Haniburgli and the Isabella, and had sent him 

 a bunch of the fruit. His judgment was flat- 

 tering, and I think would have been more so, 

 if I had been able to send him a perfect 

 bunch. 



3Ir. Chorlton notices my communication in 

 the Hort. for November, and thought that " too 

 mucli jiraise" could not be given to me for my 

 "enterprising experiment," but he thought I 

 had " gone the wrong Avay to Mork." Wy re- 

 ply was, that "physiological theory teaches" 

 well, but practical experience better, — the 

 proof of hardiness in my grape being the past 

 severe winter. I spoke of my seedlings as I 

 thought they deserved, although I had "gone 

 the wrong way to work-" Without a thought 

 of, or reference to Mr. Chorlton, I felt the 

 necessity of stating my abhorrence of humbugs 

 and cheats, and left " my grape to the ordeal 

 of its own merits, and the test of time." In 

 all this, where are the " caustic remarks," the 

 "invective, braggadocio, and sarcastic pique" 

 with which I am charged? It is a libel on the 

 truth to say so, and still a greater libel to mis- 

 understand and then misrepresent what I have 

 said. It is a perfect piece of folly to write 

 about " good feeling," when " comments" are 

 made of a character directly contradictory of 

 the assertion. Where, in my "estimation," 

 do I assert, that "acting in accordance with 

 the inscrutable and immutable laws of the all 

 wise designer of the universe," would be " ca- 

 tering a la Barnum ?" It is something worse 

 than a "delusion" to insinuate the charge; it 

 is a positive untruth to assert it. No man more 

 thoroughly detests the "' follies and cheats" of 

 horticulture than I do, and it was because of 

 this, that I desired to " establish the reputation 

 of ray grape on some better evidence than the 

 usual form of horticultural charlatanry." I 

 wished to put my grape to the proof, and when 

 proved, then to claim my just due for doing 

 something to improve a valuable and delicious 

 fruit. Those " who know" are welcome to in- 

 dulge in the largest scepticism " upon the ex- 

 periment." It is an indulgence that will in- 

 jure no one, but when it comes to " comment" 

 and misrepresentations, the pure offspring of a 

 perverse imagination, I object decidedly, and 

 would remind the gentleman to whom I am al- 

 luding, that bearing false witness against his 



neighbor, is in violation of a command of the 

 decalogue. 



It has been hitherto thought a " desideratum" 

 to procure a native grape as hardy as the Isa- 

 bella, yet bearing fruit equal to the foreign va- 

 rieties. But this is not the desideratum after 

 all. It is a very desirable point to be sure, 

 yet it is a " IriJUngmatiev" compared with the 

 " constitutional power to resist mildew during 

 the growing season." So says Jlr. Chorlton, 

 thei'efore the desideratum is, a constitutional 

 poxcer to resint mildew during the groiving sea- 

 son. The foreign grapevine is hardy enough, 

 and stands unprotected without injury in situa- 

 tions north of this, (Staten Island,) but we 

 want the constitutional power, &c., and must 

 get it as soon as we can. 



Sly assertions, whether few or man}', have 

 amounted to the declaration of the fact, that 

 my vines are as hardy as the Isabella, and, that 

 I Iiold them to be superior to every other grape 

 grown in the open air in any part of the United 

 States. I shall endeavor to prove my a.sser- 

 tions by the test of time, and shall cheerfully 

 await the verdict. 



Having no vines to sell, and not intending to 

 dispose of a single plant until that verdict is 

 rendered, I can excuse the doubts, surmises, 

 and scepticism of Mr. Chorlton, " and those 

 who know." To the just and impartial reader, 

 I leave the decision of the question — is my com- 

 munication of May 6th, in June Ilort., or Mr. 

 Chorlton's of July 15th, in August Hort., the 

 most open to censure, for their "caustic re- 

 marks," and "sarcastic pique." "Jeffreys" 

 has got something to say, and I am anxious to 

 hear him say it. W. W. Valk, M. D. Flush- 

 ing, L. I., Jug. 10, 1852. 



Cold Water in Wells During Summer. — 

 In the March number of the Cultivator for 1851, 

 (page 117,) I described the well frorr. which we 

 draw our daily supplies of water. It is pro- 

 tected by trees and buildings so that the sun 

 never shines into it; but the snow enters, and 

 during all the spring, and early part of summer, 

 it is so uncommonly cold as to have been mis- 

 taken by a guest, for ice-water. Gradually 

 however, it grows warmer as the heat of the 

 season increases, and as the springs that 

 mingle with its chilled waters; but we 



