The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-03-17
Grape vines-wl,at sharI we plant"

Grape pEmeS-WhaL bbstEA w y phfAEAa"
Mr.. EDITOR The past experience OF most Of
your readers is not very favorable, 70
Grape Culture. The Catawba aud Isabella, have
been great source of disappointment to ell who
have planted them, especially, near the Lake
Shore. The vines are tender, and must be laid
down during the winter. This, of itself would
be small objection, if they would ripen their
fruit but it is fact that that we need not stop
to prove, that not one year in seven, does ever
the Isabella get ripe, and we doubt it ever the
Catawba was ripened in " isconsin within ten
miles of the Lake.
Those two varieties have stood long at the top of
TIE list Of our native grapes, and in the region
where they ripen, taking their many good quai'
tiles into account, it is doubtful ifany OF the new
varieties are much superior. But in Wisconsin
we want an earlier Grape than the Isabella and
one perfectly hardy, so that it can be lett on the
treIis or arbor during the winter, without being
killed to the ground An early variety, aitho
tender, may do for a certain class, who are some>
what of enthusiasts, in Grape culture. But the
great mass of the people, cannot be at the trouble
TO take their vines from the trellis, and cover
them up every fall and so theYmust have per-
'fectly hardy Grape.
The last ten years have added great many
new varieties to our list of native Grapes, many
oftbcrn improvements on the old, with but two
exceptions, so far as our experience goes, none
of them early enough for u.s. but those two ex-
ceptions, the Delaware, and Hartford Prollhc,
are both good indeed, the first named in point
of quality, stands at the top of the list With
me both have proved hardy, have never showed
any disposition to mildew, and have borne
abundantly for young vines. The testimony III
favor of the superior quality of the Delaware,
is uniform, and often of the very strongest des'
cription Charles Downing says of it, 81 have
until recently maintained preference for my old
favorit the sweet and luscious Black Hamburg,
But, to the pure, rich, sugary wine OF the Del
aware, as it now grows with us must concede
my preference When | consider all its exceJN
Iencies, regarding its fine healthy vigorous habr
it, as we'll as quality, of fruit, | can scarcely
speak of it in measured terms of praise. DIR.
Grant says, "We only differ from Mr. Downing,
in that we gave our opinion at once, upon test
ing this Grape, without having before heard of
it that it was, and time would prove it, the
best Grape for all purposes ever grown in Amer
lea"
Those men are 'veterans" in the Grape line
and Their opinions are worthy of confidence
The Adirondac and Creveling, are two of the
newest competitors for public favor. The first
was proclaimed last Summer, with great -four
ish of trumpets, as by far the earliest and best
4clI fhgao
weeks before the II artiord Profile, and equal in |
quality to the best foreign variety. This may |
be So 1t is not impossible. But when we see
Straw berry plants advertised, that will bear
926 berries many of them as large as hens
egg, we are led to believe that all nursery men
are not lust what they should be- The Crevel-
ing is higher recommended for the north, be-
cause of its early maturity. 1t is better Grape
than the Hartford Prolific, and should il be found
adapted tie the West,will prove a va liable acqni- !
sition But they both have to be tested here,
before they can be recommended, This we pro- |
pose to do, and may at some future date, let
your readers know what superior merits they |
have. 1t would give us pleasure to be able to
proclaim them superior to the Delaware and
Hartford Pr0llbc, Out III the Interior, we WouIu |
say to all, plant Delaware and Hartford Prolific, |
If you prefer quality to size, plant the DelawGre.
II is small in bunch and berry, but bears obund- |
antly what t, lacks in SIZE, is made up by its
great productiyeness
The Ha tford Prolific, is good Grape. To
our taste it was superior last season, to some
Catawbas we tasted in your city, that were
raised on Kelley Island, in Lake Erie, place
now famous for Grape culture. it ripens
With US, it is equal to the best Isabelas we ever
raised. Indeed it is seldom that it will! be found
equal to the Hartford Prolific, in this region, not
but that the Isabella is the better Grape, but
its imperfect maturity here, detraets greatly from
its good quality.
None of those are equal to what we want, but
let us accept them thankfully, waiting and hop
ing for the good time coming" when we shall
be able to raise Natave Grapes, equal to those
Hamburgs aud Muscats that friend Hutchinson
exhibited at our County Fair, last Fall.
s. G.