^>^. — ^^g?^ 



QRAri'>CULTLRK. 



pruning in Autumn. The following season (1853) they were treated in the usual 

 manner — suspended to the wires about the 10th of May and allowed to fruit five 

 bumhes each, all of which ripened and colored equal to any fruit exhibited in New 

 York last autumn. The first bunches cut, were Muscat hlanc hatljf and Joshjii's 

 St. Albans, fully ripe the 5th of August, about sixteen months from planting ; Chas- 

 sellas de Fontainhleau or Royal Muscadine, and White Frontignan were cut the 10th 

 of August ; Zinfndal, JJccon^s Superb, Xcres, Austrian Muscat, and Black Ilainburfjh, 

 25th to 28th of August ; thence onward as later varieties matured, cutting the last — 

 Syrian and West's St. Peters — the 27th of November. 



Finding the vines this last spring in better condition than I expected, I decided 

 upon pressing them for a larger yield, relying upon the excellence of the border, and 

 selected ten bunches upon each vine as the most oromising for weight. All others 

 (perhaps thirty or forty on each plant) were removed. Their maturity has surpassed 

 the preceeding year in size, color, and flavor, and the canes were better ripened, giving 

 satisfactory evidence of unimpaired health. The different periods of ripening were 

 earlier, notwithstanding the cold and rainy weather of spring retarded the swelling of 

 the eyes, and the mercury also was down to 32*^ inside of the house on the night of 

 the 16th April without any means of modifying the temperature yet; with these 

 drawbacks the first bunches were cut, fully matured, on the 1st of August, whicl), 

 allowing for the lateness of the spring, would be equal to the 20th or 25th of July in 

 ordinary seasons. On the 5th of August I took from Royal Muscadine, Muscat 

 hlanc hatlf, Joslyn's St. Albans, and White Frontignan, about thirty bunches as 

 perfect and fully ripe as I have ever seen, and ranging from one to one and a half 

 pounds each. These varieties give only medium-sized clusters. On the 10th of 

 August Austrian Muscat, Zinfindal, Xeres and DecorHs Superb were fit for the table; 

 and on the 15th of August I cut Hamburghs weighing 2 lbs. 15 oz. Between the 

 loth of August and 1st of September I cut about fifty bunches of Hamburghs averag- 

 ing nearly 2 lbs. each. White Tokay, Malvasia, Rose Chasselas, and an occasional 

 cluster of Muscat Alexandria, were cut daily from the 20tli of August to the 1st of 

 Sept. The latter variety is very uncertain in a cold house, for in twelve vines only four 

 set their fruit evenly ; but those four gave as full satisfaction as is ever realized in a 

 house with artificial heat, and decidedly higher flavored. For those who are partial 

 to a rich musk flavor, there is no Grape equaling it ; but to liave it in perfection, it 

 should be allowed to hang until a full amber color and the berries slightly shriveled 

 or ruisined. On the 1st of September all the Hamburghs upon the roof wires were 

 thoroughly colored (fully black), but those on columns, being more shaded, came in 

 with Reine de Nice, Prince Albert, Cambridge Botardc Garden, Syrian and West's 

 St. Peters — all late varieties; the two last were ripe the 15th of September, and are 

 desirable as hanging well to the 1st of December. The Reine de Nice, as a fancy 

 variety, is attractive in its showy clusters, and ripens by the 1st of October. 



You observe I boast no Hamburghs weigl)ing 6 or 7 lbs., or Syrians 15 to 20 lbs. 

 ^ to the cluster, yet I have produced more Nveight of fruit from each vine than if the !^ 

 Vl whole strength had been devoted to a single cluster, as is the case when these enor- \5 



