[FROM FIRST EDITION, 1869.] 



Our success in grape growing, and in the propagation 

 of grape vines, has been highly satisfactory, in fact, far 

 beyond our expectations. In view of the very great 

 competition of even large, well-known and long-estab- 

 lished nurseries, this success is. highly flattering, and 

 has encouraged us to increase our efforts so as to pro- 

 duce, for next season, a large stock, not excelled in 

 quality by any other establishment in the country, and 

 embracing almost every valuable variety. 



We do not pretend to furnish "better and cheaper vines 

 than can be afforded by any other establishment." We 

 do not pretend that "money-making is secondary with 

 us," we leave this to others; all we do claim is, that we 

 hope to merit a reasonable share of patronage, the con- 

 tinued confidence of our customers, and a fair profit. 



In this connection, we cannot refrain from referring 

 with a certain pride to the voluntary assurances of sat- 

 isfaction we have received. Desiring to return our 

 thanks to our customers in an appropriate and tangible 

 form, and to respond to a desire often expressed by our 

 correspondents, we concluded to present them with a 

 fine Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue, wherein the 

 characteristic and relative merits of our different varie- 

 ties are clearly stated. 



We leave it to others to judge of its merits. We tried 

 to produce something better than a mere price list, 

 something that will be interesting and useful to pro- 

 gressive grape eulturists, and have not spared time, 

 labor or money in preparing it. 



It has become customary to prefix to a Descriptive 



Catalogue of fruits and flowers some brief directions for 

 their cultivation, and we have been urged to do the same. 

 We are aware, however, that some short and very 

 incomplete directions, "a few hints," do more harm 

 than good. They generally serve only to confuse the 

 tyro or misrepresent grape growing as a very easy mat- 

 ter, requiring no larger outlay of capital, nor any more 

 knowledge, skill, and labor than is necessary to produce 

 a crop of corn. This we do not wish to do. But on the 

 other hand we are also aware that the excellent but 

 somewhat costly books on grape culture, by Fuller, Hus- 

 mann, Strong, and others, are not purchased by every 

 grape grower, and that many of these are somewhat 

 afraid of reading whole books. Moreover, considerable 

 progress has been made in grape culture since these 

 books were written; their very authors, indefatigable 

 horticulturists as they are, have by study and experi- 

 ence, modified their views on some points, but have not 

 had time or encouragement enough from their publish- 

 ers to rewrite their works for new editions. Thus we 

 came to the conclusion that a short manual, containing 

 plain but full directions in regard to the planting, 

 culture, and training of grape-vines, and offered for less ' 

 than its cost, would be welcome. We have availed our- 

 selves of the writings of our friend and teacher, Hus- 

 mann, and of the works of Downing, Fuller, and many 

 others, to whom due credit is given in the proper places ; 

 and while we lay little claim to originality, we hope that 

 this Catalogue may afford pleasure and profit to some 

 of those at least into whose hands it may come. 



[INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION, 1875.] 



six years, embracing the most disastrous and the 

 most favorable seasons to grape culture, have elapsed 

 since the first edition of this Catalogue. Our experience 

 has been enriched, observations have been made on old, 

 and on then untried varieties, and some very promising 

 new varieties have since been added to our list, but above 

 all, one circumstance, the discovery of the Grape Root- 

 louse, the Phylloxera, has led to a new, RADICAL study 

 of the American Grape Vines. 



Our business as grape growers and propagators 

 assumed such large dimensions that we discarded the 

 culture and propagation of small fruits, etc., and de- 

 voted all the space of our grounds, all our means, cares 

 and attention to GRAPE CULTURE ONLY AND EXCLUS- 

 IVELY, for which we have unusual facilities, and a most 

 favorable soil and location. This enables us to raise a 

 superior stock, and to make it more advantageous to 

 the public, and even to the leading nurseries of other 

 branches of Horticulture, to deal with us, whose grape- 

 nursery business is now admitted to be the first and 

 most extensive of its kind in the United States of 

 America. 



We owe our reputation to our determination to give 

 complete satisfaction, and to deserve the entire con- 

 fidence of our customers, furnishing none but good, 

 healthy, genuine plants, unmixed, and true to name, 

 packed in the best manner, at as low prices as possible. 



We have no seedlings of our own, and impartially 

 recommend such varieties only, new or old, as have 

 real superior merit, and while the demand compels us 



to disseminate some inferior varieties (Hartford Prolijic 

 for instance) and untried novelties, over-praised, per- 

 haps, by their originators, our Descriptive Catalogue 

 shall save the reader from some of the bitter disappoint- 

 ments which grape growers have so often experienced. 

 For the sake of completeness, and in the interest of 

 science, we have added (in smaller type) the description 

 of nearly all the old discarded varieties, and of many 

 new ones not yet tested and not propagated by us ; thus 

 adding, we think, to the value of this Catalogue (though 

 also to its cost).- 



We have carefully endeavored to avoid all undue 

 praise, and to mention the shortcomings of even our 

 best varieties; we especially desire to warn against 

 the error of considering ANY" variety fit for universal 

 cultivation. To this end a study of the CLASSIFICATION" 

 of our grapes in the Manual, is earnestly recommended. 

 Many failures will thus be avoided which have blasted 

 the hopes, so prevalent ten years ago throughout the 

 country, with regard to grape culture ; and its success, 

 now aided by a higher tariff on imported wines, by in- 

 creased demand for the fruit and its products, by less 

 sanguine expectations, and, above all, by better knowl- 

 edge as to the selection of varieties, locations and 

 proper mode of culture, will be comparatively certain. 



Finally we beg to state that WE HAVE NO AGENTS to 

 solicit orders for our Grape Vines. Persons who desire 

 to obtain plants from us will kindly favor us with their 

 orders by mail, direct, or through reliable Nurseries or 

 dealers who get them from us. 



TESTIMONIALS, 



We could fill a book with voluntary testimonials of prominent Horticulturists, Grape-groivrrs 

 and Nurserymen, who favored us with their command*, and to whom we may confidently refer; 

 but we flatter ourselves that our name is so ividely known, and our reputation so well establislicd, 

 that testimonials are unnecessary. 



