MISCELLANEOUS TAPERS. 381 



flavor to be considered, such as hardiness, reliability, etc. ? Some of 

 the defects that would militate against all of these varieties being class- 

 itied as best are as follows : lona — Severe winters injure buds, subject 

 to mildew, requires special culture, requires too long a season for 

 ripening, and in field culture does not ripen uniformly. Brighton 

 Jefferson and Goethe, like most crosses with foreign varieties, require 

 especial care, and unless one has had considerable experience with 

 grapes, he gets very meager returns for the labor put upon them. I 

 know that if I attempt to name the best grapes for general cultivation, 

 I shall draw upon myself criticism, but as it may be beneficial to 

 readers, I will incur the criticism : Black — \^ orden, Herbert, Concord, 

 Clinton. White — Niagara and Colerain. Red — Brighton, Woodruff 

 Red, Delaware and Catawba. This makes ten, but there should be 

 be another added — the Jefferson. The Clinton is included because 

 it is one of the best for lucinary purposes, and it can be left on the 

 vines until Thanksgiving. Its flavor is improved by frosts, and after 

 all others are gone it tastes very good to most persons. In fact, to eat 

 Clinton grapes from the vine the latter part of October and in Novem- 

 ber, when other grapes are gone, gives as much pleasure as to eat lus- 

 cious Brightons and Jeffersons when other varieties are abundant. 



T. F. LoNGNECKER, Ohio. 



The Value of Our Native Grapes. 



In deciding on the value of a grape for home use, or for commer- 

 cial purposes, the principal point to be determined is whether our loca- 

 tion and climate are adapted to the growth of the vine as well as the 

 perfecting of the variety we intend to plant, as under certain condi- 

 tions some varieties grow to perfection and some do not. Yet, no 

 matter what varieties we plant, we may make a mistake, since it is a 

 well-established fact that vineyards of the same variety in close prox- 

 imity do not succeed equally well, though we will be more sure to suc- 

 ceed if we choose varieties from species natural to our climate. Mr. 

 W. Birns, Orange Co., N. Y., has a'vineyard of Moore's Early which is 

 wonderfully proliflc, while on his brother's farm, not a quarter of a 

 mile distant, the same variety has proved a practical failure. On my 

 own farm, in" Yates Co., N. Y., I can show equally marked conditions. 

 A vineyard of Catawbas planted 17 years ago, under the advice of 

 several of the then best vineyardiats, had to be torn out, or grafted, 

 while almost within a stone's throw this variety grows and ripens to 

 perfection ; hence, we may say, be careful in selections, both of variety 



