American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-02-27
Grape Sales in New York.

Rural New Yorker, upon the New
York Grape Market may be interest
iing to those in the South who are just
now turning their attention to this
fruit as a market crop.
We will say to our New York
friends, however, that if they wish to
eat simon 'pnre, unadulterated, deli
cious, well.ripened, Southern raised
Grapes they must bid little higher
than % cents per pound for them, or
they will never get them. A man
who knows enough to raise good
grapes in the South knows enough to
sell his fruit IN the best market--and
hence will hardly send them a thous-
and or two miles over a half dozen
',junetions'' to New York when, at
half the expense end risk, he can sell
them In New Orleans for more than
double Tie price, as was done the past
season:
The first arrivals in our market were
sent from South Carolina, ana at an
earlier date than former years; bat the
mere cost OF transportation. These
were Catawbas; and, packed In the
.o,tagou quart berry boxes, they ar
rived early in July. A few days later
another lot was received from the
same State, grown on the ID ,rby farm,
which were a fair article Of grapes.
Arriving In good condition, thy sold
from 20 to % cents per pound; IN
fortunately they had been packed in
box that was not stiff enough to pro-
tect the fruit from bruising-yet, with
this disadvantage, they gave coed
satisfaction; but they were not thor
soughiy ripe, according to the standard
of Northern fruit growers.
On July 20 h, q few more Catawbas
were received from DR.. Vampil', ), q:
arriving in good order; they sold at
% cents per pound.
August %, some very good Hartford
POlific were received from Southern
Ohio, and sold at 20 cents per pond ;
and, on the same date, some Uatawbas
from another section OF South Carroll
ma, which sold at Is cents per pound.
This fruit was ripper than any had
previously seen from that State; yet
the stems had begun to turn black
and the berries to drop from the stem,
but fruit being scarce 1t sold readily
at the above price.
August q, there was an arrival o
Concords from West VirgiDi,, which
sold at 10 cents per pound; and, or
the %. h some Hartford Prolihc5 from
Milford, Del, this latter place being
few miles further north than thu
former.
While speaking of Southern grare:
permit me to make few remarks IL
reg trd to them. find tn 1t although
this fruit prospers while growing il
the hot sun of the South, the intens'
heat of those months in which thu
grape ripens, Is much against tAt
Zruit after picking; the heat causes
them to rot very quickly after the.
are packed. Although they may lool
welt before packing, during the trans
portation they become SO damagef
that il not sold the same day the,
arrive II becomes so apparent on I'M
next that it is almost impossible t
dispose of them at a fair market price
The frst effect, and least noticeabl
feature OF this damage to the unitiat' d
is IA dimning of the skin to deadnes
that indicates speedy decay, or tn
biackening of the stem and dropping
of the berry, which is alike fatal L
the sale of them. This dullness of tn
skin is followed by the juice oozini
from the grape and standing on tn
skin for q short time, when they unit
and wet the entire package, spoilinl
the fruit.
1 had almost overlooked one variet.
Of grapes grown in the South, an
that Is the Scuppernong. At tn
earnest request of several growers,
introduced them in our market, bu
they did not give satisfaction to on
consumers. / had some of then
packed in our best boxes, and sen
them to prominent Agriculture
writers, editors and dealers, but the
would not take, and the bulk CT thi
fruit was sold at few cents pc
pound to the wagoners. This graP
In size, compares with the Norther
Fox grape, and, while green, resem
bles Il very much in color; but, whe
thoroughly ripe, they change to
clear and beautiful brown, spotte'
with a darker shade Of the same
which gives them quite an attractiv
appearance. The skin is thick, ah
the pulp moderates down as it ripen
to mere sweet, spicy Juice, which
quite pleasant to the taste. 1t is quit
certain that, however pllatable an
popular this fruit may be in the Sout
1t never will answer to send North I
compete with the Northern grapes.