DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. 



To take the subject according to the older in which it comes before 

 the attention, Isabella and Catawba will be the first noticed, because 

 these for a long time were the best, and the only kinds of passable 

 quality known in market or in gardens, and are now more extensively 

 known than any others. 



These being so generally known, may be used and form a kind of 

 standard for the size of bunches and berries, and color, and they will 

 serve also as a point of departure for the description of flavor and 

 quality. 



The bunches of the Isabella are large, conic, often "^ith a branch, 

 which is called a shoulder, but not very properly so. Berries are large 

 and somewhat oval, with very dark or purplish black color; the skins 

 rather thick, and containing a pungent essentia! oil that is slightly un- 

 pleasant in flavor and odor, even when the fruit is in the best condi- 

 tion to which it can be brought by the longest and most favorable 

 feasors. The peduncle or stalk is herbaceous and succulent rather 

 than woody, and becomes very fragile, breaking with a slight touch 

 after the weather becomes cool, or the occurrence of slight frost. 



The structure of the berries is a favorable modification of the most 

 objectionable natives of our woods, but still retaining in its best con- 

 dition something of all their defects. It begins to ripen near the sur- 

 face, and never ripens to the center nor often quite to the surface. 

 When the process of ripening has extended into the skin, and about 

 two-thirds of the distance towards the center, the life of the vital ap- 

 paratus ceases, and no further improvement in the quality of the fruit 

 can take place. To have the fruit in its best condition, it must be 

 taken from the vines before the vital action of the stalks ceases entire- 

 ly, but when it has just as nearly as possible performed its work. At 

 this time it has all of the vinous life which it can possess, with as little 

 of the pungency in its skin and offensiveness of odor and flavor as can 

 belong to it, with its full measure of sweetness. Later the fibrous 

 toughness of the center breaks down partially, and finally altogether ; 

 but then its excellence is lost ; all of its spirit being gone, decay hav- 

 ing beg»'.n ; and the acid of the center being mingled with the sweet 

 juice of the exterior portion then, renders the fruit spiritless and in- 

 sipid ; for the jicid is that of unripe fruits, and not that of invigoration 

 .»nd refreshment. It is always rather feeble in flavor, never having 

 Bufiicient yivacity and richness to make wine. The beverage which is 

 produced from its juice never has the excellence that belongs to true 

 wine, although it is often represented as such by sellers. The Isabella, 

 under proper treatment, is a good grower, and endures the freezing of 

 ordinary winters ; but having thin, papery leaves, it often suH'ers 

 greatly in its foliage by the changes of summer, by which the crops 

 and often the health of the vines are lost. The fruit, under such cir- 

 cumstances, often acquires size and blackness without richness. 



The Adirondac, a new grape of this group, was found on the shoee of 

 Lake Champlain, and has recently been introduced by Mr. J. W. Bailey 

 of Plattsburgh. It is supposed to ripen very early, but it has yet only 

 been grown in a very warm, sheltered nook, where the conditions have 

 been peculiarly favorable, both for the growth of the vine and for the 

 maturity of the fruit. Under such circumstances the Madeleine, Chas- 

 selas, and Sweetwaters, have attained an equal degree of ripeness much 

 farther north, which has led to much disappointment in attempting to 

 ^ow them in a warm latitude. 



The Adirondac in character possesses chiefly negative commenda- 

 tions, having not much toughness or acidity at its center, and little if 

 any of the offensive and nauseating odor that belongs generally to the 

 group. On the other hand, it has but a moderate amount of sugar, 

 with so great deficiency of vivacity and invigorating power that it is 

 Dot easy to give it any positive character. Unless it becomes better 

 by removal southward, and earlier than indications promise, its rank 

 in value will not be high, for it will not satisfy those who look to the 

 grape for such enjoyment as can be found in our best kindp. I have 

 included the Adirondac in the Isabella group, to which it has aflinity. 

 not believing it of foreign origin. 



There is but one of the old kinds that may be included In the Isabel- 

 la group that is better than itself, or that will make wine, and that is 

 Tork Madeira. It is medium in size of bunch and berry, with the 

 eame characteristics of structure as the Isabella, but much more rich, 

 fpirited, and pure than that, making excellent wine ; but it is not very 

 abundant in juice. It is also earlier, and ripens more perfectly. Its 

 leaves difl'er in appearance from those of Isabella, but are not more 

 hardy. There is a sub-variety of this much larger, but 'uferior la quali- 



ty, that has been known as the Alexander. The latter name Is also 

 frequently used as a synonj-m of Tork Madeira. York Madeira has, by 

 error or otherwise, been extensively disseminated under various names, 

 among which are Canby's August, Hyde's Eliza, Baldwin's Ear'v, 

 Shepherd's Port Wine, etc. 



