Grapes at North Bass ajtd Kmgsville, Canada. 273 



raising the delicate evergreens from the seed ; and they were green, fresh, 

 and growing. He also had them of two, three, and four years' growth ; 

 not many older. He will make a fine thing of this for himself, and a great 

 public good. How these millions of evergreens will beautify and benefit 

 our country around the buildings, orchards, and vineyards, by the roadside, 

 by the mansion, and along the railways ! Blessed are they who plant trees, 

 and thrice blessed are they who plant in this treeless country. In future 

 generations, these noble old trees will commemorate our names, and be 

 a lasting monument. Suel Foster. 



(To be continued.) 



GRAPES AT NORTH BASS AND KINGSVILLE, CANADA. 



From eight to ten miles west of Kelly's Island, ranging north and south 

 across Lake Erie, are the three Bass Islands, North, Middle, and South, or 

 Put-in Bay, commonly named. 



Eighteen years since, Mr. Horace Kelly of Cleveland surveyed this island, 

 then unbroken timber, and purchased it, except a portion bought by George 

 Wires, his assistant, and ever since a resident. Price paid, about a thou- 

 sand dollars for seven hundred and forty acres. Four years afterwards, 

 the brothers Fox of Kingsville, Canada, bought out Mr. Kelly, and paid 

 six dollars and twenty-five cents per acre. Then but thirty acres were 

 cleared. Not till 1861 were the Fox brothers aroused to an interest in 

 grape-culture. The eminent success of Kelly's Island excited curiosity to 

 try like locations. The soil is a gravelly clay, rather firm of texture. As 

 the island generally slopes towards the lake from the centre, the surface- 

 drainage is good. Eight years since, the first acre was set by Simon Fox. 

 Many other settlers followed the example. The first crops proving the 

 advantages for the grape and wine, land rose very rapidly in value, and 

 great breadths of vineyards were set out. Catawba was almost the sole 

 variety planted. The large landholders became suddenly rich. Simon 

 Fox sold a twelve-acre field four years since, seven acres in grapes, for ten 

 thousand dollars. A gentleman of Sandusky bought nine acres, just planted,, 

 at four hundred and sixty-five dollars per acre \ and, within a few years, sales- 

 of bare land have been made at four hundred dollars per acre. 



VOL. IV. 35 



