146 



NEW ENGLAND FAllMEll, 



Nov. -26, 1830 



great deal of exceedingly valuable inroi'inatiuii to 

 the scieutific horticijltiiiist, as well as to tlie prac- 

 tical man. He appears to have taken the utinnst 

 pains to render the Nomenclature as perfect as pos- 

 sible. The iniportauoo of this branch of the sub- 

 ject, cannot be too highly estimated. It is within 

 the knowledge of almost every person that the 

 same fruit oftentimes par^ses under entirely differ- 

 ent names. From a want of due care in preserv- 

 ing ami perpetuating that which most properly ap- 

 pertains to it, it will not unfrequently take the 

 name of the person who may have been instru- 

 mental in extending it, or of the place from 

 whence it has been obtained by a new cultivator ; 

 the effect of which is to produce immense confu- 

 sion, and to unsettle that which might with very 

 little trouble, have been established on a solid 

 foundation. So deeply rooted is this evil in 

 Europe, that though the most scientific men have 

 endeavored to eradicate it, their labor has been in 

 a great measure without success ; and if it is per- 

 mitted to become effecfually transplanted in our 

 young country, we may find equal difficulty in 

 getting rid of it. It cannot be too forcibly impress- 

 ed upon the minds of those who either collect or 

 distribute vines, to use the utmost caution in giv- 

 ing them their proper names. Nothing can be 

 more mortifying than to be at considerable trouble 

 or expense to procure a plant which may happen 

 to bear a high sounding title, and nurse it with 

 the greatest tenderness under a belief that it is 

 something very rare ; and after all, when it bears 

 fruit, to discover that we had it before, or were 

 well acquainted with it ; and that perhaps it is of 

 no great merit. A valuable part, therefore, of the 

 Nomenclature, is the very careful arrangement of 

 all the synouynise, which Mr Prince has made. 

 These are so numerous as it regards some of the 

 foreign vines as to amount sometimes to fifteen or 

 twenty ; and even on;- own native 'Bland' has ac- 

 quired almost a dozen titles, under each of which 

 it is cultivated in some district of country. It is 

 therefore very o'lvious that every attempt shoidd 

 be made to rescue this siiliject from such endless 

 confusion. J>'!.- Prince reccnmiends that the Ag- 

 ricultural "i:d Horticultural Societies should take 

 it under t!iBi9»care, for much no doubt yet remains 

 to be done. 



Surprising as it may appear, not less than eighty 

 native varieties arc enumerated and described in 

 the Treatise. It is already well known that some 

 of these are exceedingly valuable, leing at the 

 same time pleasant for the table, and possessing 

 those qualities necessary for making an excellent 

 wine. It is extremely jirohable that many of the 

 others will he found to be r.o less deserving of culti- 

 vation. VVith a public spirit and liberaUy truly hon- 

 orable, intelligent persons from all partioftlie coun- 

 try have vied with each other iii sendiig their rich 

 contributions to the extensive nursc-ies of the 

 author; and have been free in impaling all the 

 information in their possession relalve to their 

 merits. A noble and generous feeliig seems to 

 have aifimatcd all hearts. Mr Prin e does not 

 fail to dwell on this interesting develqjinent with 

 delight and enthusiasm ; he even cimpares the 

 spirit which prompted those spontane us offerings, 

 to that which animated the people <C France in 

 that joyous period of her history, whti the etnpc- 

 ror Prolius restoj-cd the vine to that ovely coun- 

 try ; and when songs of rejoicing we:; heard on 

 the hills and in the plains, on being apin permit 



ted to cherish the beloved and long loi 



There can be no reasouabie doiibl iiat there are 



plant. 



many valuable varieties of our native vines that 

 renirtin lo he discovered. It would he well for 

 every person who seriously directs his attention to 

 the culture of the grape, to make a careful exam- 

 ination in his own neighborhood, that he may at 

 least contribute one more valuable kind to the gen- 

 eral stock. By this attention, many which now 

 waste the fragrance of their flowers upon the des- 

 ert air, and whose delicious fruit is only picked by 

 birds, might be brought into successful cultivation 

 and prove to be great acquisitions. It is the opin- 

 ion of many intelligent persons that we should 

 chiefly rely upon ournative varieties for the pur- 

 pose of making wine ; though the general opinion 

 that the quality of the foreign grape is so much 

 deteriorated by a change of soil and climate, as 

 that its product no longer resembles that which 

 was derived from it in its original locality, is most 

 probably founded on error. That there may he 

 some change is not improbable. But many of the 

 foreign vines produce very abundant crops ; and 

 Mr llerbermont of South Carolina, a gentleman 

 whose zeal, intelligence and experience are so well 

 known, has made a very rich and delightful Wine 

 from his 'Madeira,' supposed to have been origi- 

 nally brought from the island of that name. 

