244 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the Delaware, not because I think it the best, but some one might think 

 it ought not to be relegated to the rear so soon; so I name it first. It& 

 habits are so well known it needs no description. Its faults are too weak 

 vine, poor foliage, and just a little tenderness. Next Worden, a seedling 

 of Concord, as hardy in all sections as that old iron-clad pioneer: larger in 

 cluster and berry, and ten days earlier, with flavor so much better that I 

 place it at the head of dessert grapes, all things taken into account. I have 

 at the fairs made a test by giving out to the crowd a cluster of each of 

 my best sorts, have each one sample them and pass them on, and eight in 

 every ten gave "Worden the preference. Now comes the Lady. It also is 

 a seedling of Concord, originated by George W. Campbell of Delaware, 

 O. It is a good but rather slow grower, white, large berry, cluster medium, 

 very handsome, with a sprightly, aromatic flavor that is sure to please every 

 one. It never mildews or rots, its leaf is good, it is early. Fourth, Brighton, 

 originated by Jacob Moore of Brighton, N. Y., a very strong grower, healthy 

 foliage, as free from rot and mildew as Concord, cluster a very handsome 

 inverted cone, close set with beautiful berries the size and color of Catawba 

 and more than equal to it in flavor and form ; from four to six weeks earlier, 

 pure, delicious, sweet — the front rank grape, in all respects one of the best. 

 Now for the fifth. It may shock some of you, but you will pardon me, 

 for I shall say Massasoit, the Rogers No. 3. It is a very strong grower, 

 ripens early, is very handsome; and beauty, you know, goes a great way 

 particularly with us men. and I doubt if there is a finer looking grape in 

 the catalogue than the Massasoit — sweet and delicious, free from musk, 

 and a first-class keeper. I have often had it at Christmas for dessert; a 

 little inclined to mildew, but a little sulphur or Bordeaux mixture makes 

 that all right. Now, as I am to select five for dessert, they will be: Dela- 

 ware, a long keeper; Worden, will not keep so well; Brighton, another 

 long keeper; Lady, also a good keeper, and Massasoit, that with care will 

 keep till February. So, with these sorts named, with a little trouble we 

 may have the finest grapes on our tables from September 1 till February. 

 Now, gentlemen, contrast this with fifty years ago, when the Isabella 

 comprised the entire catalogue of grapes. Today fifty different varieties 

 is not an extravagant number for one man to have, and all better than 

 that, and some of them are so much superior that to contrast them becomes 

 irony. Tell me, gentlemen, if you can set any limit to the possibilities of 

 grape-culture of the future. What will we have fifty years hence?" 



Mr. Phillips: I should not differ much from Mr. Beebe. He has 

 well defined the qualities of a market grape, yet we must have one more — 

 earliness. It is of no use to plant those likely to be caught and damaged 

 by frost, as many are. For market, for the lake shore region, my choice 

 would be, in order as to value, Niagara (five days earlier ■fehan Concord, 

 large, attractive, and of fair quality), Worden (same season as Niagara, 

 perhaps a little earlier, a good shipper, strong grower, abundant bearer), 

 Brighton (of first quality and a strong grower), Delaware (has some weak 

 points but always sells well), and Moore's Early. The latter is ten days, 

 earlier than Concord, nearly equal to Concord in quality, and has the 

 merit of ripening its entire crop at once. The Champion is entirely 

 unworthy of cultivation because of its poor quality. For dessert I would 

 choose Delaware, Brighton (whose quality it is hard to excel), lona (not 

 everywhere successful, but of high quality). Lady, and Lindley. The 

 latter is a very superior red grape, good also as a market sort, earlier than 



