FARMERS' REGISTER— NATIVE GRAPES. 



89 



other growth down, as I think it injurious to break 

 the roots after the stalk is generally jointing. 



I commence planting about the 10th of April, or 

 as soon as I think the earth sufficiently warm to 

 bring the seed up regularly, that it may all grow 

 up together, as replanted corn is so much shaded by 

 the first (upon my thick plan) that it seldom pro- 

 duces any thing. 



For corn, we generally manure in the drill, owing 

 to the scarcity of the article, or I should prefer its 

 being spread over the land regularly ; stable ma- 

 nure, or litter irom a farm yard, well rotted, is very 

 strong, and should not be put in the drill too plenti- 

 fully, as it has a tendency to fire the crop. I put 

 a great or small quantity, according to the strength 

 of'the manure. I am very little acquainted with 

 lime or plaster, as a manure. 



I conclude my remarks, by wishing you suc- 

 cess, upon the mode of cultivation. Very respect- 

 fully, your obedient servant, 



A. B. MEGGIXSON. 



N. B. I use the Farmer Plough altogether, No. 

 3^, for two horses; No. 1, for one horse. 



Native Grapes, 



Woodson and Cunningham. 



From the American Farmer. 



F'armville, Prinze Edward, Co. Va. ) 

 December 11, 1832. 5 



Mr. Smith : — While in this place to-day, I 

 was looking over some of the late numbers of the 

 Farmer, my attention was arrested by your edito- 

 rial remarks on " Native Grapes," in No. 33. — 

 The information there sought with respect to the 

 " Woodson" and " Cunningham" grapes was re- 

 quested at the hands of Dr. Norton, of Richmond, 

 from whom you received specimens of those varie- 

 ties. As I do not find any published reply to your 

 queries in your subsequent papers, I hope you will 

 not deem it intrusive, if I communicate what I 

 have gathered on the subject. I shewed your ar- 

 ticle to Mr. Samuel W. Venable, a gentleman of 

 this vicinity, who for several years past, has paid 

 much attention jto the subject of grapes, — having 

 made a considerable collection of foreign and native 

 varieties — and who has tried numerous experi- 

 ments with those in question. I remember to have 

 Been some time since in Prince, some general ac- 

 count of them, to whose Avork you can refer, as I 

 have it not at hand ; but from Mr. V. I learnt 

 minutely their respective histories. 



They are both, as far as has been ascertained, 

 natives of this country, — both supposed to be seed- 

 lings of the "Bland ;" and the original stock of each 

 is still standing and alive. Some of the reasons for 

 this supposed origin are : — that the " Bland" was 

 generally and almost alone cultivated in the gar- 

 den, and trained on trees in the yards of old set- 

 tlements in this county — that no grape similar to 

 them has been found in this region ; that all the 

 most valuable native varieties have been discover- 

 ed in the vicinity of those farms where the Bland 

 has been known to grow, — -and these too are con- 

 jectured to have sprung from seed dropped by 

 birds, or in some such manner. 



The " Woodson" grape received its name from 

 Col. Charles Woodson, a citizen of this county, 

 who was its first cultivator, and who has long been 

 an amateur and spirited raiser of vines and other 

 fruits. The parent vine, supposed to be more than 

 Vol. I.— 12 



fifty years old, is still growing on the farm of Mr. 

 Isaac Read, near an old family mansion; in the 

 garden attached to which. Bland grapes are re- 

 membered to have been raised at a very early peri- 

 od. The leaf resembles that of the " Bland" in 

 form, and in almost every other particular, ex- 

 cept that the furze on the under side is of a dark 

 color. It stands on a high, dry soil — climbing and 

 turning itself about the branches of an oak, which 

 is situated on the side of a hill. It is said to have 

 been formerly very thrifty and prolific, although it 

 has much declined in these respects from age and 

 want of cultui-e. The vine and fruit are both much 

 improved by cultivation. Mr. V. informs me 

 that he has about forty stocks in his vineyard ; 

 which are fine growers and highly prolific, — having 

 produced more abundantly than any grape which 

 he cultivates — some of the bunches of the last sea- 

 son weighing three pounds. It buds late in the 

 spring, is rarely injured by frost, is hardy if plant- 

 ed on a dry soil, will bear heavy pruning. The 

 grapes ripen from the 10th to the 15th of October, 

 and are not subject to rot. A little " domestic 

 wine" has been made of them after the receipts of 

 some of the old fashioned housekeepers in this 

 county, which was pronounced quite good by 

 those who, perhaps, do not plume themselves on 

 being critical judges in such matters. 



The " Cunningham grape," is so called from 

 Mr. Jacob Cunningham, on whose farm it was 

 first discovered. The parent vine, (about twenty 

 years old) whose leaf is like tliat of the Bland, ex- 

 cept that the furze is of a yellow color, stands in a 

 dry part of his garden, and at this time covers 

 thickly both sides and the top of an arched frame 

 about 50 feet in length, by 12 in height.* It was 

 never pruned save of the slips which liave been dis- 

 tributed for propagation, (of which those sent to 

 Dr. Norton were a part,) and yet is very prolific. 

 The stocks in Mr. Venable's vineyard are more 

 so than those of any other grape which he culti- 

 vates, except the Woodson. Like the latter, it 

 buds late in the spring, and of course but occasion- 

 ally subject to frost — is thrifty and prolific, and 

 ripens from the 20th of September to the 10th of 

 October, much improved by cultivation and pru- 

 ning. Wine has been made from it more fre- 

 quently than from the Woodson — in body, smell 

 and flavor nearly resembling Madeira. 



It was first attempted here to propagate it by 

 slips, though frequently without effect, — then by 

 grafting with some better success — and with lay- 

 ers easily. Mr. Venable succeeded with the slips 

 as well here as with other native varieties, as he 

 thinks, by setting them out in November, — those 

 planted in the spring having failed. Another mode 

 which proved successful in forty nine cases out of 

 fifty, was setting out slips with but one bud, hav- 

 ing both their ends hermetically sealed with tar. 

 He has about eighty stocks in his vineyard. In 

 the years 1828-9-30, a number were distributed in 

 different parts of this state to ascertain the effect 

 on them of different climates, situation and soil, 

 from which intelligence will probably be received 

 in the course of the next season. 



Perhaps it might not be entirely irrelevant, were 

 I to give a slight sketch of Mr. Venable's vine- 

 yard. About the year 1827 he determined on 

 making an experiment, to ascertain the practica- 



* A 1 jllared shade. Q,r, 



