94 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the hardier kinds the crop has been good, and in man}' cases very 

 fine. The wet weather in August retarded ripening, and caused 

 the more delicate vines, Rogers' hybrids, Delaware, Diana, &c., to 

 mildew very badl}'. Tlie Dolawares and Rogers' h3'brld3, espe- 

 cially, in many places lost all their leaves, and the trellises pre- 

 sented the unpleasant sight of a full crop of fruit without a leaf to 

 ripen it. The Concord, as usual, did nobl}', and frosts keeping oflf 

 in manj^ places until late, gave an abundant harvest. The price 

 obtained by one member of your Committee varied from live to 

 nine cents per pound at wholesale. It seems tolerably certain 

 that five cents will for some time be the minimum price in our 

 markets. "When native Concords were selling at from five to eight 

 cents, choice New York grapes, of the same variety, sold at ten 

 cents, in two and a half pound boxes. They were a trifle riper 

 than the home-grown fruit, but not enough to warrant the ditfer- 

 ence in price. 



The Moore's Early was raised by Mr. J. B. Moore, probably 

 from the Concord, and was shown on the 7th of September, when, 

 though not fully ripe, it was decidedly superior to any other 

 shown, and again at the Annual Exhibition. Bunch large and 

 compact ; berry large, round, adhering well to the bunch, black 

 with blue bloom. It has considerable hard pulp and some foxi- 

 ness, but is sweet and juic}'. As compared with Concord, the 

 berry is larger, and skin of about the same thickness. It is con- 

 sidered by Mr. Moore the best of two thousand seedlings which he 

 has tested, and was thought by the Committee the best of fifty of 

 these seedlings exhibited last year. We deem it premature to ex- 

 press an opinion as to its value for general cultivation, but recom- 

 mend a further trial of it. 



Of the new grapes exhibited at the Annual Show, the finest was 

 the Secretary, from Mr. .1. II. Rickctts, of Newburgh, N. Y., the 

 originator. It is a seedling from the Clinton, hybridized with a 

 muscat ; bunch very long, slender, shouldered, berr^^ medium size, 

 round, black with blue bloom. Tiie pulp bites like a foreign 

 grape, is sweet and sprightly, with a muscat flavor. It is of the 

 highest quality, but its adaptation to our climate remains to be 

 tested. Mr. Ricketts also sent specimens of the Advance, a seed 

 ling of the Clinton, hybridized with the Duke of Magenta, the lat- 

 ter a grape of the Hamburg class. In appearance and flavor it 