 Other kinds have also been found to yield a ver/ 

 pleasant wine. Much of the disappointment 

 which has resulted from our endeavors to raise 

 foreign vines, has in all probability proceeded from 

 our ignorance of their management, and from a de- 

 sire to obtain too much fruit before they arrived at a 

 state for mature heaving. No change of soil and 

 climate can produce any alteration m the distin- 

 guishing characteristics of any variety of this 

 plant: the same general appearance of wood and 

 foliage remains identical. With due attention, 

 tlierefore, it is reasonable to suppose that the fruit 

 itself will not undergo material change for the worse, 

 as some persons have contended ; on the contrary, 

 it can be established in numerous instances that 

 the most abundant crops of the most delicious 

 quality, have been raised in various places in this 

 coimtry from the exotic vine, not at all inferior to 

 what they are in France. In the vicinity of Bal- 

 timore this fact has been completely verified; and 

 even as fur north as Boston, singular as il may 

 appear, not less than one hundred thousand jounds 

 of grapes are annually raised in the neighborhood 

 of that city. We cannot, therefore, hut consider 

 the sentiment which seems to prevail of laying 

 aside the foreign species, as founded on a very 

 imperfect trial of their capacity for productions. 

 We would not, however, by any means, be tliought 

 to discourage the extensive propagation of our 

 valuable native varieties. In the eastern world, as 

 Mr Prince very justly and forcibly remarks, tiiev 

 have never possessed but one species of the vine ; 

 whereas in America we have not less than four or 

 five, indigenous lo the country. By long tnd 

 contiimed cultivation the qualities of tliese natural 

 productions of our soil, may become so ameliora- 

 ted, as to be equal perhaps in every respect, to the 

 most celebrated varieties of Euro|)e ; lor it was 

 oidy by subjecting them to similar treattnent, tliat 

 such transcendent varieties have been obtained. 

 Let us, therefore, not despair of equal success, 

 though the time may be somewhat distant. 



After this, perhaps un.seasonable, digression, it is 

 proper that we return to the Treatise, and give 

 some account of the concluding part of the work, 

 which forms one of the most valuable portions of 

 its contents. Succeeding the descriptions with 

 which we are favored, of so many delightful varie- 



ties of the grape, and after devoting some pages to 

 the distinctive characteristicsof our native species^ 

 Mr Prince enters upon the subject of culture. 

 This he divides into three parts : first, great of 

 vineyard culture, comprising that of fields or plan- 

 tations on an extended scale for the manufacturer 

 of wines, brandies, and raisins; second, small or 

 garden culture on a more limited scale, for the 

 supply of markets with fresh fruits, or for family 

 supplies alone ; third, hot-house culture, where ar- 

 tificial heat is resorted to, either to obviate the 

 effects of climate or to advance the maturity 



The author treats at considerable length what- 

 ever relates to these modes of cultivation. He is> 

 so ample and minute that scarcely anything ia left' 

 untouched. The preparation of the ground ; th( 

 planting of vines; the most approved maD-> 

 ner of raising vines from cuttings, the oper. 

 j ations of layering and engrafting ; the location ot 

 vineyards with enclosures suitable to protect thein 

 , prop[)ing and training according to the various 

 I methods which have been found to succeed besN 

 ] in different climates, from the low to the higl^ 

 I trained vines, and from the common trellis to thai] 

 'admirable system of espalier by which the delicioilH 

 [and highly gilt fruit of Thomerry is perfectedl 

 with several other modes applicable tq particulag 

 circumstances; all this, with every form of man- 

 agement which can contribute to the prospcrit; 

 of the fullest development of the fruit, is dwe! 

 upon with minute attention. It would extrii: 

 this article much beyond a proper limit to endeavu 

 lo condense the views of the author on these iiii 

 portant subjects. They could not in any evei: 

 be so well understood as by consulting the woi 

 itself, where the reader will find all elucidated in 

 clear and satisfactory manner. 



Appended lo the Treatise is a catalogue of a 

 the vines in the extensive gardens of the autho 

 amounting to not less than five hundred varietie 

 affording ample selections for every diversity 

 soil and climate, where the vine may be brought 

 flourish. 



Thus far we have only spoken of the work ii 

 connexion with the subject, because it is natural 

 more interesting on that account. But it wou 

 be an unpardonable omission to pass over it ei 

 tirely without paying a tribute to its litem 

 merits. Mr Prince has not only been able to ii 

 part a vast fund of infornnition to his readers, 

 he has evinced a talent for doing it in a pers] 

 Otis and agreeable manner. His language is 

 chosen and engaging ; full without beiii 

 danl ; easy, flowing and frequently nervous; 

 where the subject admits of it, abounding in 

 sical allusions. ]t is evident that it is fo: 

 most part, the effort of an ardent ami spri| 

 mind, devoted enthusiastically to the vine., 

 if we sotiietimns discover some indications 

 most youthful fervor, which might induce 

 age to indulge in a smile ; j'et he who h 

 known what it is to love and to cherish the vim 

 duly appreciate any occasional exuberance 

 ing, and have a higher opiinon of the geni 

 and amiableness of the author. 



CROWS. 



Few birds are more numerous and annoyio 

 the farnjers of the Atlantic States than the ( 

 mon crow ('C corone), which, throughout a < 

 siderable part of the year, collects in astonish 

 large flocks, and makes destructive descents 

 newly-planted maize and other grain. Ha 

 species it seems as if all the evil propensitiei 



•iiu,i 





