buds, causing them to appear as if bored. This insect was first (we
believe) described by David Thomas, in Silliman"'s Journal of Sci-
ence, and is also noticed in Harris' Treatise. The eggs are depos
ited early and soon change to a greenish, smooth worm, which preys
upon the tender leaf and young bunches. It is destroyed in this
state by syringing with tobacco-water or sifting lime over the vines
when wet with dew. The rose-bug {melolontha) occasionally attacks
the vines in great numbers, eating oflT the upper surface of the leaf
and causing the vinous fibres left to xook like a sieve. They are
best destroyed by spreading a cloth underneath and shaking the
vines in the cool of evening or near sun-set. They ^ill fall and may
then be burned. A few dollars expended in this way, we have
known to have saved the entire crop for the year, as well as prevent
their presence to any extent another season. The curculio some-
times attacks the grape, but thus far we have never heard of any
serious injury to the crop.
Mildew is rarely met with, when specific nutrition has been ap-
plied. It is easily checked by free sprinkling of powdered sulphur
over the vines and earth when wet with dew. It is a fungus attack-
USES — WINE-HOUSE.
241
ing the plant when not m perfect health. The rot, so much depreca-
ted by Vignerons, at Cincinnati, we regard as attributable to same
cause as mildew, viz : a want of consistent food for the perfection of
the fruit. Some, we notice, consider it attributable to too late and
clean cultivation ; and as late cultivation only tends to late growth, and
formation of new leaves to exhaustion of what is required for per-
fection of those already formed, the theory is good, so far as it
goes ; and possibly in soils greatly deficient in the constituents to
perfect the grape, it may in a measure be the cause ; but in soils
well supplied with the required food, late cultivation would only
cause the bursting of new buds and continuance of growth.
Uses. — Universally esteemed when well ripened, as a dessert fruit,
the grape is also highly valued by many physicians, as in its free use
tending to health and the prevention of rheumatic affections of the
human system. For culinary use, and for making of preserves, they
are sought for, both in a green and ripened state. Carefully gath-
ered when ripe, laid in heaps for a few days on the floor of a cool,
dry room, then spread out for one or two days, and packed in shal-
low boxes with layers of cotton batting at bottom and interme-
diate between layers of fruit, as well as between bunches, they may
be placed in a cool room and kept fresh throughout most of the
winter. Last, though not least, made into wine, a sketch of the de-
tails of which, with cuts illustrative of plan of a wine house and
press, we extract from the "Western Horticultural Review :"
A. — Door opening to the vineyard
brought into the wine house.
B. — Back door of wine house.
C. — Front door of wine house.
11
by which the grapes are
242
THE GRAPE.
J), — Opening through which the stems are thrown from the ma-
chine.
E. — Tables for picking over and assorting the fruit previous to
being stemmed.
i^.— Stemming and crushing apparatus.
G, — Large press, capacity of one hundred bushels.
/7.— Small press, capacity of forty bushels.
L. — Door opening into the basement.
Signs of Ripeness of Grapes. — The stem of the grape should he
of a brown color. The cuticle of the berry must be clear and
transparent. The berries should separate easily from the stems.
The seed must be of brown color. The juice must be sweet and
jrticky.
Do not cut the grapes early in the morning with the dew on, nor
during rainy weather, nor shortly after rain.
Gathering.— The grapes, when fully ripe, are gathered in baskets
containing about one bushel, as well as in a sort of " pannier " of
wood, made very light and strong, and which is supported by straps,
or thongs of willow, on the back of the gatherer.
Picking. — This consists in removing by hand, all green, shriveled
or decayed grapes, which are thrown into tubs or barrels and
pressed separately, to make a common wine or vinegar. The finest
grapes are carried thence to the stemmmg apparatus where they un-
dergo another operation.
Stemming. — Consists in separating the berries from the stem ; it
is done in F. (of the ground plan) by means of the apparatus of
which a cut is appended.
The grapes are thrown on
the wire sieve M.., which is
open enough to allow the
berries to pass, but retains
the stems ; a little plank P.,
is held in an inclined position,
to which a backward and for-
ward movement is given,
so as to force the berries
through the sieve, and re-
move out of the way all the
stems as they are stript.
Mashing. — After passing
through the stemming pro-
cess, the grapes fall into a
wooden mill, consisting of two rollers ridged obliquely, to one oi
VARIETIJ^-S.
243
which is attached a set of screws, by which their distance from each
other nvd\ he graduated to the proper degree ; it being desirable
that every grape should be crushed, but that the seed should not be
broken.
The rollers are turned by hand ; the foregoing cut exhibits in R.
