386 [Assembly 



Perhaps no part of the United States is more prolific in variety 

 and excellence of kind of the native grape, than the valley of the 

 Connecticut river. 



Beginning at the town of Guilford, on Long Island Sound, and 

 then passing north to the valley of Connecticut river, and up that 

 valley to Vermont and New Hampshire, we find the native grape 

 growing in great abundance m the forests. 



Indeed, the climate and soil of this region seem peculiarly conge- 

 nial to the grape vine. In the town of Guilford are found many 

 localities of the native vines growing on trees or in clefts of rocks, 

 in forests or by road sides, or in open fields, and also by runs or 

 stieams of water. Many of the vines in this part of the country 

 seem to seek moist soils for their locations. There are several vari- 

 eties, but most of the native grapes of the Connecticut valley appear 

 to ripen from the 25lh of September to sometime in October, and 

 perhaps in some cases later. 



So prolific are the vines with fruit, that when the season arrives 

 it is as common an occurrence for boys to take a basket on their arms 

 and go out a graping, as it is to go after blackberries. 



There are several varieties of grapes growing wild in this region 

 of country, which have not yet received their names from horticul- 

 turists. 



In the year 1847, late in September, Mrs. Nash, while on a visit 

 to Guilford to see some friends, purchased a half a bushel of the na- 

 tive grapes found growing in that town, and brought them to New- 

 York and made the fruit into grape jelly. The grapes were obtain- 

 ed from boys who had been out graping, and then carried about the 

 fruit to sell. Many dozens of bushels are picked yearly in that 

 town, and sold for eating and to make into jelly or preserves. 



These grapes grew in the forests on vines that run on high bushes 

 and trees, and were picked before the fruit had become fully ripe, as 

 it is believed to be better in this state for manufacturing preserves or 

 jelly, than when fully ripe. 



The berries of these grapes were of a large size, and equal to 

 those of a basket of Isabella grapes which I purchased the year 



