CULTURE AND TREATMENT OF THE GRAPE VINE. 



339 



low that they do better, and would never 

 advise the rafter vines to be thus placed, 

 unless they can roam at pleasure in the 

 open border. When the vines are planted 

 on the inside, the roots will grow with ra- 

 pidity, and push as straight as possible for 

 the open border ; thus proving, that they 

 prefer to be under the influence of the-full 

 effects of the sun, air, and rain upon the 

 soil." 



One pound of sulphur to every square 

 foot of the house is dusted on the floor early 

 in July, to prevent mildew. 



Spur-pruning is decidedly preferred; and 

 twenty pounds of fruit is the average an- 

 nual crop which may be expected from five 

 year old vines, well treated. 



Selections of the best foreign varieties 

 are given for the cold-house, the retarding- 

 house, and the forcing-house. A brief de- 

 scription is also given of all the finest table 

 grapes known, a larger number of which 

 have, we believe, been proved by Mr. Al- 

 len, than by any other cultivator in the 

 United States. We extract some account 

 of a few rare sorts, which will interest 

 grape growers who have not yet seen the 

 work : 



" Chasselas Miisque. — Cracks badly ; but when 

 grown in a part of the grapery, where there is 

 a free circulation of air, it does well in usual sea- 

 sons. 



'' Cannon Hall Muscat. — Sets very badly; the 

 berries are large and very handsome, and not so 

 high flavored as the Muscat of Alexandria. A 

 late variety." 



" WilmoVs New Black Hamburgh. — Has proved 

 fine. This has large, round, very black berries, 

 with a hammered (flattened) appearance." 



" Pitmaston White Cluster. — A very fine early 

 variety; the bunch is of a medium size, the ber- 

 ries are round and compact. This is a very de- 

 sirable variety. The Scotch White Cluster is the 

 same as this, or very much like it." 



" Victoria Hamburgh. — There is no doubt that 

 this is an wnp?-oi'erf variety of the old Hamburgh." 



" Charlsworih Tokay. — Excellent, M'ith a mus- 

 cat flavor. The Gardener's Chronicle for 1847, 

 p. 624, says perhaps it is not diiTerent from the 

 white muscat of Alexandria. The grape which 

 Ls r&ceived from England under this name, is 



more like the White Frontignan, but one month 

 later tlian that kind." 



'' Palestine. — The bunches of this variety are 

 enormous, and the berries are oval, large and 

 white; the slioulders or stems are very long, and 

 the berries are in clusters at long intervals." 



" August Muscat. — A very weak growing vine. 

 It is undoubtedly the earliest grape grown, and 

 will rii)en its fruit when highly forced, in three 

 months." 



" Red Chasselas. — This is agood bearer, with a 

 fine flavor ; the berries are as large as the Bar-Sur 

 Aube. Tliis may be distinguished from the Rose 

 or Violet Chasselas, by the singularity of the ber- 

 ries, which are colored from their first formation. 

 At maturity, it is sometimes highly colored, but 

 not unfrequently, is of a pale red. The young 

 shoots are bright red." 



" Zinfindal. — The branches are large, often 

 with two shoulders on the same side, nearly as 

 large as the main bunch. The berries are me- 

 dium size, round, and very black, M'ith a thick 

 bloom ; requires to hang several weeks after col- 

 oring, before it is ripe. I cannot find this grape 

 described in any book." 



'' Verdelho. — This is a small, oval, white grape, 

 of the finest quality. The vine is very strong 

 grown, and bears great crops. It is a favorite 

 variety for the table, as well as for wine, in Ma- 

 deira and tlie Azores. It is a later grape than 

 the Black Hamburgh." 



" Royal Muscadine. — This grape, in respect to 

 size, color, and flavor of tlie fruit, corresponds 

 exactly with the Chasselas de Bar-sur-Jluhe, 

 Chasselas of Fontainebleau, a.nA the Early White 

 Muscadine of the French, yet in the size of the 

 bunch, it is quite distinct; the Royal Muscadine 

 growing to a very large size, and having large 

 shoulders, the bunches often weighing four, five 

 and six pounds." 



^'Bowkcr. — This is a grape raised in the gar- 

 den of Joel Bowker, Esq., of Salem, Mass., 

 from the seed of the Bloom Raisin, imported from 

 Malaga. It is a great bearer. Its fruit hand- 

 some, the bunch large, closely set, berries round- 

 ish, inclining to oval, white, and of a pleasant 

 flavor, without any musk. It is quite as hand- 

 some as the White Hamburgh, and a better fruit." 



Notices of a large number of other va- 

 rieties, of more or less interest, are also 

 given. We should gather, from Mr. Al- 

 len's select list, that the following are his 

 te?i favorite sorts for vine culture: 



Pitmaston Whi. Cluster. 

 Royal Muscadine, 

 Josling's St. Albans, 

 Golden Chasselas, 

 Rose Chasselas. 



Black Hamburgh, 

 Wilmot's New^ do. 

 Victoria do. 



White Frontignan, 

 Grizzly Frontignan, 



A considerable portion of the volume is 



also devoted to the cultivation of the native 



