12 



Tlie Grape CuUurist, 



siding in other localities, perhaps a 

 short account of our doings and pros- 

 pects on grape growing, and the vari- 

 eties that succeed best in our limestone 

 soil of old Lancaster count}', Pa., might 

 be interesting to some of the readers of 

 the Grape Culturist. 



The season of 1869 was very v/et 

 here till about the middle of Jul}-. 

 Grape vines began to show some mil. 

 dew. From the middle of July till the 

 middle of September, (though we had a 

 few showers) it was generally quite a 

 dry spell. During this dry spell, the 

 mildew was arrested, and the vines re- 

 covered their healthful vigor. The 

 earlier varieties ripened perfectly. Dur- 

 ing last of September and October, 

 we had heavy rains, that saturated the 

 soil thoroughly. This wet spell pre- 

 vented the late varieties from ripening 

 fully. However, such varieties as Con- 

 cord; Caroline, Black Hawk, Martha, 

 Hartford, Cynthiana, N. Carolina seed- 

 lings, Telegraph, Maxatawney, eight or 

 a dozen of Rogers' hybrids, with half a 

 dozen Fox, and several varieties of 

 Cordifolia and ^^stivalis, ripened per- 

 fectly on my own ground. The Isabella 

 too, in most localities, after a failure of 

 several years, again recuperated, and 

 produced good grapes as of yore. Even 

 the Catawba, in some instances and 

 favorable localities, tried hard to re- 

 cover its old reputation. The Delaware, 

 like all of the Vincfera class, was, as 

 usual, generally a failure. Only in 

 some favorable nook will it perfect a few 

 small bunches — very good where it 

 succeeds. 



Should we be spared another season, 

 and the Grape Culturist continued, as 

 we hope it may be with a largely in- 

 creased subscription list, I may then 



again send you report on grapes — of 

 old ones, and some new ones that have 

 not fruited with me, but- their appear- 

 ance of growth is very promising. 

 These are five varieties of Mr. Arnold's 

 h3^brids, of Canada, four of St. Un- 

 derbill, of New York, and three of Dr. 

 A. P. AV3iies, of South Carolina, — all 

 cross breeds — not forgetting the appear- 

 ance of Miss " Peggy," of Iowa. 

 Very respectfull}', 



J. B. Garbeu. 



[Thanks for the report. When you. 

 class the Delaware with the " Vinifera," 

 however, we think you will find your- 

 self on untenable ground. We have 

 seen true seedlings of it, which looked 

 so near alike to some of our wild 

 uEstivalis, that it would take more than 

 a " Philadelphia lawyer " to distinguish 

 them. Besides, the Delaware does not 

 stand alone in that class. The Creve- 

 ling bears a very close resemblance to 

 it in growth, foliage and wood, and we 

 know where it originated, whatever 

 doubts there may exist about the Del 

 aware. — Ed.1 



LiTiz, Lauciister Co , P;i. 



Our grape crop was not large. The 

 weather was too dry after mid-summer, 

 thus the berries were smaller than last 

 year, and the Clinton lost its leaves 

 badly for a while, but later did better* 

 The grapes were ver^'- good. Clinton 

 must weighed 92*^ on Oechsle's scale. 

 Concord I did not try with the scale* 

 but they were most excellent for eating. 

 Martha did well also, and we made a 

 small sample of wine of it, which I 

 think not hard to take. 



Yours truly, 



John Huber. 



