ISABELLA GRAPE— ITS HISTORY, &c. 



^'Isabella Grape. — This is an American Grape, a native of Dorchester, South Caroli- 

 na, and was introduced into this state by Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, the lady of George 

 GiBBS, Esq., of St. Augustine, who then resided at Brooklyn, Long Island, and in honor 

 of that lady, has been called Isabella Grape." 



In his description of the grape, which follows, Mr. Prince further remarks: "This 

 grape, of which but a single vine existed in any gartLii in 181G, and which I at that time 

 met with in the possession of the gentleman before mentioned, (alluding to Gen. Swift,) 

 and deemed worthy of a notice, and a name," &c. 



In the recent conversation referred to with Gen. Swift, he remarked: " The Isabella 

 Grape originated eight miles from Charleston, S. C, at Goose Creek, in a garden. It is 

 a hybrid between a Burgundy Grape, introduced by the early Ilugenots, who settled in 

 South Carolina, and the /bx Grape of that state. The Isabella Grape was taken from the 

 garden where it originated, to Mr. N. Smith's plantation, on Cape Fear, in South Caroli- 

 na, and from there was carried by Mrs. Col. Gibbs, to Brooklyn, N. Y. I afterwards 

 purchased the residence and garden of Col. Gibbs, where I found the grape, and first in- 

 troduced it to the late Mr. Prince. He proposed to name it after Mrs. Swift. I repli- 

 ed. No. Let justice be done; call it after her who introduced it here, Mrs. Gibbs — her 

 name is Isabella, and the grape was so named." 



Such, unquestionably, is the history of the Isabella Grape, so far as its introduction into 

 Brooklyn, and its name is concerned. At what time the grape originated, or was first 

 known in South Carolina, Genl. Swift has no knowledge. It may have been cultivated 

 many years in the neighborhood of its origin; and from Charleston Mr. Vernet may have 

 obtained it, as it has not since been known as a West India grape, and between Charles- 

 ton and Norwich then, more than now, existed much commercial intercourse. Yet this 

 is not certain. But certain it is, for near ten j'ears — possibl^r more — the grape was known 

 in Connecticut, before it was in Brooklyn. Genl. Swift also stated to me that he wrote 

 an account of the grape and its introduction to Mr. Prince, for Skinner^s j^merican 

 Farmzr, published in Baltimore, in 1819 or '20. 



To the above account, while in the mood, I will devote a moment to a brief 



Gossip on Grapes. 



Earl}'^ in last October I spent a delightful week in Cincinnati. It was the week of their 

 great State Cattle Show, their grand Horticultural Jubilee, and it was also a week of hos- 

 pitality, of kindness, and polite attentions, from those residents with whom, together wMth 

 some of my neighbors, and friends of my own state, I became acquainted. During our 

 sojourn there, we visited the finest and most extensive vine3Mrds in the neighborhood, 

 Mr. LoNGwORTii's, Mr. Buchanan's, Mr. Ernst's, !Mr. Resor's, and others. The 

 luscious, large, plump, and M'onderfully developed fruit of the Catawba, then in their full 

 ripeness, excelled any oiii-(Zoor native grapes I ever beheld, not excepting the finest Isa- 

 bellas of Long Island, or the Hudson valley — hardly excelled, indeed, by the Black 

 Hamburgh of a hot-house; and the numerous vineyards of the Catawba, dotting the hill- 

 sides and valle3^s, from an area of a few rods, to fifteen acres in extent, around the city, 

 to an eastern man, were truly a luxury to look upon. This, too, is the grand grape 

 of the Ohio valley, and the onl}' good table grape, except the Ilerbemont, which I 

 found in the garden of Mr. Longworth, that attracted my attention. The Ilerbemont is 

 small, but of a delicious, mild and aromatic flavor; and from a sample of its wine, tasted 

 L.'s, it must become a valuable loine grape, 

 in the Isabellas, of which there are man^' cultivated there, I was disappointed 



