Natice Grapes of the United States. 131 



far up ill Canada, and came in from the Atlantic on the east, up the then 

 broad, long gulf now contracted into the St. Lawrence, and having no moun- 

 tains to climb, spread from there westward and southward, stocking the entire 

 basin with the Kiparia blood, which since has run into vai ions tribes ; Riparia, 

 the main stem, all northward from the Ozarks; in these, the Rupestris, and 

 westward Nuevo Mexicana and Arizonica. Later, the southern rim caught 

 new importations from the warmer southern seas, in the direction of the 

 Caribbees, lauding the Cordifolia, yEstivalis and Cinerea, from Virginia ta 

 Texas, which, in time, spread into New York, Ohio, Illinois and Northern 

 Missouri, and southward, more recently, to the Gulf. 



As time went on, and the constantly diminishing Gulf continued to add 

 the hundreds of miles of illimitable natural wealth — now the Southern 

 States— to the south side of the Ozark rim, she forgot not to waft still other 

 grapes (which had already specifically developed), to these shores from the 

 center of origin, the Caribbee Islands, or, much more probably, from a con- 

 tinent eastward of the Caribbees in the Athuitic Ocean, dropping the Mus- 

 cadine or Scuppernong of the South, all along the coast from Mexico to 

 Maryland, the Labrusca on the eastern coast from Maine to Georgia, the 

 Mustang (Candicans) on the coast of Mexico and Texas, then far inland, and 

 Caribbea, quite recently in Florida. 



Geology, i)ala'ontology, archaeology, the natural distribution of plants and 

 animals, and the results of recent deep sea dredgings, all clearly point to such 

 a continent in the misty past, and this reminds us of the legendary "Atlan- 

 tis" of Plato, as still existing there some twelve thousand years ago, and 

 which in one awful diiy and night of earthquake convulsion, sank deep be- 

 neath old Ocean. (See Donnelly's "Atlantis," Harper Bros., 1SS2.) Be that 

 as it may, the species of grapes in the United States came in succession, first 

 in the North, showing their time of residence by the extent of their spread, 

 while the later came in the South and around the coast, having less distribu- 

 tion. 



Now you can comprehend why I propose a different order among the spe- 

 cies from that of Dr. Engelmann, and can easily see the importance of my 

 second remon, adnptabllitu ; hence I offer the following: 



Classification of the Native Grapes of the United States, According to their Natural 

 Affinities and Distribution (including Vinifera for comparison). 



1. Riparian Group. 



Earliest to leave out, bloom and ripen. Have very thin diaphragms in the 

 joints. Grow with ease from cuttings. Roots wiry, penetrating and per- 

 fectly resistant. Plant endures all manner of hardships well. Cluster 

 and berry small to medium. Fruit in quality good to excellent, possess- 

 ing rare wine properties. 



(a) Riparia (Riverside Grape). 

 Extends from Labrador to Texas, from Virginia to Montana. Leaves 

 with coarse, long, sharp teeth, smooth or slightly pubescent; wood gray. 



