306 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPORT. 
fruited. It was some years after this date, however, before the 
vines became sufficiently mature so that the different sorts might be 
compared with one another and a proper judgment made of their 
vigor, quality, fruitfulness and other characters. In the report for 
1890 much attention is paid to the grape. This is undoubtedly due 
in part to the stimulation that had been given to the growing of 
grapes in America by the recent introduction of the practice of 
spraying from France. In fact a large part of this report is de- 
voted to the use of fungicides and a description of the various 
fungus troubles peculiar to the grape. 
The bulletin is largely quoted from other publications, especially 
those of the Department of Agriculture. Descriptions, however, are 
given of forty-five varieties, which are divided according to their 
color into black, white and red grapes. These descriptions are 
popular in their nature, and while they do not describe the variety 
so that it might be separated from a closely resembling one, they 
bring out all those characters, good cr bad, of importance to the 
grower, such as vigor or weakness in the vine, susceptibility to cer- 
tain diseases, quality, if the same is particularly good or particularly 
bad, and other points of a similar nature. After this time these 
descriptions became features of the reports. For some years a large 
number of varieties, including many comparatively unknown, are 
described in detail. That this work had considerable value to the 
prospective planter there can be no doubt. Few or none of the 
newer varieties proved as good as standard sorts, and many that 
were much advertised were found to be worthless and prospective 
planters were warned accordingly. 
This work soon grew beyond mere variety testing. In the report? 
for 1893 there was included, with the description, the botanical 
species of each variety. When this was not known absolutely, the 
reason was usually stated for placing it in a particular class. As 
will be appreciated by anyone who has studied grape literature, such 
descriptions as these are of interest to others besides the botanist. 
Although there are many species of grapes indigenous to North 
America, only three of them have so far furnished varieties worthy 
of cultivation in New York, and each of these three shows characters 
of fruit and vine widely dissimilar. 
The Labrusca, or Fox grape of New England, is the only one 
which has given varieties good for eating. To this species belong 
“Rpt. 12:617 (1803). 
SS == ee 
