DESCRIPTIONS OF FOREIGN GRAPES 



9 



De Candolle, large, round, purple, beautiful, cluster very large, sweet, good quality, very pro- 

 ductive ; requires powerful heat to mature well. 



Deccaa's Superb, medium, oval, amber, fine flavor, requires great heat to become matured, 



Delaware, small, round, clear rerl, thin skin, not a trace of pulp or foxy flavor, seeds few and • 

 small, very sweet, rich and juicy, vinous and aromatic with a slight musk flavor similar to Chas- 

 selas Musque and Red Frontignan ; excellent for table and wine; cluster small and compact ; it 

 makes delicious amber-colored Avine ; vine hardy, but of very slender delicate growth like [the 

 Rebecca until the third year, after which it grows vigorously. It is not productive when young, 

 but very fully so when it attains considerable size and age; ripeus the beginning of September, 

 two or three weeks before the Isabella. 



It requires to be protected by training it against a wall or house having a warm southern 

 exposure, or on a trellis in a protected garden, and will then produce a perfect and abundant 

 crop. It is as subject to weak and stinted growth and to mildew as any other foreign variety. 

 This grape, has been widely disseminated as a true native variety, although the Germans in Ohio 

 have from the first declared it to be the Red Traminer of the Rhenish vineyards. 



The writer (W. R, P.) having inspected the Vines at Delaware, Ohio, and elsewhere, has 

 fully satisfied himself of its foreign origin. It appears to have been introduced to New Jersey by 

 Mr. Provost, who emigrated from Switzerland, and brought this and other foreign Grapes with 

 him. He cultivated these foreign vines only, as, at that time, no Native Grapes were regarded as 

 suitable for vineyard culture. From Mr. P.'s ground, vines were carried by his brother-in-law to 

 Chester county, Penn., where some are now found over twenty years old. Joseph.Heath, formerly 

 employe of Joseph Bonaparte at Bordentown, and now a resident of Delaware, Ohio, carried 

 this vine from that garden to Delaware. Whether Bonaparte obtained his vines from Provost, or 

 imported them direct from Europe is as yet unknown. If seedlings have been found similar, the 

 seeds were undoubtedly dropped by birds, who are especially fond of its eai'ly small sweet 

 berries. 



The foreign origin of this Grape is also fully established by the fact, that from all recent 

 investigations, it combines every specific attribute of the Viti8 vinifera, and that it possesses none 

 whatever indicative of indigenous origin. 



Dr. Garber of Pa., decides positively that it is not a pure native. Saml. Walker, Esq., Ex- 

 President of the Mass. Horticultural Society, in response to a letter in which I stated my views as 

 here presented, says:— "All you say about the Delaware Grape, I believe will prove to be true; 

 all my plants are very weak and the leaves full of mildew ; I think it will be a failure." Indeed, 

 I have not seen any vines grown in open field culture that were not greatly afi'ected by mildew, 

 and this has also been the case in some protected gardens when on trellises. 



These facts, however, by no means detract from the great excellence and value of this 

 exquisite berry, but only serve to admonish us as to the extra care requisite for its success, and 

 that we must view it as an appendage to the garden, and not as applicable to vineyard culture in 

 this latitude. 



Esperione, small, round, dark purple, very large cluster, sprightly flavor, third quality ; the 

 vine hardy, vigorous growth, very productive, and suited to outdoor culture on walls and trellises. 



Early White Malvasia, or Early White Sweetwater, medium, round, pale amber, similar in 

 quality to the Golden Chasselas, but ripens ten days earlier. It is so hardy that it will fruit well 

 under outdoor culture on walls and trellises, 



Frankeudale, quite distinct from Black Hamburg, of less size and not equal in quality, cluster 

 of similar size, and ripens at the same period. 



Frontignan, Black, medium, round, long cluster, rich, musky, excellent, productive, early, 



Frontignan, Grizzly, medium, round, gray, becoming red at maturity, medium-sized cluster, 

 ; rich musky flavor, excellent, first quality, early, very productive. 



Frontignan, White, medium, round, pale amber, rather large cluster, sweet, musk flavor, excel- 

 lent, ripens rather early with the Chasselas varieties, vine hardy, productive, and may be grown 

 under open culture in this latitude. 



Gros Conlard, large and beautiful, thin skin, white, delicious flavor, long clusters, a superior 

 early variety of Chasselas. 



Loinbardy, or Flamed Tokay, round, bright red, sweet, medium flavor, second quality, very 

 large cluster, very productive. 



M,icready's Early White, medium, oval, thin skin, very juicy, fine flavor, hardy, productive. 



Mill Hill Hambnrg, large, purple, excellent flavor, ripens a month after Black Hamburg, 

 requires heat. 



Pitniaston White Cluster, one of the largest and finest varieties of the Chasselas, round, amber, 

 never cracks, ripens early, bunch medium, compact. There appears to be a spurious variety 

 under this name. r rx- r j 



^ ^ Portiea noir, large, roundish, black, very handsome, peculiar flavor, much esteemed, very 



Portngnese Muscat, a variety of the White Muscat of Alexandria, but sets its fruit better and 

 has more of the musk flavor, large, oval, pale amber, excellent. 



Prince Albert, or Barbarosa. large, ovate, black, large-shouldered cluster, handsome, good 

 flavor, ripens late. 



