FLOWERING SHRUBS. 



125 



edible when touched by the frost, and can be manufactured into a fine 

 jelly and good wine of a deep colour and high flavour. Whole inlands 

 in the Trent and Rice Lake are covered with a growth of this native 

 Grape. There is not a lake in Canada but has its " Grape Island," and 

 many persons cultivate the plants about their dwellings over light 

 trellis work, under which circumstances they will yield an abundance of 

 fruit. It is also very useful to conceal unsightly objects, as out-houses 

 An old pine stump can be converted into an ornamental object, by 

 nailing cedar poles — fastened at the top — round it, and planting 

 grape-vines around it, having first prepared a bed of good earth and 

 large stones, to bank the lower part ; a few plants of the Wild 

 Clematis intermixed with the Grape-vine and a sprinkling of Morning 

 Glories, make a lovely pyramid and convert a defect into a charming 

 object, during many months of the year. 



The Wild Grape seems to flourish best, in its natural state, near the 

 water, but will grow and flourish well in gardens where it is given the 

 support of a trellis or in any suitable position where it can climb. I 

 have even seen a dead tree specially planted for such a purpose. 



Fox Grape — Vites Labrusca, (L.) 



This is the original of the cultivated Isabella Grape, which has 

 long been introduced into our gardens and vineries as worthy of the 

 attention of fruit-growers. 



The leaves of this species are very densely woolly, covered, especially 

 when young, with tawny, silky hairs ; the fruit is of a dark purple, of a 

 musky flavour, whence its common name, Fox Grape. 



This Wild Grape is found on the shores of Lake Erie, and to the 

 Westward. From the improvement made by cultivation, in the size and 

 quality of the Wild Fox Grape, we may perceive how much might 

 possibly be done with others of our wild fruits, which, when introduced 

 into our gardens would have the advantage of hardiness in bearing the 

 severity of our climate, beyond that of exotics. 



It seems reasonable to suppose that plants that are indigenous to 

 a country, could, by due care, be brought to a state of higher perfection 

 than when under a foreign sun and soil, and that the culture of wild 

 plants would amply repay the cultivator. Attempts of this kind are 

 rarely made or persevered in, so that the result is not often satisfactory : 

 either the process is thought to be too slow, or we despise as common, 

 that which is within our reach, valuing that which is more costly above 

 what is easily obtained ; whilst we eagerly spend our money to obtain 

 a foreign species, which may possibly have been originally taken from 



