Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-08-11
9it16 ana Rar6en,
Cultivation Of the Hucheberrx.

. From the Piedmont yirgiuiAn.
We have been furnished with the
following interesting article from the
pen of Professor Sails:
1t was scarcely supposed until with
in few years that any of the several
species of huckle-berries were suscep-
tibIe of improvement by cultivation.
or that hybrid of value could be pro
duced by crossing one variety upon
another. This, howeye, after various
experiments, has been accomplished
by gentleman residing in Stafford
county Virginia. and has been pro-
nounccd by Mr.. Philip II. Freas, of
Ger nantown. Va, Mr.. Horace Gree
ley aud other celebrated pomologist:
as one of the most important discover
i > Of the age
iHa Botanists and explorers during the
Seminole war discovered in the
swamps Of Florida, and limited to
few locations. aspccics of vaccinnium
which could hardly be called buckle
= berry. 1t was fully as large. often
larger than the fox grape. having an
acrid taste. but a most fragrant per-
fume and containing
LARGE PER CENTUM OF JUICE.
Captain Tucker of Fcmandina,
sFlorida, of worldwide celebrity as a
pistol shot, who Was attached to Gen.
erai Taylor's staff, brought from Lake
Ockc-cho bee some Of these plants to
d, Virginia. They were easily acclima-
ted in Stafford county, and were pre-
served there until six years ago as Gu
riostes in gardens. When FoEtaine
Rose. Esq, ascertaining that they
were really variety Of yaccinnium.
conceived TIE idea of crossing them
by the usual method on the small
sweet hucklcbcrry so common in our
4 woods. An account of Mr. Roses ex-
periments would scarcely interest the
reader. Results, therefore, will only
be given.
TIE acridness Of the Florida berry
was entirely wanting in the new berry,
and the sweetness of our small berry
retained, with the size. juicenesS and
flavor of the Florida species. From
bushcl of these hibrids Mr.. Briggs
last Summer produced over five gal
ons of wine, which surpasscs that
made from currants and wild grapes.
After fermentation the wine contains
as much alcohol as sherry.
TIE AROMA OF THE NEW FRUIT
cannot be equalled as flavOring ess
ence for ice-cream and cuStard. Mr.
Rose produced last Summer on one
square in his garden, say the twelfth
of an acre, thirty nine bushels of the
"0seola hucklebarries, as he has
dubbed them. The plant is easily
propagated from suckers, grows to the
height Of thirty inches and stand:
four feet six inches apart in the rows
What revOlutinn or innovation thi.
new fruit is TO effect in wine-making
it is difficult to calculate, but it is not
improbable that it will seriously effeci
the cultivation of the Gaia VIDA grape,
3 now so extensively used for that pur.
4 pose Some of the plants have been
sent to Grant ThOrborn'S establish
ment, and to Mr. Greeley, New Y FORK,
and Philip r. Freas, of the German
town Telegraph, has been appointed
agent for the sale of limited supply
in the vicinity of Philadelphia. The
latter gentleman has now some hui :
dred suckers growing finely in his gar
. den, which will produce fruit in 1872
The color of the berry is a deep pur
pie. exceedingly brilliant, and, as al
ready stated, as large, if not larger,
than the fox grape.
1t is predicted that the cultivation
!, of this fruit will make Stafford the
richest countyin the State of Virgin
- ia, not excepting Frederick or Loudon