R. a section of these rollers, and that which follows shows two men,
one stemming, the other mashing the grapes. From the rollers, the
grape (being entirely separa-
ted fro ill the stem, and thor-
oughly mashed) passes into
the press, when the first oper-
ation of separating the juice is
performed. The wine passes
from the bed of the press by
means of a conductor, into the
basement, from whence it is
conveyed into casks containing
260 gallons each; these, though
by no means so large a size as
used by some wine manufactur-
ers, are of very convenient ca-
pacity for ordinary crops. The
first fermentation takes place
immediately, and at the end of six or eight weeks the wine becomes
perfectly clear, or, w^hat is technic»lly termed, " fine ;" a second fer-
mentation takes place in the spring, about the period of the bloom-
ing of the grape. The wine should not be bottled until it is at least
one year old, though it is frequently bottled for immediate use, just
previous to the second fermentation ; this may be done with safety,
if the bottles can be kept in a very cool place.
BURRIDGE Cloj-
VARIETIES.
Over one hundred varieties of our native Grapes have been noticed
by Prince, in his " Treatise on Grapes ;" but as few are worthy cul-
tivation, therefore of no practical benefit, we have confined our de-
scriptions to those most known and meritorious.
iDA.
For the following account and description of this new grape, we are in-
debted to the originator, Dr. Valk, of Flushing, L. I., who produced it
in 1845. from a cross of the Isabella and B. Hamburgh : " First fruit-
ed in 1850. The vine is oi strong and vlgomiis growth, frecpienlly mak-
ing sbaots of 1 2 and 18 feet in a season. The shoots become partially
brown as the w^ood ripens, and wh(jlly so when it is quite ripe. The
joints are about six inches from eye to eye, and the leaf large and
244 THE GEAPE.
hands Dine. The vine fruits freely. The bunches are usually large,
verv compact, the berries crowding against each other. On some
bunches they will occasionally hang loose. In color, they are very
dark ; when ripe, almost black, and of large size ; the flavor, sweet
and vinous, vcTy juicy ; the skin, thin and slightly acid and astringent.
The bunches will average a pound weight at maturity. The vine
requires and deserves careful cultivation in a rich and proper soil, to
do it justice ; it is perfectly hardy. A southern aspect suits it best,
and a net tacked over it in winter, not to protect it from the frosty bat
from the sun.^''
Bland.
Bland's Virginia, [ Powell,
Bland's Madeira, | Bland's Pale Red.
Found on the eastern shore of Virginia by Col. Bland. It is not of
value north of Philadelphia, on account of not often ripening, and is
by ra;iny discarded from its habit of only bearing moderately. In
1820, it* was well grown and ripened in New Haven, Conn., on sandy
soil ;'and in 1828, sent to Northern Ohio by Geo. Hoadley, E^q.
As a table grape, in latitude where it will ripen, it is of the best.
-Foliage, a light shade of green, smooth; propagated by layers;
hunches, long, loose ; berries, round, on long stalks or pedicels ; skin^
pale red, thin ; iiesh, slightly pulpy, slightly astringent, but of pleas-
ant, delicate flavor. Late in ripening, and valuable for packing
away for winter use.
• Catawba.
Red Money, | Catawba Tokay,
Lebanon Seedling, | Singlelon,
Arkansas.
Through Dr. S. Mosher, of Cincinnati, Dr. Solomon Beach is said
to have found this variety, in the summer of 1821, growhig wild in
Buncombe Co., North Carolina, on the border of the Catawba river.
We have found this to ripen equally as well, and as far north as the
Isabella, when correctly pruned and grown in dry or well drained
soil. It is esteemed b<1ih for dessert and wine use. In growth and
foliage, it resembles Isabella, except that the wood is darker color,
shorter jointed, and more round, and, at base of every leaf, there is
a white downy spot.
Bunches, medium size, shouldered ; berries, nearly round, large,
pale red, becoming deeper when fully ripened in good soil, and cov-
ered with a lilac bloom ; flesh, slightly pulpy, sweet, juicy, with a
rich aromatic, musky flavor.
Too often gathered when only just turned in color, and then sour
and unpalatable ; hence the impression of many that they are not
equal to Isabella.
THE AMERICAN GRAPE. 245
Pond's Seedling, To-Kalon, Clermont, White Catawba, and Zane,
are sub-varieties of the Catawba, but not equalling it. The " Mam-
moth Catawba " is also a sub, which, under high culture, surpasses
the original only in size.
Clinton.
Worthington.
