Phin, John
Open Air Grape Culture
1862, New York, C.M. Saxton, Agricultural Book Publisher
First edition
A cornerstone of mid-19th century American viticultural literature, Open Air Grape Culture by John Phin stands as one of the most comprehensive and methodical guides to the cultivation of the grape in the Northern and Middle States. Written at a moment when American horticulture sought to rival the established viticultural traditions of Europe, Phin’s work combines scientific precision with the practical knowledge of a cultivator deeply engaged in the soil. The author, celebrated for his award-winning Essay on Open Air Grape Culture (recipient of the First Premium of the American Institute), expands here upon his earlier work to present a full system of vineyard management adapted to the climate and conditions of North America. An essential work for the historian of American viticulture, Open Air Grape Culture bridges the period between early horticultural experimentation and the later emergence of professional enology. It remains a fascinating testament to the optimism and agrarian ingenuity of the Civil War era, when the dream of an American vineyard culture was still fresh and full of promise.
Phin’s treatise covers the entire life of the vine, from the natural and civil history of Vitis to the selection of soils, planting, pruning, training, and the complex care of vines through their successive years of growth. The later sections offer an invaluable descriptive catalogue of native American grape varieties, such as Concord, Delaware, Diana, Catawba, and Isabella, accompanied by a comparative table of size, color, and flavor, providing one of the earliest systematic classifications of American grapes. To these are added directions for the domestic manufacture of wine, including recipes for currant, elderberry, and other fruit wines, all verified by direct practice. Particularly noteworthy is the appendix devoted to The Thomery System of Grape Culture, translated and adapted from the French methods developed at Fontainebleau. This celebrated system, which produced the renowned Chasselas grapes of Thomery, is here given in full with engravings illustrating the trellised vines, horizontal and vertical cordons, and the intricate processes of pruning and preservation. Phin’s inclusion of this European technique, carefully adjusted to American conditions, reflects his vision of uniting the scientific horticulture of the Old World with the experimental vigor of the New.
Phin bottles science and soil, Old World method and New World hope: native grapes, vine-to-wine know-how, clear systems, and even illustrations. A Northern vineyard dreamer teaching a young nation how to coax greatness from its vines and raw earth.
Pp. {1] f.e., xvi, 17-375; [4] blank leaves, [2] e.r.
Original publisher’s cloth showing some minor discoloration and wear at spine and corners, yet sound. Gilt title and decoration at the spine; text clean and crisp, plates included. A fine copy.
Dimensions (inches): 7 1/2 x 5 x 1 1/4
John Phin (1830-1913). Scottish-American author, educator, inventor a Shakespeare scholar; he is noted for his accessible works on science, microscopy, and applied arts, including The Seven Follies of Science and How to Use the Microscope.
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