Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-05-30
Dubuque Farmers Club.
GRAPE CULTURE.

| Question came next in order.
Mr.. Lucius Ii. Langworthy said that h
had seen the Catawba and Isabella Grape
growing without pruning, under most favor
able circumstances that the fruit seemed +
be as large and as plentiful on such. vines a
those underline ''Dwarfan Renewal System
recommended by Mr.. Blocklinger: lie want
ed to know why Mr.. B. s system should b
preferred to allowing the vine making its full
| wood growth.
| Mr.. Blocklinger stated that although vim
under favorable circumstance might do wei
without pruning, still the advantage Of tn
system he recommends, superseded the nm
cultivated plan in many respects. The grapes
Of necessity are much larger, all the sap 60
ing towards the growth Of fruit. Instead o
large expenditure Of unnecessary sap il
wood growth, the fruit would mature mucf
earlier, the crops would be much more sure
| the vines would be under the perfect contro
of the cutiyator, and above all, a considera
| ton of maximum importance in this climat,
the vines could be laid down and covered II
the winter with little trouble, which would
be almost impossible with vines of bulky d;
mansions. Nor could the wood be as wei
perfected and ripened as in the dwarf sys
tenn. ra...a <.
The Secretary akscd Judge King for infor
nation to the Club in regard to his success.
with the Oporte Grape, a variety that he eX
hibited at our Agricultural Fair last Fall and
from which he had lately made some wine
As proof of the quality Of the wine, the
Judge presented to the Club a bottle of the
Oporto, manufactured for him by G. Block.
linger, and which was partakcn of by the
Club, all pronouncing it excellent, rescmb-
ling in all respects Old Port, of fine ruby
color, rich, and possessed of an excellent ar
oma, equal almost to the Nectar of the Olym-
plans, and would have taken the first prcini-
um there, if those Celestial gentlemen had
been as progressive as Horticulturalists of
the 10th century Bacchus. if he had tasted
it, no doubt would have s,nacked his lips and
pronounced it first rate. -s..t .u
Judge King then went on to state that he
obtained the wine on visit to Nicholas Long
worth of Cincinnati. On parting, Mr.. l..
presented him with a number of choice vines
among which was the Oporto. He Judge
King planted it, supposing it was an Isabel
la, after fruiting he found it entirely dssim-
liar from the Isabella, or any other variety
that lie then had. The Fruit Committee Of
our last Agricultural Fair examined it, but
could not give it special name. but were
struck with the remarkable dyeing quality it
possessed, and its juiccncss. The juice tax
en- from directly under the skin of the Grape
dyeing everything it touched from a dark
purple to an almost black color.
Judge King, learning of the Oporto, and
its peculiar properties, wrote to Mr.. f. W.
Sylvester, Of Lyons, N. ", (who was grow
ing the grape) for further information. Mr..
Sylvester wrote him full description of the
grape, and also sent him small bottle ofthe
wine, which correspondent in all respects with
the wine Mr.. Blscklinger had manufactured,
and also with the Grape in Judge Kings pos
session. The Oporto Grape had for some
time been cultivated by farmers and amateurs
in certain districts of N. Y, as wine grape
the wine manufactured for medical, sacra.
mental and social purposes. The skin is
black, covered with bloom juicy, and when
fully ripe, dark red, and imparting to the
wine made from it, without water, the dark
color usual to Port. The original wine is
supposed to have come directly from Oporto,
Spain, being brought over by sea Captain,
and presented to lady friend in this country
but the growth of the wood, the shape, and
lSAlulC vi tuS lSaNNS, I'D pSliSLt
with the vines never requiring to be laid
down in 43 North latitude Those reasons
have led Horticulturalists to believe it an
American Seeding, though child Of foreign
parents. The wine has the flavor and peculiar
bouquet of old Port, and is pronounced by
good judges to be quite equal if not superior
to best imported Port.
Mr.. Blocklinger in his manufacture of the
wine, had added ] pint of water to quart Of
juice. though the water is not necessary in
its manufacture, but no doubt by this means
prevented any intoxicating effects upon any
member of the Club who quatfed the delic
ious beverage.
Judge King intends to grow the Oportc
extensively both on account of its hardness
and also for winter purposes.
Mr. Longworth expressed his opinion in
regard to grape culture. He regretted his alb
scnce from the last meeting, and thought
most favorably of grape growing in this eli
mate spoke well of the Catawba from expe
rience, and thought well of several Of the
new varieties.
The Delaware was again brought before
the Club. Judge King, who is very strong
enthusiast in its favor, was disposed that the
Club should take immediate action by reso-
luton to pronounce it the best grape known
and would recommend its universal planting;
that he intended to graft every Catawba vine
that he had with scons of the Delaware.
Messrs. Bloc lipgcr, Larkins, Chamberlin,
and Bebcc considered it premature for the
Club to pronounce unqualiiedly IN its favor
until it was fruited here . ... ...,
Mr.. Larkins said that since the last meet
ing he had examined more thoroughly into
its high qualities, and was more in its favor
than heretofore.
The President was of the same opinion,
but could not vote in its favor without test
ing it by home experience.
Mr. Bebee said that although the grape
was of excellent flavor, still he thought it not
best to recommend everything coming from
the East. kgz.--. '...s
Mr.. ITcyer stated that the "Cloud Of wit
nesses'' in its favor came not merely from the
East, but from the West, also from Wiscon-
sin, Illinois and Missouri. That we know
that most of the varieties offcuit that do well
in those States, do well in Iowa, that the
characteristics of climate and soil are very
similar, and reasoning from analogy, if the
Delaware does well in those States, it assur-
edly will in Iowa. He thought that the pc
culiar characteristics of the Delaware such as
its hardness, freshness from mildew, bios.
soming late, hanging well on the vine, ma
turing it's fruit earlier than the Catawba and
Ill. IL - H. 49, 80 l..