264 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



from what I liave seen and know from observation, to be an advance 

 upon the varieties heretofore grown. Worden is likely to supplant the 

 Concord, as it is several days earlier, a little larger and better in qual- 

 ity, and in all other respects fully equal to that old standard variety. 

 Ulster is a red grape of high quality, vigorous in vine, and a re- 

 markable keeper. Poughkeepsie is also a red grape, the product of a 

 cross between lona and Delaware, and of fine flavor. It is, however, 

 a little below medium size, and is not a strong grower. These last 

 two seedlings were originated by Mr. A. J. Caywood, of Marlborough, 

 N. Y. 



The two pears that seemed to engage the special attention of the 

 members were Keifer and Le Conte. Specimens upon the tables 

 showed both these varieties to be large and handsome, and although 

 their flavor was not equal to such standards as Sheldon and Bartlett, 

 yet they were passably good. Those grown in the Southern States 

 have much less of that peculiar and unpleasant astringency so common 

 to the Chinese Sand Pears than is found in those from the north. In 

 the exhibit from North Carolina were many fine specimens of the Le 

 Conte that would challenge the admiration of any one. The discus- 

 sions elicited the fact that neither of these is exempt from blight, as 

 some have claimed. 



Apples were of course shown in profusion, though there were no 

 new varieties of peculiar interest. It was a surprise to a great many 

 to see such fine displays of apples from the South as were shown by 

 Mississippi and North Carolina. It has been usually thought that in 

 Mississippi especially, apples could not be grown profitably, but this 

 is certainly a mistake. Perhaps in a commercial sense it may be true, 

 but for home use they can and should be grown. The higher lands 

 of Western North Carolina and Virginia are especially well adapted 

 to apple culture. There ^they may be grown commercially quite as 

 well as anywhere in the United States. The Yellow Newtown, which 

 is a precarious bearer in very many sections, does remarkably well 

 on these elevated lands. 



After the meeting had closed I had the pleasure of visiting the 

 famous vineyards about Euclid, some 10 miles east of the city of 

 Cleveland. No locality surpasses this for the production of Catawba 

 grapes. The vineyards are planted principally on the slopes facing 

 Lake Erie, but many are on the plateau between the foot of the hills 

 and the beach, and on the table-lands above and back of the steeper 

 slopes. From the summit of the hill above the village of Euclid could 

 be seen fully three thousand acres of vineyards. The greater part of 

 these vineyards are set to Catawba, Concord, and Delaware. The 

 Niagara is growing here, and I examined one vineyard in its third 

 year that was heavily loaded with fruit. The clusters were large and 

 well formed, and impressed me fully as well as a vineyard of the same 

 variety that I had seen near Fort Worth, Tex. This is perhaps tl;e 

 best variety of white grapes to plant for the States east of the Kocky 

 Mountains, unless it be the Empire State. 



The Michigan State fair, held at Jackson, was next visited. A large 

 and very fine display of fruit was exhibited. The apple can be seen in 

 its glory in this State, but the show of plums was particularly fine. 

 They were mostly from the northwestern counties of the southern 

 peninsula. Many of them were equal in size to those grown in Cali- 

 fornia, and of the highest quality. Peaches, pears, and quinces were 

 also shown that were both beautiful and delicious. There were sev- 

 eral new varieties of grapes on exhibition. Notable among these was 



