10 



The Grape CaUnrist. 



They set a large crop of fruit last sea- 

 son ; in some localities the}' were in- 

 clined to, and did rot sliglitly ; but I 

 mav say a good full crop was obtained, 

 whicli ripened well, and the fruit was 

 very little inclined to drop from the 

 bunches. 



The Delaware set finely with fruit ; 

 was not in the least affected with either 

 mildew or rot ; but in a great many 

 cases the foliage dropped from the vines 

 before the fruit was ripe, in which 

 cases the fruit of course never ripened. 

 Although the Delaware is much admired 

 here for the beauty and excellence of 

 its fruit, yet no one, I think, would be 

 willing to plant them here to an}' con- 

 siderable extent. 



The Concord is the grape now most 

 cultivated, and seems to be perfectly 

 at home here. The foliage during the 

 last season was perfectly healthy ; the 

 vines set a heavy crop of fruit that ri- 

 pened in the most perfect manner, with 

 so little inclination to rot that it is 

 scarcely worth}' to be mentioned. It 

 seems to be everything that could be 

 desired in the way of productiveness, 

 and in this county, where our tastes 

 have not been cultivated, we think it 

 to be a pretty good liable grape and 

 begin to like Concord wine. 



To give you an idea of the produc 

 tiveness of the Concord here the past 

 season, I will just state that my neigh- 

 bor, Jacob Madinger (with whom you 

 are accjuainted), had a patch of Con- 

 cord vines, nearly an acre, last season 

 being the fourth season from planting, 

 and they had been injured two seasons 

 badly by the grasshoppers until they 

 were not larger than they would other- 

 wise have been the third season. He 

 selected an average row of these vines, 



and gathered and weighed the grapes ; 

 the result was over twenty-two pounds 

 of well-ripened grapes to the vine. I 

 believe that other vines in this country, 

 where they were well cared for, did 

 equally well. 



The Norton's Virginia has not been 

 cultivated here to any great extent ; 

 but what have been cultivated have been 

 healthy, bear well, and the grapes make 

 a most excellent wine. The Diana 

 rotted pretty badly the last season, and 

 the vines are too tender to stand our 

 severest winters ; produce fine grapes in 

 a favorable season. 



The Taylor has not set fruit well, and 

 is being discarded. 



The North Carolina Seedling is 

 healthy; bore good fruit last season; 

 ripened well, without rot. 



The Israella promises well ; bore fine 

 clusters of fruit last season, of good 

 quality, and was not affected with either 

 mildew or rot. 



The lona dropped its leaves ; does 

 not seem to be healthy, but upon fur- 

 ther trial may do better. 



The Clinton bears profusely ; had no 

 rot the past season, but did not ripen 

 as evenly as usual. It is hardy, and is 

 growing in favor. 



The Goethe, or Rogers' No. 1, did 

 well last season. The vine seems hardy 

 and healthy ; is a vigorous grower, and 

 fruited well last season. 



The Ives' Seedling has fruited but 

 little here ; but what few vines fruited 

 last year, bore perfectly healthy fruit. 

 The vines are hardy, and make a very 

 strong growth of short-jointed wood. 



We have a good many other varieties 

 upon trial, the most of which have not 

 fruited, and of course no report can be 

 made as to their success. 



