Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue of American Grape Vines - A Grape Growers Manual

Meissner, Various

• Publisher: Averill Press
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781528762236
• Topic: Biowissenschaften
• Subtopic: Gartenbau

This vintage book contains a comprehensive catalogue of American Grape vines, with information on propagation, grafting, planting, pruning, harvesting, pests and diseases, and many other related aspects. Beautifully illustrated and full of useful and interesting information, this volume would make for a fantastic addition to collections of allied literature, and is not to be missed by collectors. Contents include: "Climate, Soil and Aspects", "the True Grape-Vines of the Unites States", "Hybridity", "Viticultural Remarks", "Hybrids", "Preparing the Soil", "Planting", "Grafting", "The Scion", "Summer Pruning", "Fall or Winter Pruning", "Subsequent Management", et cetera. Many vintage books like this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality addition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on winemaking.

GRAPE MANUAL.

CLIMATE, SOIL AND ASPECTS.

Whether the Grape-vine is a native of Asia, and has followed the footsteps of man from the shores of the Caspian Sea, and “intertwined its tendrils with civilization and refinement in every age,” or whether the hundreds of varieties that now exist spring from different primordial forms or species, certain it is that, although the Grape-vine may be found in Europe from the Tropic of Cancer to the Baltic Sea, and in America from the Gulf to the Lakes, the vine is nevertheless peculiarly the growth of definite climatic conditions; so much so that even in its most adapted climate there are often seasons if not of actual failure, at least of an imperfect development of its fruit. From long and careful observations of temperature and moisture, in years of success and failure, we have finally arrived at some definite conclusions respecting the meteorological influences affecting the grape.*

1st. No matter how excellent the soil, if there is a less average than fifty-five degrees of temperature for the growing months of April, May and June, and a less average than sixty-five degrees for the maturing months of July, August and September, there can be no hope of success; and where the temperature averages sixty-five degrees for the former months and seventy-five for the latter, other conditions being equal, fruit of the greatest excellence can be raised, and wine of the greatest body and finest quality can be produced.

2d. When there is an average rainfall of six inches for the months of April, May and June, and an average of 5 inches for the months of July, August and September, though other conditions were favorable, we cannot succeed in raising grapes. When the average rainfall for the first months is not more than four inches, and the average for the latter is not more than three inches, other conditions favorable, the hardy varieties can be cultivated with success. But where there is less average rainfall than five inches for April, May and June, and a less average than two inches in July, August and September, all other conditions being favorable, fruit of the best quality can be raised, and wine of the greatest body and excellence can be made. The humidity of the atmosphere in some countries, the dryness of the air in others, will, of course, materially change the proportion of rainfall required for, or injurious to the grape. Here, a clear sky and dry atmosphere, high temperature and very little rainfall for the latter three months, and a less change of temperature than 50 degrees in twenty-four hours, any time of the year, are favorable conditions for success.

With regard to the necessity of attention to the most advantageous climatic conditions, says Mr. William Saunders (the eminent superintendent of the Experimental Gardens of the U. S. Department of Agriculture), “It is enough to remark, that where these are favorable, good crops of fruit are the rule, and that too, even in the absence of experience in cultivation; but in unfavorable locations the application of the highest attainments in the art and science of grape culture, so far as relates to pruning manipulations or culture and management of soil, will not insure success. Grape culture has now reached a point from which but little further progress can be made without a close recognition of the requirements of the plant, in connection with local climatic conditions, the most important being that of freedom from heavy dews (freedom from those cryptogamic diseases—mildew and rot). The topographical configuration of a locality is of far more importance than its geographical formation. Where the atmospheric conditions are favorable, satisfactory results may be obtained, even from poor soils, but in ungenial climates the very best soils will not guarantee success.”

Moreover, with our present and increasing facilities of transportation, grape culture on a large scale cannot be remunerative, except in favorable localities which will produce the best quality almost every year with certainty. Where the production is low in quality and quantity, and often entirely fails, grape culture may exist on a small scale for home use and market, but on a large scale it will not reward the vintner’s labor, and would finally be abandoned. As California in the West, so does Virginia in the East, and parts of Texas and Arkansas in the South, seem to possess the best localities for grape culture on a very large scale.

There are only a few countries where the grape will, in favorable seasons, grow to perfection, and there is no country in the world where all kinds of grapes would succeed. Species found in the lower latitudes will not flourish if removed further north; the natives of higher altitudes will not endure the southern heat; the Scuppernong cannot ripen north of Virginia; the Fox grape of the North will scarcely grow in the lower regions of Carolina and Georgia; a vine which produces delicious grapes in Missouri may become very inferior in the most favored localities of New Hampshire.

Thus the climate, the mean temperature as well as the extremes, the length of the growing season, the relative amount of rain, the ameliorating influence of lakes and large rivers, the altitude as well as the soil, have an almost incredible influence on various varieties of grapes; and a judicious choice of locations adapted to the grape, and of varieties adapted to our location, its climate and soil, is therefore of the first importance.

“No one grape is suited to all localities; neither is there any one locality which is suited to all grapes.”—G. W. Campbell.

