Reclaiming the Wilderness. 221 



largely planted ; although the Catawba and Diana are doing well. The 

 Delaware may be said to be " on trial : " so far, at least, it fails totally with 

 such cultivation as makes the Concord thrive. But its friends are sanguine, 

 that, with high fertilizing and thorough cultivation, it will excel the Concord 

 in profit. The fancy sorts, such as the lona, Israella, and Ives's Seedling, 

 are being tested on a limited scale, with as yet doubtful results. It is 

 quite probable that a deeply-worked soil and thorough cultivation, with 

 judicious fertilizing, will pay as well here as elsewhere ; but there is no 

 doubt, that, with such a system, grape-culture here is destined to a complete 

 success. Pear-culture also promises well, and is receiving a large share 

 of attention. No large amounts of fruit have as yet been produced ; but 

 the specimens exhibited at last year's Fair (and in very considerable quan- 

 tities) produced both surjDrise and admiration, and select specimens for- 

 warded to the Fair of the American Institute the next week unhesitatingly 

 received the first premium. The same success also attended the exhibition 

 of grapes, particularly of those of the Catawba and Diana varieties. Sam- 

 ples of Catawba wine, analyzed by Dr. Jackson of Boston, have been pro- 

 nounced very rich in the constituents usually deemed essential to a good 

 wine; though whether wine-growing might be considered as consistent with 

 the temperance principles on which the place is founded, is an open 

 question. 



As some evidence of the interest felt in fruit-culture, it may not be im- 

 proper to mention that there are no less than six societies holding weekly 

 meetings in as many parts of the township, whose objects are, in brief, the 

 collection, discussion, and diffusion of the various facts connected with the 

 cultivation of the soil. Each society is collecting a library, and occasional 

 lectures are given by gentlemen from abroad who are eminent in some 

 branch of agriculture or pomology. The annual Fair is given by the central 

 or parent society ; and its fine show of fruits and vegetables attracts great 

 numbers of people from this and the adjacent counties of the State, as well 

 as a good representation from " The Farmers' Club " of New York and 

 fruit-growers elsewhere, who desire to judge, through the medium of its pro- 

 ductions, whether any good can really come out of this part of Jersey. But, 

 besides these societies, there is also a " Floral Society," holding fortnightly 

 and sometimes weekly meetings, managed entirely by ladies, whose aim is 



