HYBRID GRAPES AT GENEVA 



R. I). ANTHONY 



Associate Horticulturist, New York Agricultural Experiment Station, 



Geneva, X. Y. 



PIONEER EXPERIENCE 



One of the first things which impressed 

 the early explorers and colonists along the 

 Atlantic const was the abundance of wild 

 grapevines. The name Vineland, given to 

 part of this coast by the Norsemen, is an 

 illustration of this. Yet, when these wine- 

 loving people planted their vineyards, they 

 used cuttings or seeds of Vitis vinifera 

 brought from their native homes in Eng- 

 land, France, Spain, and Germany. Com- 

 pared with their own native grapes, the small size of our wild 

 grapes and their frequent lack of that clear flavor so desirable in 

 a wine grade made them seem unworthy of planting. For the 

 next hundred years, the history of these plantations of European 

 sorts is one long series of failures and discouragement. Even in 

 the hands of the most expert vineyardists, the vines soon sickened 

 and died, and no variety could be found which could live under 

 the adverse conditions of the new country until about 1800, when 

 the Cape or Alexander grape was planted in a few vineyards. 

 This, though a native, was deceptively introduced as a Vinifera, 

 and marks practically the beginning of American grape growing. 



RESULTS FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ISABELLA AND 



THE CATAWBA 



The marked success of the Alexander and4he fortunate dis- 

 covery of the Isabella and the Catawba, two other native kinds, 

 revived interest in grape growing. The realization of the possi- 

 bilities in our native species started many vine enthusiasts search- 

 ing the woods for the bettor sorts and also growing native seedlings 

 on a more or less extensive scale. Although this resulted in the 

 production of the Concord, but little else of value was secured. 



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