The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-12

c. z. Bauer, OF Fayette county, Texas. thus
writes to the agriculture department at Wash
ington:
and especially this district, there has yet been
little done in vine culture. Only here and there
have one or more species of grapes been planted
which in the majority Of cases, have returned a
very poor result, and have soon disappeared
either account of the climate or In consequence
of neglect. OF the transatlantic vines, the greater
part do not prosper here some species will bear
and ripen tolerably, but only for table use they
are never reliable enough to be raised for the wine
press.
There is, however, species here. forwarded to
Us by Mr.. Brink from the garden of Mr.. Moore, in
Houston. which promises to become very profta-
bic. and according to my judgment, it is tn
Catawba, at least 1t resembles it strikingly.
Messrs. G. Schuedemagen and Carl Vogelsang
have vines of it in bearing, and had during the
present season the opportunity Of seeing them in
ful fruit. They bear luxuriant crop. and yield
go, claret.
During the present, as well as the last season,
however, they were somewhat affected by the
dry rot, but this may have been In consequence Of
the wet seasons, which were unfavorable for vim
tsgers, and moreover, in both cases, the vines
were not sufficiently exposed to the air, which
roots may have been too fiat and shallow, as in
both instances the vines were raised from cut
tngs, which should be avoided In Southern States,
It has been proved that in all vineyards planted
with cuttings dry and wet rot and midew have
prevailed great deal more than in those planted
with roots. 1t is an ungrateful job to plant cut
tDgs here. ] have planted such for three con-
secutive years, and each time, on account OF dry
weather. have lost two.thirds Of them. We have
therefore, to practice the layering of the plants,
30 that we may more speedily and more surely
raise plants with roots.
The best and surest way, however, to raise &C.
climated and richly bearing vines would be to i'm.
prove our own indigenous Texas wild grapes for
even the European vines OF the highest fame, as
Chasselas, Muscst, Traminer, Malvasis Reisling,
ETC., were not always what they are at present,
and only by constant improvement have they been
brought TO the present climax Of perfection. We
have the principal native species, (of which each
one has several varieties viz: the Mustang, the
Postoak and the Winter grape.
The Mustang bears q cluster Of middling size,
with large berries, well shoudered, Of thick skin
and dark blush color, covered with blue bloom
and Of sharp acid taste, and rpens at the end OF
July. Many prepare from this species wine for
domestic use, but it is mostly quite inferior in
quality.
The Postoak bears also clusters Of middling
size well shouldered, with large berries of thick
skin, but they are of dark brown hue and OF spicy
acid taste, and ripen near the end of July. OF
this species / never yet have seen fermented
wine.
The Winter grape with middliug large, rather
long punches, without shoulders, has very small
round berries of thin skin, transparency brown,
covered with blush bloom, of exceedingly pleas
ing and spicy taste, only little too acid, ripens
in October. When galcised and the fermentation
is properly guarded, it yields an excellent clsret.
The latter two species are adapted for general
cultivation, but neither scafoldng nor pole could
follow the exubersnt growth of the mustang and
render 1t the necessary support. The POstoak
does not creep high, and easily grows, even from
cuttings. The Winter grape Is the finest aud no.
blest of all three, and bears also low vines but
cuttings of it cannot be coaxed to grow even by
the most tender care.
There are some other species of grape in Texas,
as the Muscatine, which is mostly found near the
shore, but it shows itself very sterile in its wild
condition.