This variety is claimed ta have its origm in Western New York,
but we have seen vines takei: from the woods in Northern Ohio that
so closely resemble, in both leaf, wood, and fruit, that grown under
this name, as to make us doubt its coming from the origin stated.
It is not a strong grower, although perfectly hardy, and suited to
border planting three feet apart, and stake training not exceeding
four feet high, in gardens. Its greatest recommendation is that it
ripens some ten days or two weeks earlier than Isabella, and, there-
fore, suited to higher or more northern latitudes.
Foliage^ small ; wood^ short jointed ; hunches^ medium or small,
not shouldered, compact ; berries^ nearly round, small, black, thin
blue bloom, pulpy, juicy, with a harsh flavor ; productive.
Diana.
"This," says Mr. Downing, "is a seedling from the Catawba,
grown by Mrs. Diana Crehore, near Boston, Mass." It is smaller
size than its parent, but has the character of maturing its fruit two
weeks earlier. It is yet comparatively new, and, although stated to
have surpassed its parent, when grown at Mobile*, at Cincinnati it
has not equaled the Catawba.
Bunches, below medium size, compact ; berries, round, delicate
pale red ; flesh, juicy, sweet, little pulp, rich, and slightly resem-
bling Catawba in flavor.
Elsinburgh.
Elsinboro, | Hsinborough ,
Smart's Elingburgh.
The spelling of this name is matter of some difl*erence in opinion
among horticulturists, but the manner we adopt, being that of all
previous writers, we choose to continue it. The variety is said to
have come from a village in Salem Co., N. J. It is a nice little
grape, suited for the dessert, and for growing on trellises in gardens.
A moderate, regular bearer, ripening a little before or with Isabella.
Wood, slender, long jointed ; leaves, five iobed ; buiiches, medium,
loose, shouldered ; berries, small, round, thin skin, black, covered
with blue bloom ; flesh, without pulp, melting, sweet ; " best."
246 THE GRAPE.
Herbemont.
Herbemont's Madeira
The origin of this is yet in doubt ; some claiming it same as Le-
noir, and a native ; others claiming it as a French variety. Its hardy
character and resemblance in foliage to the River grapes, however,
seem rather to favor its being a seedling of our States. In fruit, it
does not differ from the Lenoir, but in wood, N. Longworth says, it
is quite distmct.
Only moderately vigorous ; wood^ dark color ; terminal leaves,
red or brownish; hunches^ larg-e, compact, shouldered ; berries, small,
round ; sMn, thin, purple, slight bloom ; flesh, tender, without pulp,
sweet, excellent, juicy, vuious, valued for dessert, and yields a wine
like Spanish Manzanella.
Isabella.
This variety has, thus far, been stated to have originated in South
Carolina, to have been taken thence to a garden in Brooklyn, N. Y.,
and there given to William Prince, who propagated, distributed, and
named it after Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, who then, 1816, owned the gar-
den. On the authority of Lewis F. Allen, it was grown several
years previous at Norwich, Connecticut, as the " Vernet Grape," and
claimed to have been brought from one of the French West India
Islands. Other authority places it as a common variety of Spain,
and imported by a Mr. Laspeyre, who cultivated and sold it as
'• Laspeyre Grape " in 1810. Geo. Hoadley, Esq., states that in 1824
it was growing in Elizabethtown, N. J., where it was said to have
been brought 30 years previous, from South Carolina or Georgia.
We incline to belief of its being a native ; its hardihood, habit,
and ciiaracter, all tending that way ; but, come from whence it may,
its vigorous habit and productiveness will ever render it a favorite.
As a wine grape, it is not esteemed. Bunches, large, rather loose,
shouldered ; berries, oval, large, dark purple, when fully ripe nearly
black, covered with a blue bloom ; fiesh, tender, with some pulp,
which lessens as it ripens, juicy, sweet, rich, with slight musky aro-
ma.
Hvde's Eliza, Troy Grape, Pennsylvania, Marion, Sherman, Chil-
licothe Seedling, and Lee's, are all sub-varieties ; not equal to the
original.
Lenoir.
Sumpter ? | Clarence ?
This differs from the Herbemont only in being of " more vngorous
growth, wood, light colored, with a light blue cast; terminal leaves,
green." So says N. Longworth. All we have ever been able to
obtain have the character of Herbemont.
THE AMERICAN GRAPE. 247
Imitation Hamburg.
A native variety we have not seen. Its fruit is said to be " largo,
dark purple, or as large, skin, as thin, pulp, as soft and juicy, but
of inferior aroma and flavor to the Black Hamburg." Origin uu-
known.
Missouri.
Missouri Seedling.
