Notes and Gleanings. 121 



character, and tliat it involved liis credit and reputation as a grape-grower, — 

 points on which it is well known he values himself more than in all things else, 

 and which he is doubtless prepared to defend, to his own satisfaction at least. 



So far as my knowledge extends, my views are mainly in harmony with those 

 expressed by Dr. Grant. His criticisms upon varieties, his well-considered and 

 nicely-drawn formulas, it is scarcely prudent for persons of limited attainments 

 in this delicate and intricate work to attempt to improve. 



With the great merit of the lona Grape I was early impressed, and each suc- 

 ceeding year has added new proof of its paramount value. It is, beyond all 

 question, in quality, the finest grape yet grown ; and, where it succeeds (limits 

 less narrow, I am confident, than many have supposed), it is bound to take the 

 lead of all others until a better variety (and may it soon appear !) is brought 

 out. 



The grape-growers who met at Canandaigua, as well as others in different 

 sections of the country, are bearing renewed testimony of their appreciation of 

 this splendid grape ; nor will their zeal abate on account of the views expressed 

 in Mr. Caywood's communication. Mark the prediction : every well-developed 

 lona plant offered will be purchased and planted the coming spring ; and the 

 same result will be realized the following year, unless more than three times the 

 number propagated the past season are thrown upon the market. 



I cannot indorse Dr. Grant's views regarding the hybrids grown by Mr. 

 Rogers. 



So far as the value of the grapes is concerned, it is of no importance whether 

 they are crosses, yea or nay : their inherent properties constitute the measure 

 of their value. Nor, in my view, does their claimed affinity to a foreign family 

 add any thing to their merited {2sa& in the opinion of intelligent cultivators. 



For the interest of grape-growers, it would be a great satisfaction to be as- 

 sured that Dr. Grant is right ; for if the results secured by Mr. Rogers in the 

 instance of his fifty varieties, all eatable, if not particularly desirable, are availa- 

 ble without hyl;)ridization, then assuredly may we look for new and valuable 

 varieties in abundance. 



This point settled in accordance with Dr. Grant's view, the day of five-dollar 

 grape-vines, however exalted their fruits, is numbered ; and the strife regarding 

 the relative merits of new varieties will at once cease for lack of the needed 

 stimulus, — the fancy prices heretofore so readily obtained. But certainly the 

 fact that No. 4 or 15, or their more admired sister Salem, are hybrids, adds not 

 a whit to their actual goodness. 



"The rose by any other name would smell as sweet." 



Nor is it of any consequence whether the lona and Israella (and the six or 

 seven less desirable sorts produced from the same planting of seed, all of them, 

 in my opinion, better than the Walter, though none of them have been "sent 

 out") were grown under a trellis, from the cast-off seed of the Catawba, as Mr. 

 Caywood asserts Dr. Grant told him they were, or in the manner they are well 

 known to have been, — from seed carefully selected, and grown with nice atten- 

 tion. 



VOL. V. 16 



