THE AMERICAN GRAPE. 



Vitis labrusca, L. Vitacece of Botanists. 



THROUGHOUT nearly every portion of the United States the Grape, 

 in its wild state, is found growing. Of these, classes are divided, the 

 vitis labrusca, being our common Fox grape, and from which we are 

 yet to suppose the Diana, Catawba, and Isabella, are accidental seed- 

 lings ; while the Frost grape (vitis cordifolia), may, perchance, have 

 been the parent of the Elsinburgh, Clinton, &c. Hardy, and almost 

 equaling in delicacy many of the varieties of foreign grape, they have 

 become the companions of our advanced civilization, until almost 

 every American can sit under his own vine and eat the fruit thereof. 

 They have made our country already known as a wine-producing 

 country, after repeated trials and failures with foreign varieties, and 

 are destined to add millions to our wealth, and temperance to the 

 character of our people. Records of immense vines are made, as 

 growing on the rich soil of our valleys bordering on streams of 

 waters ; yet, when age is taken into consideration, we deem them all 

 surpassed by a vine of Catawba grape which we saw last year grow- 

 ing on Kelley's Island, in Lake Erie. It had been planted out but 

 two years, yet had reached at least three hundred feet in length, with 

 a girth, near the ground, of main stem, five inches, and had produced 

 that year over 200 Ibs. of fruit. 



The secret of this extraordinary growth rests in the soil abounding 

 in lime, while the wash- water, soap-suds, &c., &c., of the house bad 

 its escape near the roots. 



We may also remark that upon this island we have seen grapes, 

 more perfectly grown and ripened, than in visiting any of the vine- 

 yards of the Ohio ; and wine possessing all the bouquet and aroma so 

 much esteemed by connoisseurs. 



Vineyards. The vineyards of the Rhine and of the territory of 

 France, have world-wide celebrity. The quantity produced by the 

 latter country naving been stated as high as 900,000,000 gallons, 

 annually, for which nearly 5,000,000 acres of ground were required. 



" The Romans cultivated the vine at an early period of their his- 

 tory, and used wine in their libations at their sacrifices. Romulus, 

 however, discouraged its use, which prevented the introduction of it 

 as a beverage, until his edict was abolished. The general culture 

 was then encouraged, and increased to such excess that it became 

 necessary to restrict the use of wine by severe laws. At one time 



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