INTRODUCTION 



Denison, Tex., August 1, 1890. 



After diligent study, during fifteen .years, of all our species of native 

 grapes so far as known, the following classification is reached. In 

 order to learn the distribution of each species ; its habitat ; its general 

 aspect in nature ; its natural intermingling and relationships with other 

 species 5 and to determine where most consistently to lay down the 

 arbitrary lines of specific distinction (as all specific designation is, to 

 greater or less extent arbitrary, since the law of unbroken connection 

 in development of the organic kingdom is established beyond question), 

 the author traveled at various times into almost all the States of the 

 Union, accomplishing distances aggregating about forty-five thousand 

 miles. In these journeys he was diligent in observing, in collecting, in 

 taking notes, and in compiling the most complete and extensive 

 herbarium of American Vites in existence. He established three suc- 

 cessive vineyards containing all the leading varieties in cultivation, 

 and also representative specimens from various regions of all the 

 species, and produced many thousands of hybrids between the various 

 species. He received the generous assistance of hundreds of able cor- 

 respondents, among whom are a number of the leading European 

 authors. He also grew from seed of each species, with few exceptions, 

 vines which he carried forward to bearing age, studying every change 

 and development. In addition to this he visited the leading herbaria 

 in the United States having large collections of Vites, carefully noting 

 each collection and comparing it with the others, and with his own. 

 Having also consulted the chief writers upon American Grapes, and 

 having noted the quite inexplicable tangle of synonymy among various 

 writers, he now thinks the present classifiction as nearly natural and 

 complete as it is possible to make it in the present state of knowledge ; 

 but is ready at any moment to accept new facts, and give them due 

 recognition in their bearing upon the classification. This classification 

 could not have been reached by the study of herbarial specimei s alone. 

 Many biological characteristics have been used. While these, in some 

 cases, require a different arrangement than those of merely dry speci- 

 mens would warrant, yet the result must be of far greater value, viewed 

 from a viticultural stand-point. 



This is the same arrangement as that observed in the monograph 

 prepared for the Division of Pomology, Department of Agriculture. 



T. V. Mtjnson. 



