Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-29
GRAPES.
Useful Suggestions Respecting the Selee.
tion and Culture OF Grapes.

IL - ediu ln1b aDOul lNO tuOueduu
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
(Vitis Uiniferd), 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 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
"between two Of them upon staff, )"
was the result of high scientific culture.
In that cline, and when the world was
young, nature must have been more
benefcent 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 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-
ia, Cypthiana. 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 ut once, and are fully ripe
when the Concord begins to color,
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.1" Choice of P. j. Berckman, for
the latitude of Georgia: white grapes
Peter Wylie, Triumph, Maxatawny,
Scuppcrnong. Red grapes-Delaware,
Berckman's, Brighton. Black-Con-
cord, Ives"
As have over hundred varieties in
bearing may venture to express an
opinion also. / Iconfess 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 l seldom fail to secure 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 a 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,N, 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 Nias
CARA. Years ago l obtained of Mr.
James Ricketts,, the prize-taker for seed
ling grapes, two vines of q small wint
grape called the Bacchus. To my TASTE
it is very pleasant after two or thre'
slight frosts.
Our list of varieties is long enough
and one must be fastidious indeed wht
does rot find some to suit his taste. Ii
many localities the chief question il
what kind can growP In our favoret
region on the Hudson almost all tn
outdoor grapes will thrive, but as W
90 north the season becomes too COO
and short for some kinds, and proceed
ing south the summers are too long an
hot for others. The salt air of the sea
coast is not conducive to vine culture
and only the most vigorous, like tn
Concord and Moore's Early, will resis
the mildew blight. We must therefor
do the best we can, and that will b
very well indeed in most localities.
| Because our list of good grapes is a
ready SO long, it does not follow tha
we have reached the limit of develop
ment by any means. When we remen
ber that almost within q. lifetime ou
fine varieties have been developed fror
the wild northern Fox grape (Vitis ID
6r@sca), therSummer grape (gstiUaHs,
Frost (cordifoNG), we are led to thin
that perhaps we have scarcely MOI
than crossed the stile which leads int
the path of progress. If | should live
keep up my little specimen vineyard te
years longer, perhaps the greater pal
of the varieties now cultivated will hav
given place to others. The delicior
Brighton requires no more space than
sour defective variety; while the proprit
tor starts with the best kinds he can oil
tain, he will find no restraint beyon
his own ignorance or carelessness tn;
will prevent his replacing the Brighto
with variety twice as good when it
developed. Thus vine-planting an
grape-tasting stretch away into an a
i 4 H.. d. .