The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-05-13
GRAPES.
Useful Suggestions Respecting the Selec-
tion and Culture of Grapes.

GRAPES.
Useful Suggestions Respecting the Selec-
tiOn and Culture of Grapes.
1t is said that about two thousand
known and named varieties of grapes
have been and are being grown in
Europe, and all these are supposed to
have been developed from one species
(FitiS TiniterG), which originally was
the wild product of nature, like those
growing in our thickets and forests.
One can scarcely suppose this possible
when contemplating a cluster of Tokay
or some other highly developed variety
of the hot-house. Yet the native vine,
which began to ''yield fruit after his
kind, the third day (whatever may
have been the length of the day., may
have been, after all. good starting
point in the process of development.
One can hardly believe that the lone
cluster of grapes which the burdened
spies, returning from Palestine, bore
'fbetween two of them upon a staff"
was the result of high scientific culture.
In that cline, and when the world was
young, nature must have been more
beneicent than now. 1t is certain that
no such cluster ever hung from the ma
tive vines of this land, yet it is from our
wild species, whose fruit the Indians
shared with birds and foxes (when
hanging so high as to be sour) that we
have developed the delicious varieties of
our outdoor vineyards. For about two
centuries our forefathers kept on plant
ing vines imported from Europe, only
to meet with failure. Nature, that had
so abundantly rewarded their efforts
abroad, quietly checkmated them here.
At last American fruit-growers took the
hint, and began the developing our
native species. Then nature smiled.
and as lure along this correct path of
progress gave such incentives as the
Isabella, the Catawba, and Concord.
We are now bewildered by almost as
great a choice of varieties from native
species as they have abroad, and as an
aid to selection l will again give the
verdict of some of the authorities.
The choice of Hon. Norman j. Col
man, Commissioner of Agriculture:
EARLY Victor, Worden, Martha. Elvi-
ra, Cynthiana." This is for the region
of Missouri. For the latitude of New
Jersey, A. S. Fuller's selection: "Dela
ware, Concord, Moore's Early, An
toinette (white), Augusta (white),
Goethe (amber)." E. S. Carman:
'.Moore's Early [you cannot praise this
too much. The quality is merely that
of the Concord; but the vines are mar
vels of perfect health, the punches large,
the berries of the largest size. They
ripen all at once, and are fully ripe
when the Concord begins to color]
Worden, Brighton, Victoria (white),
Niagara (white). El Dorado. This
does not thrive everywhere, but the
grapes ripcn early-September 1, or
beforehand the quality is perfection
white. ~ Choice of P. j. Berckman, for
the latitude of Georgia: white grapes
Peter Wylie, Triumph, Maxatawny,
Scuppernong. Red grapes Delaware,
Berckman's, Brighton. Black-Con-
| cord, Ives"
| As / have over hundred varieties in
bearing may venture to express an
| opinion also. | confess that | am very
| fond of those old favorites of our faith
ers, the Isabella and Catawba. They
will not ripen everywhere in our. lati-
tude, yet 1 seldom fail to secure a good
crop. Last fall we voted the Isabella
almost unsurpassed. If one has warm,
well drained soil, or can train vine
near the south side of building,
| should advise the trial of this fine old
grape The Iona, Brighton, and Aga
wan are also favorites with me. We re-
gard the Diana, Wyoming, Red, Per-
kins, and Rogers hybrids, Lindley,
Wilder, and Armenia, as among the
best. The Rebecca, Duchess, Lady
Washington, and Purity are fine white
| grapes. | have not yet tested the Mia
CARA. Years ago / obtained of Mr..
James Ricketts,, the prize-taker for seed
| ling grapes, two vines of small wine
| grape called the Bacchus. To my taste
it is very pleasant after two OF three
slight frosts.
| Our list of varieties is long enough,
and one must be fastidious indeed who
does not find some to suit his taste. In
many localities the chief question is
| what kind can grow? In our favored
region on the Hudson almost all the
outdoor grapes will thrive, but as We
90 north the season becomes too COO
and short for some kinds, and proceed
ing south the summers arc too long and
hot for others. The salt air of the sea
coast is not conducive to vine culture,
and only the most. vigorous, like the
| Concord and Moore's Early, will resist
the mildew blight. We must therefore
do the best we can, and that will be
very well indeed in most localities.
Because our list of good grapes is al
ready so long, it does not follow thai
we have reached the limit of develop.
ment by any means. When we remem
Der that almost within a lifetime oul
fine varieties have been developed from
the wild northern Fox grape Vttis Ia
brusca), the Summer grape (EstivGlis)
Frost (cordifolid), we are led to thinB
that perhaps we have scarcely more
than crossed the stile which leads into
the path of progress. If should live te
keep up my little specimen vineyard ten
years longer, perhaps the greater par
of the varieties now cultivated will have
given place to others The delicious
Brighton requires no more space than 6
sour defective variety; while the proprie
tor starts with the best kinds he can OBJ
tain, he will find no restraint beyond
his own ignorance or carelessness thai
will prevent his replacing the Brighton
with variety twice as good when it is
developed. Thus vine-planting and
grape-tasting stretch away into an al
Turing and endless vista.-E. p Roe, IN
Harper's Aaga3i,e for May.
The Servant-GirI Problem.