, REPORTS OF COUNTY SOCIETIES. 377 



GRAPES. 



This is another fruit like the gooseberry that gives about a four- 

 fold return for the care bestowed, but the quality is such that they are 

 slow sale on our home market at about 2 cents per pound and are dear 

 at the price; will not pay to ship as a rule. Concord mostly grown? 

 some attention being paid to introducing both earlier and later varie- 

 ties than Concord. Of the early, the Moore's Early, Moore's Diamond, 

 Challenge, Early Victor and Worden are promising. Of the later varie- 

 ties or late keeping varieties — the Lindley, Agawan, Salem, Aminia r . 

 Goethe, all Roger's Hybrids, and the Jefferson and Triumph are all 

 very much superior to Concord in flavor — about equal — some fully 

 equal in productiveness, and can be kept until after Concords are gone. 

 It is understood that all these varieties should be sacked to prevent 

 rot, and they will all pay for the trouble it takes to do it. 



The irrepressible perambulating tree merchant, like the poor, we 

 always have with us. I left seven canvassing our unfortunate community,, 

 with several nurseries to hear from. It has always been a difficult mat- 

 ter to decide whether this horticultural "insect " is a benefit or other- 

 wise. It is argued that if they are the cause of two trees growing 

 where only one grew before, they certainly are a public benefactor. 

 But ever so much depends on what kind of a tree it is. If a Keiffer 

 pear or a Johnathan apple, then I agree; but if it happens to be a 

 primus simona plum (one of them "prunus simonied," send me a dollar 

 and a quarter's worth), or a Russian mulberry, and come to think, why 

 pitch on to the poor mulberry, as it, I honestly believe, is no more of a 

 humbug than any other Russian fruit; and I want it put on record that 

 Russian fruits have cost the people of these United States more than 

 Alaska did and are not near as much use to us. So I think it depends 

 a good deal on what is sold whether the tree dispenser is a benefactor 

 or not. On the other hand, if by the help of his portable art gallery, 

 showing Concord grapes as big as transcendant crab apples, and with 

 prices magnified to suit he induces some moss-back to plant a tree,, 

 even if as is usually the case, he could get as good or better stock 

 of his home nursery for one-third the money, we all know that he 

 wont do it; and perhaps, through this agency, the generation coming 

 on may learn to love horticulture and the blessings it will bestow ; and 

 on the whole, we conclude this ever-present necessary evil comes high,, 

 but we must have him. 



One other matter not mentioned was the successful effort of mem- 

 bers of our society in connection with those of neighboring counties 

 in getting a material reduction in express charges on fruit shipments. 



