AMEKICAN WILD VINE. 135 



they are of a lilac hue; and those which grow entirely in the shade, are of a 

 transhicent white, sweet, and devoid of musk in their taste. Tiie fruit is earher 

 m ripening than that of the preceding variety, and when allowed to remain on 

 the vine until perfectly mature, ihe pulp nearly disappears. It is esteemed as a 

 table grape, and has also been manulacturod into an excellent wine. The origi- 

 nal vine is said to have been procured from the banks of tiie Catawba, and 

 planted in the garden of the late Mr. Schell, at Clarksburg, in Maryland, and 

 has been known to bear nearly eight bushels of fruit in a single season 



4. V. L. ELsiNBURGENsis, Priucc. Elsujiboroitgli Grape-vine. This variety is 

 noted for its sweet, juicy fruit, which is free from pulp, and musky taste. The 

 clusters are of a medium size, with loose berries of a blue colour, which are said 

 to make an agreeable wiue. Its foliage is of a pale-green, and resembles that of 

 the wine-bearing grape of Europe, more, perhaps, tban tbat of any other American 

 variety. It somewhat resembles the Isabella, in its bark and wood, but its fruit 

 is thought to assimilate more nearly to that of the Meunier, of France. The 

 original vine was found and brought under cultivation by Dr. Hulings, in Elsan- 

 borough, in New Jersey, where, midoubtedly, it was indigenous. 



Geography and History. The Vitis labrusca is found in sheltered situations 

 in woods and thickets, and sometimes near the margins of waters, from Canada 

 to Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. It was introduced into IJritain in 1656, by 

 John Tradescant, jun. ; but it can only be considered, in that country, as an 

 ornamental shrub. A plant, however, of the red-fruited variety, placed against 

 a wall with a western aspect, in the garden of the liondon Horticultural Society, 

 is said to ripen fruit every year, of an agreeable flavour. There are several vari- 

 eties of this species cultivated in North America, the most celebrated and exten- 

 sive of which, is the Vitis labrusca Isabella. As this variety is preferred, in the 

 middle and northern parts of the United States to all others, principally on 

 account of the quality and abundance of its fruit, its hardihood, and the facil- 

 ity with which it is propagated, we shall chieflj^ confine our remarks to its 

 culture, rather than to those of a less hardy nature. We would not by any 

 means discourage the propagation and amelioration of the other varieties, where- 

 ever the soil and climate are favourable to their growth and maturity : but on 

 the contrary, we would recommend a successive reproduction from seeds, by 

 grafting, or inoculation, and if possible, by hibridization ; and doubtless many 

 valuable varieties would be the result. 



The manufacture of wine from the American wild grape has long been a sub- 

 ject of contemplation, and many unsuccessful attempts were made by the early 

 settlers of the colonies ; but the want of success was not so much owing to the 

 qualities of the fruit, as in the requisite skill and care in making the wine. It 

 appears, however, by Holmes' "Annals," that, in the year 1769, the French 

 planters on the Illinois River, made upwards of one hundred hogsheads of strong 

 wine from the wild grapes of that country. Frequent mention is also made in 

 Dodsley's " London Annual Register," of wine being manufactured, in small 

 quantities, from the American grape, and in some instances, of a rich and 

 agreeable flavour. More recently, the Swiss and German settlers of the west, 

 especially in the valley of the Ohio, have turned their attention to this branch 

 of industry, and their labours have been crowned with considerable success. 

 Mr. Nicolas Longworth, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in a communication, published in 

 the "American Agriculturist." in December, 1812, says, "I have thirteen 

 vineyards, and more under way. The greatest yield is at the vineyard man- 

 aged by Mr. Motticr, who is well known as an intelligent, enterprising vine- 

 dresser. He made within a fraction of fifteen bund rod gallons. A part of the 

 vineyard that did not suflcr by rot, yielded six hundred gallons to the acre. 

 The next vineyard in its yield, is under the charge of Mr. Myers, an intelligent 



