FRUITS. 131 



HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND HAMPDEN. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



A few years since, the Hon. William Clark, of Northampton 

 (since deceased), presented a Concord grape-vine to each 

 and every family in the town. It would be pleasant to know 

 how many of these vines are alive to-day, and have produced 

 fruit for the planters. Judging from the quantities brought 

 into town from the West and South, we must infer that but 

 few yield anything. We venture to say not ten per cent, are 

 alive. Ten or twelve years have passed away, the vines are 

 dead and gone, and many of the planters of them have gone, 

 too. New planters have taken their places. The field is 

 open for our report. We say Northampton, but mean all the 

 county and territory that this society covers. 



The new man asks, "What kind shall I grow?" Our 

 answer would be, plant some kind to begin with. There is 

 no kind of an ordinary grape which cannot be made an article 

 of luxury in the common economy of a family. Pickles, 

 preserves, wines, vinegar and table fruit are all needed. In 

 Europe, even the twigs and buds are mashed, juice extracted 

 and made into vinegar. "Corn, wine and oil" symbolize 

 plenty, and no part of the grape is useless. Well-ripened 

 bunches never pall upon the appetite. 



We would further answer, plant several kinds. We know 

 we are treading upon the toes of epicures and exquisites in 

 grape-culture. It is not for them that we are reporting. 



For an agricultural society, the position we would take is, 

 get grapes of some kind, bring them to the fair, compare 

 them with those of your neighbors, and your taste will grow 

 with what it feeds Upon. Therefore, we recommend no one 

 kind. Were we to plant our garden anew, in its present 

 location and exposure, we should put out Northern Muscadine, 

 Dracut Amber, Hartford Prolific, Salem, Delaware, Concord, 

 Diana, and Crevelling, and, perhaps, be experimenting mean- 

 while with some others. If we had a very warm corner upon 

 the south-west side of a building, we might put down an 

 Isabella. If a family wants grapes for all the purposes which 

 we have heretofore named, one Concord vine won't answer. 



