50 



The Grape Culturist. 



From the llitrticultiirist. 



THE GEAPE MAEKET OF 1869. 



The Concord, the past season, has 

 increased in popularity, and I think 

 it has been better ripened and more 

 carefully handled than in previous 

 years, and the sales have given more 

 general satisfaction. The more South- 

 ern grape-growing sections have not 

 sent us as many as usual, which ac- 

 counts for the healthy tone of the 

 market during their season. 



The demand for it this year was 

 ahead of the supply, and even after 

 the advent of the Isabella, its most 

 successful competitor, the demand still 

 existed in preference to them. There 

 is one peculiarity about this grape 

 that is overlooked by many, and I 

 think is the cause of the difference of 

 opinion in regard to its merit — that 

 is, that the flavor or character of the 

 fruit is governed by the soil in which 

 it grows to a greater extent than any 

 other variety ; for, in comparing the 

 fruit from different States and differ- 

 ent sections of the same State, I have 

 found some without the peculiarity 

 of this fruit, and experienced persons 

 have denied these being Concords, the 

 flavor being so unlike those that they 

 were acquainted with. 



The demand for the Isabellas has 

 been unprecedented ; the crop has 

 been large, the fruit good but not 

 large, and prices within the reach of 

 all — say from 8c. to 10c. per lb. whole- 

 sale. 



The low prices of this variety have 

 seriously interfered with the sales of 

 the lona, Catawba, and Diana. 



The Israella has been proved, and 

 found to be a good grape, prices rang- 



ing a trifle higher than the Isabella. 

 The above includes the three principal 

 black grapes in our market ; the other 

 varieties are scarce and not much 

 known, and are frequently sold for 

 the above varieties. 



The Catawba has not ripened as 

 well as usual, and has sold at lower 

 figures than any foriner year, say from 

 9c. to 12c. Last season, the demand 

 for Thanksgiving was for Catawbas 

 principally, and few Isabellas. This 

 season there is scai'cely any demand 

 for them, and not enough Isabellas in 

 the market to fill orders. 



This is a very singular state of 

 affairs, not easily accounted for. The 

 lona has been quite plenty, but, 

 strange to relate, there has been but 

 little or no demand for it. A few 

 crops well rij^ened were received, and 

 sold at fair prices ; but as a general 

 thing this fruit has failed to ripen, and 

 consequently was rejected by the con- 

 sumei's. The dealers say that it is 

 no better than the Catawba when 

 ripened, and resembles it so closely 

 that consumers refuse to buy, for fear 

 it might not be as good. There is a 

 feature in this grape that I think 

 worth mentioning — that is, a disposi- 

 tion to drop from the stem after being 

 jiacked a short time. 



The demand for the Diana has been 

 very light. Last season the Eastern 

 market consumed the whole crop ; but 

 this year there has been no demand 

 from that section, although the crop 

 is light and fruit good. 



Owing to a break on the Erie Eail- 

 road, just as the Delaware crop was 



