114 
THE. FOX GRAPE. 
We must apologise to Dr. Kirtland, the respected 
writer of the following article, for not inserting it soon¬ 
er. It was addressed to Elisha Whittlesey, Esq., of 
Ohio, and kindly forwarded us for publication several 
months since. We should be happy to hear from Dr. 
K. direct, on the fruits of the West, for few have paid 
more attention to them, or are equally capable of 
giving their correct descriptions. 
THE FOX GRAPE. 
Your communication respecting a seedling grape, 
said to have been found in Rockport, and other mat¬ 
ters relating to horticulture, was received on the 1st 
of March last. Having received a similar account 
of a native grape in that locality, twenty years since, 
from Mr. Canfield, I was determined to find it if pos¬ 
sible. During the past summer, several individuals 
have given me information where it might be found; 
but on pursuing up the matter, I could only meet 
with the common fox grape, till I at length concluded 
that this seedling must grow in the garden of the 
famed Prester John , who, you know, existed in the 
imagination of the earlier adventurers. 1 was still 
reluctant to believe that it was an ideal thing, espe¬ 
cially as I recollected once to have picked a bunch of 
peculiar grapes while creeping through a swamp, five 
or six miles up the Cuyahoga. At the moment, I was 
pursuing, stealthily, a flock of partridges, with my 
gun in hand, and I ate the fruit without much atten¬ 
tion ; but it then occurred to me that the flavor was 
sparkling, and resembled somewhat that of the Alex¬ 
ander. i have never again visited that locality. 
Two weeks before the Isabella grape ripened in this 
city, Mrs. Cushing presented our Horticultural Society 
a bunch of fine-looking, and apparently mature 
grapes. No name or history could then be furnished, 
only that it was the product of a vine, cultivated in 
Dr. Cushing’s garden, and growing there when the 
place was purchased by him. 
The fruit was referred to our Committee on Syno- 
nymes. They reported, “ that it was an unique, un¬ 
known to them, but worthy of cultivation, from its 
early period of ripening, as well as its other good 
properties.” Their belief at the time was, that it was 
probably of foreign origin. Dr. Cushing has since 
thoroughly investigated the matter, and by his author¬ 
ity, I am permitted to inform you, “ that Mr. Case 
(with whom you are well acquainted, and whose ac¬ 
curacy in all kinds of business is proverbial), asserts 
that he, many years since, introduced the original 
vine into the gardens of Cleveland, from the banks of 
Rocky River, and that from that stock was propa¬ 
gated the vine now growing in Dr. Cushing’s gar¬ 
den.” 
Cultivation seems to have greatly improved it; 
for during the last week, Dr. Cushing gave me a 
bunch from Mr. Case’s vine, which is running at 
random in the garden without the restraints of prun¬ 
ing or cultivating. The grapes are much smaller and 
not of as fine flavor as those produced from Dr. Cush¬ 
ing’s vine, which has been correctly managed. On 
tasting those from Mr. Case’s vine, I recollected that 
they were similar to those I met with in the Cuyaho¬ 
ga swamp, several years since. Not having taken 
notes of its character at the time Mrs. Cushing pre¬ 
sented the fruit to our society, I cannot attempt to 
give anything like an accurate description of it, but 
will venture to assert, that I think it worthy of fur¬ 
ther trial, and that it may he a valuable addition to 
our increasing list of cultivated varieties. It is supe¬ 
rior to Norton’s Virginia Seedling, if we have not 
been imposed upon in this place by some spurious 
variety under that name. I should add, that though 
it apparently ripens earlier than the Isabella, it con¬ 
tinues to improve with the advance of autumn, and 
does not attain its finest flavor till it has been acted 
on by the earliest frosts. Such is Mr. Case’s state¬ 
ment. 
It has been suggested that it is a large variety of 
the Vitis JEstivalis , of Michaux. From the observa¬ 
tions of Dr. Darlington, attached to the description of 
that species in his Flora Cestrica. T am confirmed in 
the belief. Still I think it is an unusual variety of 
the summer grape. Dr. Cushing informs me that he 
shall place his vine at the disposal of a practical gar¬ 
dener who will as soon as possible propagate from it 
for supplying any demand. 
Mr. Wood is cultivating in his garden, a fine varie¬ 
ty of the Vitis labrusca, or fox grape. The berries 
are large, globular, slightly flattened; umber color; 
flavor extremely sweet and luscious; and odor pro¬ 
fusely fragrant. It is known as the Olmsted grape. 
Charles Olmsted, Esq., of East Hartford, Ct., informs 
me that it was introduced into Rockport by himself, 
and that it was originally discovered by his father, 
growing in a swamp in Hartford county, (a) As it 
ripens several weeks earlier than the Isabella, and is 
perfectly hardy, I have no doubt it will be found 
very valuable in locations where our hybrid varie¬ 
ties do not generally mature. It is highly es¬ 
teemed here, where the Isabella, Catawba, and Alex¬ 
ander are cultivated with great success. 
Col. Coit, of Euclid, exhibited at our fair last 
week, a very similar fruit, only late in maturing, pro¬ 
duced from a vine, found native in Liverpool, Medi¬ 
na county, Ohio. 
Of the hundreds of seedling varieties of apples that 
1 have examined in northern Ohio, during the last 
twenty years, I have not found one that I can con¬ 
sistently introduce into my list of primes—that list is 
limited to less than one dozen varieties. 
Of seedling pears only one has as yet passed inspec¬ 
tion, and that is a seedling raised by Col. Coit. ft is 
fine. Our society voted it the name of the “ Coit 
Pear.” 
Of seedling peaches, Mr. Cable of Newburg has 
exhibited two new varieties, from the old red-cheeked 
Melacaton. They are both delicious and beautiful. 
They were named by our Society, “ Cable’s Early 
Melacaton,” and “Cable’s Late Melacaton.” 
. As to cherries, I would state, that I have two or 
three hundred thrifty seedlings from the pits of the 
Graffion or Yellow Spanish. Some of them have al¬ 
ready shown fruit, and promise well, but must be tested 
more fully before they are introduced to the public. 
Mr. Cable has raised a seedling that resembles 
very closely the parent stock, the Swedish, which is 
here a valuable variety. Very truly, yours, 
Jared P. Kirtland, 
Cleveland , O., Sept. 23 d, 1844. 
(a) We have frequently gathered this grape near 
the banks of the Shetucket, in the town of Norwich, 
and other fine kinds which we have never seen grow¬ 
ing elsewhere in New England. We are confident 
that they would be well worthy of cultivation, and 
greatly improve by it. 
