THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 



49 



In his treatise, Prince described about seventy varieties of native grapes 

 and several of the native species. Prince's descriptions of these grapes 

 are comprehensive and judging from the sorts described by him which we 

 now have they are accurate. He grew seedhngs from many of them. He 

 showed a knowledge of the possibilities of hybridization of American species 

 with Vitis vinijera. He solicited and obtained seeds and vines from all the 

 settled portions of the Union. His grape correspondents in different parts 

 of America and of the world must have numbered hundreds. Prince's 

 enthusiasm and perseverance in grape culture attached to him votaries in 

 all fruit regions and to him more than to any other man was due that 

 friendly interchange of knowledge and sentiment regarding grapes which 

 characterized the half century after the appearance of his book. Such 

 co-operation as was manifested in grape-growing in the second and third 

 quarters of the nineteenth centur}- has never l^een known in the culture 

 of any other species of plant in this country and to it is largely due the 

 progress of viticulture in leaps and bounds dating from Prince's time. 



With the close of the year 1830, we may consider viticulture a firmly 

 established industry in America with the native grapes as a basis. 

 Rafinesque's estimate of the acreage at this time is given on a preceding 

 page (47). It is worth while considering, very briefly, the types of grapes 

 under cultivation at this stage of the industry, with some discussion of the 

 origin of the leading varieties. 



" The average crop of wine with us is 300 gallons per acre. At York, where 2700 vines are put 

 on one acre, each vine has often produced a quart of wine, and thus 675 gallons per acre, value $675 

 in 1823, besides $200 for 5000 cuttings. One acre of vineyard did then let for S200 or 300, thus value 

 of the acre about $5000: This was in poor soil unfit for wheat, and for mere Claret. 



" Now in 1S30, that common French Claret often sells only at 50 cents the gallon, the income 

 must be less. I hope our claret may in time be sold for 25 cents the gallon, and the table grapes at 

 one cent the lb. and even then an acre of vineyard will give an income of S75, and be worth $1000 

 the acre. 



" The greatest check to this cultivation is the time required for grapes to bear well, from ^ to 6 

 years: our farmers wishing to have quick yearly crops; but then when a vineyard is set and in bearing, 

 it will last forever, the vines themselves lasting from 60 to 100 years, and are easily re-placed as they 

 decay. 



■' The next check is the precarious crops if badly managed. Every year is not equally plentiful 

 and sometimes there is a total failure when rains drown the blossoms; but an e.xtra good crop of 500 

 or 600 gallons commonly follows and covers their loss." Rafinesque, C. S. American Manual of 

 the Grape Vines., Philadelphia. 1830. pp. 43-45. 

 4 



