Notes and Glea?tmgs. 305 



A Trip among the Vineyards. — To say that the recent Convention of 

 Grape-growers at North East, Penn., with its supplemental excursion, was a stic- 

 cess, would not be half true, because 7tot half the truth. It was a perfect suc- 

 cess. There we met the jocund Knox, who says, " Bully for Concord ! " the 

 gentlemanly Campbell, who thinks "better of the lona this season than last ; " 

 the venerable Dr. Grant, who speaks little unless spoken to ; the thoughtful, 

 experienced Saunders, who superintends the Government Experimental Gar- 

 dens at Washington, D.C., — all from diverse directions, yet drawn together by 

 one common interest. Add to these Griffith and Mottier, who, residing at 

 North East, treated the members as if their own guests ; Leonard, the Treas- 

 urer ; Dunham, the President ; and last, but not least, the self-sacrificing, ener- 

 getic executive Bateham, the Secretary, — and you have the representative 

 spirits of the three hundred others who made the complemental number 

 present. 



While the reception-room over the cellar of the South-shore Wine Company 

 was being converted into a dining-saloon by the generous ladies of the village, 

 some of us strolled among the adjacent vineyards. These were mostly planted 

 with Catawbas, now from five to twenty years of age, and, we regret to add, con- 

 siderably affected with rot. This disease, you are aware, attacks individual ber- 

 ries, which drop off or are easily removed, leaving the remainder perfectly sound ; 

 thus diminishing the compactness of the bunches, and detracting from the 

 aggregate weight of the crop. The consequent loss we were unable to estimate, 

 but should not think it above one-sixth. Although the foliage had suffered 

 some from the drought, it appeared, generally, quite healthy. 



But the sight which especially delighted us was Mr. William Griffith's vine- 

 yard of ten thousand lonas and three thousand Israellas, two years of age. 

 Surely, thought we, this must be one of the '■'■very few localities^'' referred to by 

 yoViX Hermann correspondent, "where the lona may succeed ;" for never were 

 vines more healthy and vigorous than these. 



After returning, and regaling the inner man with meats and drinks admin- 

 istered by fair hands, we adjourned to the open air, where was held the afternoon 

 session. This, and the evening meeting in the village Hall, were devoted to 

 reports from various quarters, of which we give a brief synopsis. 



Mr. Saunders of Washington, D.C., said, that, of the hundred and twenty 

 varieties growing there, all, except a few, mildew. Among the exceptions, he 

 mentioned Concord and Ives. He expressed great hopes that the lona would 

 prove a good wine-grape. Mr. Hoag of Lockport, N.Y., said that his grapes 

 were doing well, but especially his lona and Israella vines, "which are bearing 

 fine crops this year." Mr. Bronson of Geneva, N.Y., " Catawbas and Isa- 

 bellas not rotting; lonas looking very well indeed, — bunches sufficiently com- 

 pact ; Israellas quite compact." Mr. Champlin of Hammondsport, N.Y., " Ca- 

 tawbas good; Isabellas in excellent condition; lonas doing well, and giving 

 ^ood satisfaction. About fifty thousand have been planted on and near the lake. 

 Those set two years ago are well fruited, beginning to color by the ijth of 

 August." Mr. Campbell of Delaware, O., reported Delawares doing well, and 

 lonas much better this season than last. Mr. Bement of Toledo, O., said that 



VOL. n. 39 



