lb 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES TO PLANT FOR TABLE OR FAMILY USE. 



flavor, and generally deficient in size. This rule obtains in the case of 

 tlie Delaware, but much more markedly in the Diana, and particularly 

 In regard to the fruit. Large layers often bear profusely the season of 

 planting ; but unless the season is very long, the skins remain very 

 thick, and the fruit without richness or purity of flavor ; each year of 

 advance in age making a great improvement, until the vines are four 

 or five years old, when the great excellence that belongs to it becomes 

 apparent. 



Under some considerations, Allen's Hybrid may claim the rank of 

 second to the Delaware. Its fruit is large, beautiful, and of very high 

 excellence in quality, being tender as the Golden Chasselas, and equal 

 to it in transparent beauty, but much more spirited and invigorating. 

 It bears sufficiently early, and appears to be more hardy than Isa- 

 bella and Catawba — perhaps equaling Diana — but that can only be 

 learned with certainty by longer trial. Its fruit keeps very well, but not 

 so long as Diana, nor is it quit« equal to it in vinous refreshment ; but 

 Its excellence is so great that there is no danger that it will be over, 

 praised. It is very early, and may possibly equal the Delaware in that 

 respect when the vines become mature. The rank of this is easily third, 

 if not second for the table ; but for wine, Diana is clearly above it ; al" 

 though no doubt can be entertained that the Allen is able to make good 

 wine. 



Lincoln, for its proper latitude, will come next; but in regard to its 

 latitude, there is much doubt. It originated in the mountains of North- 

 Carolina, where the winters are severe, and it withstands all of the se- 

 verity of the changes of Cincinnati, in which the mercury often falls 

 as low as in New-Tork, and it has not suffered at lona, nearly a degree 

 north of New- York ; but the trial has not been long enougli to fully 

 determine that point, for which several years will yet be required. 



It ripens very early when the vines are mature ; its bunches are 

 large, but its berries scarcely medium ; but its pure rich wine chal- 

 lenges criticism, and its flesh is equally good to the center. It is high 

 prai=e f"r a table grape to say, tliat in addition to the other requisite 

 qualities, it makes excellent wine, for that is proof of its refreshing 

 quality, in which the Lincoln is equally distinguished as for its sugar, 

 but less spicy than Elsinburgh. In placing it fourl^, the Elsinburgh and 

 Lenoir must be placed by its side, and also the Herbemont, for quality ; 

 the Ilerbemorft being less sugary than the others. The Alvey may also 

 come into the same gi"oup, with flavor resembling Herbemont, but rip- 

 ening much earlier. Of Pauline it is too early to affirm as to the pe- 

 riod of ripening, but it does not appear to be quite so late as Herbe- 

 mont, and in hardiness perhaps it is equal. One degree north of New- 

 York, a Herbemont vine, on the south side of a house, has continued 

 to ripen, and withstand the winter fifteen years ; whereas it would not 

 do eitl>er perfectly, in all cases, in the open ground, in the latitude of 

 New-York. The Pauline is one of the richest and most spicy of the 

 perfectly pure, tender-fleshed grapes, and is not below the exquisite 

 Shiras in that respect. It is one of the most hopeful subjects at \>re- 

 scnt, for trial in the gardens of amateurs, but has not obtained rank 

 yet, except for quality, which is first, or by the side of Delaware. 



To a few it is impossible, in tliis summary, to give any numerical po- 

 sition of rank, but it will not be difticult to fix the estimate at which 

 each person will choose to hold them for liis own particular circum- 

 stance?, by recurring to the description of varieties, where they are all 

 carefully characterized. 



Anna is the highest flavored and most spirited of grapes, but wliile 

 pure in flavor, is not without its two defects, which are, that it some- 

 times loses part of its berries by the rot, and, like Isabella and Cataw- 

 ba, it does not till late in the season lose all of the toughness in its cen- 

 ter. To sick persons it is often of special value. A few vines of it are 

 enough for any collection, and no collection is complete without one. 

 Few would be without one Union Village, for its earliness and great 

 size. Kebecca la good and pleasant, and often a favorite, but never 

 high-flavored. 



Coleman's White appears to be identical with Cuyahoga, although 

 Cuyahoga at Cleveland is very different from the former at Cincinnati ; 

 hut parties who have been conversant with both from the beginning, 

 affirm that they are the same. 



Of Creveling, Concord, Hartford Prolific, it is not necessary here to 

 speak. 



Our two most hardy, constant, and prolific kinds that ripen unfail- 

 ingly through an extended latitude, and that have been thoroughly 



proved, are Delaware and lona. If we take a narrow belt of abc de 

 grees, having New-York for its center, we shall include the region 

 most favorable and advantageous for tiie grape. In sheltered situa- 

 tions, and on the south side of walls and buildings, these two may be 

 grown and ripened more than two degrees further North, and very 

 much further South, only in going South the season of keeping becomes 

 shortened with kinds that ripen early, so that in the latitude of Augus- 

 ta or Atlanta, Georgia, these k-lnd can not be had for use more than two 

 months, while toward the Northern limit of perfect ripening they may 

 be had six or seven months, but not with the full degree of flowing 

 richness that belongs to them when ripened at the South. The Israella 

 will probably have a more extended range than these, but that has not 

 yet been proved, except by its very early ripening. 



For the belt of six degrees the lona is equal in value to the Delaware 

 for a table grape, but with its own peculiar advantages, for which see 

 descriptions, and also Mr. Mead's letters, one of which is appended to 

 the Selections, and two others are in the pages of the Catalogues, all of 

 which are worthy of attention for tite illustration of important facts 

 that are interesting to every lover of good grapes. . 



Although the lona is now, for the first time, offered for sale, it is not 

 untested, but has been thoroughly proved as far North as Northern 

 Vermont. It ripens fully farther North than the Concord, which it 

 equals in size and surpasses in uniform constancy of production, hav- 

 ing never been affected by rot, which in unfavorable seasons has been 

 destructive to the crop of the Concord. The comparison can not be 

 continued, for in beauty and quality they are not to be named together, 

 the latter having the leaden opacity that is always a characteristic at- 

 tendent of all the offensive qualities of the Northern fox grape, while 

 the lona has all of the bright, clear translucency of the Frontigyans, 

 the best and most spirited of the Foreign kinds, and which it the mon 

 strongly resembles. 



The following table is made for a belt extending two degrees north of 

 New- York, and indefinitely south. A slight variation only will be need- 

 ed for adapting it to all of tlie conditions of this extensive range, the 

 chief of which will be the omission of the Herbemont in some localities 

 north of New-York, and adding Pauline in some localities south. The 

 selections are for six, ten, twelve, fifteen, twenty, and thirty vines. 

 When a greater number is desired, it may be found by doubling the 

 selection of twenty or thirty. I have not had in mind an interesting 

 collection of good grapes, but the most valuable selection for use. 

 Many persons would desire one each of all of the kinds described in 

 the catalogue to complete a collection. 



The foregoing table gives two selections for each number very nearly 

 as I should plant for myself. If so small a number as twelve is to be 

 planted, so as to afford the greatest advantage from the *:est fruit, not 

 more than four kinds would be taken. But there is an interest attach- 

 ing to variety that will call for at least eight. 



In the above selections, suSicient importance is not given to Anna 

 and Israella. 



