Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-19
The NIustnnr Grnno.

Looking over, a few days ago (says Mr. P
Wallace, in the London Field of Aug. 24), one
of the most celebrated treatises on the culture
of the grapevine, found the following passage:
Its origin can be pretty clearly traced to ASIA
though it is now said to be growing wild in
many parts Of the south of Europe, and what
are supposed to be indigenous species or Yarie-
ties are found in America" 1t is evident from
the above sentence that the author has never
explored the western and southwestern forests
Of the Atlantic slopes of America, or that he
doubts the intelligence Of the American people,
to whom You might as well preach that aqua
pura is the same as good old Bourbon as tell
them they have no native grapes. Any one who
has doubts Of the Mustang grape being native
of the American forests has only to read the
early histories of the indeatigable Jesuit fathers
The mission wines have always stood first in
American estimation. That the best wines are
obtained from the Mustang grapes ! do not
pretend to say, as / know they are not; but a
year ago | was riding through few hundred
miles of Louisiana and Texas forests, in parts
remote from any ever visited by the worthy
Jesuits, where l found vines of the Mustang
selves, clinging TO and fnging their arms from
oak TO pecan trees, elm, gum, or white ash as
they came in the way; and wherever, like Sin
bad's rider in the Arabian tales, they fix them
selves with SO firm grip, not wind nor storm
can shake them off, and there they will ride till
One hot day had ridden thirty miles across
and through the tall prairie grass, when we
made the timber of the Brazos river bottom;
and judge my surprise when, for the first time
saw grove of Mustang grapevnes, and, what
was better, grapes. Our Mexican ponies were
jaded out, and so were we; and without cere-
mony we took off the saddles and turned them
out to find water and food, knowing they would
return at sunset for their corn. After half an
hours rest we commenced rambe through
the vine-coyered forest. 1t was vegetation run
mad with luxuriance; nothing escaped the vines
spreading arms; from the low underground to
the mightiest oak or pecan tree, the Mustang
vine was master of the situation. The grapes
certainly were not equal to our Black Hambro'.
or even to Vests ST. Peters, but for about ten
minutes thought them most delicious. / then
began to make comparisons, which at anv time
are said to be odious, but in this instance were
rather insulting, as the fruit had been gratefully
received. Some of the stems were two feet and
upwards in circumference at the base; the leaves
are less indented than those Of most of the Eu-
ropean kinds, having a thick, white, dowDy coy
cring underneath. The fruit is as black as Jet,
the pulp firm, and less juicy than in any cranes
cultivated in Europe; the punches would aver.
age about half pound in weight, but hung in
such proiuslOn as to create astonishment, After
wandering aboutfor half an hour in amazement,
casting an occasional look at the ponies, which
were busy browsing on every vine-braneh within
with their wagons, men and women busy col
Letting Dame Natures wild harvest of grapes.
On asking them what they were going 10 do
with them, with look of surprise they replied
make wine, to be sure what elsep | replied
"ThOse grapes won't make good wine, will
theyp An old gentleman said, "Saddle your
horses and come to our rancho tonight, and
you shall judge for yourselves" Their "systeme
derecolte" was rather a barbarous one, and COM
inenced by their first reaching all they could
from the wagons, after which some of the more
youthful Of the party climbed the trees and
Topped off the grape-covered branches with bill
hooks, and the branches were gathered as they
fell to the ground
BY the time the wagons were loaded our
horses were saddled, aud we all made tracks for
the rancho, and after supper discussed several
bottles of the old rancheman's wine, which was
much superior to the ordinary ports sold in this
country. The process Of wine-making was
much the same as that followed in wine.growing
countries; but she juice Of the Mustang grape
being thicker than that Of European grapes, it