THE DOMESTICATION OF THE GRAPE 15 



American species, and the viticulture of the world is thus largely 

 dependent on these grapes. 



The French found that a number of the Vulpina (Riparia) 

 grapes introduced for their roots were valuable as direct pro- 

 ducers for wines. The fruits of this species are too small and 

 too sour for dessert, but they are free from the disagreeable 

 tastes and aromas of some of our native grapes and, therefore, 

 make very good wines. The best known of the varieties of 

 this species is the Clinton, which is generally thought to have 

 originated in the yard of Dr. Noyes, of Hamilton College, 

 Clinton, New York, about 1820. It is, however, probably the 

 Worthington, of which the origin is unknown, renamed. There 

 are possibly a hundred or more grapes now under cultivation 

 wholly or in part from Vulpina, most of them hybrids with 

 the American Labrusca and the European Vinifera, with both 

 of which it hybridizes freely. 



Domesticated species of minor importance. 



In the preceding paragraphs we have seen that four species 

 of grapes constitute the foundation of American viticulture. 

 Nine other species furnish pure-bred varieties and many hybrids 

 with the four chief species or among themselves. These are 

 V. rupestris, V. Longii, V. Ckampinii, V. Mnnsoniana, V. 

 cordifolia, V. candicans, V. hicolor, V. monticola and V. Ber- 

 landieri. Several of these nine species are of value in the vine- 

 yard or for stocks upon which to graft other grapes. The 

 domestication of all of these is just begun, and each year sees 

 them more and more in use in the vineyards of the country. 



