v.] THE AMERICAN GARDENER. 187 



learn, that ever found their way to this country. 

 I hear that Mr. Stephen Girard takes to him- 

 self the act of first introduction, from France. 

 But, I must deny him this. He, I am told, brought 

 his trees several years later than I sent mine. 



309. GOOSEBERRY.— Various are the sorts, 

 and no one that is not good. The shrub is pro- 

 pagated precisely like that of the currant. I can- 

 not tell the cause that it is so little cultivated in 

 America. I should think (though I am by no 

 means sure of the fact) that it would do very well 

 under the shade of a South Fence. However, as 

 far as the fruit is useful in its green state, for tarts, 

 the Rhubarb supplies its place very well. The 

 fruit is excellent when well raised. They have 

 gooseberries in England nearly as large as pigeon's 

 eggs, and the crops that the trees bear are pro- 

 digious. 



310. GRAPE. — This is a very important article ; 

 and, before I proceed to treat of the culture of the 

 grape-vine, I must notice the astonishing circum- 

 stance, that that culture should be almost wdiolly 

 unknown in this country of fine sun, I have asked 

 the reason of this, seeing that the fruit is so good, 

 the crop so certain, and culture so easy. The only 

 answer that I have received is, that the rose-bug- 

 destroys the fruit. Now, this I know, that I had 

 a grape vine in my court-yard at Philadelphia ; 

 that it bore nothing the first year ; that I made 

 an arched trelis for it to run over ; and that I 

 had hundreds of pounds of fine grapes hanging 

 down in large bunches. Yes, I am told, but this 

 was in a city ; and amongst houses, and there the 

 grapes do very well. Then, 1799, I saw, at Spring 

 Mills, on the banks of the Schuylkill, in Pennsyl- 

 vania, the Vineyard of Mr. Le Gau, which covered 



