112 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Conkling is superior to all in flavor. 

 Foster comes next, then Surpasse Melo- 

 coton, Crawford*s Early and Richmond 

 ranking in quality in the order named. 



Ward^s Late Free is the most deFLci- 

 ous late peach in this district. 



GRAPES. 



Grapes are receiving marked atten- 

 tion from cultivators at the present 

 time. Particular interest is manifested 

 in the new sorts, and all growers are 

 waiting anxiously for the experience of 

 those who have the novelties on trial. 

 "We regret that it is not in our power 

 to offer any information about them. 

 It will probably require two or three 

 years more to determine their value. 

 I had the pleasure of testing a new 

 grape which is remarkable for its 

 fine flavor, equalling, if not surpassing, 

 in this respect any variety I know of. 

 The grape I refer to is the A tuber 

 Queen, raised in Massachusetts. It is 

 of medium size, purple when perfectly 

 rif)e, and has a rich, sprightly flavor 

 which is remarkable. The vines which 

 produced the fruit being young, it was 

 not possible to judge fairly of tlie habit 

 of the plant, or size of cluster. This 

 variety may be regarded as promising. 



Burnet, a hybrid between Hartford 

 Prolific and Black Hamburg, and 

 raised by Mr. Deuipsey in Canada, de- 

 serves notice on account of its fine 

 quality. 



Early Victor, a black grape origin- 

 ated by John Burr, of Leavenworth, 

 Kansas, the same gentleman who orig- 

 inated Burr's Seedling Strawberry, is 

 said to be the earliest variety known, 

 and is expected to displace Champion 

 and Hartford Prolific. Reliable grape 

 culturists give us this assurance, so we 

 may look toward this grape with con- 

 siderable interest. The Secretart/ Grape, 

 one of Mr. Rickett's seedlings, referred 

 to in a former report by the writer of 

 this as a grape of poor quality, pro- 



duced some fine flavored fmit the past 

 summer. It ripens very unevenly, 

 however, and the vine is such a poor 

 grower that it cannot become popular. 

 Highland, another of Mr. Rickett's 

 grapes, appears to be very late. 



Lady Washington we did not see 

 under favorable circumstances, and 

 cannot speak of it intelligently. 



Miner^s Seedlings fruited with us for 

 the first time, and were quite a disap- 

 pointment. They all partake of the 

 character of Concord, and are said to 

 have been selected from 1,500 seed- 

 lings. One trial is not sufiicient to 

 estimate their value, but I fear they 

 are not destined to become popular. 

 The seven white varieties bear a strong 

 resemblance to each other, though of 

 course there are points of difference. 

 Victoria is the best. There are two 

 Black ones. Linden and Rockingham, 

 neither of which show any points of 

 excellence. All resemble Concord in 

 habit of growth and productiveness, 

 and some of the white varieties would 

 have been considered acquisitions had 

 they been disseminated a few years ago 

 before the new White Grapes we now 

 have in the Market, 



Lady Charlotte, one of Pringle's 

 hybrid grapes, gives promise of excel- 

 lence. It is remarkable for its fine 

 flavor. Vermont Giant, another of his 

 hybrids, is to all appearances of no 

 value. It is black, very pulpy, and 

 the flavor poor. 



I should not fail to refer to three 

 varieties of Rogers' Grapes, the im- 

 portance of which has been overlooked. 

 They are LiwUey, Herbert and Gaertner. 

 Herbert is a magnificent black grape, 

 superior in quality to Wilder or Barry, 

 and the bunch is nearly as large. 

 Gaertner is a very large red grape, and 

 so attractive that when exhibited in a 

 collection it is the first to receive 

 notice. Lindley we have spoken of 



