134 AMERICA:^" GEAPE GEOWIKG 



valuable acquisitions. The first, named ^^ Mabel," from 

 Freej^ort, Illinois, is like Delaware in color and general 

 appearance, but with larger clusters and larger berries. 

 It has much of the Delaware character and flavor ; the 

 foliage is thick and heavy, and said to resist mildew as 

 perfectly as Concord. 



The other is a white grape, from Camargo, Illinois, 

 named "Willis," of good quality and handsome appear- 

 ance, about the size of Delaw^are. 



There is another class of grapes of which the Hartford 

 Prolific is the protot^q^e, that I should be glad to see dis- 

 carded from all lists, as unworthy of cultivation. Their 

 only merit, in my judgment, is earliness in ripening — and 

 their wretched quality is calculated only to disgust those 

 who are tempted by their early appearance in the mar- 

 kets. In the same category may be placed Janesville, 

 Belvidere, Whitehall, Talman, and several others, which 

 should not be tolerated where anything better can be 

 growTi. 



I have perhaps extended my remarks as far as may be 

 desirable to you, and you are at liberty to make such use 

 of them as you please, using or omitting any portion you 

 may deem useful or otherwise. I can not, however, close 

 without a word of congratulation and encouragement, 

 arising from the fact that suflicient interest is taken in 

 the subject of grape growing to call for a new work upon 

 grapes. I think there are other indications that this 

 great and important industry is reviving, and will again, 

 at no distant period, occupy a prominent position among 

 the horticultural pursuits of our country. The evidently 

 increased interest taken in the discussions upon grapes 

 and their culture, at the last meeeting of the American 

 Pomological Society, was especially noticeable and gratify- 

 ing to all lovers of this noble fruit. With my best w^ishes 

 for your success, I am, very truly, your friend and co- 

 laborer, Geo. W. Campbell. 



