Reports on Grapes. 



327 



found the owners well satisfied with 

 their crops. The vineyard of Mr. John 

 Huber, near Litiz, was first visited; 

 then Mr. E. Weaver's; Mr. Miller's, 

 and Mr. Wenger's ; each one of an 

 acre to two or three acres in extent. 

 The vines all looked healthy, and had 

 made an abundance of ripe wood. The 

 varieties most depended on, are the 

 Concord and Clinton. The Martha is 

 being largely planted also, as a sure 

 and safe investment. The Catawba 

 and Isabella are rarely planted, and 

 where there are any of these old kinds 

 they rarely come to perfection. Many 

 of the newer varieties are planted by 

 all in a small way, to test their merits. 

 Numbers of Roger's Hybrids are being 

 tested, and are generally very promis- 

 ing, especially from the health and 

 vigor of the plants, the showy appear- 

 ance of the large bei-ries, as well as the 

 good quality of the fruit, as table 

 grapes. As to my own collection, I 

 nia}^ remark, that of some twenty or 

 more of Eoger's — (I still have them by 

 numbers)— his Nos. 3, 4, 9, 19, 28, 41, 

 4o and 44, are my favorites. No. 1 is 

 too late for our section, except in pro- 

 tected situations ;_^ did it only ripen 

 earlier, I would consider it best of all. 

 The plant is more healthy, and less in- 

 jured b}^ mildew, or insects, than an}^ 

 of Rogers. But as Mr. Roger is well 

 known to have been the pioneer in 

 Grossing, or hybridizing, the grape, giv- 

 ing an impulse to the production of new 

 varieties, other experimenters are fol- 

 lowing in his tracks, and Mr. St. 

 Underbill, of Croton Landing, N. Y., 

 has produced some cross-bred varieties 

 that are, I think, superior to any grapes 

 yet produced in America that have come 

 ■under our notice. 



His "Croton" is a greenish white 

 grape, large bunch, with medium-sized 

 berries ; and, if my judgment is worth 

 anything, I consider it equal in quality 

 to a Golden Chasselas. Another, the 

 Senasqua (black), I have not yet fruited, 

 but a friend writes me " that he prefers 

 it even to the Croton," it being so 

 meaty." 



These new crosses of Mr. Underbill, 

 too, are very strong growers, and ap- 

 pear to be quite healthy. Of Dr. Wy- 

 lie's crosses of S. C, I have only fruited 

 one. This is a red grape, beiTies size 

 of Concord, bunch medium ; a superior 

 grape, and the plant vigorous and about 

 as free from mildew as the generality 

 of grapes. 



A box containing eighteen varieties 

 of hybrids, was sent me by Mr, G. 

 Haskell, of Ipswich, Mass., selected 

 from several hundred of his cross-breds, 

 for my opinion of their merits. They 

 were slightly damaged by being on the 

 way longer than they should have been ; 

 but, in company with Mr. J. Huber and 

 R. Weaver, we gave them a fair over- 

 hauling, and fully agreed that many of 

 these new contestants for the favor of 

 grapists are well worth}^ the attention 

 of grape growers. Mr. Haskell's loca- 

 tion is near the sea coast, and, I should 

 suppose, rather unfavorable to the 

 grape ; 3'^et he is experimenting largely, 

 "having now, October 3d, 1870, 211 

 grapes ripening,which have been crossed 

 eighteen different wa3^s," besides his 

 five or six hundred of previous crossing. 

 Certainly, here is a chance of sometliing 

 good resulting. From these many ex- 

 periments, may we not confidently hope 

 for grapes, equal to any in loreign 

 climes? I think so. 



Respectfully, J. B. Garber. 



