Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-06-17
AMERICAN GRAPES.
The Different Kinds Adapted to tho vari
Gus Climates of the Union.

AMERICAN GRAPES.
The Different Kinds Adapted to tho vari-
Gus Climates of the Union.
| 1t ia said thai about two thousand
known and naTued varieties of grapes
have been and are being grown in Eu-
rope. and alt these are supposed to
have been developed from one species
! (Pais rinitera), which originally was
the wild product of nature, like those
growing in our thickcts and forests.
One can scarcely suppose this possible
when contemplating a cluster of To-
kay or some other highly developed
:ariety of the dollhouse. Yet the ma
tive vine. which began to "yield fruit
after his kind, the third day. (whatey-
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 tina.
the lone 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-
/ titic culture. In that cline, and when
the world was young, nature must
have been more beneticent than now.
II 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 (whGn not hanging so high
rs TO be souri,, 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 choice of varieties from native
species as they have abroad, and Us 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, e.
vira, Cynthiana. This is for the re-
zion of Missouri. For the Latitude of
New jersey, A. S. Fuller's selection:
Delaware, Concord. Moore's Early,
Antoinette (whitc), Augusta (white),
Goethe (amber)." f. s. Carman:
'.Mcorc'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 punches
large, the berries of the largest size.
They ripen all at once, and are fully
ripe when the Concord begins to cOlorl,
Worden, Brighton, Victoria (white),
Niagara (white), Ell Dorado. This
does not thrive everywhere, but the
grapes ripen early-September 1. or
beforehand the quality is perfection
white. !" Choice of 2. j. Berckman,
for the latitude of Georgia: white
grapes-Peter Wylie, Triumph, Maxa-
tawny, Scuppernong. Red grapes
Delaware, Berckman' 5, Brighton. Black
Concord, Ives"
As have over hundred varieties in
bearing l may venture to express az
opinion also. | confess that am very
fond of those old favOrites of our
fathers. the Isabella and Catawba.
They will not ripen everywhere in our
latitude, vet seldom fail to secure Il
good crop. Last fall we voted the Is;s-
bella 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 also are great favOrteS with me.
We regard the Diana, Wyoming Red,
Perkins and Rogers hybrids. Lindley,
Wilder and Armenia, as among the best
The Rcbecca, Duchess, Lady Washing
on aid Purity are fine white grapes
have not yet tested the Niagara.
Tears ago l obtained of Mr. James
the prize-taker for Seeding
grapes, two vines of Il small wine
rape called the Bacchus. To my taste
t is very pleasant after two or three
light frosts.
Because our list of good grapes is
lready so long, it does not follow that
We have reached the limit of develop
nent by any means. When we remem-
er that almost within a lifetime our
me varieties have been developed from
he wild Northern Fox grape (Eltis Ia
rusca), the Summer grape (@sticalis),
rost (cordifotia), we are led to think
nat perhaps we have scarcely more
nan crossed the stilc which leads into
ne path of progress. If should live
, keep up my little specimen vineyard
m years longer. perhaps the greater
art of the varieties now cultivated
ill have given place to others. The
Brighton requires no more
pace than a sour defective variety:
lille the proprietor starts with tho
est kind he can obtain, he will find no
,straint beyond his own ignorance or
that will prevent his re-
lacing the Brighton with variety
vice as good when it is developed.
hus vine-planting and grape-tasting
reich away into an alluring and end
IS vista.-E. Z. Roc, IN Harper's Mag
,ine.
A Great Telegraphing Feat.