Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-15
GRAPE VINES IN THE TROPICS.
Value of European Varieties-Experi'
ments in Ceylon.
ty13- dads. eSu

From the London Anglo Oriental Commerce.
In dealing with the cultivation of the
vine in the tropics the first matter of i'm
portance is to see that the time at which
the grape natures does not coincide with
the rainy season. Accordingly those grapes
have the best chance of bearing in trop-
ical climates which either come to ma
turity early or late. the period in any
event not exceeding some forty days. In
Cochin China experiments have been made
with a view to making wine from the
grapes of the wild vine. but the attempts
have been by no means successful as only
vinegar resulted. In fact no commercial
value has yet been obtained from these
plants-their grapes are only just edible
and the wine quite undrinkable. Success
full experiments have been carried out in
Ceylon with plants found in the island.
and also with vines imported from Tene-
rife, while in Java well-known varieties.
including the muscatel have been culti-
waited. In India. we understand that the
white muscadine and the white Portuguese
are best to be grown; the latter lasts some
time after maturity. but is slightly acid:
II Is packed in cotton wool and sent over
various parts of India. The black Ham
burg, which as grown is of dark mahog-
any color and not black. is also cultiva ted.
The varieties introduced into India from
Europe have been practically unsuccessful,
Dut the question Oh cultivation comes IN,
and it is believed that If the same care
were taken in France excellent results
might be obtained In Tongking table
grapes have been grown, the vines being
received from Burgundy, as we'll native
vines being used. while attempts have been
made with the best kinds of hot house
grown grapes. and with some success; but
this cannot be said of the attempts to graft
the Wits vinifera to the native vine of the
country. In Madagascar attempts We're car
ried out in the suburbs of Antananarivo.
and the following report was made by the
cultivator: There exists in the center of
the island a vine well suited to the coun-
try and bearing abundantiy. The punches
are close and of moderate size, and the
berry is black. The taste is strange. hav-
ing somewhat the favor of raspberries, and
disagreeable at first The wine made from
ii is undrinkable." In Jamaica the vine
knows as the Barbarossa is most easily
grown. The muscat of Alexandria is fer
tile, but somewhat difficult of cultivation,
and it is considered that most of the good
varieties will succeed there when properly
treated. In North America vine growing
has not succeeded.
In Demerara there are several unnamed
varieties cultivated. though hitherto. ow-
ing to unfavorable exposure and inferior
plants and cultivation, success has not
been great. In Brazil the most edible
grapes include the white muscat and other
well-known varieties: in fact. the proprietor
of one vineyard numbers among his vines
sixty-seven varieties of European and
eighteen Canadian, while excellent results
have been obtained from hybrids. The
conclusion to be drawn from these facts
appears to be that good European varieties
are almost all capable of being cultivated
in the tropics and will produce edible
grapes. Rational treatment has to be ex-
tended to them. however, and proper Guilt
vation The vines that seem to give the
most announcement for production are the
hybrids of the American vines, but in this
matter further experiments will have to
be made; in fact, much has to be learned
in the matter of climate and soil, hybridism
and grating