ON RAISING NEW GRAPES BY HYBRIDIZING. 



BY WM. CHORLTON, STATEN ISLAND. 



Dear Sir — I have been very much interested in reading over Dr Valk's article in the 

 Horticulturist for October, describing his success in hybridizing our hardy grapes with 

 the exotic varieties. Too much praise cannot be given to that gentleman for his enterpris- 

 ing experiment, but it appears to me that he has gone the wrong way to work. 



Physiological theory teaches, and practical experience proves to us, that the progeny 

 of a plant, the flowers of which have been fertilized by another, is more likely to retain 

 the constitution and habit of the mother, while any peculiarities as to flowers and fruit 

 of the father, are introduced into the same body; consequently the Isabella should have 

 been fertilized by the pollen of the Hamburgh, when an Isabella vine would most proba- 

 bly have been more the product, with an approach towards the fruit of Hamburgh. This 

 appears to be proved by your own description of the fruit, and also Dr. Valk's account 

 of the appearance of the plant. So decided is the above fact, where proper care has been 

 taken in the crossing, that the operator can predict tolerably closely, what the result will 

 be. I do not pretend to deny that both fruit and plant will be somewhat changed by the 

 same course which Dr. Valk has practiced, but we shall sooner and more surely come to 

 the goal of our wishes, by acting in accordance with those laws which an all-wise Creator 

 has so unerringly established. If we study nature she will bend most willingly to our 

 purpose, and the progressive intellect of man may realise his most ambitious desires. It 

 appears to me as settled as a demonstrated fact, that we can produce by perseverance in 

 this course, a tribe of grapes quite equal in flavor to a Muscat or Frontignan, and as hand- 

 some in form and size as the Hamburgh, with a constitution equally as hardy, if not more 

 so, than the Isabella. 



Perhaps no better varieties can be chosen than Black Hamburgh for a black, and Chas- 

 selas Fontainbleau or Dutch Sweetwater for a light colored class, as these kinds are very 

 sweet and devoid of that hard pulp which predominates in the hardy sorts. The Fron- 

 tignans or Muscats I would not make use of, for the natives have already too much of the 

 muskj'- flavor. By introducing the sweetness of the Hamburgh and Chasselas, we shall 

 be most likely to reduce in a corresponding degree the foxiness of the natives, which is 

 likely to produce a Muscat flavor and Hamburgh size of berry and form of bunch. I do 

 not presume to say that this can be accomplished in one generation, but perseverance in 

 the right track is sure to bring it out in process of time. To ensure success, some 

 care and attention is necessary; more will be accomplished, with care, from a dozen seed- 

 lings, than by a thousand without it. The plants to be operated upon, should be in ro- 

 bust health, neither having at any time shown symptoms of mildew, and the flowers of 

 both selected from fine and well shouldered branches. The operation of fertilizing is also 

 a somewhat delicate one, and there is some difiiculty in getting the two sorts to bloom at 

 the same time, — for the exotic, to be perfectly free from mildew, will, almost without ex- 

 ception, have to be under glass, and the native on account of producing hardiness should 

 be planted outside. A temporary glass frame to forward the latter would be of service, 

 and the former might be retarded by excluding the light till the buds burst and afterwards 

 keeping the head down in a cold house. When the hardy sort begins to open its flowers 

 the stamens should be immediately cut out, and the stigma fertilized by the exotic, 

 this depends all success, as any plant will more readily be impregnated by its own 



