No. 4. 



An Incurable Disease. — The Grape. 



125 



tioles, foliage, and flowers; staminate, ber- 

 ries very large, roundish ovate, deep scarlet, 

 of good flavor. This is one of the very few 

 varieties with large fruit, that support their 

 berries erect on strong peduncles; it is one 

 of the later varieties at maturity. 



Princess Alice Maude is a seedling from 

 Keen's Seedling, of vigorous growth, with 

 very broad and remarkably luxuriant dark 

 green foliage, but only of medium height; 

 the flowers are very large, and the most 

 perfect in both organs of any variety I have 

 seen ; berries very large, dark crimson, co- 

 nical obtusely pointed, but often somewhat 

 flattened or angular; sweet, and not high 

 flavored. In maturity it is next after the 

 Primordian, and large Early Scarlet, and 

 continues long in bearing; it is the most 

 valuable recent acquisition from Europe. 



Prolific Hautbois, of vigorous growth, 

 flowers perfect with strong stamens on most 

 of the flowers, but some have only rudi- 

 ments ; berries largest of this class, conical, 

 dark dull red, very high musk flavor, excel- 

 lent; it is a productive variety, and in rich 

 moist soils, it will produce a considerable 

 autumnal crop of fine fruit. 



Large Flat Hautbois, of vigorous growth, 

 flowers perfect, stamens but half the usual 

 height; fruit of medium size much com- 

 pressed, but partially reddened, in profuse 

 clusters, of very high musk flavor and great 

 ly esteemed. As the trusses of fruit are 

 borne above the foliage, they present a beau 

 tifiil appearance at the period of maturity. 



Hovcy^s Seedling, vigorous growth, dark 

 green very luxuriant, broad foliage, similar 

 to Keen's Seedling, but larger, of only me- 

 dium height; flowers small, invariably pis- 

 tillate, one of the latest in expansion, and 

 fewer in number than on most of the other 

 varieties, but when fertilized by a staminate 

 variety, almost every flower produces a ber- 

 ry; the fruit very large ovate, deep red, 

 firm, bears carriage well, not high flavored, 

 but a very showy, productive, and valuable 

 market fruit. 



Ross Phcenix is a seedling from Keen's 

 Seedling, and cannot be distinguished from it 

 in growlh, flowers, or fruit, but is said to be 

 much more hardy; it is of dwarf habit, foli 

 age broad, dark green and luxuriant; flowers 

 very perfect like its parent; berries of round- 

 ed form, sometimes cocks-comb shaped, dark 

 red, sweet, and of excellent flavor. 



Swainslone has pale green foliage, and 

 requires a position shaded from the noonday 

 sun, as in hot positions the leaves are apt to 

 burn and die away; the flowers are stami- 

 nate ; berries large, ovate, scarlet, and when 

 full ripe of higher flavor than any I have yet 

 seen ; a moderate bearer. It produces no 



secondary crop with us, but strong plants 

 will, the second year, if the season is wet, 

 or in a strong moist soil, throw up secondary 

 trusses of flowers and fruit a week later 

 than the first. 



Prince Albert is of vigorous growth, with 

 large luxuriant foliage; flowers strongly sta- 

 minate and in most profuse clusters, thus ren- 

 dering it an admirable fertilizer; berries of 

 beautiful colour and regular form, dark scar- 

 let, and usually a long pointed cone, but 

 occasionally cocks-comb shaped, not high fla- 

 vored : it is a productive variety and greatly 

 admired. 



An Incurable Disease. — A gentleman 

 one day walking along the streets of a 

 crowded city, had his attention attracted to 

 a beggar, who besought his compassion, and 

 whose whole aspect betokened misery and 

 want. The gentleman's heart was touched. 

 He paused, and after giving an alms, in- 

 quired, very sympathisingly, what was the 

 cause of the beggar's misfortunes, and if he 

 laboured under any complaint. " Yes," re- 

 plied the party addressed, "I have for years 

 laboured under a disease which I fear will 

 at last carry me to my grave." " Pray, 

 what disease may it bel" said the gentle- 

 man. " Ah, sir, it is of so dreadful a na- 

 ture that I cannot show it to you on the 

 public street, but if you will be so good as 

 to step aside, I will exhibit it, provided you 

 promise not to speak of it to any one." 

 "Agreed," replied the gentleman, and forth- 

 with both adjourned into a private corner. 

 " Now," saith the beggar, opening his 

 clothes, "do you behold the disease which is 

 pressing upon mel" "No, I can see nothing 

 — you are only shamming illness." " Alas, 

 sir," answered the beggar, "you are short 

 sighted ; do not you perceive that the dis- 

 ease which afflicts me, and is eating into my 

 vitality, is laziness? — it is a disease which 

 has grown upon me from my birth, and is 

 now altogether beyond the possibility of 

 cure." 



The Grape. 



At a meeting of the American Institute 

 held in New York last month. Dr. Underbill 

 offered the following; — 



Resolved, That the culture of the Native 

 Grape is a subject of primary importance, 

 and that it be recommended to all the agri- 

 cultural associations in the union to make 

 experiments with the different kinds grow- 

 ing in their vicinity, in order to ascertain 

 their properties, to test their qualities, pro- 

 cure seedlings from them, and by high culti- 

 vation to secure such varieties as will lay 

 the foundation for successful culture. 



