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some other variety on a small camel's-hair brush and apply it 

 to the stigma of the flower to be fertilized. If the pollen and 

 the stigma are in the right condition, we are reasonably certain 

 of success, and this will be indicated in a few days by the swell- 

 ing of the fertilized berry. It may happen, that, owing to differ- 

 ence of a few days in the time of flowering, the pollen may be 

 in its best condition before the variety to receive it is sufficiently 

 advanced. In this case we have only to collect and " bottle 

 up " the pollen, as a physician treats his vaccine matter, till 

 wanted for use. It may, in this way, be preserved for many 

 days, and sent long distances perhaps around the world by 

 mail. It may, at no distant day, become an article of com- 

 merce, along with Irish potatoes, or oleomargarine and other 

 soap-grease. To make sure that the prepared flower is not fer- 

 tilized by insects, or pollen floating in the air, it should be cov- 

 ered with gauze or oiled silk for a few days, both before and 

 after the pollen is applied. 



Of course, no one will confine his efforts to a single cluster, 

 or a single cross ; but the bunches should be carefully labelled, 

 and a record kept for future reference. The seeds or berries 

 are to be preserved and planted, and the seedling vines treated 

 and trained according to the directions before given. It will be 

 found in plant as in animal life, that the offspring resulting 

 from a cross will in some instances resemble one parent more 

 than the other, that having the strongest blood, or a character 

 more firmly fixed, prevailing. Here we have the doctrine of 

 prepotency in vegetable life. 



It is well known that the foreign grape ( Vitis vinifera), while 

 it is of superior quality, cannot endure exposure in our climate. 

 Our native vine (Vitis Labrusca) is as hardy as an oak, sour, 

 pulpy, and foxy to the last degree. To unite the hardiness of 

 our native grape with the almost perfect quality of the foreign 

 species is what Mr. Rogers and others have attempted ; and the 

 numerous seedlings they have given us, which are almost if not 

 quite equal to the best foreign varieties, attest their wonderful 

 success. 



In 1852 the American Pomological Society only recommended 

 two varieties of grapes the Catawba and the Isabella for gen- 

 eral cultivation ; and in 1858, three others the Diana, Concord, 



