The Canadian Horticulturist. 195 



tar, and most of the late John Burr's seedlings. With lona are Jefferson and 

 Highland. Allen's hybrid crosses are El Dorado and Lady Washington. Nia- 

 gara is claimed to be crossed with Cassady. Woodruff's Red by Catawba, 

 Brighton by Diana, Hamburg. 



The foreign crosses are also numerous but successful only in the South. 



In 1850 Hartford Prolific was introduced by Steele of Hartford, Conn., 

 meeting with favor, being the earliest variety then known, but the defect of drop- 

 ping its berry when ripe detracted from its value as a market grape. It is still 

 in favor North. The most prominent Labruscas enumerated as being discovered 

 in the first half of this century were natural seedlings or, as called by some, 

 " Spontaneous Hybrids." Now we shall enter the era of Artificial Hybridization. 

 By this process the first successful products were given to the world in 1856 by 

 P^dward S. Rogers, at Salem, Mass. The direction of his efforts were in impreg- 

 nating the Mammoth Labrusca of New England with varieties of the species 

 Vitis Vinifera of Europe. As a result he retained and designated, by number, 

 over fifty new varieties. In time several of these became the leading grapes of 

 commerce, viz : Massasoit, Lindley, Herbert, Barry, Aminia, and Salem, the 

 special merits of which may perpetuate his name in connection therewith for 

 many generations. The success attending Rogers' efforts gave a surprising im- 

 petus to attempts in this direction by others. Unfortunately for Rogers his zeal 

 was not proportionate to his means, and his valuable hybrids, which in our time 

 would have assured him a fortune, left him comparatively a poor man. 



Dr. Stephen W. Underhill, of Croton Point, on the Hudson, an enthusiast 

 in this field, at an early day brought out several varieties by Labrusca crossings. 

 Those tested in Canada were Irving, Senasqua, and Black Eagle, and a Dela- 

 ware cross called Croton. Further south these have stood the test of time. 



The late Peter C. Dempsey, of Trenton, Ont, followed the same path, and 

 produced Burnett, by Black Hamburg crossing. J. H. Ricketts, and the late 

 A. J. Caywood, both on the Hudson, originated varieties of value by crossing 

 with the labrusca. Rickett's crossings, mostly on the Riparia species, now 

 number several hundred, though comparatively few have attained prominence. 

 The popular varieties, Delaware, Creveling, Taylor, as well as some of Rommel's 

 productions, are claimed by some authorities as partaking of Labrusca blood. 



To conclude, this type of grapes. Cottage, Telegraph, Belvidere, Woodruff 

 Red, Jessica, Wyoming Red, and Champion, have in recent years given us 

 varieties prominent for early ripening, especially the Champion, which is much 

 valued north, and still holds the palm as an extra early and profitable grape. 

 These latter are spontaneous productions or variations of the original type by 

 which nature, in her origin of species, has been so bountiful to mankind in the 

 present century. 



We will now have to consider briefly the Vitis Cordifolia of our native spe- 

 cies, known as the Frost grape, or rather its subdivision named by Michaux, 

 Vitis Riparia. This species is not only distributed well to the north, along the 



