AND WINE MAKING. 63 



grower, with grayish wood, heart-shaped, shining leaves, 

 and sometimes very productive, but rather fickle and 

 variable. The same may be said of the Louisiana, which 

 so closely resembles it that it has been confounded with 

 it, but the wine of the Louisiana resembles a very fine 

 Hock, while the Rulander has a Sherry character. 



ALVEY, OR HAGAR. An exquisite little grape, the 

 earliest of that class ; so good that the birds will gener- 

 ally take it all. Bunch medium, shouldered, loose ; berry 

 small, shining black ; skin thin, very juicy, sweet and 

 luscious, one of the best in quality I know, and makes a 

 fine red wine. Specific gravity of must 90. A stocky, 

 short-jointed grower, with heart-shaped leaves, and about 

 the only one of its class which propagates readily from 

 cuttings. 



LINCOLN. This I suppose to be identical with Black 

 July. Mr. Phifer, of Concord, North Carolina, where it 

 is considerably cultivated, gives it very high praise, as 

 being productive and healthy, and making a fine, high- 

 flavored, light-red wine. I have grafts of it grow- 

 ing ; it has heart-shaped leaves, and seems to be a good 

 healthy grower. 



BALDWIN LENOIR. Mr. Saunders, Supt. of Public 

 Grounds, at Washington, thinks very highly of this, 

 and as it has fruited for me last year, I can also testify 

 to its good quality. The vine resembles the Norton, 

 in wood and leaf. Bunch small, very compact, shoul- 

 dered ; berry small, round, black, with blue bloom, also 

 resembling Norton, but to my taste sweeter, more juicy, 

 and high flavored. I have no doubt it will make a first 

 class red wine, and should it prove as productive as the 

 Norton and Cynthiana, will be very valuable. 



NEOSHO. This is a wild grape from the woods, culti- 

 vated by Mr. Hermann Jaeger, of Neosho, Mo. That 

 veteran in grape culture, Fr. Muench, of Warren Co. , 



