137

137
— 1893 —
— July 7 —
— Concord, Mass. —
21 m.
Total
928 1/2 m.
Glorious, clear, not too warm day. This A.M. I took a
very beautiful wheel to Bedford & back by the
Bedford Road which is most excellent. It is just
4 m. from Concord to Bedford. Ball’s Hill stands up
finely from the W. Bedford Station. Returning I saw
the old house next the Bank in Concord, built as a Block
House in 1654. I called on Mrs. E. S. Hoar, but she
was out. I saw however, Mrs. Bradford, her daughter
and had a very pleasant talk with her about her
father. I then went and saw Thoreau’s house on
Main St. Distance this A.M. 11 m. This P.M. read a little
then rode to Mr. E. W. Bull’s, on Lexington St. just beyond
Hawthorne’s House, and saw the original stock of
the Concord Grape. Mr. Bull was very communicative.
In 1840 Mr. B. bought the house he lives in. That year, some boys
brought up from the river some grapes, Vitis labrusca. The
grapes were thrown about, and a seedling appeared on Mr.
B’s place. He tended it and in 1843 got a bunch of fine
grapes. He sowed seed from this, and in 6 yrs. 1849
got his first bunch of Concord Grapes. All other seedlings
were destroyed, and the fame of the Concord Grape
gradually spread far and wide. This as I made
it out, is the gist of his long story. Mr. B is quite
old and lives in a wretched house by himself.
Then I rode down Maine & Elm Sts. round
the Reformatory to Concord Junction. I called
on Mr. Joyce whom I had not seen in
6 years. I had a very pleasant talk
with him. He is as interesting as ever,
a man of much refinement and gen-
tleness, but I imagine rather poor.
Distance this P.M. 10 m. I should say that the
original stock of Mr. Bull’s vine died a few years ago, but he keeps
it in situ, and from the roots two plants have come up, and are
flourishing. The old stock, I should say, is 2 in. through.