Reports on Grapes. 



329 



Now, just alongside of these, I had 

 some hundred each of Creveling and 

 Delaware, which were defoliated by rnil- 

 dew by the middle of August. Al- 

 though they had been planted the j^ear 

 previous, and had a year's start, these 

 Canadians are three times the size of 

 the Delawares and Crevelings. The 

 former always aj^peared like an oasis in 

 a desert, when viewed from a distant 

 hill. 



In another place, some five hundred 

 feet above the river, are some grafts of 

 Brant and Autuchon, which both 

 started late and mildewed badly ; so 

 that at one time they looked as if they 

 had gone down, (not "up" as the phrase 

 goes.) But their constitutional vigor 

 seemed to fight it out, and push vigorous 

 shoots beyond the diseased part, heal- 

 ing as it were, the disease, so that now 

 they have six to eight feet of ripe wood. 

 I have great hopes that these varieties 

 will prove valuable with us. 



What shall I say of Walter? From 

 two hundred good vines planted in the 

 spring, and which started well, I could 

 pack all the leaves they contained in 

 my hat on the first of September ; and, 

 although some had made two feet of 

 growth, I doubt if a dozen good eyes 

 could be found fit for grafting. 



This is much to be regretted, as we 

 have full belief in its good quality, and 

 paid high for the vines last spring. But 

 " never say die " is ray motto, and as 

 soon as I can get good wood for graft- 

 ing, I intend getting it well started ou 

 strong roots, and see if that will not 

 help. 



We would not like to discard the 

 Delaware ; yet it did no better this 

 season than the Walter. 



lona mildewed considerably, yet, as 



usual, made sure to ripen a good share 

 of wood. 



Weehawken, a purely foreign variety, 

 although raised in this country, by 

 Horticola, gives me much pleasure. 

 From very small plants, set a year ago 

 last spring, I had this season a few 

 small bunches of most excellent white 

 grapes, while the vines are vigorous 

 and entirely free from all manner of dis- 

 ease ; and no doubt will prove hardy 

 here, as its wood is ripe out to the tips 

 of the shoots. 



This season's observations, added to 

 several before, convince me that we 

 have a noble substitute for the once and 

 still somewhat loved Catawba, both as 

 a table and wine grape. I mean Rog- 

 ers' No. 10 (Goethe.) I fruited that 

 perhaps first of any one in Pennsyl- 

 vania, and the expectation (very flat- 

 tering), has been more than realized. 

 Yours trul}^, 



S. 3I1LLER. 



George Husmann: 



Dear Sir : I thought last month of 

 sending you a few notes on the grape 

 crops here at Hermann, but concluded 

 to wait until the battle was over, and 

 am very glad I did, for I should have 

 repoi"ted our crop of Concord wound- 

 ed, when the fact is that it is heavier 

 than usual. 



Those who estimated closel}' ex- 

 pected five pounds to a vine, where, 

 but for the rot, they would have had 

 about six, and on gathering they have 

 seven and uj)wards. Of a dozen 

 vineyarditits whom I recall to mind, 

 all have this experience, and one, 

 whose vines have averaged very near 

 six and one-third pounds for three 



