The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-05
WONDERFUL GRAPES.
They Were Found mt Key West by
Capt. A. II. Simmons
From the Florida East Coast Home

tApt. ~ ~ simmons.
From the Florida East Coast Home
seeker
week or two since Capt. A. r
Simmons. the celebrated guava wine.
jelly and marmalade manufacturer, of
Cocoanut Grove, arrived from Kew
West where he had been spending a
few days among friends. He came hur-
rying down the street with his carriage
loaded with sundry green houghs.
frultsc, etc, which he had gathered at
Key West and neighboring islands.
When half a block away he caught
sight of us and began to shout, BLACK
man, here, 1 have got something to
show you; something at least you will
appreciate" On hating his carriage
there lay beside him great. luscious
punches of grapes. Such grapes 1 had
never seen-in size like two quart
measures, so compact that it seemed
that each grape had inseparably grown
together. There were three distinct va
rieties, different in texture, size, and
color. One was nearly a white fruit
and perfectly seedless. One of the 9TH
ers was reddish purple with a whit
lsh green side. The other was what
would be called red grape, but is un-
like any We have ever seen before AS
we looked upon these monstrous Gins
tiers we asked him if his name was
either Caleb or Joshua, and if he had
been alone spying out the land. and
round the punches of grapes of Bibli-
cal fame. He replied: mo. sir; / am
plain Capt Simmons, and | believe 7
have discovered one of the greatest
possibilities in fruit culture for this
country that has ever been discov-
cred. BY this time a large number Of
people had gathered, all anxious to see
the wonderful grapes and hear the can
tain's story. While in Key West he
was invited to dine with a friend. On
the table was an immense platter Of
grapes. the punches larger than he had
ever seem The captain has an eagle
eye Tor something new, especially if
that something new is good for food
he asked his host where he found such
frult as that. His host replied. WHY.
SIT, we are accustomed to such fruit
as That In my back yard | have a
vine that has been bearing for at least
forty years. 1t is no extraordinary oc-
currence to find lunches weighing ten
pounds each. The vine is a heavy hear
err Pointing to another bunch. he said
Ihat is different variety-a sport, I
Judge. 1t is Seedless."
The captain gave the cranes on tho
table most careful Investigation
from a connoisseurs standpoint, pro-
nounclng them the finest cranes he
mad ever tasted. After the meal was
over. he. with his host, repaired TO
the rear of the house to see these
wonderful vines. His surprise now
was greater than when he first saw
the fruit The vines had been left
growing all the years without prun-
ing. They had overrun the large fruit
trees, covered the back of the house
and other buildings, and everywhere
hung these immense punches in all
stages of maturity THE white
grape, said his host, lis the most ne
cullar of all. 1t bears three full crops
each year Although the punches are
not as large as the other, yet take
It the year through, it bears more fruit
than the other vine" We believe this
the best grape that has been discov-
cred that bears more than one crop
per year. Later Capt. Simmons made
a careful investigation of all the gar
dens in Key West where grapes are
grown. He was so impressed with
the value of these grapes not ONLY for
nome use, but for commercial uses.
that he Immediately set to work and
purchased all the wood and young
vines on the island and next season
will plant them on his place at Co
coanut Grove. The fruit from these
vines he has sent to the Agricultural
Bureau, at Washington, to have them
passed upon by the department ex-
perts. He secured affidavits as to the
age of the vines. their wonderful pow
ers for continuous bearing. and their
entire absence from disease. 1t now
looks as though the willy captain had
secured a corner on grapes that are
especially adapted to this Southern
section and varieties that mature
their fruit at a season of the year
when there are no fresh grapes in
the markets of this country. beside
having one variety which bears three
regular crops each of fruit perfectly
free from seed. While the captain
was shouting happy over the passage
of the river and harbor bill. which
means so much to the jewellers of
lower Dade, yet over his fortunate
grape discovery he was simply wild.
The report from Washington will he
of great interest to all, and the cap
tain's propagating fields will be a
source of great interest