Vali'Ablb Crop. — The crop of blackberries on Long Island was sold, in New York, for 

 about $5,000. The groceries paid C| cents per quart, and, at tliis price, some persons received 

 fur blackberries sold from their land, more than the land itself would bring if i)ut up for sale. 



The old Stuyvesant Pear-tree, in New York, aged one hundred years, bore a bushel of fruit 

 tills season. 



Nectarines. — Mr. Caleb Cope will receive our thanks for some Stanwick Nectarines, every 

 way what they ought to be, and creditable to the grower. lie has four trees, and fine crops. 

 Accompanying them were some very good Red Romans. We expect, after the entire success 

 of Mr. Hunnewell and Mr. Cope, to hear of success elsewhere. 



Samuel Millek, of Calmdale, near Lebanon, Penna., sends us a new seedling grape about 

 the size and appearance of the Isabella, and, we think, as good. He says : — 



" This seedling was raised from seed sent mo by Mr. Longworth, of Cincinnati, Ohio, five 

 years ago. The vine bore about a dozen bunches last year ; this season it has had, perhaps, 

 fifty or sixty bunches. The vine has been perfectly hardy since its infancy ; a strong 

 grower, and will, with good cultivation, far exceed those scut you, in my opinion, as the 

 vine has thus far been sadly neglected. 



" You can best judge of its quality, and whether it is worthy of a place among the good 

 grapes. (It is. — Ed.) In the same box you will find a bunch of grapes from a friend. 



Yours, truly, Samuel Miller." 



Mr. Mish, of the same town, sends a bunch of Longworth's Ohio, or Cigar Box, and some 

 very Jine Beurre Diel pears. The grape we do not think much of for the table ; the pears, 

 excellent. A new white seedling grape, from Mr. Brandegee, is excellent. The raiser, \Vm. 

 Brochsbank, Hudson, N. Y. 



Beardless Barley. — J. W. Briggs, West Macedon, N. Y., sends us specimens of beardless 

 barley, and will do the same to all who inclose a stamp. 



New Brighton, Staten Island, Sept. 4, 1856. 



J. Jay Smith, Esq. — Dear Sir : Some time ago, a copy of my book, " The Grape Growers' 

 Guide," was sent to Dr. Lindley, the editor of the London Gardeners^ Chronicle, which he 

 has noticed somewhat favorably, and in that notice he has hit upon, perhaps, the two most 

 philosophical points, considered in a prospective view, both of which are in connection with 

 mildew on the grape-vine. The first is the recommendation to improve our natives by 

 hybridization with the European kinds, so as to gain the better quality of the latter, and 

 yet retain the hardy constitution of the former. This he entirely agrees with, and advises 

 the Eastern vineyard cultivators to accept as a probable means of extirpating the destruc- 

 tive pest that is now destroying their crops. If we have given to Europe an idea that shall 

 ultimately be successful, we shall be gratified with the service done, and hope, in the mean 

 time, that it may so turn out. 



With regard to mildew as it now exists there, and the kind that we have all along been 

 troubled with in out-door culture, it is presumed that both are identical. This the doctor 

 denies in the following language : " In connection with the present subject, it is not a little 

 curious to see how the American gardeners are in a complete state of confusion as to what 

 is the true vine mildew, arising from the attack of oidium. Mr. C. says there are two dis- 

 eases in the States, one appearing in the form of brown spots, which eat through the leaves ; 

 the other like a ' fine and delicate hoary mouldiness.' The first he supposes to be European 

 mildew, while his account shows unmistakably that it is the second. Let us hope that 



