|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 17
The choice of the Hon. Norman J. Colman, Commissioner of
Agriculture: "Early Victor, Worden, Martha, Elvira, Cynthiana."
This is for the region of Missouri. For the latitude of New
Jersey, A.S. Fuller's selection: "Delaware, Concord, Moore's
Early, Antoinette (white), Augusta (white), Goethe (amber)." E.S.
Carmen: "Moore's Early [you cannot praise this too much. The
quality is merely that of the Concord; but the vines are marvels
of perfect health, the bunches large, the berries of the largest
size. They ripen all at once, and are fully ripe when the Concord
begins to color], Worden, Brighton, Victoria (white), Niagara
(white), El Dorado. [This does not thrive everywhere, but the
grapes ripen early--September 1, or before--and the quality is
perfection--white.]" Choice of P.J. Berckman, for the latitude of
Georgia: "White grapes--Peter Wylie, Triumph, Maxatawny,
Scuppernong. Bed grapes--Delaware, Berckman's, Brighton. Black--
Concord, Ives."
As I have over a hundred varieties in bearing, I may venture to
express an opinion also. I confess that I am very fond of those
old favorites of our fathers, the Isabella and Catawba. They will
not ripen everywhere in our latitude, yet I seldom fail to secure
a good crop. In the fall of 1885 we voted the Isabella almost
unsurpassed. If one has warm, well-drained soil, or can train a
vine near the south side of a building, I should advise the trial
of this fine old grape. The Iona, Brighton, and Agawam also are
great favorites with me. We regard the Diana, Wyoming Red,
Perkins, and Rogers' hybrids, Lindley, Wilder, and Amenia, as
among the best. The Rebecca, Duchess, Lady Washington, and Purity
are fine white grapes. I have not yet tested the Niagara. Years
ago I obtained of Mr. James Ricketts, the prize-taker for seedling
grapes, two vines of a small wine grape called the Bacchus. To my
taste it is very pleasant after two or three slight frosts.
Our list of varieties is long enough, and one must be fastidious
indeed who does not find some to suit his taste. In many
localities the chief question is, What kind CAN I grow? In our
favored region on the Hudson almost all the out-door grapes will
thrive; but as we go north the seasons become too cool and short
for some kinds, and proceeding south the summers are too long and
hot for others. The salt air of the sea-coast is not conducive to
vine-culture, and only the most vigorous, like the Concord and
Moore's Early, will resist the mildew blight. We must therefore do
the best we can, and that will be very well indeed in most
localities.
Because our list of good grapes is already so long, it does not
follow that we have reached the limit of development by any means.
When we remember that almost within a lifetime our fine varieties
have been developed from the wild northern Fox grape (Vitis
labrusca), the Summer grape (oestivalis), Frost (cordifolia), we
are led to think that perhaps we have scarcely more than crossed
the stile which leads into the path of progress. If I should live
to keep up my little specimen vineyard ten years longer, perhaps
the greater part of the varieties now cultivated will have given
place to others. The delicious Brighton requires no more space
than a sour, defective variety; while the proprietor starts with
the best kinds he can obtain, he will find no restraint beyond his
own ignorance or carelessness that will prevent his replacing the
Brighton with a variety twice as good when it is developed. Thus
vine-planting and grape-tasting stretch away into an alluring and
endless vista.
When such exchanges are made, we do not recommend the grafting of
a new favorite on an old vine. This is a pretty operation when one
has the taste and leisure for it, and a new, high-priced variety
can sometimes be obtained speedily and cheaply in this way.
Usually, however, new kinds soon drop down within the means of
almost any purchaser, and there are advantages in having each
variety growing upon its own root. Nature yields to the skill of
the careful gardener, and permits the insertion of one distinct
variety of fruit upon another; but with the vine she does not
favor this method of propagation and change, as in the case of
pears and apples, where the graft forms a close, tenacious union
with the stock in which it is placed. Mr. Fuller writes: "On
account of the peculiar structure of the wood of the vine, a
lasting union is seldom obtained when grafted above-ground, and is
far from being certain even when grafted below the surface, by the
ordinary method." The vine is increased so readily by easy and
natural methods, to be explained hereafter, that he who desires
nothing more than to secure a good supply of grapes for the table
can dismiss the subject. On the other hand, those who wish to
amuse themselves by experimenting with Nature can find abundant
enjoyment in not only grafting old vines, but also in raising new
seedlings, among which he may obtain a prize which will "astonish
the natives." Those, however, whose tastes carry them to such
lengths in vine-culture will be sure to purchase exhaustive
treatises on the subject, and will therefore give no heed to these
simple practical chapters. It is my aim to enable the business man
returning from his city office, or the farmer engrossed with the
care of many acres, to learn in a few moments, from time to time,
just what he must do to supply his family abundantly with fruits
and vegetables.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|