346 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



Shoot of Vitis labrusca, the Northern Fox Grape, the most Widely 

 Cultivated of our Native Grape. 



introduction of Rogers' hybrids. It was the golden era for nursery- 

 men. One of the grape propagators of that time tells of carrying, 

 during this boom, a thousand dollars' worth of plants on his back from 

 the nursery to the express office. It was the expectation of all that 

 we were to grow in America, in these hybrids, grapes but little inferior, 

 if at all, to those of Europe. 



A statement of the difference between European and American grapes 

 shows why American viticulturists are so eager to grow either pure- 

 breds from the foreign grape or hybrids with it. 



European grapes have a higher sugar and solid content than the 

 American species; they, therefore, make rather bettor wines, excepting 

 champagnes, and keep much longer after harvesting and can be made 

 into raisins. So, too, they have a greater variety of flavors, which are 

 more delicate, yet richer, with a pleasanter aroma, seldom so acid, and 

 are always lacking the disagreeable, rancid odor and taste, the "foxi- 

 ness," of many American varieties. There is, however, an unpleasant 

 astringency in some of the vinifera grapes and many varieties are with- 

 out character of flavor. American table grapes, on the other hand, are 

 more refreshing, the unfermented juice makes a pleasanter drink, all of 

 the grape juice of the markets being made from native grapes, and, 



