EEPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OIT FRUITS. 101 



been owing to taking it off too early, and it is probable that others 

 were unfavorably affected by the same cause. The committee there- 

 fore refrain from expressing any opinion further than that, so far 

 as could be judged under the circumstances, several of the kinds 

 give promise of much excellence. Specimens of the Secretary re- 

 ceived through Marshall P, Wilder, and tested October 18th, were 

 fully up to the high character of that variety last j'^ear. At the 

 same time was tested Rickett's No. 72, a hybrid between Hartford 

 Prolific and Tynningham Muscat ; bunch long and slender, like the 

 Secretary, but not quite as large ; berry hardly as large, black, 

 very sugary, somewhat vinous, but not so much so as the Secre- 

 tary. Both these varieties show great progress in the improvement 

 of our native grapes. 



N. B. White exhibited, September 6th, the Amber Queen, with 

 berry of medium size, color like Catawba, sweet and fine flavored, 

 and', so far as quality is concerned, perhaps the best grape on the 

 table at that time ; but the bunches were small and irregular, and 

 unless better can be produced it will be of little value. Mr. White 

 asserts that it will make as good a bunch as Wilder (Rogers' No. 4). 

 He also showed several other seedlings, among which was the 

 Black Madeira, with a large open bunch, fruit spirited and good, 

 but very small berry. 



The Moore's Early received the second prize for early grapes, on 

 the 6th of September, and the prize for the best six bunches of 

 "any other sort," at the annual exhibition. It is quite pulpy, with 

 considerable native flavor, and its earliuess is its strong point. 

 Mr. Moore thinks it is three weeks earlier than the Concord. By 

 some it was thought fully equal to the Concord, but by others not 

 quite as good. It has a larger berry than the Concord, and is 

 sweeter, but the pulp is harder. Mr. Moore showed at the annual 

 exhibition, and again on the 4th of October, many seedling grapes, 

 several of which were thought to be very promising. No. 16 perhaps 

 the most so. It is white, with a small but well-shaped, compact 

 bunch, and a peculiar but good flavor ; better and earlier than 

 Martha. Other promising kinds were No. 6, a black grape, and 

 Nos. 28, 30, and 32, white ones. 



E. W. Bull exhibited, at the annual show and on the 11th of 

 October, several seedling grapes, of which the committe were par- 

 ticularly pleased with his No. 23, which they recorded as having a 

 good sized bunch and berry, sweeter and tenderer than Concord, 



