i3 2 
AMERICAN POMOEOGICAE SOCIETY 
Grape growers should have more confidence in fellow grape growers, 
and compare with each other instead of going on the principle of “Every 
fellow for himself and the Lord piity the hindmost.” 
The many native species we have makes it possible to grow some 
varieties of grapes on almost any soil and in all climates where fruit bearing 
plants will thrive. Unfortunately, too often lands are selected that can be 
prepared and planted with the least labor and are the easiest to cultivate, 
and which produce the largest crops. Quality and quantity hardly ever go 
hand in hand, and vines should not be planted on lands too poor for other 
crops, although grapes will grow on many soils worthless for other purposes. 
The best soils are a gently sloping, well-drained, calcareous loam of suf- 
ficient depth, with porous subsoil. Gravel or small stones in the soil are 
not detrimental. Sandy soils with a medium sub-stratum are also con- 
sidered good soils. 
Looking backwards a few decades, when grape culture in this country 
was budding into an important industry and prices for grapes and wines 
were such that grape growers and wine makers were making money, 
there was abundant pride and zeal. The growers tried to surpass each 
other in growing superior grapes of the same varieties and strove to 
get better varieties, and wine makers vied wlith each other to make as 
fine wines as possible, and raisin growers sought to produce the best 
raisins. 
Through this, localities became known for their special grape products, 
remnants of which specialization still remain. Thus, for instance, there 
are the sparkling wine districts of Kueka and other lakes of New York; 
the unfermented grape juice and American native table grape districts in 
the Chautauqua Belt; the American dry wine districts of New York, 
Ohio, Missouri, New Jersey, and other States, and the Rotundifolia wine 
district of North Carolina; while in California they have the raisin districts 
in Fresno, San Diego, and Yolo Counties; the table grape districts in 
Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys; the dry wine districts in Napa, 
Sonoma, and Santa Clara Counties; the Sauterne districts in Alameda 
County; and the sweet wine and brandy districts in the San Joaquin 
Valley. 
It is a matter of regret to any student of this country’s viticulture 
that comparatively little attention is given to specialization now and that 
there are more varieties grown in places where they should not be than 
where they should be. We should strive for quality as well as quantity, 
grow varieties for a purpose, put our fresh grapes and grape products 
on the market in the best condition, improve the quality of our wines 
and unfermented juice, and see to it that the consumer gets what he 
orders at such prices that it can be consumed as a food instead of as a 
luxury. 
How much better, for instance, would be wines made from American 
native varieties had more attention been given to producing choice varieties 
of the aestivalis species, which in many of their natural characteristics 
resemble the vinifera. From a few of the improved varieties of these, 
such as Delaware, Norton, Oynthiana, etc., have been made wines from 
the pure juice of the grape without sugar and water that can really qualify 
to the definition of pure wines. 
