1866.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
401 
Interesting Jaunt Among the Grapes. 
— •— 
" The Catawbns have not failed to give a crop 
in ten years, we have no rot, no mildew, and 
no trouble with insects nor birds," is a summary 
of our tall; with an old grape grower. The 
reader will ask where such a favored spot can 
be, and we will endeavor to tell him, and as 
much about it as our space will allow. In Steu- 
ben Co., jr. Y., is Crooked Lake, at one end of 
which is Pcnu Yan, and at tlie otlier, some 20 
miles distant, is Ilammondsport. Penu Yan is 
on the N. Y. Central R. R., and connects with 
Hammoudsport, by steamer, which place is also 
reached by stage from Bath, a station eight miles 
distant on a branch of the Erie R. R. The gen- 
eral region is known as Pleasant Valley, and 
the grape district lies maiuly in the towns of 
Urbana and Pulteney. The lake is deep, pure, 
and seldom freezes ; it is enclosed by hills which, 
upon the west side, rise in terraces, mostly with 
very steep sides,.while the slope of the land upon 
the eastern sliore is more gentle. The proper 
grape region is upon the western shore of the 
lake, and extends some twelve miles from Ham- 
mondsport. The hills are about four hundred 
feet high, and at frequent intervals are cut 
through by deep ravines running down to the 
lake. The soil is a disintegrated shale, more 
than gravelly, as it is full of stones, which are 
often so numerous as to cover the surface. This 
peculiar soil is of an iudefluite depth, and is of 
a character that insures a perfect natural drain- 
age. One could hardly imagine a more unfavor- 
able place to set a vine, than the best Catawba 
lands, at first sight appear to be. The following 
are the natural advantages of the Pleasant Valley 
region : a large body of water that secures a 
uniformity of temperature, and prolongs the 
ripening season ; a favorable exposure to the 
sun, with shelter from violent winds; a deep 
and strong soil, with a perfect natural drainage. 
The vineyards are from five to ten acres in ex- 
tent, though much larger tracts are cultivated 
by associations and companies. Some 3000 
acres are set in vine\-ard3, held Ii)- over two hun- 
dred proprietors. The best lauds sell at $300 
to $400 an acre, while others not so favorably 
located, or so well adapted to the growth of the 
Catawba, are to be had at less prices. Tlie Ca- 
tawba and Isabella are the principal varieties 
in cultivation. Delaware and Diana are culti- 
vated to some extent, wliile the Concord, con- 
sidering its popularity elsewliere, is not as yet 
largely planted. Tlie distance of planting va- 
ries somewhat ; but eight feet by six is the usual 
way of setting the Catawba, while it is thought 
best to give tlie Isabella a little more distance 
in the rows. One feature of the cultivation here 
is deep setting ; surface roots are removed from 
the cuttings, and their future growth is not en- 
couraged. No manure is used. The first year 
the vines have their own way. The second year 
the)' are trained to stakes or a trellis is put up. 
The trellis now employed is of oak posts, with 
horizontal wires at about 18 in. apart. The prun- 
ing is a modification of the renewal system, two 
canes being allowed to fruit, while two are being 
grown for next year's bearing. Summer pinch- 
ing of the laterals, or "kites" — as they are called 
here — is closely followed. The finiiting canes are 
attached to the lower wire, and the fruit is thus 
brought near the ground, where it ripens better 
and develops the qualities necessary in a wine 
grape more perfectly than it does if the canes 
are higher. The grapes for market are cut by 
means of scissors of the style shown in the en- 
graving. The fruit is laid carefully in open 
crates, which are placed in the fruit house for 
two or three weeks, to cure. It is then packed, 
a worlc usually doue by ladies, who carefully 
select the best bunches and place them in the 
boxes. The usual size of boxes is 9 inches long, 
6 inches wide, and 4 inches high. The packing 
is doue as described on page 323 (Sept.). The 
small bnnches are sold for wine makiug. There 
are three wine companies with abundant capital, 
who have extensive wine cellars and large 
vineyards. We can not say more about the 
wine business in the present article, except that 
the market prices for table grapes are so much 
higher than the wine makers can afford to pay 
for fruit to crush, that the wine business has not 
yet attained its full development. The average 
yield of a vineyard in full bearing is about 9,000 
lbs. to the acre. The crop for the whole region 
is estimated at between 400 to 500 tons. The 
best market grapes net the raiser about 15 cts. 
per lb. The wine cellars are offering 10 cts. for 
Catawbas. We can not close this imperfect 
sketch of a remarkable region without recom- 
mending those who are interested in vine cul- 
ture, to go and see for themselves how much the 
reality exceeds any description, however elabor- 
ate it may be. The scenery is beautiful, and one 
can look upon vine clad hills without visiting 
the Rhine. The enterprise has had a healthy 
and gradual growth from a very humble begin- 
ning. There is an air of prosperity, for every 
one is well to do. Fruit culture seems to have 
had its refining influence upon the people. 
