126 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



fact, added to its good quality and sweet flavor, 

 will insure its rapid introduction to notice. We 

 have the pleasure of introducing the history ( so far 

 as known) of the Logan, from Mr. Thompson: — 



"Delawaek, Onio, January 9, 1858. 

 "Eben Winnx, Ck'n. Fruit Com. Mass. Hort. Soc. 

 '■'Dear Sir:— In compliance with the request 

 contained in your.favor of 31st ult., I with pleasure 

 give such information as I am in possession of 

 regarding the history of the Logan grape. 



*' My attention was attracted to it some four or 

 five years since in one of the Miami Valley coun- 

 ties, where it was cultivated both as the Cataicba 

 and the Isabella, though bearing not a particle of 

 resemblance to either, being as distinct from them 

 ■ in fruit, wood and foliage, as is the Delaware. The 

 • authorities as to its origin I found conflicting— one 

 party claiming that it came from the woods in 

 Logan County in this State: the other, that the 

 first vine is from one of a promiscuous lot of 

 cuttings received from a distant friend, and planted 

 by a lady. The first party claims that the fruit was 

 cultivated in that locality long anterior to the plant- 

 ing of the cutting referred to— the other admits that 

 the grape lie refers to was cultivated before the 

 cutting was planted, but insists that Ixers is a dif- 

 ferent, an earlier and better fruit. My opinion, as 

 at present advised, is that the fruit and vines are 

 identical, the better location of that from the cut- 

 ting (south side of a house) accounting for its earlier 

 ripening. My opportunities for comparison have 

 not, however, been such as would be desirable in 

 order to warrent a positive decision ; but I am now 

 testing the matter myself, on my own premises, and 

 hope soon to be able to settle that point. 



" The vine is a fair grower, leaves deeply serrated, 

 wood short-jointed, and of that firm compact tex- 

 ture which is indicative of hardiness, the young 

 shoots covered with an outer bark of a peculiar 

 gray color, and the old wood presenting an unusu- 

 ally rougli and ragged exterior. It is a profuse 

 bearer, the bunches, when left unpruned and illy 

 attended, generally small and loose, but under good 

 culture of good size, and compact ; the berries nearly 

 round, deep black, and covered Avith a handsome 

 bloom ; quality better, in my view, than the Isa- 

 lella ; and in this opinion I am sustained by most 

 judges of fruit who have tested it. It is thoroughly 

 hardy, and may, I think, safely be called our very 

 earliest grape of good quality, 



" N"ot recognizing it as any grape with which we 

 flre acquainted, and being unable to have its iden- 

 tity established through others, myself and a horti- 

 cultural friend and admirer of the fruit, concluded 

 to call it Logan, in reference to the supposed place 

 of its origin, and as a compliment to the memory of 

 the distinguished Indian chief of that name. 



Yours, truly, A. Thompson." 



_ Mr. Thomson is a distinguished horticulturist, and 

 his name is familiar to the readers of the Horticul- 

 tAiriU and Hovey'a Magazine as the person who was 

 most instrumental in bringing to notice the Dela- 

 ware _ grape. Here we have in the Logan, the 

 promise of a grape, ripening earlier than almost 

 any other, leading us to hope, that, ere long, 

 tlirough the aid of seedlings from this and others, 

 we may attam all that we have desired in past 

 years for opea culture. 



There are yet several other seedlings of great 

 promise as to quality, earliness and hardiness, the 

 properties of which we think we cannot be mis- 

 taken in, that will not be brought to the notice ot 

 the public till they shall have been thoroughly 

 tested by the originators. 



We had intended saying something of seedling 

 grapes, heretofore spoken of in former reports, but 

 the room already occupied under this head prevents 

 our extending the remarks at this time. 



We introduce a letter from E. A. Bhaokett, In 

 reference to the character of vai*ious new grapes, 

 and their growth the past season : — 



Winchester, January 2, 1868. 

 Eben. Wight, Ch'n. Fruit Com. of Mass. Hort. Soc. 

 Dear Sir : — I have received your inquiry respect- 

 ing my vines. I need not say that the past season 

 has been a poor one for open culture. Almost 

 every vine in my vineyard has suffered from mil- 

 dew. :Nry crops of the Diana, Concord, Isabella^ 

 and Wyman, were entirely cut off". Indeed the 

 only specimen of ripe fruit I obtained were from 

 the Delaware and the Union,. 



The Concord has never been a favorite with me 

 as a table grape ; but from some experiments I hara 

 made, and from samples I have received from Mr. 

 Bull, I am satisfied that a wine may be made from 

 it not inferior to the best brown sherry. If such 

 should prove to be the case, this grape will assume 

 an importance that will more than compensate for 

 any disappointment felt respecting its flavor. 



The Delaware is a most delicious grape for this 

 climate. It is a good bearer, ripening its fruit some 

 three weeks earlier than the Isabella, while the vine 

 is as hardy as an oak. I received the Union grape 

 from Mr. Longwoeth of Cincinnati. In his note to 

 me he stated ' that it was a larger grape than the 

 Blacl Hamlurgh, thinner skin, softer pulp and 

 more juicy.' I have found it fully up to his state- 

 ment. With me it ripens from a week to ten days 

 earlier than the Isabella. The fruit I have shown 

 at your rooms have never received any special care 

 or attention, and I have no doubt that bunchea 

 may be grown twice as large as any I have exhib- 

 ited. It is an enormous grower, making wood 

 double the size of any other vine. In a light sandy 

 or gravelly soil it succeeds weD, making short-jomted 

 canes, and producing a good crop of fine fruit. 



"Those who follow the prevailing notions of 

 grape culture, and plant this vine in one of those 

 compost or manure heaps called borders, will be 

 astonished at its growth, and still more astonished 

 when they see the fruit. 



"It is important to those who wish to grow the 

 Union grape in this section of the country, either 

 to adopt the system of training detailed to you in 

 a former letter, (see the Report of 1857,) or resort 

 to some other method to check its over luxuriance. 

 Yours, truly, A. E. Beackett." 



Raspberries. — Established varieties have taken 

 the lead this season for all the prizes, yet the Com- 

 mittee still hold to the favorable opinion expressed 

 of the Orange (a seedling by Dr. Beinkle') in their 

 report last year. 



A Sub-Committee found the Catawissa in a hear- 

 ing condition in the grounds of Mr. Breck, who 

 expressed a highly favorable opinion of the variety. 

 Its greatest merit will be in the fact that it is ono 

 of the best for procuring seedlings from. 



