I 



CHAPTER XIII 



GROWING GRAPES 



The American grape is grown over a wide range for home 

 use. It is a commercial product as table fruit and for grape- 

 juice and other by-products in several large but definitely 

 limited areas in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and 

 in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It is also grown commer- 

 cially in smaller local regions where conditions are satisfac- 

 tory, in states west to Missouri and south to North Carolina 

 and in the elevated sections of Georgia and Alabama. See/ 

 Table 50. 



The term ''American grape'' refers to the native grape or 

 its hybrids with the European. The European is the one 

 grown in California, Vitis vinifera^ of which many varieties 

 have been developed. There are many native species, but the 

 wild fox grape, Vitis labrusca, is responsible either directly or 

 through crossing with Vinifera for the grape as it is known in 

 most of the country. In the warmer parts of the South, chiefly 

 on the coastal plains, Muscadine grapes of species Rotundi- 

 foUa, of several colors, with such varieties as Scuppernong, 

 Thomas, and James, are mostly grown. 



The authors are not dealing with the California grape, since 

 its culture represents a separate and highly specialized enter- 

 prise in a restricted area. Culture of Muscadine grapes, so 

 far as it differs from the Labrusca or bunch grapes, is indicated 

 at the close of this chapter. 



Operations: 



1. Determining the size of the enterprise. 



2. Selecting the location. 



495 



