[Gutenberg 45978] • The Grapes of New York

The purpose of The Grapes of New York is to record the state of development of American grapes. The title implies that the work is being done for a locality but in this matter New York is representative of the whole country. The contents are: Brief historical narratives of Old World and New World grapes; an account of the grape regions and of grape-growing in New York, with statistics relating to the grape, wine and grape juice industries in this State; a discussion of the species of American grapes; and the synonymy, bibliography, economic status, and full descriptions of all of the important varieties of American grapes. In the footnotes will be found brief biographical sketches of those persons who have contributed most to the evolution of the grape and to grape-growing in America and some historical and descriptive notices of certain things pertaining to the grape which do not belong in the text and yet serve to give a better understanding of it or otherwise add to the completeness of the book. Color-plates are shown of varieties which from various standpoints are considered most important.

In the brief account of the Old World grape there is little that is new. Its history is on record from the earliest times in the literature of nearly all civilized peoples. A few facts, selected here and there, have been taken to serve as an introduction to the accounts of the New World grapes. So, too, the history of the American grape has been written by others and, here, only the main facts have been set down as recorded in the score or more books dealing with this fruit. A few excursions have been made in hitherto unexplored fields. The purpose of these historical sketches is to give the reader a proper perspective of the work in hand.

The grape is probably influenced to a greater degree by soil, climate, and culture than any other fruit, and a discussion of its status cannot be complete without due consideration of the environment in which it is growing. Hence there is included as full an account of grape-growing and of the grape regions in New York as space permits. This part of the work may serve the prospective planter somewhat in selecting soils and locations but as it is not written with this as a chief end, it falls far short of some of the standard treatises on grape culture in this respect.

Comparatively few statistics are given, only those which are necessary to show the volume of grape products and the extent of the vineyards in the State and country at the present time. The figures for the whole country are surpassed by those of no other native fruit, and only by corn and tobacco among all the domesticated native plants.

CONTENTS

The Old World Grape

American Grapes

The Viticulture of New York

Species of American Grapes

The Leading Varieties of American Grapes

The Minor Varieties of American Grapes

Bibliography and References with Abbreviations Used

ILLUSTRATIONS

Portrait of Edward Staniford Rogers

Agawam

America

Aminia

August Giant

Bacchus

Barry

Berckmans

Black Eagle

Black Hamburg

Brighton

Brilliant

Campbell Early

Canada

Carman

Catawba

Champion

Clinton

Colerain

Concord

Cottage

Creveling

Croton

Cynthiana

Delaware

Diamond

Diana

Downing

Dracut Amber

Dutchess

Early Ohio

Early Victor

Eaton

Eclipse

Elvira

Empire State

Eumelan

Goethe

Goff

Grein Golden

Hartford

Headlight

Herbert

Hercules

Hidalgo

Highland

Hybrid Franc

Iona

Ironcl