130 



Grapes. — JVew Settlers in Eastern Virginia. Vol. XII. 



From the Horticulturist. 

 On rreserving (irapes for Winter Use. 



Dfar Sir, — The Isabella and Catawba 

 prape vines are among the most vnluable 

 fruit trees known to Americans; for I am in- 

 clined to doubt greatly, if any other tree will 

 bear so large and so regular a crop as they 

 do, in all soils and in all sections of the coun- 

 try, except the upper pnrt of New England, 

 where the climate is too cold for them. 



They have been multiplied within the last 

 ten years so much, in some of the Atlantic 

 States, that there is now hardly a farmer's 

 garden without one or more of these vines. 

 In many farmers' door-yards I have noticed, 

 with much pleasure, the Isabella grape, 

 trained over a trellis, in front of the kitchen 

 or dairy, so as to make a cheap or very or- 

 namental kind of verandah, such as you may 

 set- in Italy. 



Tiere are but few, however, of those who 

 raise this prolific grape, who are aware how 

 much the season in which ripe grapes are fit 

 for the table, may be prolonged by a little 

 care and management. Indeed, for my own 

 part, I consider the case with which these 

 tw^ grapes may be kept for winter use to 

 be one of the strongest recommendations to 

 their culture. 



I will, if you will allow me, detail two 

 modes of preserving these native grapes, that 

 I have, for three years past, practised with 

 success. They are. no doubt, familiar to 

 many of your readers, but as I very seldom 

 meet with this pleasant fruit at any of my 

 neighbors' houses in winter, I conclude that 

 it will also be new to many others. 



At my farm, a few miles from the city, I 

 have an ice-house well constructed, which 

 keeps a supply of ice through the whole year 

 In this I practice one mode of preserving 

 grapes. This mode is applied to those which 

 I wi^h for more immediate use, say from the 

 season of frosts till near Christmas. 



I have, in this ice-house, a series of open 

 shelves, made of thin and narrow .strips of 

 pine, so as to form slender lattices. As soon 

 as there is danger of a frost which might in- 

 jure the grape, (in general early in October,) 

 I have the grapes tor this purpose carefully 

 picked, and laid in single layers on these 

 lattice shelves in the ice-house. There the 

 temperature is so low and regular, that no 

 perceptible change takes place for a long 

 time, and I am therefore, able to supply my 

 table every day with grapes, as fresh, to all 

 appearance, as when picked, for a month or 

 six weeks after they are usually to be had 

 in market. 



The second mode is calculated to preserve 

 them for a longer time. By its means, I 



usually have a good supply from Christmas 

 to March, and have once or twice kept them 

 quite sound till April. 



It is very simple. The grapes should be 

 gathered a little before full maturity — say 

 the last of September here. A fine windy 

 day should be chosen, and the fruit should 

 be picked and packed away, quite dry, as 

 upon this depends their keeping well. You 

 should be provided with a proper number of 

 small bo.xes, holding about a peck each, grape 

 jars, or champagne baskets — the latter an- 

 swer the purpose well, if lined loosely with 

 paper before using them. I put a layer of 

 cotton in the bottom, and then a layer of 

 grapes, and so alternately till tlie box is full ; 

 I thencover with a layer of cotton, and fasten 

 the cover down with nails or otherwise. 



I do not find it best to endeavor to exclude 

 the air entirely. Decay takes place sooner 

 when that is done. For the same reason I 

 have found it better to choose small boxes, 

 such as may be opened every week, as wanted 

 for use, rather than larger ones. 



As it is considered by my family no mean 

 addition to the dessert, these grapes in abun- 

 dance in winter, I have no doubt there are 

 numerous readers of the Horticulturist who 

 will put this simple process of preserving 

 them into practice. I ought to add, before 

 closing my letter, that the boxes should be 

 kept in a dry airy place, free from frost. 



Your obedient, W. Williams. 



New Yoric, October 11, 1847. 



Prospects for New-Settlers in Eastern 

 Virginia. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet : 



Respected Friend, — In compliance with 

 thy request, I will now endeavor to give 

 some account of what I saw in my late jour- 

 ney to the eastern and southern portions of 

 Virginia. After spending nearly a whole 

 month, in viewing various neighbourhoods, 

 severalofthem forthe first time,and receiving 

 every where the greatest kindness and hos- 

 pitality, and every facility that could be de- 

 sired, — I am more than ever convinced, that 

 the prospects for new settlers in eastern Vir- 

 ginia, described in my former essays, have 

 not been overrated. The appenrance of the 

 country generally, and the crops of corn es- 

 pecially, would convince the most sceptical, 

 of the capacity of the soil for improvement, 

 and high production, with the most tolerable 

 husbandry. Nothing is needed but good ma- 

 nagement, to inake the products equal, in 

 every respect, to the best portions of New 

 Jersey and Pennsylvania. If our people 

 would but make a careful examination of 

 this region, and especially the counties of 

 Prince George, Surry, and Charles City, 



