JOHN ADLUM 



American grape was the Ca- 

 tawba, and it is still one 

 of the four leading contem- 

 poraneous varieties of the 

 fox -grape type, the others 

 being Concord, Delaware, 

 and Niagara. This superb 

 grape, which leads all suc- 

 cessful northern varieties in 

 its wine -making qualities, 

 was brought to the atten- 

 tion of fruit-growers by 

 John Adlum, of the District 

 of Columbia, one of the most 

 ingenuous benefactors of our 

 agriculture. (See frontis- 

 piece.) 



Adlum merits our atten- 

 tion in three respects, for 

 his perception of the general 

 fact that American grape- 

 culture must be built upon 

 the improvement of our 

 native species ; for his at- 

 tempt to establish an experi- 

 ment station; and for the in- 

 troduction of the Catawba 

 grape. He began his experi- 

 ments towards the close of 

 last century. He planted a 

 vineyard on Rock Creek, in 

 the District of Columbia, 

 comprising both imported 



