MASSACHUSETTS HORT. SOCIETY. 



343 



prolific and hardy. I have many other kinds in 

 process of cultivation, which have not fruited yet, 

 and I intend procuring' all the best kinds, and giv- 

 ingr them a fair trial, when I will discard all that 

 are not suitable. 



The Golden Chasselas is decidedly the best that 

 I have tried yet. I got it from Prince & Son of 

 Flushing as the White Chasselas, W'hich it is not; 

 it ripens here from the twentieth of August to the 

 first of September, the same time as the Sweetwa- 

 ter, and in its growth, foliage and appearance of 

 the fruit till fully ripe, it is impossible to tell them 

 apart, except that it is even less liable to mildew; 

 but after it gets ripe, it becomes of a more amber 

 color; the great difference, however, is in the fla- 

 vor, which is quite high, and slightly musky, so 

 much so, that after eating it, the Sweetwater tastes 

 insipid. Having several hundred vines of each of 

 these kinds in bearing, I have been able to test 

 Ihem fully, and lind no variation. The kind I got 

 for the White Muscadel, is nearly identical with 

 the White Sweetwater, though it appears to me to 

 be higher flavored, and the berries rather larger. 



The Green Swiss, or Fondant Vert, in some sea- 

 sons, is an exquisite grape; but it is rather liable 

 to mildew. This year, both the bunches and ber- 

 ries are smaller than usual, owing to that cause. It 

 is very sweet and melting.' and highly worthy of 

 cultivation; it ripens about the first September. 



From about one hundred vines of the Black 

 Cluster, in full bearing and covered with fruit, I 

 did not get a perfect bunch of any'size; about half 

 the fruit on each bunch rotting as they came to ma- 

 turity, owing to heavy rains, and the closeness of 

 the bunches preventing the fruit from drying. 

 Heretofore, however, the fruit ripened well. As 

 the vines are well established and strong, I intend 

 grafting the greater part of them with the Golden 

 Chasselas and other finer kinds. 



I have a large number of seedling vines, hybrids 

 between the different foreign kinds, and the Isabella 



and Catawba, which promise well, and will be in 

 bearing next year and the year following. I have 

 also, tliis fall, saved a quantity of seed from the 

 different kinds planted closely together, with the 

 branches intertwineil, from which I expect to get 

 valuable hybrids, which may prove more suitable 

 to our climate than the kinds now in cultivation. 



I am perfectly convinced, that all the valuable 

 table grapes, having open or loose bunches, and ri- 

 pening by the twentieth of September, can, by ju- 

 dicious culture, be brought to great perfection in 

 the open air, without the aid of glass or walls; in 

 fact I consider a wall or close board fence, a detri- 

 ment instead of a benefit, as it is a harbor for all 

 kinds of insects, and prevents a free circulation of 

 air anil rain. They succeed best with me planted 

 quincunx, in rows four feet asunder, and the vines 

 four feet apart in the row; so that each vine can be 

 trained separately, leaving room to pass round on 

 all sides. 



At the fall pruning, I leave four young shoots 

 rising from the surface of the ground, or as near it 

 as possible, two of which are left four feet long for 

 bearers, and the other two cut down to two eyes 

 each, to form the young wood for the next season. 

 In the spring, after the vines are uncovered, I drive 

 in four stakes, about five feet long, leaving four feet 

 above ground, to each vine, in a line north and 

 south, which is necessary in close cultivation, for 

 the admission of heat and light, to two of which 

 the bearing branches are tied vertically, the other 

 two being for the young shoots, which, as tliey rise, 

 are trained also vertically. . The side shoots from 

 the bearers, are trained at an angle of forty-five 

 degrees, and tieil to the other slakes, and stopped 

 about three to four buds beyond the farthest bunch, 

 the vine only occupying a space of three feet wide 

 by four feet in height, as the stakes are set about a 

 foot apart. I am your obt. ser't. James Dougall. 

 Rosebank, near jimherstburg, Canada West. 



MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Exhibition of October 31, 1846. 



FRUITS.— From M. P. Wilder, President of the Society, 

 Pears, Beurre d'Angou, Bezi de la Motte, Duchesse d'Aii- 

 gouleme. 



From S. Walker, Roxbury, Pears, Duchesse d'Angou- 

 leme, (fine) Urbauiste, and others without name. 



From F. W. Macondry, a Pippin Apple. 



From Geo. Walsh, Charleslown, Pears, Messeur John, 

 Beurre Diel, Bon Cliretien Fondanle, Urbaniste and others. 



From Daniel Putnam, Danvers, President's Apple. 



From O. U. Mathers by Thomas Needham, Grapes, Black 

 Hamburg, Syrian, white Chassehis, white Frontignan, Chas- 

 selas Musque, Muscat of Alexandria, Black Portugal, Black 

 Lombardy, Black Frankendall. all fine. 



From .1. Fisk Allen, Pears, iVapoleon, Verte Longue d'Au- 

 tomne, Seckel, Duchesse d'Angouleme, and others for name; 

 Grapes, Black Prince, Zinfindal, Whortly Hall seedling. 



From J. Dudley by J. Owen, Pears. 



A seedling Pear from Salem, was exhibited which the Com- 

 mittee have named the Ropes, pear. The specimens tasted 

 were very good, but the committee wish to see them another 

 season, before giving a decided opinion of their merits. 

 For the Committee, J. Fisk Allen. 



Exhibition of Nov. 7, 1846. 



FLOWERS.— From J. L. Gardner, by Daniel Crowley, a 

 fine display of Chrysanthemums. 



From James Nugent, 12 varieties of Chrysanthemums. 



Premiums on Chrysanthemums : The commiUce award the 

 first premium of $5 to Daniel Crowley, for the best twelve va- 

 rieties. 



To James Nugent, the second premium of $4, tor the second 

 best twelve varieties. 



For the committee, Joseph Breck. 



FRUITS. — From E. Vose, Pears, Duchess d'Angouleme, 

 (very fine.) 



From Josiah Lovett, 2d., Pears, Seckel, (fine.) Louise Bonne 

 de Jersey, and Petre. 



From S. R. Johnson, Beurre Diel and Dii Pears, (the latter 

 very handsome.) ■ 



From S. R. Walker, Pears, Figiie, (fine,) and Beurre 

 Diel. 



From J. M. Earle, Apples, Winter Spice, (?) Red Bough, 

 (which we think will prove fine) and Patterson Harvey. 



From M. P. Wilder, Pears, Dix, (fine,) Urbaniste, and 

 Bezi de La Moue. 



