TO OUR CUSTOMERS. 



[FROM FIRST EDITION, 1869.] 



Our success in grape growing, and in the propa- 

 gation of grape vines, has been highly satisfactory, 

 in fact, far beyond our expectations. In view of 

 the very great competition even of large well known 

 and long established nurseries, this success is 

 highly flattering, and has encouraged us to increase 

 our efforts so as to produce for next season a large 

 stock, not excelled by any other establishment in 

 the country in quality, and embracing almost every 

 valuable variety. * 



We do not pretend to furnish "better and cheaper 

 vines than can be afforded by any other establish- 

 ment." We do not pretend that "money-making 

 is secondary with us, " we leave this to others; all 

 w6 do claim is, that we hope to merit a reasonable 

 share of patronage, the continued confidence of our 

 customers, and a fair profit. 



In this connection, we cannot refrain from refer- > 

 ring with a certain pride to the voluntary assurances 

 of satisfaction we received, some of which are pub- 

 lished herewith. 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 differ- 

 ent varieties are clearly stated. 



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

 tried to get up something better than a mere price 

 list, something that will be interesting and useful to 

 progressive grape culturists, and have not spajred 

 time, labor or money in preparing it. 



It has become customary to prefix to a descrip- 



tive 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 only 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 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, Husmann, Strong, and others, are not pur- 

 chased 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 experience, modified their 

 views on some points, but have not had time or en- 

 couragement enough from their publishers to re- 

 write their works for new editions, and thus we came 

 to the conclusion that a short manual, containing 

 plain but full directions in regard to the planting, cul- 

 ture, and ; training of Grape-vines, and offered for less 

 than its cost, would be welcome! We have availed 

 ourselves of the, writings of our friend and teacher, 

 Husmann, 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 

 originalitv, we hope that this Catalogue may afford 

 pleasure and profit to some, at least, of those into 

 whose hands it may come. 



[INTRODUCTION TO NEW 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 varie- 

 ties, and some very promising new varieties have 

 since been added to our list, but above all, one cir- 

 cumstance, the discovery of the Grape Root-louse, 

 the Phylloxera, has led to a new, a 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 &c., and 

 devoted all the space of our grounds, all our means, 

 cares and attention to GRAPE CULTURE ONLY AND 



EXCLUSIVELY, for which we have unusual facilities, 

 and a most favorable soil and location. This ena- 

 bles 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 en- 

 tire confidence 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 