Notwithstanding that over 1500 varieties are cultivated in Europe, yet the number of kinds especially adapted to the different localities is very limited for each of them, and we seldom find more than three or four varieties to form the main bulk of the vineyards of the different sections; each province, county or township even, having its own special favorites. This question of adaptability to soil and local climate is one of the greatest importance, and should be closely studied by the intelligent grape grower if he would make its culture a success. No existing variety, and probably none that will ever be produced, is well adapted to general cultivation in more than a limited portion of this vast country. This limitation is not determined by isothermal lines. Success or failure of a variety depends not only on degrees of heat and cold; not only on earliness or lateness of seasons, however important factors these may also be, but on numerous causes, some of which we cannot, so far, sufficiently understand and explain. We need but remember that the grapes we cultivate in the United States have originated from one or the other of several distinct species, or from crosses between some of their varieties, and that each of those native species is found growing wild in certain limited portions of our country, and not at all in others. Thus the wild Labrusca is a stranger to the lower Mississippi Valley and westward. By observing what species grows in a locality, we may safely assume that cultivated varieties of the same species will thrive best in that locality or its vicinity under otherwise proper conditions. Where the native species does not exist, its cultivated varieties may for a time promise excellent success; but in many localities this promise will probably, sooner or later, end in disappointment. This has been our sad experience even with the Concord, which is generally considered the most reliable, healthy and hardy American grape.

On the other hand this proposition seems to conflict with the fact that American vines of different species have been successfully transplanted even to Europe. But it would be a great mistake to believe that they would succeed in all parts of that continent. It was found, on the contrary, that there also some of our varieties which succeed well in one portion of France, for instance, entirely failed in others; and this only proves that we may find in far-off foreign lands localities which exactly correspond in soil, climate, etc., with certain localities in our own country, and where this is the case, well and good; but where these are different the results are unsatisfactory. In evidence we quote from the report of the commission, composed of some of the best French authorities, to the International Phylloxera Congress, in Bordeaux (Oct., 1882). After giving a detailed report of their observations in the principal vineyards of France where American vines have been planted, they say, “But they (these resisting American vines) do by no means succeed equally well in all locations. The nature of the terrain and the climate must be taken into serious consideration. But was it not one of the great difficulties with the French vines to know which variety suited such or such soil or aspect? How many failures were the consequence of bad selection! It is, of course, the same with American vines, coming from widely different conditions of temperature, humidity and altitude.”

Unfortunately, this has been and is even now but insufficiently understood.

Indigenous wild grapes were found at the discovery of this new world; the legend tells us that when the Norsemen first discovered this country “Hleif Erickson” called the land Vineland. As early as 1564 wine was made by the first colonists in Florida from the native grape. The Pilgrim fathers saw vines in abundance at Plymouth. “Here are grapes, white and red, and very sweet and strong also,” wrote Jos. Edward Winslow in 1621. Rev. Fr. Higginson, writing in 1629 from the Massachusetts Colony says “Excellent vines are here, up and down in the woodes. Our governor has already planted a vineyard, with great hope of increase.” Thus, during the previous centuries grapes were cultivated, and wine has occasionally been made in America from native grapes; (the French settlers near Kaskaskia, Ills., made, in 1769, one hundred and ten hogsheads of strong wine from wild grapes)—“but neither the quality of the wine nor the price obtained for it offered sufficient inducement to persevere.”—Buchanan.

The European grape, Vitis Vinifera, was, therefore, considered the only true wine grape.

In 1630, a London company sent French vignerons into the Virginia Colony to plant grapevines which they had imported for the purpose; the poor vignerons were blamed for their failure. In 1633 Wm. Penn vainly tried to introduce and cultivate European varieties in Pennsylvania. In 1690 a Swiss Colony, grape growers from Lake Geneva, tried to raise grapes and make wine in Jessamine County, Kentucky, but their hopes were soon frustrated; their labor and fund—$10,000, a large amount in those days—were lost; and only when they commenced to cultivate an indigenous grape, which, however, they supposed to be from the Cape (see description of Alexander), they had somewhat better success. The attempts with German, French and Spanish vines, made again and again, proved failures. Hundreds of thousands (comprising many different sorts) of the best European vines were imported, but they all perished “from the vicissitudes of the climate.” Thousands of failures are recorded; not one of durable success; and Downing was fully justified in saying (Horticulturist, Jan., 1851), “The introduction of the foreign grape into this country for open vineyard culture is impossible. Thousands of individuals have tried it—the result in every case has been the same—a season or two of promise, then utter failure.”*

While this fact could not be denied, the cause remained a mystery. All pronounced the European grape as “unsuited to our soil and climate;” all attributed its failure to that cause. But we, and doubtless many others with us, could not help thinking that “soil and climate” cannot be the sole causes; for this vast country of ours possesses a great many locations where soil and climate are quite similar to those of some parts of Europe where the Vinifera flourishes. Is it reasonable to suppose then, that none of the many varieties which are grown in Europe under such varied climatic conditions, from Mainz to Naples, from the Danube to the Rhone, should find a congenial spot in these United States, embracing almost every climate of the temperate zone? If soil and climate were so unsuited, how is it that the young, tender European vines grow so well, so promising of success, for a few seasons; in large cities sometimes even for several years? How explain the fact that the finest European varieties of...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Winemaking
• Preface
• 1. Grape Manual
• 2. Descriptive Catalogue
• II. Index to Description of Varieties
• Abbreviations