But in these, the utmost regard is paid to the selection of varieties adapted to the soil and climate, well knowing that one variety which may do well in one district may be wholly worthless in another.

Thus the Der Kleine Reissling, or little Reissling of the Rhine, which produces the famous Johannisberg, loses its odor and bouquet on the shores of the Douro, while the richest grapes of France, such as the Frontignac, the Lunel, and Muscatel, wholly fail on the Rhine.

In Spain, on the chalk cliffs, of Andalusia, the Ximenes, the Malaga, and Black Alicant flourish in most unbounded profusion, yielding bountiful harvests of the richest of grapes, producing wine of the greatest strength.

So along the volcanic slopes of Italy and the mountain ranges of Naples, the wine grape grows unequaled, climbing up the hillsides and creeping among the cinders and lava of Vesuvius, fairly luxuriating among the hot volcanic ashes of that famous mountain.

Should we not, then, endeavor to learn wisdom even from the indolent and ignorant peasant, to find out the suitable grape for our section of the country ? may we not become convinced that as it is in Europe so it will be in America, and that certain lands are adapted to certain districts of country? so that instead of forcing the Catawba or Norton's Virginia, and other similar kinds to blossom and fruit in the cold, bleak regions of the North, we select such as suits the locality, and in the mode and manner of cultivation make up for the want of climate found along the shores of the great sea.

One of the first principles of vegetable physiology is, that we must combine the values of temperature and time, and that heat acts in proportion as it regards its duration and force; and another is, that each species (of plants) requires for each one of its physiological functions certain minimum of temperature at which it will vegetate. Take the grapevine for example, and we find that it requires different temperatures for its several stages of growth and perfect fruition; thus one temperature is required for its germination, and another for its ripening of its fruit; and that as each species can bear a definite range of temperature, and requires a certain amount of heat or time to enable it to perform its functions properly, therefore to arrive at a proper knowledge of the avail-ability of any one kind of grapevine that will suit any one special locality, we must study and discover these several temperatures, noting especially the time of flowering, the ripening of the seeds, and the elaboration of the saccharine matter.

The limits of the successful cultivation of the wine grape in Europe are generally fixed where the mean annual temperature is from 50 to 52°, and the summer is not less than from 65 to 66°, and no country whose annual mean temperature falls below these averages can produce wine of a superior quality, or whose vineyards can mature superior grapes.

But in addition to these, the summer and autumn must not only be sufficiently hot, but it is indispensable at a given time, say that which follows the appearance of the seeds, and there should be at least one month of warm dry weather, the mean of which is equal to 66°. Thus, for example, London and Cherbourg, whose annual mean is equal to 50°, but whose summer does not exceed 62°, hence the wine grape there does not succeed; while in Naples, Marseilles, Lisbon, Dijon, Cadiz, and Vienna the summer mean is equal to 70 and 76°. Yet each of these cities has its own peculiar wine and grape, each and all ripening its fruit, and elaborating its juices for superior wine.

Instead of forcing our finer varieties on New England, or even the middle States, let us give them to a latitude and climate whose temperature and soil will develop all the latent richness of their nature; while the Concord, Clinton, and Delaware, with several new varieties, may be successfully cultivated in these States.

We rejoice at the healthy tone which the Horticulturist is giving to the cultivation of the Grape, and esteem every writer who gives his experience unbiased of the several varieties as they each appear before him in his respective region. Some seven years ago our vineyard produced Catawbas equal to those of Kelly's Island at the present day, and our wine ranked second only to Mottier's best; now. for these three years, the Catawaba has completely failed, while the Delaware and Concord are coming into favor, the former being superior in quality and hardiness, although smaller in bunch and berry, and the Concord larger in the latter two, but inferior in quality in its juices and aroma.

But it is not for 'the want of a mean temperature similar to some regions of Europe, that many of our grapevines do not succeed in almost every State of our Union east of the Rocky Mountains, but to the want of a proper climate at the critical period of the fruiting of the vine -to the excess or extremes of atmospheric action - to the dryness or wetness - to the cold or heat at these periods. For example, the summer months of June, July, and August in France and Italy range from 66°, 70°, 71°, to 70°, 73°, and 76°, while the same apparent temperature is found from Missouri to New York, but during these months sometimes we have an excess of heat, sending the thermometer up to 100° in the shade, and anon, down it comes to 50°, with rain and excessive moisture, and mildew and rot follow rapidly, and destruction of the grape crop is certain.

We are a firm believer in the successful cultivation of the American grapevine in America; and when we have understood more fully the true nature of our several varieties, and found the proper grapevine for the proper region, then we will make grape-growing productive and profitable; and whether the Delaware and its species may succeed better on the banks of the Hudson than on the banks of the Missouri matters not, the day is fast coming when all along our mighty rivers, from the Rio Grande to the Aroostook, the culture of the grape will become a source of profit and industry, while the production of pure wine from its luscious juices will tend to banish the use, as a beverage, of spirituous liquors, tending to make our people an independent, frugal, industrious, temperate, agricultural nation; for we assert as an uncontrovertible truth, that whenever a nation or people become agricultural in their habits, living on the productions of their own lands, they become a frugal, temperate class, and tend to give tone and character to the whole nation by their precepts and example - a living, working temperance society, without its army of hired orators and paid lecturers, the parasites of a true and benevolent cause.

Grape Cuttings From Modern History #1

I am glad once again to see this writer; but of a truth he no more feels disposed to swallow committees than some of the rest of us. Every man who studies the Old Country teachings comes at once to the conclusion that no one grape is suited to all localities, or if it grow, prove hardy, and fruit, it may not give quality equal to varieties that may be selected for special localities. I hope if he have a spare bunch of his Anna Harriet he will forward it me through the Horticulturist publishers.