State Agricultural Society. 441 



best purple grape in the State, unsurpassed as a table grape, a good ship- 

 per, very rich in sugar when fully ripe, making a good quality of wine, 

 and a large percentage of alcohol on distillation. Combining these good 

 qualities, it is specially sought after by growers of the vine. To those 

 who design growing grapes for market cither at home or abroad, I would 

 sa} r there is no grape that bears transportation so well as the Bed Lom- 

 bardy or Flame Tokay. Being so well known it is needless to more 

 particularly describe it. As regards its carrying qualities, it will carry 

 from here to an Eastern market, when properly packed and handled, in 

 as good condition as when picked from the vine. In proof of its being 

 specially fitted for transportation to Eastern markets, I will state that 

 in the month of November last I saw it stated in the Hearth and Home, 

 a paper published by Orange Judd & Co., of New York City, that a car- 

 load of pears and Tokay grapes had arrived from California a few days 

 before, the grapes being in good order and wholesaling at thirty-seven 

 and a half cents per pound. The Flame Tokay is said by experienced 

 wine makers to be a good wine grape, or to be valuable to mix with 

 other varieties. The three varieties named I have selected from about 

 thirty which I have tested. True, some of the other sorts are good 

 grapes — such as the Blue Malvoise, Black Malaga, and others — hut pos- 

 sessed of no distinctive qualities entitling them to be classed with the 

 three first mentioned. For a wine grape alone there is no question in 

 my mind but that the White Beisling is one of the most valuable; but 

 the great objection to it is that it produces a very small amount of 

 fruit — mine not averaging more than five or six pounds to the vine, 

 although growing on the best land in the vineyard, Ilamburgs yielding 

 thirty to forty pounds in the adjoining rows. In presenting my views 

 to the Club, as I have already stated, there is much in them that is not 

 applicable to every location, and my advice to any one engaging in grape 

 culture would be to find out what varieties do best in their locality and 

 stick to them until experience shall demonstrate other more valuable 

 varieties to cultivate. In conclusion, I would advise all persons who 

 contemplate planting vineyards to embrace the present opportunity, as 

 this is the most favorable season there has been for four or five years. 

 Cuttings planted this season would insure a good stand and a vigorous 

 growth — two things well worthy of consideration in the planting of a 

 vineyard. 



