m 



857 



IP 



therefore, adapts itself to general cultivation. As 

 to the wine produced, when properly made, it is 

 certainly a superior article, of the Muscatel class. 

 Experiments to produce improved varieties of the 

 Scuppernong have not resulted in much progress. 



The Floioers and Thomas Grapes are the only 

 varieties deserving any mention. One is of a pink 

 color, sweet, and otherwise hke Scuppernong ; the 

 other black, very large, and ripens late in October, 

 which is its only merit. The future success of vine- 

 yard cultivation here must look to the Scuppernong 

 as its main reliance. 



Our best early grape is as yet the Hartford Pro- 

 Ufic. It ripens from the 25th of June to July 4th, 

 has not decayed, produces very abundantly, and the 

 bunches are of large size and fine appearance. It 

 stands carriage better than any other variety, — for 

 supplying the Northern markets it is very valuable. 

 Its average price here, in quantities, is about 75 cts. 

 per pound. 



Miles colors sooner than the former, but is only 2 

 or 3 days earlier in maturity. Its quality is much 

 better, but the bunch and berry are smaller. It is 

 very prolific and free from decay. 



Perkins is also an early variety, — ripens July 4th, 

 — of second quality as compared with Hartford, but 

 very profitable as an early market variety. 



Delaware will long remain one of our very finest 

 early Grapes. Its quality is also much improved by 

 being brought southward. JNever deca3's,and ripens 

 July 4th to July 8th. 



Concord comes next, and holds its rank among 

 the standard varieties. Its only defect consists in 

 the thinness of the skin, preventing its being 

 carried to distant markets, unless handled with great 

 care. These form a class of early market varieties. 

 They are reliable in their prodi>ction, and their cul- 

 tivation can be made a most profitable branch here, 

 as they can be shipped North at least six weeks 

 before the Grape begins to ripen around New 

 York. 



A word about Isiaella and lona, as these two va- 

 rieties have lately attracted the principal share of 

 notice : 



Israella here and Israella as produced in its na- 

 tive place are two varieties. The climate of Georgia 

 adds so much to its quality that all who tasted it 

 here pronounced it the best grape in cultivation, not 

 excepting Delaware. If two seasons of production 

 can give us a right to emit our opinion, we would 

 say that, so far, it combines every requisite quality 

 in a grape. It ripens with Delaware, and, from its 

 large size, exquisite quality and earlmess, it must 

 become very remunerative in its cultivation. 



lona loses, on the other hand. Its quality is as 

 gDod as could be desired, but its skin is very thick 

 and it mildews badly. 



Our grapes, like our fruit trees, must be trained 

 so as to shade the fruit as much as possible, and in 

 the class of wine grapes especially so. Our vintage 

 takes place from end of J uly to end of August for 1 

 most varieties, and the temperature being very high 

 the wine maker has to guard against datic ferraen- \ 

 tation ; our object then is to retard the maturity of j 

 the fruit as late as we can. \ 



Strawberries have their season of maturity length- \ 

 ened to such a period as to preclude the production | 

 of the heavy crops of the New Jersey and Pennsyl- I 

 vania growers. Some years we commence our first j 

 gathering of fruit by the 10th of April, and have f 

 daily, small pickings until middle to end of J une ; \ 

 and often we have a second crop in July. This | 

 tends to exhaust the plants : still, Wilson's Albany | 

 will stand heavy cropping and, by liberal fertilizing, 

 I have had beds in good production since 1861. 



The best variety yet found is Wilson's Albany. 

 The European varieties will not stand our long, hot 

 summers. Triomphe de Gand alone may be except- 

 ed. This variety seems to be acclimatized. Strawber- 

 ry plants set out here during the winter will produce 

 a fair crop the following spring. If plants are pro- 

 cured from the North, they generally commence a 

 vigorous vegetation as soon as planted out, and are 

 liable to be killed by the first cold weather. It is 

 preferable to procure Northern plants in the spring, 

 if this can be done ; they then succeed better, as 

 there is no interruption in their growth. Straw- 

 berry plants are more difficult to acclimatize than 

 any other class of plants. Their offspring, how- 

 ever, are as hardy as the parents in their native 

 locality. 



Few Raspberries will succeed hero. The varie- 

 ties belonging to the types of Purple Cane and Wild 

 Red will have some chances of success : but this 

 fruit can never be made the means of a lucrative 

 business. The European varieties seldom survive 

 through the first summer. They produce a fair 

 crop in the spring, but few plants pass through 

 August. 



Gooseberries and Currants are worthless ; it is 

 futile to attempt any further experiments with 

 either. 



The Fig could be made the source of a large 

 branch of trade, especially in the lower sections of 

 the Southern States. A few varieties are unfit for 

 open field culture in this immediate section, but 50 

 miles south they all thrive. Our most reliable vari- 

 eties are the Brown Turkey and Green Ischia ; they 



