Editors Letter- Box. 253 



The " Main Seedling " Grape. — W. C. Strong, in his excellent book, 

 " Cultivation of the Grape," p. 179, says, "It is well known that the same 

 variety of grape will ripen at different times in different localities, and under 

 varying circumstances. A protacted southern slope, or an angle of buildings 

 looking southerly, with a loose, warm soil adjoining, will make a difference of two, 

 three, or possibly four weeks in the time of ripening over ordinary localities." 



The truth of the preceding extract is very strikingly illustrated in the case 

 of two Concord grape-vines growing in this city (Concord, N.H.) : one of these 

 vines is growing at No. 9, Warren Street, in the midst of the city, where it is 

 protected by buildings on all sides except the south-east and south, which are 

 open to the full influence of the sun. It was planted in a well-prepared place, 

 in a rich, loose soil ; it receives an annual dressing of manure besides the daily 

 contents of the kitchen sink, the spout of which conveys the slops directly to its 

 roots ; it is also protected through the winter by being laid upon the ground, and 

 well covered up. The result of all these circumstances has been that the vine 

 has grown remarkably, has borne very large crops, and has always, till the last 

 two years, ripened its fruit very early, or by the middle of September. Owing 

 to its having been allowed to overbear excessively, last year it did not ripen its 

 crop fully till after the first day of October, as I saw it that day loaded with 

 grapes, which, judging from their color, were rather more than half ripe ; they 

 being only a dark-red instead of black. I saw the vine a few days ago, on the 

 second day of this month (September) ; and I could not see a berry that had 

 begun to turn its color. All were of the same deep green. Perhaps this may 

 be owing in part to the season ; but I think it is mostly on account of its having 

 always been allowed to bear all the fruit that set in the spring. 



The other vine is growing at 38, Main Street, in an open garden, with very 

 little protection, in a cold, moist soil, where it is a good deal shaded by trees. It 

 is owned by the same person as the one at Warren Street, and probably receives as 

 good care as that vine, although it is noti.' put to a very different use. This vine 

 never bore but a few grapes, and never ripened what few it did bear, if we can 

 credit the statement of its owner. I never saw the vine till quite recently, and 

 find it is now used wholly for raising vines by layers. 



As it is asserted that these vines are not the Concord Grape, but are new 

 seedlings, I will give my reason for affirming that they are the Concord, and 

 nothing else. The owner of these vines had told me repeatedly, previous to the 

 year 1865, in presence of my family, that he bought both of these vines of an 

 agent of Mr. Bull of Concord, Mass., the originator of the Concord Grape, who 

 visited this city for the purpose of selling vines in, I tliink, the spring of 1855. 

 I bought some vines of the same person, and at the same time. The owner of 

 the vines made these statements when visiting my place for the purpose of seeing 

 my vines and comparing them with his own. He told me where he had planted 

 his vines, and how they were growing: he said ttiat the one on Main Street did 

 not ripen its fruit, and he was going to raise vines from it, and sell them on the 

 reputation of the vine on Warren Street ; and that there would be no harm in 

 that, as they were both Concord grapes, and the difference in their ripening was 

 all owing to their different locations. I had frequent conversations with him up ' 



