102 Influence of Season on Crops. Fall ploughing, Este, 



" able to our country ; but that it is a fox grape is 

 " much doubted : a white woolly appearance on the 

 " under side of the leaf, is said to be the characteristic 

 " mark, of what is properlycalled the fox - grape ; and the 

 " Alexander- grape* is* here, supposed not to have that 

 " mark," The grape that i made the wine of that I sent 

 to Mr. Jefferson, is the size of a small fox-grape, it has 

 aLo that peculiar taste, the fox-grapes generally have, but 

 not in so great a degree. It has also the pulp which is 

 so elastic that the grapes cannot be pressed, until the 

 pulp is dissolved by fermentation. The grapes are very- 

 rich and iiweet, and the peculiar taste leaves the wine, 

 in nine or ten months after being made. The under 

 sides of the leaves have a yellowish white and woolly 

 appearance; so that probably it mav not be the Al- 

 exander-grape, but I have no doubt of its being a na- 

 tive. 



I got; the cuttings in Philadelphia, from an old Ger- 

 man, who informed me he was employed by the citizens 

 to pruiie their vines. 



J. A. 



* Jumps Alexand'r was a worthy, intelligent man, gardener to 

 the proprietary, Thomas Penn, at Springetsbury ; well known to 

 me. It was'a favourite object with YViiiiam Penn and his successors, 

 to establish vineyards ; and every effort was made by them to cultivate 

 the vjie. But no success attended the endeavours. Every attempt 

 at any extensive culture of tlic grape, has failed in this part of our 

 com itry. In our cities and towns some good grapes are found ; but 

 in tl it country no success crowns the most persevering endeavours. It 

 is therefore best to apply our labour and means to agricultural ob- 

 jec ts ; in which we can assure ourselves of success. In some parts of 

 or r union, no ciount the grape may thrive. But here, the plough is 

 tli e implement which demands our unremitting attention.' 



