8 THE EVOLUTION OF OUE NATIVE FRUITS 



early ripe common Grape is much larger, sweeter, 

 and better than the other. Of these some are quite 

 black, and others blue, and some white, or yellow ; 

 some also ripen three Weeks, or a Month before the 

 other. The Distance of their Ripening, is from the 

 latter End of August, to the latter End of October. 

 The late ripe common Grapes are less than any of 

 the other, neither are they so pleasant to the Taste. 

 They hang commonly till the latter End of Novem- 

 ber, or till Christmas ; all that I have seen of these 

 are black. Of the former of these two Sorts, the 

 French Refugees at the Monacan Town made a sort 

 of Claret, tho' they were gathered off of the wild 

 Vines in the Woods. I was told by a very good 

 judge, who tasted it, that it was a pleasant, strong, 

 and full bodied Wine. From which we may con- 

 clude, that if the Wine was but tolerably good, when 

 made of the Wild Grape, which is shaded by the 

 Woods from the Sun, it would be much better, if 

 produc'd of the same Grape cultivated in a regular 

 Vineyard." 



Jean Pierre Purry speaks of the abundance of 

 wild grapes in South Carolina, in his description of 

 that province, written in French, published in 1731: 

 "The woods are full of wild Vines, bearing 5 or 6 

 sorts of Grapes naturally ; but for want of Vine- 

 dressers, &c. scarce any Wine is drank there but 

 what comes from Madera, which are indeed cheap, 

 for a bottle of excellent Wine cost last Winter but 

 2s. Carolina Money to those who bought it by the 

 Hogshead." William Bartram, traveling in north- 

 western Florida in 1776, found the trees and bushes 

 "entangled with grape vines (Vitis campestris) of a 