Said to be a native of Missouri : it is of slow growth, short jointed,
and, like the Clinton, suited to border culture in gardens. From it
a wine is made resembling Madeira.
Leaves, deeply cut, tri-lobed ; bunches, below medium, loose ; ber-
ries, small, round ; skin, thin, almost black, very little bloom ; Jlesh^
tender, little pulp, sweet, and pleasant ; " very good."
Norton's Virginia.
Norton's Seedling.
A native, unworthy culture. Bunches, long, little shouldered,
compact ; berries, small round, dark purple, pulpy, harsh.
Ohio.
Longwortli'c Oliio, | Segar Box.
The original of the vines now; known under this name were some
cuttings left in a segar box at the residence of N. Longworth, Esq,
Cincinnati, during his absence from home. Its true origin is yet in
doubt. North of Cincinnati it does not succeed, and wherever plant-
ed should have long range on a trellis. Only valued for table use.
Bunches, large, loose, shouldered ; berries, small, round, nearly
black, blue bloom ; ^/lesh, without pulp, sweet. Only suited to the
amateur.
Schuylkill.
Schuylkill Muscadel, | Muscadine,
AlcxiuidfT, j Cape Grape,
Sprinir Mill Constantia, | Clifton's Constantia,
Madeira, of Forfc, Pa., | Tasker's Grape,
Winne.
From the banks of the Schuylkill, Pa. Its value is only as whie
grape, and for that, not equal to Catawba. We have found it exten-
sively distributed North and West as the Isabella. As the leaves
are much more downy, it is easily detected in foliage, and the
bunches being not shouldered, while the Isabella is always shouldered.
Berries, often large, roundish, oval, thick skin, quite black ; Jlesh,
firm pulp, juicy, musky, often harsh.
248 THE GRAPE.
SCUPPERNONG.
Fox Grape, of tJie South, I American Muscadine, of the South,
Bull or Bullet, " | Roanoke, "
A distinct southern species, vitis vulpina, too tender for the north,
highly esteemed throughout the entire southern States, where it is
much grown as a wine grape in vineyards, and is found wild from
Yii'ginia to Florida.
Species, dioecious ; leaves, small, roundish, coarsely serrated, glos-
sy on both sides ; young shoots slender, old wood smooth. The
White and Black varieties differ only in the color of fruit, the White
being liojht green, and the Black, dark red, with tendrils of vine cor-
responding with color of fruit.
Bunches, small, loose ; berries, round, large ; sJcin, thick ; fleshy
pulpy, juicy, sweet, with a strong musky scent.
Minor's Seedling, Shurtleff's Seedling, and some others are culti-
vated in localities, but their good qualities seem destined to remain
in circumscribed limits, not having yet been seen, when cultivated
away from their first friends
From the ad-interim reports of the Pennsylvania Hort. Society we
copy the following accounts of two new seedlings :
From William Canhy, Wilmington, Delaware : — A Seedling
Grape. Bunch, four and a half inches long, by two and three-quar-
ters broad, so compact as frequently to destroy the rotundity of the
berry ; berry, from seven-sixteenths to nine-sixteenths of an inch in
diameter ; roundish, inclining to oval ; skin, of a violet color, thickly
covered with bloom, and semi-diaphanous ; seed, small, dark cinna-
mon ; flesh, tender, very juicy, not pulpy ; flavor, sweet and pleasant ;
quality " best " for a grape that will grow in open culture. Leaf^
trilobed, but not deeply, interruptedly serrulate, auriculate.
From Gerhard Schmitz : — A Seedling Grape. Large ; oval ; pur-
ple ; bunches, loose, large ; resembles the Isabella in ap]>earance and
flavor ; quite equal to it in quality, and perhaps a little earlier.
THE FOREiaN QRAPE.
Vitis vinifera, L, Vitacea of Botanists.
Frorr. the earliest record of foreign lands, the vine has ever been
held in high esteem ; its fruit valued for the dessert as well as for the
making of wine, and itself held as symbolic of happiness and plenty.
" The pages of Scripture abound with allusions to the fertility of the
vine, as emblematical of prosperity." To trace its introduction and en-
tire history up to this date would occupy more room than the limits of
our present work will admit : we shall therefore content ourself by
saying that the original type of the vitis vinifera came from Persia ;'
that it was probably cultivated in Britain not many years after the
commencement of the Christian era; that the varieties native of
Britain and America, are quite distinct : that those native of Britain
are not edible, while those of our own land embrace a number of
edible species. The success of the Foreign varieties, so fir as tried
north of 34° of latitude, has not been satisfactory, few or no varie-
ties withstanding the extremes of our climate, without protection.
