138 Tfie Western Pomologist and Gardener. 1872 



Norton's Virginia, Cynthiana and Clinton. Tliese varietis, for certain purposes and in 

 certain localities, are almost indispensable, but who, with experience would recommend 

 them for general cultivation in Kansas? It is very dift'erent with the Concord and Ive's 

 Seedling. They are not only healthy and hardy, but also very productive, and good for either 

 market or wine, and succeed wherever tried. We have found no other grapes among 

 the numerous varieties we have tested or seen growing, which possess so many good 

 qualities, notwithstanding they are very far from being perfect. The lona, for quality 

 and for wine, is, perhaps, without a rival ; and the Catawba, tor sparkling wine, suitable 

 to the American taste, has, perhaps, never been excelled. 



"We have a long list of hybrids, but so far as tested, we cannot recommend any of them, 

 and if we did, it would only be on trial for certain purposes and in special locations, for the 

 greater the number and the longer we try them the more we are convinced that they 

 liave inherited the defects of the foreign grape, and are not adapted to our climate. The 

 most promising and desirable of these are, perhaps, the Wilder, Goethe and Croton. 



Experience has taught us a lesson which will save much time, money and' disappoint- 

 ment, if we will but follow its precepts, that is, to plant but few varieties, and those only 

 ■which have proved generally hardy, healthy and productive. Plant them in the very 

 best locations, for very much depends upon soil, aspect and situation of the vineyard.- 



We have seen the Catwba grape in unfavorable sea.sons in certain soil, healthy, and 

 ripen its fruit perfectly, while it was an entire failure in other soil in the same neighbor- 

 hood. This soil was a yellowish, white clay, mixed with sand, shale and disintegrated 

 lime, on a steep, southern slope, intermediate between the high and low land, where the 

 Catawba would not succeed. We have seen the Concord grape ripen fifteen days sooner 

 in one vineyard than in another, not two miles apart. This was no doubt due to five 

 degrees higher daily mean temperature, for the grape, with all other vegetables, requires a 

 specific amount of heat, from growth to maturity, under the same conditions of humidity. 



We have also seen the same variety of grapes contain from twenty-five to thirty per 

 cent more saccharine matter in one vineyard, than in another in the same vicinity. This 

 ■was due to soil, aspect and elevation, which gave a longer season, higher temperature and 

 more mature and perfect growth, which more fully developed the sugar, reduced the 

 acid and improved the grape. 



These are some of the most important considerations in planting a vineyard, and no 

 person should overlook them who wishes to be successful and reap the highest reward 

 for his labor, for perfect health, early maturity, and best quality will always give you the 

 pre-eminence. There are also peculiarities of species and varieties, which we should prop- 

 erly understand if we wish to make any proficiency in grape culture, that we may better 

 utilize the locations we have. We have seen the lubrusat and cordifolia species grow lux- 

 uriantly, and bear profusely in the most unfavorable seasons, with their roots immer- 

 sed in water, while the improved varieties, as the Catawba and the Isabella would 

 not succeed on dry ground in the same vicinity. In all of our experience, ive have been 

 ■unable to find any conditions in which they would not succeed under sufficient heat. 

 ' Some varieties of grapes have very limited bounds, and will not succeed within the 

 limits of other.s, while others are again not so prescribed. Some are limited by tempera- 

 ture, others by humidity, and a few, perhaps, by both. This difference is due to the 

 species from which they have been produced. As the vitas viiiifera will not endure the 

 humidity of the Atlantic states, neither will the vidpina the temperatue of the North, 

 ■while the labnisca and cordifolia will endure both ; and the home of the astimlis is found 

 to be a dry soil under a hot sun. It is these peculiarities of species, varieties, soil, aspects 

 and elevation, which we have wished to impress upon you, and give as a basis upon 

 which we may hope to establish scientific grape culture, If these remarks on the grape 

 but cause you to think before you act, we hope our labor will not have been in vain. 



Last season, Berlin, Wisconsin, shipped 13,670 barrels of cranberries. 



