150 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



For the New En^^/and Farmer. 



THE CONCORD GRAPE. 



This new seotilino; grape has been much ex- 

 tolled in the agiioultural and horticultural 

 journals of the counti-y. IIow justly it merits 

 what has been said in its praise, there are, of 

 course, various opinions. This is to be expected 

 of every new thing that comes up. Too many 

 people arc habitually prone, by nature, or other- 

 wi.sc, to use other peojde's judgment and reason, 

 instciad of their own. Such seldom know what 

 to love or priz3 till some friend or neighbor tells 

 them. So, oftentimes, new, useful and valuable 

 improvements pass unheeded by them. So it is, 

 and so we may expect it to be. Well, be it so. 

 It i.s well enough to be duly conservative ; but 

 one should be sufficiently careful not to lose too 

 much liy the means, as I fear very many will in 

 the matter of the Concord Grape. 



One of your correspondents, I see, thinks it 

 "will take ten or fifteen years to establish the rep- 

 utation or value of this grape. Well, let him wait 

 that time, with his "place prepared," before he 

 procures one, and see how much he will gain by it 

 I do not believe any such length of time is required 

 to t.:st its value. I believe it has already been 

 suliieieutly tested. As good judges as are to be 

 found in such matters — who have watched its 

 progress year by year, and side by side with the 

 Isabella and Diana, are sufficiently convinced of 

 its great superiority. 1 have watched this grape 

 with much interest for some.yeai's. I know of 

 its delicious flavor, its hardihood, its vigorous 

 growth and early fruitage. I have eaten freely 

 of the fruit of the vine, and have tasted the wine 

 made thereof, and am free to confess that I would 

 willingly subscribe to and sanction the most 

 laudatory article (hat has ever been written in it.s 

 favor. I have road what has been written pro 

 and con about this grape. Some articles have 

 been true, just and hunyst ; others have been any- 

 thing but such — more of unhealthy disposition 

 than of truth in them, and may be a little of 

 what might go by a much worse name. But these 

 and the motives may be little minded. Self-in- 

 terest gives people, sometimes, strong prejudices, 

 and makes them appear dishonest and ungentle- 

 manly. Yet such manifestations will have no 

 bad eff.ict upon any who know tlie grape or its 

 originator. 



Aside from all its worth as a first-rate table 



?;rape, it would he difficult to rate its value mere- 

 y as a wine gi-ape for New England. A more 

 delicious wine than comes of it, I certainly nev- 

 er tasttsd, or wish to taste ; and take it altogether, 

 it will be a difficult matter to i)roduce another 

 grape combining so many cjood (jualitics. In so 

 saying, I know I speak the minds of the best 

 judges of its merits. So I am sure it will prove. 

 1 writa this article of piy own free will ; unso- 

 licited and unbeknown to Mr. Bull. Mr. B. is 

 a truthful and v.ry worthy gentleman, one who 

 may hi saT ly relied uj.on. I have no interest in 

 speaking thus laudatory of the Concord Grape. 

 I do it because I know that thereby I do a good 

 work for any one I may thus induce to purcliasc 

 and grow it. There are many luxuries that may 

 well and profitably be dispensed with ; but the 

 Concord Grape Is not one of them. It is an in- 

 dispensable article. Whosoever tries it fairly, 

 will agree with me, I am sure. 



1 see, by an advertisement in your paper, that 

 the price has been reduced from five to three dol- 

 lars the single plant, and twenty-four dollars per 

 dozen. If Mr. B. can afford to do so, I am glad ; 

 but I should hardly think his prices remunera- 

 tive, considering all the labor, trouble and ex- 

 pense he has incurred in its procuration and 

 propagation. At any rate, whether he is remu- 

 nerated or not, he will have the happiness of 

 knowing that he has done his country much val- 

 uable service. 



Now, Mr. Editor, let me assure you that I nev- 

 er enjoyed a seat upon any cushioned mahogany 

 half so much as a seat upon the ground under 

 one of Mr. B.'s vines loaded with ripe, luscious 

 grapes. Here one might be tempted to break the 

 commandments if anywhere. To while away an 

 hour here of a pleasant day in September — eat 

 grapies and chat with Mr. Bull, of the wonderful 

 and bcavitiful phenomena of the vegetable king- 

 dom. One never gets a more realizing sense of 

 the feelings of father Adam when leaving his 

 vines and fruit trees, than comes when retiring 

 fi'om such a feast. 



Now every one who has a house and garden, 

 can have just such vines to sit under, just such 

 fruit to eat, and such a place for meditation. 

 Such things are good preachers, and better teach- 

 ers of Divine revelations to our physical and spir- 

 itual bodies than many great-salaried theologians, 

 for they root the relics of mythology and barbar- 

 ism out of us much faster. They are also grand 

 physicians to the physical and spiritual man, for 

 they purify the stomach and fhe blood, and thus 

 bring the soul to light and libertj^ I can easily 

 imagine why Mr. Bull is a happier man than the 

 President, or any other man vtho recommends 

 people to "conquer their prejudices" against sla- 

 very, to gain the "White" or any other house. 



Now let me say to any one who may by any 

 means have been induced to discredit my report, 

 go, as I have done, and see for yourself. I can 

 assure such they will not go away empty or dis- 

 appointed. D. p. 



Billerka, Feb. 12, 1855. 



SIXTH LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL 

 MEETING. 



Reported for the New England Farmer, 

 BY WILLIAM W. HILL. 



The sixth agricultural meeting of the season was 

 held at the State House, on Tuesday evening last. 



Hon. E. A. HiLDRETU, of Groton, Senator for 

 Middlesex county, presided, and made some in- 

 teresting remarks in regard to the general subject 

 of agriculture. In the course of his remarks, he 

 referred particularly to the invescments in rail- 

 roads, which the farmers of Massachusetts made 

 a few years ago, and the losses which they had 

 sustained by the transaction. The farmers of 

 Vermont and New liumpsliire, however, have 

 reaped substantial benefit from the expenditure, 

 which he could not help noticing in a recent visit 

 to Vermont, where every town along the lines of 

 railroad has a miniature Faneuil Hall market, 

 and prices range almost as high as in Boston. 

 He concluded by expressing the hope that the 



