DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



291 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



Prikes for Native Grapes. — We find it sta- 

 ted in the newspapers that Mr. Longworth, of 

 Cincinnati, has oflered at a late meeting of the 

 Philadelphia Hortieuitural Society, the IbUowinjx 

 premiums for seedling varieties of our native 

 grapes, viz; 



$50 for a seedling Catawba, the berr}' white, 

 blue, or black, and equal in flavor to the original. 



The same prize lor one of like color and quality 

 from the Ohio grape. 



The same prize for one of like color and quality 

 from the Herbemont grape. 



The same prize for one of like color and quality 

 from the Missouri grape. 



These are temptations to skilful and patient cul- 

 tivators — and as nothing in the way of new fruit is 

 more desirsxble than valuable new native grapes, 

 we trust Mr. Longworth's spirited offer will set 

 fruit-growers and gardeners at work. 



There are two modes likely to insure success, 

 and, if the}- are attended to, it will not be difficult 

 to raise new seedling varieties greatly superior to 

 any native sorts now cultivated. 



The first of these is to select those berries which 

 show a tendency to vary from the original shape 

 and size — and especially those which are larger. 

 It is not unusual, especially on vines which bear 

 but few bunches, to find some berries nearly double 

 the size of the others upon thebunoh. If the seeds 

 from these berries are selected for planting, the 

 chances of getting an improved variety are greatly 

 increased. In order to proceed more scientifically. 

 and with more certainty of improved seedlings, 

 you must resort to crossing. 



When your Catawba, or other native grapes, are 

 coming into blossom, watch them closely,' and as 

 soon as they expand, cut out the anthers with a 

 small pointed scissors; then go to a foreign vine, 

 of some first rate sort — say Black Hamburgh, and 

 take some pollen from blossoms in full bloom. You 

 may put it in a vial and keep it a month if the for- 

 eign vines happen to bloom first, which they will 

 do if they are under glass. The flowers of the 

 native vine being ready (say 2 or 3 days after they 

 expand,) take up some of the pollen Ironi the for- 

 eign grapes on a camel's hair brush, and apply it to 

 the pistils in the blossoms of the native grape, from 

 which you previously cut out the anthers. The 

 fruit produced will be a cross between the two, and 

 the young plants afforded by sowing tlie seeds of 

 their fruit, will, in all probability, partake of the 

 delicious flavor of the foreign grape, and the hardi- 

 ness of the native. We must add, that when the 

 anthers are first cut out, the bunches should be en- 

 closed in a fine muslin bag to prevent the blossoms 

 being fertilized by the pollen of other blossoms on 

 hi same plant. 



This is the way in which nearly all the superb 

 new varieties of plants are originated abroad, and 

 it may be applied to the grape doubtless with the 

 same good results. 



The Pomological Convention. — In a late 

 number of Bement's Journal of Agriculture, 

 (Albany,) some exceedingly amiable and pleasant 

 writer under the name of " Fidelius," (or " Fid- 

 dle-de-dee-us," we forget which) indulges in a strain 

 oi' Jlattery regarding the officers and committees 

 of this convention, which amuses us not a little. 



He torments his imagination, however, with the 

 idea of the overpowering influence of some £^as- 

 tern clique, which he thinks managed all the af- 

 fairs of the meeting. What will our western 

 friends, including Mr. Allen, of St. Louis, (who 

 if we mistake not, talked and acted for his consti- 

 tuents as a sturdy western man should,) say to this? 

 What will that honest " Jersey Blue," Mr. Han- 

 cock, or the quick witted Barry, of Rochester, all 

 of whom were on the spot, and " wide awake," say 

 to it? Truly, there were many men there who 

 would not be easily managed. But w«, yes, there's 

 the rub, we were actually a delegate from the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society ! "Heads and 

 blood!" this, truly, smells horribly of gun-powder. 

 Softly, unknown friend " Fidelius," this was an 

 innocent compliment, only do not let it, like Ban- 

 quo's ghost, " o'er come you like a summer's cloud!" 

 We went as a delegate from the Orange county 

 jigricultural Society. 



We are honestly grieved to find that "Fidelius" 

 cannot approve of tlie doings of the Convention. 

 We are confident that as he grows calmer he will 

 think better of it. To our own humble apprehen- 

 sion, it was the most intelligent and the most sat- 

 isfactory meeting of horticulturists ever held in 

 America. Numerous letters, that we have since 

 received from all parts of the country, from mem- 

 bers of that Convention, expressing their desire to 

 continue the good work commenced there, by all 

 the means within their reach, prove to us that it 

 has awakened a new, more intelligent, and wider 

 interest in Pomology, than has hitherto existed on 

 either side of the Atlantic. If " Fidelius" will 

 only throw aside his prejudices, and labor in com- 

 mon with the members of this Convention, who 

 have the public good at heart, then, perhaps, shall 

 we all arrive at this object more speedily. 



The Genesee Farmer, a journal of very large 

 circulation, and very ably conducted, represents, 

 we think, the general feeling of the country re- 

 garding this convention, in an article on this sub- 

 ject, from which we quote the following: — 



" This Congress may truly be regarded as the 

 most important public movement yet made on thi? 



