3IO Notes and Gleanings. 



adaptation to soils ; " when several speakers occupied the attention of the meet- 

 ing, giving their views upon the several sorts under cultivation. 



Mr. Gedge of Vineland, N.J., reported a good crop of Concord and Hartford, 

 which were productive, healthy, and profitable ; but stated that the Delaware, 

 lona, Israella, and others, failed in their locality. 



Mr. Underbill thought that the lona would prove to be a good wine-grape ; 

 and, as many vines are fruiting this year, we may hope for a satisfactory test. 

 The Rogers's Hybrids will rank high for the table (market ?) on account of their 

 showy appearance. Israella will soon supplant the Isabella. 



The discussions closed without taking up the other orders prepared by the 

 committee, and the meeting adjourned sine die. 



Address of Dr. Grant. — We regret that we cannot give Dr. Grant's 

 exceedingly valuable address in full. As it is, we are obliged to content our- 

 selves with a rdsumd. 



The doctor divided the history of American grapes into three periods, — the 

 first distinguishei as the original condition, and the two others marked by im- 

 [jortant ameliorations. 



The varieties of wild grapes at the North are endless : but, of whatever color 

 or appearance, all are marked by the same characteristics ; viz., thick, acrid 

 skins, and a very large central portion that always remains fibrous, unripe, tough, 

 and unpleasantly acid. Surrounding this centre is a varying proportion of juice, 

 that has some fruity qualities, but not any of striking goodness. 



A mild and comprehensive descriptive term for all these is " coarse, fee'.le, 

 and impure in flavor." Describing them by a formula, we say, — 



Skin. — Thick, acrid, and offensive. 



Flesh. — Coarse, generally fibrous, and never ripening to the centre. 



Quality. — Moderately sugary, never vinous, rich, or refined, and without any 

 refreshing property. 



To this class belong the Sage, Charter Oak, Perkins, Northern Muscadine, 

 and a host of others ; the Hartford Prolific, Nature's most successful unaided 

 effort to improve the Fox family, being the best of the lot. The Scuppernong, 

 belonging to the southern branch of the family of wild grapes, is feeble, lacking 

 in all wine-making qualities, and impure in flavor. 



The second period of American grape-history is marked by the introduction 

 of the Isabella and Catawba varieties. 



The Isabella was so much better than the wild grapes of the woods, that it 

 gave a decided impetus to grape-culture, although by no means free from posi- 

 tive defects. Its juice, under favorable conditions, becomes sugary, and some- 

 what vinous. The central portion of the flesh, although sometimes tender, is 

 never sweet and rich ; and the whole grape, in eating, is wanting in animation, 

 and marked not only by feebleness of flavor, but often by a strong savor of native 

 impurity. 



The Catawba was better, and had more vinous and animating power. It has 

 also some degree of every one of the native defects. It has foxy impurity, 

 acridity of skin, and an unripe, acid centre. 



As a wine-grape, it is about as defective as a grape for eating ; and the defects 



