106 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



great interest, as supplying a very 

 early black grape of excellent quality, 

 and adapted for wine as well as table, 

 which qualities the early Labrusca 

 type of grapes thus far do not possess. 

 Aruncia, Rogers' No. 39, and Barry, 

 No. 43, a little later, possess great 

 vigor and good qualities and size. Mr. 

 Kicketts' Backus, wine and table grape, 

 is early, very vigorous, and an enor- 

 mous bearer. Norwood, from Massa- 

 chusetts, U. S., promises to give us a 

 grape that will excel all others in keep- 

 ing qualities, and is earlier than Con- 

 cord, and its originator, of course, 

 claims that it is better ; not yet for 

 sale. 



Of white grapes Lady is the first to 

 ripen, a slow grower, taking some years 

 to bring it to its best ; a shy bearer 

 thus far ; in size and other respects 

 good ; very fair in quality for an early 

 giape ; has a tendency to crack, which 

 is of little moment for home use, ex- 

 cept when bees are plenty ; last year it 

 showed no tendency to crack, probably 

 from the cold season, Prentiss is our 

 next earliest ; a fine native seedling of 

 much promise ; quality very good. Mr. 

 Dempsey's No. 60, a cross with Allen's 

 Hybrid, fruited last year, and gave me 

 much pleasure ; if it does better, as 

 grapes usually do, in subsequent years, 

 we want no better early grape. All of 

 Mr. Dempsey's grapes have strong, 

 healthy foliage — a point of great mo- 

 ment in these days of mildew and the 

 thrip. Faith, an Elvira seedling, of 

 Mr. Rommel's, gives much promise ; it 

 is here a rampant grower ; ripens its 

 wood well ; berry and bunch small ; is 

 of fine, sweet flavor. Duchess is late 

 here ; a vigorous grower, but does not 

 ripen its wood well ; we have not 

 fruited it, but its quality, as raised 

 south, is excellent. I have many other 

 white varieties, but not sufficiently 

 tested to speak favorably of. 



Of reds. Northern Muscadine is 



the first to ripen ; healthy and vigor- 

 ous grower ; drops no more than Hart- 

 ford, and eatable before fully ripe ; 

 thought highly of in its season. None 

 of the early varieties possess the high 

 qualities of Delaware, Burnet, Wilder 

 and Lindley, later varieties. Wyoming 

 Red, though small in bunch and berry, 

 is about the first to ripen. Massasoit, 

 Rogers' No. 3, follows in ripening, is 

 much better in flavor and a good 

 bearer. Vergennes, for a new grape, 

 has at once taken a high position in 

 public favor, maturing and ripening its 

 wood quick ; fruit red and delicious ; 

 is valuable alone for its extraordinary 

 keeping qualities. Salem, an old fa- 

 vorite, is eclipsed by the former in 

 keeping qualities ; like most of Rogers' 

 Hybrids, it is a rampant grower, re- 

 quiring ample space to succeed well, 

 and prevent mildew, to which it is sub- 

 ject in some seasons. Brighton, though 

 I am getting down into the later vari- 

 eties, I must mention, possesses the 

 tine qualities of one of its parents, 

 Diana Hamburg, without its defects; 

 it is growing in favor, though a shy 

 bearer; like Champion, it requires to 

 be eaten as soon as ripe. 



Your inquirer, with the help of an 

 ardent enthusiast, I trust, can select 

 from the above enough to make him 

 happy in the season. I see that I have 

 omitted Worden, a great favorite and 

 early black grape ; and he will by all 

 means try the Jessica. 



Wm. Mead Pattison. 



Clarenceville, Quebec. 



(30DLIN MOTH. 



T am still greatly delighted with the 

 varied contents of the C<inadian Horti- 

 culturist, and long for the monthly sup- 

 ply of general horticultural information 

 which it never fails to impart. 



Have you been informed of any ex- 

 periments made during the past year 



