114 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



they know nothing of winter and cold, and try to grow on as if they were per- 

 ennial. But after the seedlings have fruited — usually from three to five years 

 — whatever you do, don't jump at conclusions; here is where a cool head is 

 needed: more judgment is required to select than to grow seedlings. 



The Skix of Grapes. — The same authority just quoted is responsible for 

 the following regarding the skin of grapes: I am more than ever impressed 

 with the unsatisfactory condition of the skin of many of our popular grapes, 

 and the desirability of replacing such defective varieties with those of a 

 tougher skin. The value of the fruit depends, in a great degree, upon its 

 keeping qualities. Fruit that endures but for a day can never be of more 

 than temporary value. Grapes, like apples, can and should be kept for win- 

 ter use, when we need them most for dietetic purposes. 



There have been several weeks of rainy and damp weather, which has 

 proved disastrous to many varieties of grapes, causing the skin to burst, en- 

 tirely ruining them, except for immediate use. Observing readers will know 

 what I mean, and that I refer to a few of our native hybrids, and to the Con- 

 cord family. Another great fault — I find many of them shelling off from 

 the clusters and going to waste upon the ground ; the berries upon the best 

 clusters are in the worst condition. There is, perhaps, no botanical class 

 entirely exempt from these shortcomings ; but our Northern Labrusca grapes, 

 with some of their hybrids, are certainly the worst offenders. Such hybrids 

 as Delaware and Elvira are even worse than the pure Labrusca. Salem, one 

 of Mr. Rogers's foreign hybrids, is decaying and looks anything but inviting 

 and appetizing. Concord, Lady YYorden, Moore and Cottage are all affected 

 more or less. But we need not jump at conclusions, and infer that there are 

 no grapes free from these defects; for I find there is no injury to our North- 

 ern yEstivalis grapes, and few of their hybrids suffer. Delaware has usually 

 been classed with these: but its tender skin leads me to infer that it is a 

 hybrid between Labrusca and Riparia. 



It is just here that the Eumelan, nearly the only Northern representative 

 that we have of Vitis aestivalis, comes to our aid; although itself defective, 

 because of its emasculated clusters, it has a firm, tough skin, and as it im- 

 parts this quality to its seedlings, and to most of its hybrid seedlings, its 

 value to us for hybridizing is so very great that it can hardly be overestimat- 

 ed. From experiments and results already before me, I predict for these 

 new hybrids a great future. They seem to mark a rapid advance in Ameri- 

 can viticulture. Dr. Grant seemed dimly to recognize this when he found 

 the Eumelan, and was far-seeing enough to buy' the entire stock. I have 

 upon my grounds already hybrids between Eumelan and Concord, and 

 Eumelan and Delaware, and also several other crosses, and there is not one 

 of them that shows these defects of skin ; nor is this their only gain — the 

 higher qualities of the Eumelan's botanical class are generally carried into 

 its hybrid seedlings, thereby improving the quality and general tone of our 

 more common Labrusca grapes. I have every confidence that some of these 

 seedlings are even more hardy than the Concord. There will, therefore, be 

 no more room for Concord seedlings when these come into general cultivation. 

 I see no improvement or advance in ringing so many changes in and upon 

 Concord seedlings; our horticultural skill should rise to higher attainments. 

 Such seedlings exhibit little evidence of speeding to higher standards (there 

 is usually reversion), unless there comes to their aid the infusion of a finer 



