1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



11 



For the New England Farmer. 



THE CONCORD GRAPE. 



Mr. Browx : — There have been a number of 

 notices in the Farmer of a new variety of grape, 

 cultivated by Mr. Bull, of Concord, Mass. It is 

 eaid to be a native of that town, and is highly 

 recommended on account of its fruitfulness, good 

 flavor, and its adaptation to a northern climate. 

 If it answers, in many re;<pects, what it is recom- 

 menced to be, it ought to be very generally in- 

 troduced, and cultivated in every latitude where 

 other varieties of the grape will not grow on ac- 

 count of the climate. It is, however, put beyond 

 the reach of common persons, at present, unless 

 they will pay an exorbitant price for a cutting of 

 the grape, or for a seedling of three years old. 



Hovey & Co., of Boston, with an understand- 

 ing, probably, with Mr. Bull, have the control 

 of the grape, and charge live dollars for a single 

 cutting or seedling. From this charge, it ap- 

 pears that the Concord grape vine has become a 

 matter of great speculation between two or more 

 individuals. Tliis kind of speculation ought to 

 be frowned upon by the press, especially the ag- 

 ricultux-al press. It is true, no individuals ai-e 

 obliged to buy of these men ; but, if the grape is 

 so valuable as the^'^ and the press have recom- 

 mended it, common people have an anxiety to 

 obtain it by paying a fair compensation for it. 

 I think Mr. Bull's graoe is a good variety ; but 

 his price is not for a moment to be tolerated ; 

 and the press which tolerates such extortion and 

 speculation, does no good service to community, 

 either in an agri^iultural or moral point of view. 

 We do not say this speculation is tolerated by 

 the press, especially the agricultural press. Of 

 the grapes alluded to, there are three or four 

 thousand seedlings for sale. These, at five dollars 

 a piece, amount to many thousand dollars, and 

 their actual cost to those concerned in the specu- 

 lation is not live hundred dollars. Tlie seeds are 

 not on sale, and cannot be had at the horticul- 

 tural seed store at Boston, and every man of 

 common sense knows the reason. 



While on this subject, I wish to notice another 

 speculation of the same kind that is carried on by 

 an individual in New York city. A Mr. Lawton 

 advertises that he has an improved variety of the 

 Blackberry — has three acres under cultivation — 

 bear bountifully from four to six weeks — shoots 

 spring up froin the main stock, bear well and die 

 in the fall. Mr. Lawton .sells his packages of 

 one dozen each for $10. This is one of the Black- 

 berry speculations, and will probably entitle Mr. 

 Lawton to an honorary degree in the Horticul- 

 tural Society. 



The alwve remarks are somewhat severe, but 

 not uncalled for. If they will elicit further in- 

 formation on this and other subjects immediately 

 connected, the desire of the wi'iter will be accom- 

 plished. Jon.N' Wilcox. 



Newport, N. H., Nov., 1854. 



Remarks. — Mr. Bull is a townsman and neigh- 

 bor of ours, and we believe an honest man. Be- 

 lieving him able to set himself right in this mat- 

 ter, we handed him the letter of our correspond- 

 ent, and he has communicated to us the following 

 in reply : — 



Concord, Nov. 30, 1854. 



Mr. Brow.v : — Your correspondent, John Wil- 

 cox, thinks the " Concord grape " has become a 

 matter of speculation. When you publish his 

 communication, I would feel obliged to you if you 

 would state, in j'our own way, the facts of the 

 case ; that is to say, that I have been engaged for 

 twelve years in raising seedling grapes, during 

 which time I have spared no pains in collecting 

 every variety of native grape that had a local 

 fame — many of which cost me large sums, and all 

 of which, I may add, came to the fire at last as 

 worthless, in comparison with the Concord, as 

 did also any quantity of seedlings, which did not 

 prove to be good, and of which I have burned 

 cords. ■ My sole purpose during this time has 

 been to obtain a good table and wine grape for 

 New England, which should be early, hardy and 

 prolific. Having succeeded in this, my next pur- 

 pose has been to projjagate it as rapidly, as pos- 

 sible, with a view to dissemination, and also to 

 bring the price within the means of all desiring 

 to purchase. Thousands of young vines were 

 destroyed by the fervent sun of July 4 and 5 last, 

 leaving me less than enough to supply my orders, 

 and thus frustrating my purpose for this autumn ; 

 but I hope to have a good supply ready for the 

 spring planting, having, at great expense, put up 

 a large forcing-house for propagating them ; this 

 will enable me to reduce the price, which I very 

 much desire. 



There io no monopoly of sale. To prevent the 

 sale of spurious vines, it was necessary to issue 

 the grape to the public through a respectable and 

 responsible house. Messrs. Hovey & Co. were 

 chosen for this purpose, and their well-established 

 character was a sufficient guarantee to all pur- 

 chasers ; whoever purchased the Concord of them, 

 Messrs. Brock & Son, or of myself, may be sure 

 they have got the true vine. 



In conclusion, I assure the public that I shall 

 propagate the Concord as fast as possible, and 

 shall reduce the price as soon as the supply can 

 be made to bear a V)etter proportion to the de- 

 mand. Yours truly, E. W. Bull* 



We know little of Mr. Lawton's operations 

 with the blackberry, but presume he will be able 

 to justify all his movements. At any rate, our 

 columns are open for any fair statement from 

 him. 



FALL PLOWING. 



FiiiEND IIiLDRETii. — Dear Sir : — At a meeting 

 of the Ilillsboro' Agricultural Society, held at 

 Nasluia, Sept. lUh, the subject of fall plowing was 

 pretty thoroughly di.-cussed, ftnd in an account of 

 that meeting, published in tiie Granite Farimr of 

 Sept. 30, some things rh-l f did not say are attri- 

 buted to me, and many things tliat I did say 

 were left out. 



I am in favor of fall plowir^g for certain kind 

 of land, especially all gardens, ;iurseries, and al- 

 most any land that is weedy, and would need 

 plowing three times Itcfore planting, and I would 

 plow deep, Avhether in fall or spring, and not 

 shallow, as I was reported to have said. I stated 

 at the above named meeting, that tough sods, that 

 were laid up loose, and exposed to the weather 

 all winter, would decay sooner than those tha 



