THE GBAPE. 131 



either for wine-making or table use. It probably has its 

 name from the Catawba Eiver, and was first noticed as a 

 wild grape in 1802 ; but it was not till 1826 that its 

 merits were discovered by Major John Adlum. an officer 

 of the Revolution, who devoted the last years of his life 

 to vine culture, and in the course of experimenting upon 

 native vines found this variety growing in a garden in JST. 

 Carolina, say some, but according to other authorities in 

 Maryland. After a fair trial he was so convinced of its 

 value as a wine grape, that on sending some slips to Mr. 

 Longworth of Cincinnati, he accompanied them with a 

 letter in which he affirms, " I have done my country a 

 greater service by introducing this grape to public notice, 

 than I should have done if I had paid the national debt." 

 The major soon after died, but the zealous and patient 

 perseverance of Mr. Longworth for a period of more than 

 30 years has at length established vine culture on a firm 

 basis, and seems likely to bring about at last a fulfilment 

 of his friend's prophetic words. Next in popularity to 

 the Catawba is the Isabella Vine, a native of Carolina, 

 first introduced to notice in 1818 by Mrs. Isabella Gribbs, 

 after whom it is named. In flavour it resembles the Ca- 

 tawba ; but as it is more hardy and ripens earlier than 

 that kind, it is more widely disseminated, and is particu- 

 larly valued in the colder parts of New England, requiring 

 the least possible care to enable it to perfect its produce. 

 It was at first generally believed to be of foreign origin, 

 but the best American botanical writers now assert it to 

 be an indigenous growth. To the Swiss at Yevay is due 

 the credit of having first begun wine-making in Western 

 America ; but the enterprise having been afterwards un- 

 dertaken by some public-spirited citizens of that part of 

 the country (including the above-mentioned Mr. Long- 

 worth) aided by skilful emigrant vine-dressers from France 

 and Germany, the practicability of profitable vineyard cul- 

 ture in the valley of the Ohio has now been placed beyond 

 a doubt, the grapes chiefly grown being the Catawba and 

 Isabella. The vineyards on the Ohio now cover many 

 acres, producing regular and very large crops of wine, 

 offering similar characteristics to Madeira, Hock, and 



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