THE CANADIAN HORTICtlLTCRIST, 



8S 



grown are old, well tried kinds, as Isa- 

 bella, Clinton, and Concord, which is 

 by far the best of them all. On our 

 creek and river bottoms there is a 

 small, black frost grape that grows 

 very luxuriantly over the trees, but 

 the fruit is valueless for anything ex- 

 cepting for wine purposes. For a fancy 

 grape among us the Delaware is the 

 most popular, and the people treat it 

 with becoming respect. It succeeds 

 remarkably well. The new sorts that 

 aresbeing introduced are Pocklington, 

 Brighton and Burnet, so named after 

 our honoured President. Of these 

 Brighton is likely to become a popular 

 and general favorite, and its introduc- 

 tion last season by the F. G. A. will 

 largely hasten this result, as the stock 

 was before held as scarce and dear. 

 Burnet, introduced by the F. G. A. 

 two years before, is also likely to he- 

 come a great acquisition, as it is a re- 

 markably fine grower, and what fruit 

 we have yet seen is very good indeed. 

 Of the whites we had this season a 

 remarkably fine crop of Marthas. This 

 is really a very fine vineyard variety, 

 and for our climate perhaps as good, all 

 things considered, as we need wish. 

 The vine is very hardy and a good 

 grower, the bunch is large and com- 

 pact, and the berry is large and of very 

 fine flavor, that hangs well to the 

 bunch. The fruit sold well and at 

 good prices. Champion was ready this 

 season August 28th, Hartford Prolific 

 Sept. 4th, and Concords Sept. 9th, but 

 on account of the prolonged summer 

 droughts fruits ripened a few days ear- 

 lier than usual. 



OUR GRAPE CROP. 



Perhaps it may not be uninteresting 

 or out of place here to give a synopsis 

 of our beautiful crop of grapes this sea- 

 son, as they appeared on our grounds. 

 It was certainly the finest sight of the 

 kind I had ever seen, and it was diffi- 

 cult to realize that such a crop of fine 



fruit could be produced. Many came 

 to witness it and testified to its unusual 

 excellence. The plantation consists of 

 250 vines, and their net product was 

 5,000 lbs., of first-class fruit, that sold 

 for $400 in the market. The average 

 product per vine was 20 lbs. At the 

 same rate of planting, an acre of ground 

 would contain 544 vines, and their 

 united product would be 10,880 lbs., 

 5J tons, or in value $870, an excellent 

 showing doubtless for grape-growing in 

 this country, with all its disappoint- 

 ments and frigidity. According to the 

 late report issued by the Commissioner 

 of Agriculture, at Washington, U. S., 

 1880, on grape growing and wine mak- 

 ing for that country, the highest yield 

 per acre for that county, Kent, in the 

 State of Michigan, was 10,000 lbs., and 

 the average for the counties of the 

 State was 45.23 lbs. per acre. At the 

 present time wine making is not at- 

 tempted among us, the market readily 

 absorbing the whole crop of grapes, as 

 soon as it is matured. 



SUGGESTIONS. 



1st. As the American people at the 

 present time are deeply concerned 

 about their grape culture and wine- 

 making as a national industry, and are 

 earnestly collecting official statistics 

 relating to them, would it not likewise 

 be well for us also to be awake in this 

 matter, and more earnestly encourage 

 and assist grape growing amongst us 'i 



2nd. Would it not be a most suc- 

 cessful means of modifying the exces- 

 sive use of ardent stimulants amongst 

 us, and prove a great national blessing 

 to so encourage a supply of home made 

 wines, the pure juice of the grape for 

 general and domestic purposes. 



3rd. Can any good substantial reason 

 be successfully urged why this should 

 not be done, seeing our facilities are so 

 favorable 1 



4th. I would most respectfully sug- 