Though there are so many in the same pursuit, 
they seem to have no jealousies, the}- are hos- 
pitable, and have no secrets about tlieir cultiva- 
tion. We wish this enterprise continued suc- 
cess, and may blight and mildew ever be stran- 
gers to the fitly named " Pleasant Valley." 
New Fruits— The Bronx Pear. 
The Western New York Fruit Grower's As- 
sociation, at their summer meeting, expressed 
in a resolution their belief tliat no new fruit 
should be put before the public, without it first 
has the endorsement of .some Pemological So- 
ciety. In the main, we agree with this, but 
what are we of Eastern New York to do who 
have no Pomological Associations to go to ? 
True, we have a " Farmer's Club," so-called, 
whose opinion we had much rather not liave, 
as it is given altogether too freely upon all sub- 
jects within the range of hum.an knowledge. — 
We shall soon have an opinion on medicine from 
them, as they have appointed a committee to re- 
port on some chap's bitters ! There are several 
new pears that we intended to submit to the 
American Pomological Society, but that body 
was put asleep for a year by fear of cholera, 
and we are obliged to be a Pomological body 
all by ourselves. 
The Bro>-s Pear.— This fruit was first 
brought to our notice some years ago h\ the 
Rev. Win. Clift, Comptroller of Woodlawn 
Cemetery, who, at our request, has drawn up 
the following account of its origin : 
"This new pear was raised by James P. 
Swain, Esq., of Bronxville, about the year 1850, 
the last year that the horticidtural exhibition of 
the i\jnerican Institute was held in Castle Gar- 
den. The parentage has not been definitely 
ascertained. A large quantity of seeds taken 
from pears exhibited at the Institute that year, 
were planted. Among tlicm were the Beurrc 
d'Aremberg, Beurre Diel, Beurrc Ranz, Colmar, 
Catillac, Glout llm-ceau, Passe Colmar, Napo- 
leon, Easter Beurre, Duchessc d'Augouleme, Vi- 
car of WinkQeld, and some ollicrs. About 
eleven thousand seedlings were raised upon a 
gravelly soil, fully exposed to the suu and wind, 
that their hardiness might be dul}- tested. All 
the blighted and delicate plants were immedi- 
ately destroyed, and the result of the last thin- 
ning left only five hardy seedlings, and these 
were subsequently reduced liy accident to three. 
The first of tliese proved to be an early bearer, 
giving fruit in its ninth year, and was named by 
BRONX PEAR. 
Mr. Swain the Bronx, from the river of its birth 
place. The original tree is an upright grower, 
inclined to assume a pyramidal sliape without 
the use of the knife. The limbs droop some- 
what with age and full bearing. The wood 
is of a reddish brown color, and has never shown 
the least disposition to biight. The foliage is a 
briglit glossy green, and is retained until the 
close of the season. It is awegular and abund- 
ant bearer, setting fruit three or four inches 
apart, and retaining it until ready for picking. 
It has borne regularly abundant crops for 7 years. 
The fruit has not yet been exliibited at the 
horticultural fairs, ijut has been submitted to 
some of our best pomologists, who have given 
it their uuqualified praise. It has not j-et passed 
out of the hands of the proprietor, but has Ijeen 
considerably multiplied. We consider it a val- 
uable addition to our already large class of Sep- 
tember pears." 
Fruit medium, obovate pyriform. Skin, dull 
greenish yellow, thickly sprinkled with rus- 
set dots, which frequently run together and 
form patches of russet, especially near the 
stem and calyx, where the skin is often com- 
pletely russeted. Stem about \\ inches long, 
moderately stout and enlarged at its insertion, 
which is usually in a well marked uneven cavi- 
ty, though in some specimens, where the form 
approaches to turbinate, the cavity is wanting. 
Calyx open, with short segments, set in a slight 
and obscurely furrowed basin. Flesh, yellow- 
