36 Notes and Gleanings. 



and at one end or the other of these large lakes are situated some of the largest 

 cities or towns in the confederacy. The shores of some of the lakes, as that of 

 Constance and Zurich, seem to be, in general, smooth, rounded hills, or level, 

 with towns or villages, some of considerable size, along their banks ; others, like 

 that of Lucerne, bounded for the most part by high hills, their sides generally 

 covered with wood, with the lofty mountains of the Riga on one side, and Pilate 

 on the other ; but these hills, towards the foot of the lake, falling away to 

 rounded slopes, occupied for villas and country-houses, with the old picturesque 

 city of Lucerne yet surrounded on the land side by its mediaeval walls and 

 towers, or that of Geneva, with on one side high, precipitous, rocky mountains, 

 and, on the other, hills covered with grass, trees, or cultivation, sites for towns, 

 villages, and villas, with the city at its foot. Others of these lakes are smaller 

 in extent, generally in dells or basins, surrounded by high hills or mountains, 

 mostly covered with trees, but sometimes rocky, with snow, even in summer, 

 upon their summits. 



Grapes are grown to some extent in Switzerland, especially in the southern 

 part, from which wine is made ; but this is rather austere, and its quality is not 

 such as to commend it to strangers generally. If one can form an opinion from 

 the number of trees seen, a good many pears and apples are raised ; but I have 

 never happened to be there in the season for these fruits. Cherries are very 

 good : those that I saw were very large, good flavored, and sweet. Two varie- 

 ties are common, — one light red, and the other black, — the soil and climate ap- 

 pearing to suit this fruit ; and, in the southern part of the country, I have eaten 

 very good peaches. The only strawberries that I met with were the small wild 

 strawberry, that in August were abundant. It may not be out of place to saj-, 

 that walnut-trees, known in the United States as English walnut, are frequently 

 seen. 



The flora of Switzerland is very rich and varied. Almost anywhere, in a short 

 walk on a mountain's side, numerous wild flowers of many varieties will be met 

 with ; but, unfortunately, I know too little of botany to be able to specify more 

 than a very few of the kinds. Among those that I did know, I remember a blue 

 campanula as being very common, and also a beautiful lily that I did not recol- 

 lect to have before seen. Joseph S. Cabot. 



Feb. 25, 1868. 



Montgomery Grape. — We give the substance of a letter we have re- 

 ceived concerning this grape, hoping that it may prove better than the writer 

 thinks : — 



" In February number, 'T. B., Home Farm, lo.,' wishes to know something 

 of the Montgomery Grape. It was a seedling of a foreign grape grown by 

 Isaac Merrit, Hart's Village, N.Y. ; and, in character, is still a foreign grape. It 

 is probably from a CJiapelas ox Sweetwater j is no hardier or no better than any 

 poor Chapclas. ' Canadian Chief is about the same. Either of them will grow 

 well under glass ; that is, produce large bunches, and ripen. But it is a poor 

 grape, and not worth growing under glass." 



