New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-09-27
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE HORTYCUL.
TURAL SHOW.

The force Of habit Ia such that when the public be-
comes accustomed to one thing and taught to regard
il as good It Is sometimes hard task to convince it
that there better things of the kind In existence
This dogmac adherence TO custom is carried In Eng
land, to far greater lengths than in this county and
nowhere does the inventor find II more difficult to intro
duce and popularize his novelty. For many years we
have cultivated the Isabea and Catawba grapes ma
tves of the United States by degrees they have been
introduced into every State and Territory, ana not
only may they be seen climbing the porch ana roonng
the arbor of the lowly cottage but an immense amount
of capital and skin is devoted TO their culture and the
manufacture of their Wines About the City of Gin
cnnsti thousands of acres Of hillside are planted in
VINEYARD, and much of the wealth and prosperity OF
that CITY nav be fairly attributed to the development
Of this branch of rural industry. Thus conviction
has gradually grown in the public mind that the isa
bella and Catawba are par excellence the only good
American grapes; and Of the many thousands VINO
will read this paragraph or go and see the specimens
of which we purpose to speak, the great majority will
be surprised to learn that there are new kinds which
bid fair to run their favorites from the market.
Vipeysrdists recognize two kinds Of grapes, which
are ss separate aud dnct in their properties and value
az can well be imagined. There lie one family whose
sweet and luscious fruit is Fl. only for the table; while
the other whose juice may be said possess high de-
gree of acidty with higher degree Of sugar
and agreeably favored with aromatcs is she true wine.
grape Of the world The former, of which the sweet
uiced Chdsselas de Fontanebeau is type, is termed
feeble avored" while the latter represented by the
Catawba DIANA Isabella and host of others is desig
mated as "vnous' and "sprightly." The juice of
the Sweetwater, foreign grape of the Chasselas fam
y is described in the very name Of the variety, and
is nothing but sugar and water, with some mucilage
added and pals upon the taste of the eater. Let
any one who wishes TO the best collection of Amer
can seeding grapes ever grown in this city go to the
Horticultural show at Palace Garden and be convinced
of tie truth Of what say. There in close jux'apo-
sitioD, they will zee Isabellas and Catawbas, and
score of Other varieties handful it Is true, OF
the hundreds which are known to nurserymen, but
stll embracing all nearly all Il kinds recommended
for general cultivation. Next to the Isa-
bellas and Catawbas lie some punches of
the Northern Muscadine, foxy or rank.
favored variety, which hardly ever ripens whole
lunches but separate berries which drop as they rpen
1t has little TO recommend it in flavor TO the delicate
palate Of the connosseu whose has been educated
amid better things but it may do well enough for
ing into sass for supperablrs in the rural districts
In close proximity are several dishes of the Delaware,
grape which, after years of opposition and unfair
treatment has been placed at the head of the list. OF
are years. wherever it has in competition with
other varieties, it has received the premium, and
triumph has been reaped for at this splendid show.
There are over twenty varieties of native grapes
the tables, and among them all the judges were to
award prize for the best dish of native grapes,
A. Al - data
that Charles Downing and William Reid were men,
bers of that Committee it will be that the charge
of incompetence can scarcely be alleged against it.
These men, after trying all the kinds gave the premium
to Mr. Skeee for bis dish of Delawsres although they
themselves interested in the sale of other
rieties. The Delaware has a smaller berry than the
Catawba but it is sweet to the very center has none
Of the asngency of the latter the flesh is very juicy
with some coDsstence and it has pure vinous life,
which s easily remarked by anger at first taste.
1t has been claimed Identical with the TANNER Of
Europe, and party, with Nicholas Longworth at its
head has stoutly opposed its claims to nativity but the
friends of the Delaware positively assert that it
first discovered and cultivated by Mr.. Thompson Of
DSkware, Ohio, and bring of proof in support
of the claim.
Next Oh the table we see the Diana, red grape,
originated by Mrs. Diana Crehor Of Milton Hill, near
Boston. THE is seeding of the Cata~ ba, bat much
purer in flavor than the parent sweeter and more vi
n us, and free from is astringency. Then passing
some lees valuable varieties we me to grape which
the Shaker brethren at Union Village near Cincinnati
gave 10 the world, through the powerful agency Of
Mr.. Longworth, come twenty years ago. When its
rst fruit was exhibited at show, it was mistaken by
the Committee for rare Black Hamburgs, and the
g., tha h.o
foreign variety grown in open air. on exhibition. The
Union Village is seeding of the Isabella and has its
peculiar color and blooms but its sze is such that it is
easily mistaken for the Black Hamburg. The de-
mand has proved greater than the supply for it
not only npens ten days earlier than the Isabella but
in Ohio good wine has been made from it, without
the addition Of sugar brandy, which cannot be
said of the Isabella.
Next in order of excellence and tabular position Is
the Rebeccs probably seeding from the Isabella, and
originated by Mrs. f. NJ Peake of Hudson. 1t has
punches of medium size but very compact the color is
green in the shade, but lively amber in the and
its berries are covered with fine bloom. liza flavor il
sweet and Oscious it has toughness, acidity in
The center like the majority of American grapes the
berries very firmly attached TO the bunch and il is
easily kept throughout Winter in sound condition. The
premium specimens here are exhibitefby VIM Brooks
bank Of Hudson n. Y. Bulls Concord" grape, is
not quite equal to the Isabea in flavor but it ia much
harder earlier 1t has the very excellent quality
of ripening more than degree of latitude further
north than the Isabels and hence it is fairly regarded
valuable acquisition to the family of natives. The
" Hartford Prolific" was taken wild from the woods
it is earlier than the Concord but not equal to it in
flavor, and ranks much below the Isabe Ia hence it is
generally deemed valuable only in extreme northern
grape regions.
Hemmed in either side by the displays of natives