Preface 



For so great a nation as ours, both in expanse of territory and demand for every variety of 

 vineyard product, the foundation of grape culture should be laid most intelligently broad and 

 deep. It is quickly apparent to anj' practical vineyardist, that the chief material structure 

 of American Viticulture must necessarily be, — 



The Native Grapes of America 



Without these we cannot secure adaptability, endurance and resistance to disease. To 

 secure the best results from these, requires that the best wild varieties that have been and may 

 yet be foujid, should be sought out before they forever perish by browsing cattle and the wood- 

 man's ax, brought together and tested for the various uses in which grapes are employed in the 

 home and in commerce ; then intermingled with each other and the best adapted varieties of the 

 Old World, as experience may show, to give best results, so as eventually to supply every use 

 and season with this most beautiful, most wholesome and nutritious, most certain and profitable 

 fruit, which will succeed in some one or other of its numerous varieties upon almost every soil 

 and in nearly every climate. 



The Passion for Experimentation with Grapes Aroused 



In the fall of 1873, the writer visited the vineyards of Dr. Robert Peter, residing near 

 Lexington, Kentucky. In these vinej^ards were all the leading and nearly all the then introduced 

 varieties of American grapes. 



The vines were bearing generall}-, and the fruit on nearl}' all was ripe or ripening. The 

 Doctor, having been my instructor in Chemistry in Kentucky State Agricultural College, in which 

 I had completed the scientific course in 1870, discoursed freely upon the character of vine and 

 fruit of the varieties. It seemed to me that there might be numerous combinations, which would 

 naturally occur in such a vineyard, and that one could expect some of the seedlings grown from 

 such crossed seeds to turn out better than any in the vineyard, by combination of excellencies 

 of both parents in the crossed. 



This reflection aroused within me a strong desire to test the matter. The Doctor gave me 

 clusters of all wished, some thirty or forty kinds. The seeds of these were carefully saved, 

 separately labeled, and noted as to varieties standing near the vine which bore the seeds. These 

 seeds were planted at my new home in Nebraska, but the season and other conditions being 

 adverse, all were lost, yet the kindled flame of passion for experimentation continued to bum. 

 The timbered belts along the streams of that bleak country were ransacked for the few wild grapes 

 growing there, and the vines bearing the best fruit were marked to be removed to vineyard and 

 later hybridized with larger berried kinds, as the only species there (V. vulpina) has small berries, 

 although often quite sweet, and pure-in quality. However, a series of years of adversity,— with 

 drouth, intensely hard winters, and grasshoppers, — coming on, further experimentation there in 

 that line was dropped. 



Coming to Denison, Texas, in April, 1876, a rough piece of dark limestone, timbered land on 

 the bluffs of Red River was improved. In the woods surrounding, innumerable wild grapevines 

 grew. On the higher sandy lands, covered with post-oak, black jack, hickory, scarlet oak and 

 other timber, grew many "Post-Oak Grape" vines {V. Lincecumii), generally climbing the post- 

 oak trees, hence the name of Post-Oak Grape. 



Along the ravines of the uplands, and in the river bottoms, were numerous vines of the 

 "Mustang Grape" (F. candicans), the "Sour Winter Grape" or "Frost Grape" {V. cordifolia)^ 



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