The Shrubs of North Carolina 31 



running from 15 to 25 or 30 feet. The leaves are roundish, about 

 the same size as those of No. 1, but not so much divided, and 

 covered underneath with a permanent thick down, which is 

 generally white or gray, rarely of a faint rusty hue. The berries 

 are larger than in that, being 1/2 to % inch in diameter, in small 

 bunches, commonly dark purple, but sometimes amber-colored or 

 whitish, and of various quality, mostly with a musky and rather 

 hard pulp. 



The cultivated varieties of this are, according to Mr. Ravenel, 

 the Isabella, Catawba, Bland's Madeira ^Concord, Diana, Rebecca, 

 To Kalon, Anna, Mary Isabel, Ontario, Northern Muscadine, 

 Hartford Prolific, Catawissa, Garrigues, Stetson's Seedling, York 

 Madeira, Hyde's Eliza, Union Village, Early Chocolate, Harvard, 

 Early Black, Green Prolific Kilvingion. The first two in the list 

 are, I believe, the most approved, and most extensively culti- 

 vated ; both of which are said to have originated in this State. 



A foreign origin has been claimed for the Isabella, but this is 

 an evident error, proved in the fact that seedlings of the Isabella 

 sometimes revert to our Fox Grape in every particular of leaf 

 and fruit. This has been tested by Mr. Caradeuc, of South Caro- 

 lina, as I learn from Mr. Ravenel. But what is regarded as a 

 scientific demonstration of its American origin, is the fact that 

 its seedlings sometimes have barren stocks, like all our American 

 species, which is not the case with any European Grapes. Be- 

 sides, the Isabella, in its specific characters, comes nearer to our 

 Fox Grape than to any other. 



Dr. Hunter, who has given much attention to the history of our 

 Grapes, has communicated most of the following items in regard 

 to the Isabella. Dr. Laspeyre was probably its first cultivator in 

 the United States, probably as early as 1805, as he sold it in the 

 Wilmington Market in 1810. Judge Ruffin cultivated it in 

 Orange County in 1811, under the name of Laspeyre Grape. It 

 is a tradition that Gov. Smith brought it to Smithville in 1809. 

 About the year 1810 Mrs. Isabella Gibbs took a rooted cutting 

 from Gov. Smith's garden to Brooklyn, New York, according to 

 a current account. According to Dr. Laspeyre, she got the vine 

 from him. These statements may, in a sort, be reconciled, if 

 Gov. Smith obtained his stock from Dr. Laspeyre. In 1819, Gen. 

 Swift bought the Gibbs place, and it was there the elder Prince 

 first saw and obtained this Grape, which he named the Isabella 

 in compliment to Mrs. Gibbs. Dr. Hunter has some of these 

 statements from Gen. Swift. Dr. Laspeyre was under the im- 

 pression that this, which he called the Black Cape, was one of the 

 vines which he brought from St. Domingo, but it was probably 

 the accidental introduction of an American among his foreign 

 stocks. Dr. Hunter seems to be of opinion that it came to the 



