THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 821 



berries, which he found four inches in cirenmference. 

 At the nurseries of the Shaker Society, Harvard, vines 

 of this grape may be'^found on sale, and, probably, at the 

 farm of Mr. Sage, Portland, Connecticut. The foliage 

 blighted badly in my garden in July, 1848. In the au- 

 tumn of 1852, Mr. Sage sent me a quantity of the fruit 

 of this vine. It is the best Fox Grape I have ever eaten, 

 and, when fully ripe, has but little pulp. It will be 

 esteemed by those fond of the peculiar flavor of our 

 native grapes, and disliked by others of opposing tastes.* 



* The following are extracts from two letters of Mr. Sage to Mr. Leonard, 

 giving its history, etc. : — 



"PorUand, Oct. \st, 1846. — The vine was taken from the margin of a 

 small stream, in quite a secluded spot, some thirty-five years since, and has 

 been a constant bearer many seasons, yielding in great profusion. 



" Perhaps I shall be considered selfish, but must say they are the richest 

 flavored grapes I have ever tasted. The pulp is very soft and juicy. They 

 commeiKed ripening about two weeks since, and are now dead ripe ; they 

 will not. drop from the vine when npe, as many grapes do, but will remain 

 (unless gathered,) until they get perfectly dry, and their flavor is so very 

 rich, that a few bunches, in a room, will jierfume it for months. For mak- 

 ing jelly they are not surpassed. H. E. Sage." 



" Portland, April 8tt, 1848. — I this day received your Ime requesting in- 

 formation about the ' Sage Grape.' In answer to your inquiry, 'Is it a 

 great and constant bearer ?' I would say it is a constant bearer, and would 

 be a prolific one, were it not for the rose bugs, which have almost wholly 

 destroyed them for some years ; it always blossoms full, and, just at this 

 stage, the bugs appear to make their havoc. 



;" Seasons when not destroyed, the vine has been borne down with the 

 fruit, probably as many as twenty bushels have been gathered from the 

 vine which you saw; the bunches, in such seasons, are large and full; the 

 berries very round, and their average girth three inches, and many of them 

 much larger. 



" The soil of my garden is rather of a dry, loamy nature, and brings forth 

 veo'etation pretty early. I have never used any kind of manure for my 

 vine, and have scarcely taken the trouble to build a place for it to run 

 upon. 



" I would recontiEend rather a dry soil for its cultivation, and in a situa- 

 14* 



