PROCEEDINGS OP THE FARMERS' CLUB. 187 



Mvemher 18, 1861. 

 Rev. Mr. Weaver, of Fordham, in the chair. 



GRAPES. 



Mr. Carpenter exhibited a cutting 25 feet long, from a Diana 

 grape vine. The entire growth this year was 30 feet 8 inches j 

 and if it had been summer pruned as it should have been, it 

 would probably have grown eight or ten feet longer. He had 

 also planted a hundred cuttings this year taken from the same 

 vine. It was a two year old vine planted two years ago. He 

 considered the Diana one of the strongest growers ; the Hartford 

 Prolific and the Concord, not extending quite so far. The Dela- 

 ware had made a very satisfactory growth this season, a little 

 over twenty feet. A vine may be too rampant in its growth, for 

 if it growls very freely it requires a great deal of attention. The 

 Rebecca is rather delicate, growing this year only about eight 

 feet; still he did not think the Rebecca should be set down as 

 unworthy o'f cultivation. In point of productiveness, he consid- 

 ered the Concord superior to the Delaware, the bunches being 

 much larger. As a market grape, he should consider it equal or 

 superior to the Delaware ; but in quality, although it has much 

 improved this year and is likely to become a favorite grape, it 

 falls short of the Delaware. The Concord ripens as far North 

 as it is desirable to cultivate the grape. The Diana is rather 

 late, ripening but a few days earlier than the Isabella. 



Mr. Pardee. I should quite disagree with the estimate Mr. 

 Carpenter places upon the Concord grape. It is a large, loose 

 jointed, foxey grape. No Concord grape has yet been produced 

 without the foxey flavor. It is a very watery grape, and although 

 the bunches look large, I have never yet seen a bunch weighing 

 over fourteen ounces. Bunches of the Delaware have repeatedly 

 been produced weighing as much. I suppose the Diana comes 

 next to the Delaware in point of flavor. I do not myself dislike 

 the musky flavor of the Concord grape, and I think it is desira- 

 ble to cultivate. There is an objection to it for a market grape 

 that the berries rattle off the bunches. I undertook to bring 

 some from Poiighkeepsie to this city, and although great care 

 was taken, the jar of the railroad cars shook off every grape. 

 It will not hang upon the bunches like the Isabella and Catawba. 



Mr. Carpenter. — I feel bound to defend the Concord grape 

 against the charge of dropping off. I have kept bunches which 



