THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 135 



stream, and was removed by him to his garden, as early as 

 1811. It is represented to be near a lilac color. From Mr. 

 William Leonard, of the Shaker Society, I received two vines, 

 and an account of the fruit and of the well-established repu- 

 tation which it has in the vicinity where it was found. Mr. 

 Leonard made a visit to the place, and saw the plant in fruit ; 

 he measured some berries, which he found four inches in cir- 

 cumference. At the nurseries of the Shaker Society, Har- 

 vard, vines of this grape may be found on sale, and, probably, 

 at the farm of Mr. Sage, Portland, Connecticut. The foliage 

 blighted badly in my garden in July, 1848.* 



* The following are extracts from two letters of Mr. Sage to Mr. Leonard, giving 

 its history, etc :• — 



" Portland, Oct. \st, 1846. — The vine was taken from the margin of a small 

 stream, in quite a secluded spot, some thirty-five years since, and has been a con- 

 stant bearer many seasons, yielding in great profusion. 



" Perhaps I shall be considered selfish, but must say they are the richest flavored 

 grapes I have ever tasted. The pulp is very soft and juicy. The}' commenced ri- 

 pening about two weeks since, and are now dead ripe ; they will not drop from the 

 vine when ripe, as many grapes do, but will remain (unless gathered,) until the}' get 

 perfectly dry, and their flavor is so very rich, that a few bunches, in a room, will 

 perfume it for months. For making jelly, they are not surpassed. H. E. Sage." 



" Portland, April 8th, 1848. — I this day received your line requesting information 

 about the ' Sage Grape.' In answer to your inquiry, ' Is it a great and constant 

 bearer ? ' I would say it is a constant bearer, and would be a prolific one, were it not 

 for the rose bugs, which have almost wholly destroyed them for some years ; it al- 

 ways blossomsyw//, and, just at this stage, the bugs appear to make their havoc. 



" Seasons when not destroyed, the vine has been borne down with the fruit, prob- 

 abl}' as many as twenty bushels have been gathered from the vine which you saw ; 

 the bunches, in such seasons, are large and full ; the berries very round, and their 

 average girth three inches, and many of them much larger. 



" The soil of my garden is rather of a dry, loamy nature, and brings forth vegeta- 

 tion pretty early. I have never used any kind of manure for my vine, and have 

 scarcely taken the trouble to build a place for it to run upon. I am confident, were 

 it in some hands, it would surpass any thing of the grape kind in this country. 



" I would recommend rather a dry soil for its cultivation, and in a situation where 

 the sim would strike it fair ; the south side of a building would be preferable, and, if 

 the soil is rich, I think it will do as well without manure as with it. I believe the 

 dryer the soil, the sweeter will be the fruit. 



" A vine which was cultivated from a plant from my garden, four years ago, bore 

 profusely last season, and flourishes beyond calculation ; it is placed on the south 

 side of a house, and forms an arbor to the entrance of two tenements. 



" In great haste, dear sir, I believe I have answered your inquiries. I speak in 

 confidence, when I say that the Sage grape, properly cultivated, will surpass any 

 thing of the grape kind in this country. Henry E. Sage." 



