299 



Originated with Abel Houghton, Lynn, Mass. A vigorous 

 grower, branches rather slender, very productive, generally free 

 from mildew ; a desirable sort. Fruit medium or below 

 roundish, inclining to oval Skin smooth, pale red. Flesh ten- 

 der, sweet, and very good. 



Selection of sorts for a garden : 



Hed. Red Warrington, Companion, Crown Bob, London, 

 Houghton's Seedling. 



Yellow. Leader, Yellow^ Ball, Catherine, Gunner. 



White. Woodward's Whitesmith, Freedom, Taylor's Bright 

 Venus, Tally Ho, Sheba Queen. 



Green. Pitmaston Green Gage, Tliumper, Jolly Angler, Mas- 

 sey's Heart of Oak, Parkinson's Laurel. 



CHAPTER XVIL 



THE GRAPE. 



Viiis vmifera, L. Vitacece, of botanists. 



Vigne, of the French ; Weintrauien, German ; Vigna, ItaHan ; Vid, o 



Vina, Spanish. 



The history of the grape is almost as old as that of man. 

 Growing in its highest perfection in Syria and Persia, its luscious 

 fruit and the unrivalled beverage which its fermented juice affords, 

 recommended it to the especial care of the patriarchal tillers of the 

 soil, and vineyards were extensively planted, long before orchards 

 or collections of other fruit trees were at all common. 



The grapes of the old world are all varieties of the wine grape, 

 ( Vitis vinifera,) which, though so long and so universally culti- 

 vated and naturalized in all the middle and southern portions 

 of Europe, is not a native of that continent, but came originally 

 from Persia. From the latter country, as civilization advanced 

 westward, this plant accompanied it — first to Egypt, then to 



