VARIETIES OF GRAPES AND WINES. !^3 



Out of eighty-three vineyards in this county in 1845, Dr. 

 Flagg reported twenty-one much injured by the frost. 



Hailstorms have in some years injured our grape crop, but 

 they are generally confined to a small strip of country, and 

 have seldom extended to more than eight or ten vineyards 

 in this county in any one year. The leaves of ike vhie are a 

 partial protection to the fruit. 



VARIETIES OF GRAPES CULTIVATED, AND WINE MADE FROM 

 THEM. 



1 . The Catawba is our great wine grape, and stands with- 

 out a rival. Mr. Longworth has ofifered five hundred dollars 

 reward for a better native variety, and several new seedlings 

 have been produced, but its equal has not yet been found. It 

 is subject to rot. 



Wine; varying from a clear water color to straw color and 

 pink ; of a fine fruity aroma ; makes an excellent champagne, 

 and a good dry hock. Requires no sugar in fermentation, if 

 the grapes are well ripened. In the Horticulturist, Vol. 2, p. 

 317, Mr. Longworth states: — "Maj. Adlum had a proper 

 appreciation of the value of the Catawba grape. In a letter 

 to me, he remarked : — ' In bringing this grape into public 

 notice, I have rendered my country a greater service than I 

 would have done, had I paid off the National debt.' I con- 

 cur in his opinion." 



2. Cape ; this old favorite of former days, is now almost 

 displaced by the Catawba. It is still cultivated in some vine- 

 yards, but not extensively — a very hardy variety and but 

 little affected by the rot. 



Makes a good wine, resembling claret — requires some sugar 

 to be added in fermentation. 



3. Isabella, a variety much esteemed in some of the 

 Eastern States, particularly about the city of New York — 

 where it ripens better than here. It is almost abandoned as 

 a wine grape, and generally cultivated only for table use ; a 



