98 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF VITICULTURE 



portion on account of the perishable nature of the products and the long 

 distances to large markets. 



Another factor, which no doubt was responsible to some degree for 

 fruit growing not coming to the front more in the early history of the State, 

 was the lack of interest and inclination of the Spaniards and Mexicans for 

 this line of agriculture. The people of both of these two races were not 

 particu'arly horticulturally inclined. However, these people had some knowl- 

 edge and training in viticulture and the grape was probably the most 

 popular fruit among the early settlers in the valleys. 



American Grapes. 



The American grapes may be grown in almost all of the irrigated dis- 

 tricts of the State. They are, as a rule, hardier and more resistant to the 

 cold than the European varieties. The American grapes are to be found 

 growing mostly in the higher and cooler districts of the State. In the lower 

 and warmer valleys, while they grow well, they are not grown nearly so 

 much as the European grapes nor are they so popular. 



There are only small vineyards to be found and these are usually in 

 home fruit plantations. As a rule, these small vineyards are composed of a 

 number of varieties, such as Ives, Moore's Early, Delaware, Niagara, and 

 Concord. Some of these American grapes are also used for arbors, as some 

 of them seem to be well adapted for such purposes. These varieties, being 

 hardy, do not require any winter protection. The method of growing them 

 is practically the same as that used in grape growing districts in Missouri 

 and New York. 



They are trained on different kinds of trellises and pruned according to 

 Eastern methods. 



European Grapes. 



The European grapes are not nearly so hardy as the American varieties 

 and are more or less subject to winter injury. While they may be grown 

 in the higher and cooler districts in the State, the large vineyards are to be 

 found in the lower and warmer valleys. For best results they prefer warm 

 conditions and a more or less mild winter. The European grape is, at the 

 present, the commercial grape in New Mexico. It is grown, trained and 

 pruned in practically the same way as in California. 



Grape Growers. 



From the early history of grape growing in New Mexico it is found that 

 this industry has been carried on by the Mexican or native farmer. The 

 American farmers do not seem to care to follow grape growing on any kind 

 of a commercial scale. Even at the present time the larger vineyards in 

 the different parts of the State are owned and managed by the Mexican 

 farmers. 



The Rio Grande Valley. 



The Rio Grande Valley has been the agricultural backbone of New 

 Mexico from its early history. It has produced food for a large per cent of 

 the people who have controlled and ruled the State from time to time. The 



