THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 3 



Nor exercise thy rage on new-born life; 

 But let thy hand supply the pruning knife, 

 And crop luxuriant stragglers, nor be loth 

 To strip the branches of their leafy growth. 

 But when the rooted vines with steady hold 

 Can clasp their elms, then, husbandman, be bold 

 To lop the disobedient boughs, that strayed 

 Beyond their ranks; let crooked steel invade 

 The lawless troops, which discipline disclaim. 

 And their surperfluous growth with rigor tame." 



The history of the development of the vine from Vergil's time through 

 the early centuries of the Christian Era and of the Middle Ages to our own 

 day, is largely the history of agriculture in the southern European countries; 

 for the vine during this period has been the chief cultivated plant of the 

 Greek and Latin nations. This history should furnish most instructive 

 lessons in grape-growing and in grape-breeding. 



But interesting and profitable as a detailed account of the development 

 of the Old World grape would be, the brief outline in the few preceding para- 

 graphs must suffice for this work. The reader who desires further informa- 

 tion may find it in the agricultural literature in many languages and dating 

 back two thousand years. 



What are the characters of the European grape and how does it differ 

 from the native grapes of America? The Old World grape is grown for 

 wine; the American grapes for the table. The differences in the fruit of 

 the vines of the two continents are largely the differences necessary for the 

 two distinct purposes for which they are grown. The varieties of Vitis 

 vinifera have a higher sugar and solid content than do those of the American 

 species. Because of this richness in sugar they not only make better wine 

 but keep much longer and can be made into raisins. The American grapes 

 do not keep well and do not make good raisins. Taken as a whole the 

 European varieties are better flavored, possessing a more delicate and a 

 richer vinous flavor, a more agreeable aroma, and they lack the acidity 

 and somewhat obnoxious foxy odor and taste of many American varieties. 

 It is true that there is a disagreeable astringency in some Vinifera grapes 

 and that many varieties are without character of flavor, yet, all and all, 

 the species produces by far the better flavored fruit. On the other hand, 



