GRAPE 



GRAPE 



1373 



types. Of this species are the Concord and Catawba 

 types (Fig. 1705). To some extent it has been hybrid- 

 ized with Vitis vinifera (as in Agawam, Lindley, Barry, 

 and others of E. S. Rogers' varieties), and with native 

 species. Already a number of the popular varieties 



1706. Horticultural product of Vitis aestivalis Onderdonk, seed- 

 ling of Herbemont. ( X H) 



represent such wide departures that they cannot be 

 referred positively to any species. Of these, Delaware 

 and Isabella are examples. The second most important 

 species, in point of amelioration, is Viiis sestwalis, from 

 which several of the best wine grapes have sprung 

 (Fig. 1706). The post-oak grape (Vitis Lincecumii, or 

 V. aestivalis var Lincecumii) of the Southwest, is one of 

 the most promising species, and already has given 

 excellent results in hybridization. See Fig. 1707. The 

 Muscadine (V. rotundifolia) of the South has given the 

 Scuppernong and a few less known forms. (Fig. 1708.) 

 Beyond these species, there are none which has given 

 varieties of great commercial importance, although con- 

 siderable has been done in improving them. Some of 

 the best of the wild species are practically untouched; 

 there is only a comparatively small area of our great 

 country which has yet developed large interests in 

 grape-growing: the grape-types of a century hence, 

 therefore, may be expected to be very unlike the present- 

 day varieties. For an extended sketch of American 

 grape history, see Bailey, "Evolution of Our Native 

 Fruits" (1898). The American grape literature is 

 voluminous. More than fifty authors have written on 

 the subject. Yet there is very little of this writing 

 which catches the actual spirit of American grape- 

 growing; this fact, together with the technicality and 

 diversity of the subject itself, makes it seem wise to 

 devote considerable space to the grape in this Cyclo- 

 pedia. 



While the native grape was being ameliorated in the 



East, the Old World Vitis vinifera was becoming 

 established on the Pacific slope. In fact, Vitis vinifera 

 has there run wild. The phylloxera and mildew are not 

 native there, and the climate better suits the species. 

 The Pacific coast viticulture, therefore, is of the Old 

 World kind. 



We now know that the phylloxera or root-louse can be 

 evaded when the vinifera grape is grafted on native or 

 resistant stocks, and the mildew can be combated by 

 fungicides. Of late j r cars, therefore, new efforts have 

 been made to grow the wine grape in the eastern states, 

 and in the southern latitudes some of these experiments 

 promised well for a time. However, so great attention 

 is required to produce a satisfactory product as to dis- 

 courage the growing of vinifera varieties in the open in 

 the East. Vinifera types will always be special grapes 

 in the East, adapted only to particular conditions, for 

 it is not to be expected that they can compete with the 

 more easily grown and cosmopolitan varieties of the 

 native species. Under glass, however, the vinifera 

 varieties thrive; and a special discussion is given here- 

 with (page 1388) to this branch of the subject. 



The greatest development of the native grape indus- 

 try has taken place in Ontario, New York, and Ohio, 

 bordering lakes and large streams. These areas are the 

 lower Hudson River Valley; the region of the central- 

 western New York lakes; the Lake Erie region of New 

 York, Pennsylvania and Ohio; the so-called peninsular 

 region of Ontario lying between Lake Erie and Lake 

 Ontario. There are also important grape interests in 

 Michigan, and other northern parts. There is consider- 

 able interest in grape-culture in the cooler parts of 

 Georgia and Alabama, and there are enlarging areas 

 in the country extending from the Ozark region south- 

 ward. Nearly all the country, excepting the northern- 

 most parts, raises grapes, but in most cases the grow- 

 ing of them can- 

 not be said to 

 be extensive 

 enough to be 

 called an indus- 

 try. Although 

 the grape sec- 

 tions of the 

 North follow the 

 water areas 

 where the land 

 is often steep, 

 all grape-grow- 

 ers prefer nearly 

 level land. The 

 Old World plan- 

 tations are 

 largely on very 

 steep lands ; such 

 lands, by virtue 

 of their warmth 

 and drainage, 

 are thought to 

 give an extra 

 quality of wine. 

 These ideas were 

 brought to this 

 country, and 

 many of our 

 early vineyards 

 were planted on 

 terraced slopes. 

 But we grow 

 grapes for a dif- 

 ferent purpose 

 from the Euro- 

 peans, and land 

 is cheap and 

 labor is dear. 170 7. Hybrid of Vitis Lincecumii and a fox- 

 O 1 d World grape derivative Husmann. ( X S A) 



