FRUITS. 61 



certainty upon the rockiest and driest hillsides. Again : we 

 think that experience has proved to us, that only the most 

 hardy vines of our purely native species (the Labrusca) can 

 be depended upon for a term of years. This may not be the 

 decision of the whole committee ; for we know that many still 

 adhere firmly to the Rogers and other hybrids ; but those of 

 us who have for years made the growing and testing of vines 

 a business are careful not to invest largely in any grape of 

 foreign parentage ; and, when any new grape presents itself 

 as the "best yet introduced," the first inquiry should be, 

 Does it inherit foreign blood from either of its parents ? If 

 so, it will most likely inherit a feeble constitution, followed 

 by mildew and an early death. Careful cultivators may and 

 often do succeed for years with these high-blooded grapes ; 

 but they require constant watchfulness, and a good covering 

 every winter is indispensable. 



We would not by these remarks discourage any from rais- 

 ing this, one of the most healthful and delicious of all fruits, 

 but would rather encourage every one whose circumstances 

 will permit, to do it intelligently, — to select none but the 

 most approved hardy varieties, and plant and cultivate as 

 experience has proved best for this locality. The discourage- 

 ments which seemed to hang over us a few years ago, in the 

 shape of blight and mildew, have, in a great measure, passed 

 away ; and we can but hope that a " new era in grape-cul- 

 ture " is about to dawn upon us. 



There are but few peaches presented this year ; the crop 

 having been very nearly a failure ; and only the latest ones 

 could be kept for this exhibition. This crop, which is gener- 

 ally considered uncertain in New England, has, for several 

 years past, been a partial success, especially in certain high, 

 dry locations in this vicinity, where an entire failure has not 

 occurred for something over twenty years before. Just 

 warmth enough to swell the fruit-buds at a certain time 

 during winter, and then a sudden freeze afterwards, was evi- 

 dently the sole cause of this failure, as the trees never looked 

 more healthy and promising than in the autumn before. 



This fall again we have reason to take courage, and hope 

 for the best, and trust that at some future time, when we 

 have learned more fully the requirements of the peach, we 

 shall be blessed with plentiful crops, as of old. We would 



