excellence it must often
be truIted for several years. Others maintain
that number of manipulations are requisite
TO bring new variety to perfection. Some
varieties attain this much earlier than others,
and the same variety reaches it earlier or later
in different localities. Hence an originator
should not reject seeding Of some apparent
good qualities simply because it may have
some defect; for this may result from local or
external influences. He should, therefore
cause it to be transferred for trial to a different
soil and climate. Even grapes of acknow
edged excellence are improved by this change.
The Concord and Diana of Massachusetts,
valuable as they are at home, acquire snpe
riority in the south and southwest unknown in
their original locality, even rivaling the Ca
tawba and Isabella Of those sections
While 1t was formerly supposed that the pc
culiar, and, to many, the disagreeabe aroma
of our common grapes disqualified them for
the production OF choice fruits and wines, it
has been proved, we think, beyond a rea.
sonabe doubt that the characteristic desig-
mated, by way Of contempt, as the foxy or
pole cat flavor, will hereafter constitute one
OF the chief eXcellencies Of our new va
rieties, when, by the art of hybrdization and
cultivation, this flavor shall have been modi
fed and changed, by alliance with other
grapes OF excellence that are destitute of tins
quality. This flavor, thus improved, seems
destined to form a distinctive characteristic of