12 Grapes in 1866. 



The summer of 1864 was distinguished for the long-continued drought 

 and steady hot weather that prevailed from June to August. 



The weather up to June 8 was very dry. A slight shower occurred on 

 the afternoon of that day ; and from that time until the first week in August 

 not a drop of rain fell, while intolerable heat reigned supreme. 



Vines made, perhaps, a little less wood than usual, but did not suffer at 

 all : on the contrary, even the smallest and feeblest ripened their wood 

 finely; and what was made was firm and hard. Grapes ripened early; and 

 frost in gardens kept off till the 8th of October, affording even the late 

 varieties a chance to mature their fruit. 



No leaf-blight, mildew, or rot, came under my observation in 1864. 



The season of 1865 was characterized by an extremely early spring (the 

 roads being in good order, and free from all signs of mud, the second week 

 in March), freedom from late frosts in May, very changeable weather until 

 the middle of August, heat and drought lasting up to the 20th of Septem- 

 ber, and by the prevalence of mildew from the 19th of July till the last 

 of August. 



If we say nothing of the mildew, — and that, after all, did very little real' 

 damage, — we may pronounce 1865 an excellent year for grapes in this 

 locality, and very early withal ; Concords and Delawares ripening at least a 

 fortnight earlier than they did in 1864. 



The Delawares on my vines were fit to eat, although not dead-ripe, on 

 the 3d of September; and Concords were about as far advanced on the 5th. 



Before the 19th of July, I had sulphured my favorite vines, as a matter 

 of precaution ; and on that day I detected the first spot of mildew, which 

 made considerable headway by the middle of August, when it began to 

 diminish, and soon disappeared. 



The vines that were the most affected by the mildew were the Adirondac, 

 Delaware, Diana, Isabella, Israella, and some seedlings from the Catawba : 

 those that were slightly injured were the Rogers 4, 15, 19, To Kalon, and 

 Clara ; while Allen's Hybrid, Concord, lona, Clinton, and Taylor escaped 

 untouched. The mildew of 1865 in this localit}- affected only the leaves ; 

 i.e., there were no signs of that disease upon the berries, which certain 

 writers call mildew, but which, as unfortunately seen in some places this 

 year, appears to have a nearer affinity to the rot. 