Between 1760 and 1770, Lord Sterling imported large numbers of
foreign grapes into New Jersey, with a view to wine. The experi-
ment failed, as have those ofLongworth, and others since.
Of the longevity of the vine, records are made giving it existence
from six hundred years down, with immense length of vine, and
stems six feet aroulid, or sufficient to afford the cutting out of planks
fifteen inches broad.
Propagation. — The same practices as noted under head of American
Grapes are applicable here, but that most generally pursued in prop-
agating esteemed varieties of the foreign
grape is by eyes, as represented in adjoining
figure. This is done by selecting a strong
bud and cutting it off from the remainder of
the branch, at about two inches above and
below, and planting it in a pot covered
about half an inch deep with light loamy
soil, then plunging the pot in a hotbed. By
this means every bud on a shoot can be
formed into a plant.
Outdoor Culture. — In sheltered locations, warm yards, in cities,
(249)
250 THE GRAPE.
&;c., such varieties as the Black Prince, Tramlner and Royal Muscadine,
may be grown in the open air by bending down the vines in the
month of November, and covering them with tan-bark, or other
mulch, and raising them again to their position in April. Free sup-
ply of wood ashes and soap-suds will be found requisite to hasten
their growth and maturity of fruit, as well as prevent mildew.*
Cold Houses. — By this term is meant an enclosed structure of
wood or brick, with a sloping roof covered with glass. These struc-
tures as made at the east, and by a few wealthy men at the west, and
represented in the Horticultural journals of the day, are too expen-
sive to make the growing of the better foreign grapes general at the
west. But expensive structures are not necessary ; many a man at
the west has a south side of a building unoccupied ; this may serve
as the back of his cold-house, by setting up pieces of four inch scant-
ling against the building, nailing boards to it and filling in between
with tan-bark, saw-dust, or fine charcoal, he has the back; now, four
inch square posts rising four feet from the ground, at a distance of say
fourteen feet from the back, boarded on each side, and filled in
same as the back, make the front wall ; leaving, however, two spaces
six feet from either end, of about two feet square, for hanging
shutters. Now the back w^all being ten feet high, the ends are to be
made in same way as the front, giving, of course, the ^ope from
back to front, and leaving out at one end space for a door-way, and
at the highest point of sides near the back at each end, a space for
swinging shutters of say two feet square ; these opened will give ven-
tilation, in connection wiUi those in the front wall. This done, a
joiner will be required to fit on a plate of two inch plank all around,
and fit in rafters and sash ; the sash should be the entire length of
width of house ; styles four inch wide by one and a half thick, bars
one inch wide beveled to half inch on the under side, the upper
style or head piece six inches wide, the lower one fourteen inches ;
the rafters should be placed so that sash cannot be over forty-two
inches wide, or sufficient for five lights wide of six inch glass. When
the location of such house is not in a very cold climate, or where the
thermometer rarely falls below zero, .cotton cloth dipped in boiled
oil and varnished will answer a very good purpose ; but, perhaps in
the end not be as cheap, as its durability will only be about two
years. Those who wish for more expensive houses, we advice to pur
* Geo.Hoadley, Esq., says, that in 1820 to 1830 there was growing in the garden
where he then resided, in New Haven, Conn., many white grapes, received from
David Deforest, as White Sweet-Water, which never mildewed. This garden
was sixty or seventy rods from the harbor, (or salt water.) The prevalent
winds were from the harbor, in summer, and in storms the shrubbery not unfrc-
q'leutly covered with spray.
VINE BORDERS, — PLANTING AND TRAINING. 251
chase "Allen's Treatise on the Grape," or if possible, visit the grape
house of Wm. Resor, Esq., of Cincinnati.
Vine Borders. — Upon the formation of vine borders for cold, aa
well as forcing houses, more has been written and published than one
person could read at rate of ten hours a day, in one entire month.
Some advise the formation of the border all outside, while others
prefer inside. Our advice is, let the border embrace a width three
feet inside the front wall and six feet outside, making a border nine
feet wide ; if sandy ground, no care will be required to form a
drainage ; but if on clayey, retentive soil, dig out all the earth three
feet deep, form a drain in center at bottom, leading away from the
house, prepare fresh virgin earth or turf from old pastures or woods,
and mix well rotted barn-yard manure in about equal quantities, or
perhaps a little most of the soil, add to this one tenth in quantity
each of gypsum, (plaster of Paris,) and ground bones, and one sixth
of wood ashes ; let it be well mixed before putting in the border.
Parings of horses' hoofs, and cinders from a blacksmith's shop, street
scrapings, leather paring, old rags, bones, etc., are all used and all