No. 133.] 369 



President Tallmadge. — The accounts which have reached us 

 relative to the character and quality of the vines and grapes of 

 the coast of tlie Pacific ocean, in North as well as in South Amer- 

 icEj are very interesting to us, because our vines, imported from 

 Europe during a long period at heavy expense and great labor, 

 have all, after a short life, failed on this side of North America, 

 and we have now found out but two native grapes which we are 

 desirous of seeing in our desserts — they are Isabella and Cataivba. 

 It now appears, so far as accurate information has reached us, 

 that the vines carried from Europe to South America, by the 

 Spaniards, during some centuries past, liave left all along the Pa- 

 •cific ocean, on both sides of the equator ; some fine varieties of 

 grapes producing, in some instances, as in California, clusters of 

 extraordinary size, even to eleven pounds weight, as is said. All 

 these may, probably, consent to flourish on this side of the con- 

 tinent, having been so long acclimated on the western shore of 

 onr country, being now fairly inhabitants of the United States. 

 Our native grapes are pulpy, thick-skinned, strongly scented of a 

 peculiar musk, and, wliile sweet tasted, have an acidity in the 

 skin, and, when ripe, a tendency to fermentation and hasty decay. 

 The European sweet grapes have much' saccharine in them, and 

 dry readily. They have no tendency to fer < . 



not dry or keep long.,. On the banks of the Rhine we hear of the 

 hock wine. It is a peculiar wine, with acidity in its taste, some- 

 what like our own wine and grapes. It has not the saccharine juice 

 of the grapes of Spain, France and Italy. I may illustrafeby a re- 

 ference to our peach and strawberry, two of our most delightful 

 summer fruits, and with a remarkable fragrance. Yet they have, 

 when ripe, an acidity in their juices, and a tendency to ready fer- 

 mentation and decay. They will not then dry. Gen. Tallmadge 

 remarked further that fruits were characterized by climate. The 

 West Indies, in their hot climate, have the orange, pine apple, 

 banana, &c., all suited to that climate, wli'le they have not, and 

 do not grow the cherry, the currant, the goosebery, strawberry, 

 peach, or any of the mass of our summer fruitg. Providence has 

 allotted the laws of vegetation to dilierent districts and difterent 

 climates, and these rules regulate their several productions. It 

 is the happy lot of our city to be located in a temperate climate. 

 Assembly No. 133.] 24 



