The Magazine of Horticulture, Botany, and All Useful Discoveries and Improvements in Rural Affairs (Volume 22)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1856. Excerpt: ... THE REBECCA GRAPE. BY THE EDITOR. It is somewhat surprising that while we have so many choice varieties of the pear, apple, plum, peach and other fruits, the spontaneous productions of our gardens and orchards, so little amelioration should have taken place in our native grapes. For more than thirty years the only kinds really worthy of being enumerated among the eatable sorts were the Isabella and Catawba, and both of them unsuited to the northern section of the country. It seemed to be admitted, by general consent, that the Fox grape, so called, of our woods, would admit of no improvement, and that to have good grapes at all we must grow the foreign varieties under glass. This at least appeared to be the destiny of our native grape till Mr. Bull, from the wild vine of our pastures, produced the delicious Concord, and proved conclusively that it was as susceptible of improvement as any other of our fruits. His success has induced others to follow his example, and at the present time there are thousands of seedling grapes under cultivation, from which, we doubt not, many valuable varieties will be obtained. Every fine hardy grape is a most welcome addition to our limited stock. The Diana was one, the Concord another, and the grape we are now about to notice is a third. Others there are which already promise much, and some which nearly or quite equal those we have named. We shall describe them all as soon as their real merits are well established. The Rebecca grape is undoubtedly of native origin, although nothing positive is known regarding this. But it bears the unmistakable evidence of its nativity in the coarseness of its leaf, its downy surface beneath, the hardiness of the vine, and the very perceptible aroma of its skin. Indeed, upon a careful exami...