THE 



VOL. VL] 



JUNE, 1883. 



[No. 6. 



WHITE GRAPES. 



Just now there seems to be a strong 

 desire in the ))ublic mind to get what 

 are termed white grapes of good quality. 

 There has been a good supply of black 

 and red varieties, but none of the white 

 grapes, up to a very recent date, have 

 met the requirements of the time. 

 Allen's Hybrid, though a beautiful fruit 

 and very good in quality, had not 

 sufficient constitution to endure the 

 atmospheric changes of our climate, 

 h6nce sooner or later it fell a prey to 

 the mildew and ceased to be. Martha, 

 though possessing great constitutional 

 hardiness and ability to endure our 

 climate, is not enougii better than its 

 parent, the Concord, to suit the demand 

 for high quality, and purity of flavor, 

 nor for its time of ripening sufficiently 

 attractive in pei-sonal appearance to 

 meet all that is demanded. The Lady 

 has not yet been long enough in the 

 hands of the public, nor sufficiently 

 widely disseminate 1 to enable one to 

 8peak positively of its merits, yet if we 

 may venture to give utterance to 

 present impressions, we should sjiy it 

 too will be found wanting in consti- 

 tutional vigor, and that while in the 

 hands of some cultivators it will be valu- 

 ed for its early ripening and agreeable 



flavor ; in the hands of the masses it 

 will not prove to be a success. The 

 Pocklington has been the most exten- 

 sively planted in Ontario of any of the 

 white grapes, and very soon we shall 

 know what is the popular verdict. Its 

 larg(^ size and showy appearance, and 

 its hardy constitution are in its favor, 

 while its time of ripening and foxy 

 flavor will leave ample room for an 

 earlier variety having less of the native 

 aroma. The variety which is so well 

 illustrated in the colored plate which 

 accompanies this number, known as the 

 Prentiss, is now being tested. It is the 

 intention of the directors of the Fruit 

 Growers' Association to present to each 

 subscriber who may desire it, a year- 

 ling i)lant of this vine in the spring of 

 1884, for triiil. It is said to be a seed^ 

 ling of the Isabella, to ripen earlier 

 than its parent, and to be very produc- 

 tive. The writer has tasted some 

 samples of this variety shewn at the 

 fruit exhibitions, and was favorably 

 impressed with the quality. It is not 

 foxy like Martha, Pocklington and 

 Niagara, nor is it as high flavore<l as 

 lona, Jefferson or Brighton. In size of 

 bunch and berry it is not equal to 

 Pocklington, but better than Martha, 



