132 HARDY GRAPES. 



layering the branches every few years, and raising new vines, 

 and rooting out the old ones. But this is all wrong. The vine 

 is naturally long-lived. In the Province of Ontario it has grown 

 to measure four feet in circumference, and that system of culture 

 must be bad that kills the vines off every eight or ten years. 



The following varieties of grapes are worthy of attention ; 

 some of them have been already extensively tried and their repu- 

 tation well established; others require more extended experiment 

 before their exact worth will be fully ascertained. 



Adirondac. — This is one of the newer sorts, but has been 

 fruited in the milder parts of Ontario for some years, and generally 

 given good satisfaction. It ripens early, usually a few days before 

 the Hartford Prolific, and will hang on the vine retaining its quality 

 until the frosts cut the foHage. In size of bunch and berry it closely 

 resembles the Isabella, and like it is black when ripe. The flesh 

 is soft and breaking, with a sweet and agreeable flavor. The 

 vine is not as vigorous a grower as the Isabella, and wiU probably 

 bear closer planting. 



Agawam — Rogers' No. 15. — In point of flavor we esteem 

 this variety among the most desirable of Mr. Eogers' Hybrid 

 Grapes. There is just enough of the native wild grape flavor 

 remaining to give it a pleasant Muscat taste, while the flesh is 

 tender and juicy. The bunch varies a good deal in size, which 

 is a serious failing, but it bears large crops. The vine is very 

 hardy and a rampant grower. Some complaint has been made 

 of rotting of the fruit, and mildew of the vine, probably largely 

 owing to the vicious system of pruning which has been practised — 

 that of attempting to confine its vigorous habit within too small 

 a space. The color of the berries is red. 



Alvey. — The berry of this variety is so small that it will 

 never be popvdar as a table grape. The bunches are of good 

 size, long, and well shouldered, and the berries, which are black 

 when ripe, have a very pleasant, refreshing, vinous flavor. It is 

 thought that it will prove to be valuable as a wine grape. It has 

 not been sufficiently disseminated in the Dominion to test itp 

 hardihood. 



