GRAPE-VINE. 71 



kept cultivated by frequent hoeing, and during ten years 

 never applied manure. 



The main source of destruction to foreign grape-vines 

 in the American climate appears to be not so much in the 

 severity of the winter frosts as in the sudden return of cold 

 spells. Foreign vines seem to commence the free circula 

 tion of their sap earlier than the native kinds, and thus are 

 exposed to having their circulating juices frozen, to the 

 certain destruction of the vines. 



In England the Vine-culture is limited to the produc 

 tion of a costly luxury for the tables of the wealthy. But 

 in the United States the raising of the grape has for its 

 object not only a supply of wholesome and delicious fruit 

 for eating, but for the production of wine. It is, however, 

 only within the last year or two that the efforts of those 

 who have devoted attention to wine-making have met with 

 decided and even brilliant success, and that the Cincinnati 

 wine-makers have demonstrated the practicability of pro 

 ducing an American wine that will bear competition with 

 some of the best of Europe. 



Among native American grapes yet brought into suc 

 cessful cultivation, the Isabella, as has been already stated, 

 is the most hardy, and may be raised in the open air as far 

 north as the St. Lawrence. It bears long, tapering 

 bunches, with few shoulders, the berries being oval, jet- 

 black, and covered with a fine bloom or white flower. The 

 skin is thick, the flesh very sweet, though a little pulpy, 

 with a slight musky flavor. The vine is of a brownish-red 

 color, and very strong, the leaves being large and three- 

 lobed, coated underneath with white down. The wine 

 made from it is sometimes good, resembling light Madeira. 



The Catawba bears bunches rather regularly formed, 

 with a few shoulders. The berries are round and of a cop- 



