122 Notes and Gleanings. 



Davis in my little orchard of sixty-five trees ten years ago, instead of some 

 twenty sorts, many of them better apples, it would have been a little fortune to 

 me ere this : as it is, I annually gather few apples, and many sorrows. 



Again : as a general rule, the Ben Davis will outsell the Bellflower, and 

 almost any other apple, in most of our great markets. This is chiefly owing to 

 its very fine appearance. The million will choose the handsomest first, and 

 take quality on trust. But says one, " Shall we thus defer to the vulgar taste ? 

 Ought we not rather aim to educate that taste up to a higher standard ? " Ah ! 

 but how ? Shall we deny to all the elementary branches of an education 

 because they cannot appreciate the higher ones of philosophy and the clas- 

 sics .'' 



" Excelsior " should be the motto of every fruit-grower ; and our attention 

 should be especially directed to the search for those sorts, which, with the highest 

 attainable quality, will give the greatest amount of production. And, until the 

 higher qualities can be obtained at a much less cost of time and trouble, I shall 

 endeavor to make the most of such apples as the Ben Davis, and leave the Bell- 

 flower and similar sorts to those who are willing " to labor and to wait." 



And when the ajDple is produced, which, to the productiveness, hardiness, 

 beauty, adaptability to all soils and conditions, keeping and cooking qualities, 

 of the Ben Davis, are superadded the fine flavor and aroma of the Bellflower, I 

 shall bail it as one of the richest gifts of Pomona. And I have a living faith 

 that such a treasure is in store for us somewhere in the no distant hereafter. 



Hamilton, III. Th. Gregg. 



Grapes. — Last winter was pretty severe in the results on my grapes, which 

 were planted close up against a fence, protecting them from the west and north, 

 and giving them a fine southern exposure. The Delaware and lona, nearest to 

 the house, were, all winter, subjected to constant pourings of slops and hot water 

 from the kitchen, thrown by heedless servants, and which it was quite out of 

 my power to prevent, as 1 had rented out all the lower part of the house : there- 

 fore, when spring opened, I had settled my mind to the fact that these two were 

 dead beyond hope or remedy. The remaining vines embraced Herbemont, 

 Concord, Rogers's No. 19, and Rebecca. 



Herbemont and Rogers's showed out well, and are doing magnificently. Re- 

 becca, after a violent attack from some unsparing foe, has again put forth, and 

 is coming on now finely. To my astonishment, Concord was dead down to the 

 very roots, — dead as Marley, or his ghost either ; and, to my equal astonish- 

 ment, Delaware and lona have put up again from the roots, and make good head- 

 way for their old place. I don't discuss the why and wherefore, but simply 

 state my bit of experience with the famous and puffed-up Concord, — " the grape 

 for the poor man and the million." I confess I have never discovered why it 

 should so be called ; for my experience, either buying or selling, makes me 

 know that the laboring and middle classes buy and eat in the fruit line none but 

 the best the market can afford, and pay good prices for it. It may be our good 

 friend Husmann can account for the failure of his favorite upon the idea that 

 the climate of Maryland is not quite as good as Missouri. \V. H. R. 



