A Visit to Mr. Bull. 335 



fibrous centre or unripe pulp. Both Mr. Bull's visitors were very much 

 struck with this yet unnamed variety. The flesh of this grape breaks down 

 under the pressure of the tongue ; and the seeds alone are left, just as is 

 the case with the best foreign kinds. Another seedling was shown to us, 

 with dark and somewhat astringent juice, from which an excellent port 

 wine of great body and high character has been made. This is a grape 

 from which we shall expect important results. 



Various other seedling-grapes were examined, tested, and tasted by us ; 

 but we cannot give all the details of their characteristics. 



We saw enough to make us certain that Mr. Bull has produced, from the 

 tough, acid, and inedible grape of our native woods, several varieties that 

 cannot help making a great impression upon all vine-growers as soon as 

 they are disseminated and become better known. In some, the color of 

 the original has been changed from a lustrous black to a gold-green with 

 a pearly bloom ; in others, only a trace of the fibrous centre of the native 

 is left ; and in one, at least, this fibrous portion is completely wanting. New 

 wine-making characteristics have been introduced, the form of the bunch 

 and berry improved ; and all this has been done without giving up an atom 

 of the native vigor and hardiness. (We believe that Mr. Bull sacrifices with- 

 out mercy any seedling that is not entirely hard}', and capable of taking 

 care of itself through our severe winters.) The Concord Grape, useful as it is, 

 has been but one link in the chain, or, we may better say, a stepping-stone 

 to greater results. Mr. Bull's experimental garden is a sandy hillside. The 

 soil is very poor in organic matter, being really no better than many of our 

 hills and fields that support nothing but short pasture-grass and a few pine- 

 trees ; but is rich in iron, — a fact upon which Mr. Bull lays considerable 

 stress. The vines get a little ashes and bone-dust each year, but, -we believe, 

 no other manure. Mr. Bull believes neither in trenching nor high manur- 

 ing ; and is even afraid to start his grape-seeds by artificial heat, lest he 

 should do something towards enfeebling the plants that these seeds will 

 give. He continues to plant seeds of his best varieties every year ; and we 

 sincerely hope he may live long enough to fruit half a dozen more genera- 

 tions of seedlings, and that his future triumphs may surpass those of years 

 gone by. 



