Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-06-02
AMERICAN GRAPGS.
The Different Kinds Adapted to the VAR
Gus EliInRfas Of The IIninn

Ine Ol1erent Atnds Adapted to the VGK.~
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
(Vitis Ui'aiferG), which originally was
the wild product of nature, like those
growing in our thickets and forests.
One can scarcely suppose this possibl
when contemplating a cluster of To-
kay or some other highly developed
variety 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, a good
starting-polnt in the process of deyel-
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
q staff, y" was the result of high scien-
titic culture. In that cline, and when
the world was young, nature must
have been more beneficent 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 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. Col
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 selections
Delaware, Concord, Moore's Early,
Antoinette (white), Augusta (white),
Goethe (amber)." E. S. Carman:
''Moore's Early Tyou 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.
,,,o oil I 6,
ripe when the Concord begins to color,
Worden, Brighton, Victoria (white),
Niagara (white), Eel Dorado. This
does not thrive everywhere, but the
grapes ripen 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, Maxa-
tawny, Scuppernong. Red grapes
Delaware, Berckman's, Brighton. Black
Concord, Ives"
AS | have over hundred varieties in
bearing l may venture to express an
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, yet seldom fail to secure a
good crop. Last fall we voted the Isa-
bella almost unsurpassed If one has
warm, well-drained soil, or can train a
vine near the south side of building,
l should advise the trial of this fine old
grape. The Iona, Brighton and Aga
wan also are great favorites with me-
We regard the Diana, Wyoming Red
Perkins and Rogers hybrids, Lindley,
Wilder and Armenia, as among the best.
The Rebecca, Duchess, Lady Washing
ton and Purity are fine white grapes.
/ have not yet tested the Niagara.
Years ago | obtained of Mr.. James
Ricketts,, the prize-taker for Seeding
grapes, two vines of a small wine
grape called the Bacchus. To my taste
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
we have reached the limit of develop
ment by any means. When we remem-
Der that almost within a lifetime our
fine varieties have been developed from
the wild Northern Fox grape (Vitis l0-
brusca), the Summer grape (@stivaHs),
Frost (cordtfo1iG), we are led to think
InaG perhaps we nave scarcely more
than crossed the stile which leads into
the path of progress. If [ should live
to keep up my little specimen vineyard
ten years longer, perhaps the greater
part of the varieties now cultivated
will have given place to others. The
delicious Brighton requires no more
space than a sour defective variety;
while the proprietor. starts with the
best kind he can obtain, he will find no
restraint beyond his own ignorance or
carelessness that will prevent his re-
placing the Brighton with a variety
twice as good when it is developed.
Thus vine-planting and grape-tasting
stretch away into an alluring and end
less vista. p. Rec, IN Harper's Mag
Gzi7ae.