420 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



established reputation throughout the country, and though perhaps the 

 grape industry of our State is not as extensive as it is in some other 

 sections, in the quality of our products, especially our wines, we stand" 

 second to no other, neither the Golden State on the Pacific nor the 

 Empire and Buckeye States in the East. 



It is now some forty or fifty years ago that grape culture on any 

 extensive scale was first attempted in Missouri by the German settlers 

 on the banks of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The success 

 which crowned the first attempts of these pioneers, especially around 

 the town of Hermann, quickly encouraged others to follow, and grape 

 culture soon assumed quite an important role in the industries of our 

 State. At first the old Catawba and Isabella, together with a small 

 proportion of Norton's Virginia, supplied the bulk of the vines planted 

 here, until with the introduction of the Concord, a new impetus was 

 given to grape culture, and vineyards sprang up all over the State. In. 

 those days the dreaded grape diseases (rot and mildew) were almost 

 unknown, and grape culture seemed not only to be one of the most 

 profitable, but also one of the safest and most reliable pursuits. For 

 some years this proved really the case, but alas, that did not continue 

 so. By the advent of the black rot and mildew, grape culture in Mis- 

 souri, in common with grape culture throughout the largest portion of 

 our country, received a severe check. The old Isabella and Catawba, 

 were the first to fail, and even the Concord after a few years proved 

 unreliable over a great extent of territory, and many vineyardists who- 

 had staked all their hopes, their labor and expense on these varieties 

 became discouraged and abandoned their vineyards or gave them over 

 to other cultures. Not so, however, those who were fortunate enough 

 to have planted the Norton's Virginia, cr other varieties less subject 

 to the attacks of fungoid diseases. Their vineyards continued to 

 flourish and yield remunerative returns. More attention was neces- 

 sarily given to such varieties and kinds as Cynthiana and Ives. Per- 

 kins gained more prominence. New varieties originated in Missouri,, 

 were introduced, notable among them the Elvira, Missouri Riesling,. 

 Etta, and Montefiore, which succeeded well, and have given a new 

 courage to many of our grape growers. Some of the varieties named may 

 not be what we would call first-class table grapes, but they are reason- 

 ably reliable, produce good crops, and their fruit finds ready disposal 

 in the markets for canning, cooking or preserving, or through the 

 presses of the wine cellars. 



What is the most encouraging and most important, however, ap- 

 plies not only to Missouri, but to American grape culture throughout 

 the country, is the well founded hope that the grape may soon have 



