8 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



planted to America prove, in the open air, a failure in southern 

 and central New England, and the corresponding vine region 

 westward. 



These remarks, therefore, will specially apply to this region, but 

 may also be applicable to a narrow belt in proper situations even 

 north of it. 



Several species are indigenous to this latitude, but the varieties 

 mostly cultivated are from the Vitis Labrusca, with a few known 

 as hybrids. With these specially in mind, a few general remarks 

 may not be irrelevant before proceeding to details ; and yet these 

 details must be brief and imperfect, for theory, argument, and fact, 

 all wanted to give it force, must be condensed in an essay like 

 this. But we will glance at the principles involved in the great 

 art of grape culture, the conditions upon which success depends, 

 and the practice best adapted to fulfil these conditions. We can 

 give the ground work to the amateur, and his interest may be en- 

 listed. If so, fascination soon follows and his study becomes a 

 pleasure, while his knowledge is increasing. The use that is made 

 of this knowledge is the key to his success. 



The fruiting vine requires a warm, dry, and fertile soil, exposed 

 to sun and air, to rain and dew, and the best results are never 

 realized where any one of these requisites is wanting. 



To ripen the fruit of most varieties, about a hundred days must 

 intervene from flowering to frost. Ripeness is indicated by ripe 

 seed ; not always by the color of the berry. Unlike the pear, it 

 never ripens after it is picked, nor will the cluster mature after the 

 foliage, at and beyond it, is destroyed. Frozen grapes are with- 

 out value. To protect the wood and fruit buds through the winter, 

 when the mercury falls much below zex'o, a slight covering is essen- 

 tial. 



Large and delicious clusters for the table are productions of art, 

 and require, while growing, intelligent care and skilful handling ; 

 and these can only best be given when the vine is grown and 

 trained in such a way as to be readily accessible to the grower's 

 eye and hand. Not the branches only, but the roots also, should 

 be under his control. These must be drained or watered ; must be 

 duly fed and guarded from disease ; must be protected from 

 winter's cold, and warmed by the summer's sun, else uniform 

 success can never be expected in this latitude. It follows, there- 

 fore, that the most perfect system of grape growing calls for a 



