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.
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