Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-06-17
AMERICAN GRAPES.
The Different Kinds Adapted to the vari-
Gus Climates of the Union.

AMERlCAN GRAPES.
The Different Kinds Adapted to the vari-
GUS Climates of the Union.
1t is said that about two thousand |
known and named varieties of grapes
have been and are being grown in Eu.
rope, and all these are supposed to
have been developed from one species
| Wits vinJera), which originally was
the wild product of nature, like those
growing in our thickets and forests.
One can scarcely suppose this possible
when contemplating cluster of To
kay or some other highly developed
variety of the hot-house. Yet the ma.
tive vine, which began to "yield fruit
after his kind, the third day" (whatev-
er may have been the length of that
day., may have been, after all, good
starting-polnt in the process of devel-
opment. One can hardly believe that
the zone cluster of grapes" which the
burdened spies, returning from Pales
tine, bore "between two of them upon
a staff" was the result of high scien-
tific culture. In that cline, and when
the world was young, nature must
have been more beneticent than now.
1t is certain that no such cluster ever
hung from the native vines of this land
yet it is from our wild species, whose
fruit the Indians shared with the birds
and foxes (when not 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 planting 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 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 | will again give the
verdict of some of the authorities.
The choice of Hon. Norman j. Coz
man, Commissioner of Agriculture:
early Victor, Worden, Martha, Ell
vira, Cynthiana. This is for the re-
, gion of Missouri. For the latitude of
New Jersey, A. S. Fuller's selection:
delaware, Concord, Moore's Early,
! Antoinette (white), Augusta (white),
Goethe (amber)." E. S. Carman:
"Moore's Early [you can not praise
, this too much. The quality is merely
that of the Concord; but the vines are
/ marvels of perfect health, the lunches
large, the berries of the largest size.
, They ripen all at once, and are fully
t ripe when the Concord begins to color]
Worden, Brighton, Victoria (white),
r Niagara (white), Ell Dorado. This
, does not thrive everywhere, but the
, grapes ripen early-September l, or
! before the quality is perfection
| white. !" Choice of P. j. Berckman,
for the latitude of Georgia: "White
/ grapes-Peter Wylie, Triumph, Maxa-
: tawny, Scuppernong. Red grapes
+ Delaware, Berckman $, Brighton. Black
Concord, Ives"
As | have over hundred varieties in
bearing | may venture to express an
/ opinion also. l CONFESS that | am very
E fond of those old favorites of our
fathers, the Isabella and Catawba.
h They will not ripen everywhere in our
, latitude, yet seldom fail to secure a
good crop. Last fall we voted the Isa-
Y bella almost unsurpassed, If one has
a warm, well-drained soil, or can train a
o vine near the south side of a building,
;. | should advise the trial of this fine old
n grape. The Iona, Brighton and Aga
wan also are great favorites with me.
: We regard the Diana, Wyoming Red.
!, Perkins and Rogers hybrids, Lindley.
b Wilder and Armenia, as among the best,
;. The Rebecca, Duchess, Lady Washing
. ton ard Purity are fine white grapes.
% | have not yet tested the Niagara.
4 Years ago | obtained of Mr.. James
Ricketts,, the prize-taker for Seeding
grapes, two vines of small wine
. grape called the Bacchus. To my taste
7 it is very pleasant after two or three
: slight frosts.
. Because our list of good grapes is
\. already so long, it does not follow that
IL we have reached the limit of develop.
, ment by any means. When we remem-
II Der that almost within lifetime oui
u fine varieties have been developed from
the wild Northern Fox grape Outs Ia
l. brusca), the Summer grape (estiUdlis)
l. Frost (cordJolid), we are led to think
$ that perhaps we have scarcely more
l. than crossed the stile which leads into
IT the path of progress. If should live
II to keep up my little specimen vineyard
n ten years longer, perhaps the greater
, part of the varieties now cultivated
ie will have given place to others. Tn,
n delicious Brighton requires no NOR
n space than sour defective variety
lie while the proprietor starts with thu
e best kind he can obtain, he will find NJ
(, restraint beyond his own ignorance o.
"a carelessness that will prevent his re
lie placing the Brighton with variet,
twice as good when it is developed
l, Thus vine-planting and grape-tas.ins
ID stretch away into an alluring and end
er less vista.-E. P. Roe, in Harper's Mag
in dzine.