A great number have been sent forth under different names as better 

 and earlier than Isabella, which have proved to be simply that ; among 

 them may be named Ganigues, Arkansas, Miller's Louise, etc. 



Creveling is the earliest of all the tolerably good ones of this class, 

 and ripens nearly three weeks before Isabella. The fruit bears a 

 strong resemblance to it, but it has a very long peduncle, and the 

 bunches are more pointed. The Logan is not quite so early, and has 

 a more brisk flavor, with pretty distinct foliage. In quality it may 

 rank with the last, and needs no extended description. 



Concord is not so early as the last two, and is more objectionable in 

 its odor and flavor. In habit and foliage it is strictly like the wild- 

 ings from which it sprung, having very long-jointed wood, and the 

 characteristic rust on the under side of the leaves. Its gi-eatest recom- 

 mendations are, a good degree of hardiness, and extreme facility of pro- 

 pagation. It has the offensiveness of the natives in a large measure, 

 with almost none of the pure, rich, invigorating proi)erty that givet 

 high excellence to the grape distinctively, and the faults of the struc- 

 ture of the fruit are greater than those of the Isabella. Its value con- 

 sists in its ripening when the Isabella will not, and in its more endur- 

 ing foliage. Its habit of growth is very objectionable for both garden 

 and vineyard, where its long canes are not easily restrained within 

 proper space, and its very long, rambling roots starve the adjoining 

 plants. The same description will apply to Hartford Prolific, which is 

 one of the natives from the woods, and is a little lower in quality, bat 

 one week earlier in ripening. Both this and the Concord have but a 

 slight attachment to the peduncle after reaching their best degree of 

 ripening, and drop badly. 



Both of these have been talked of for wine, and some persons have 

 been induced to plant them for this purpose, but only to incur disap- 

 pointment. It may be taken as a universal truth, that none but rtcA 

 grapes can make wine, and that the impurity which renders a grape 

 nauseating will not be less detrimental to the beverage that is made 

 from it. A further consideration is worthy of attention by those who 

 plant vineyards for making wine. Those who buy and drink wine for 

 its benefit and enjoyment, are chiefly persons who have a fine percep- 

 tion of its excellence, to whom preparations from the grape just named 

 are no more attractive than a concert of hand-organs to fine musical 

 perceptions. 



It is of little importance to pursue the descending grade any further ; 

 but some questions will be asked concerning Northern Muscadine, 5Ias- 

 sachusetts White, the Sage, Catharine, Perkins, Dracut Amber, and an 

 endless number of others, all meaning the most offensive of the fox 

 grapes and under almost every dingy hue conceivable except black ; 

 but this color is just as frequent as any of the others, and Blood's 

 Black may be also named. The Hartford Prolific is just good enough 

 to stand at the head of these instead of the latter. Perkins may repre- 

 sent the red and Catharine the white. None of these are new, and the 

 offensiveness of all is very rank. Every one of them, under some oth- 

 er names, have been brought to notice more than once within my knowl- 

 edge ; but none of them can maintain any position for a moment in 

 opposition to grapes that are truly fruit, except with a very few tastes, 

 that find a measure of enjoyment in their very defects ; but these are 

 not persons who take much enjoyment from grapes of any kind, or 

 make much use of them. When they do use them, in most instances, 

 this partial liking passes into disgust as the palate and whole constitution 

 gain knowledge of better things by the cultivation of the perceptions. 

 " Charter Oak " is a term of opprobrium, but is only a little more of 

 fensive than the best of those just named. 



The delight which all fruits of high excellence give to those who have 

 really learned to know them by full and free use, is only in a small 

 degree measured by the momentary sensation which they communicate 

 to the palate, although their worth is indicated by it ; but their great 

 excellence and power of attraction consist in the animation and vigor 

 which they impart ; in the general healthful tone which they con> 

 munlcate by their refreshing power, and the aid which they give to 

 nourishment as digestives, and in the pleasurable emotions which they 

 excite and sustain by all of these means combined, and from whi'l 

 their name — enjoyment, becomes very significant. 



