172 Notes and Gleanings. 



few gardens at the East, where we had an opportunity of testing its wonderful 

 flavor, and found it as sour, austere, and astringent as could well be imagined. 

 It is safest, in deciding quality and flavor, to taste along with some well-known 

 standard, before pronouncing with confidence." 



Grape-Notes in Midsummer. — Vines, generally, in my small collection, are 

 looking well. The average time of blossoming was a week earlier than last year. 

 The rose-bugs were very plenty this season, and the result of their visit is seen 

 in numerous ragged clusters. 



The To Kalon vine seems to be noted for a greater readiness to mildew than 

 any other kind. Every year, by the middle of August, leaves and fruit are one 

 mass of mildew ; and this season, early in July, wlien all other vines are perfect- 

 ly free from any spots or signs of mildew, the leaves of the To Kalon were per-* 

 fectly white on the lower side. 



Rogers's 15 with me is showing magnificent bunches. This is the first time 

 il have had decent clusters, and I find the secret of success to consist in not 

 .pruning close. Seven or eight good buds must be left in the fall on each fruit- 

 .ing cane. 



Let all cultivators who have had poor, ragged clusters heretofore, remember 

 tthis, next autumn. 



The bunches of the lona seem to be very long and loose this year ; the vine 

 itself perfectly healthy. 



I observe on a four-year-old Creveling five bunches from one eye, with a 

 lateral from the lower eye carrying another bunch. I think I have never noticed 

 more than four hitherto on any out-door kind. 



The Cynthiana and Herman vines in pots are making tolerable growth, and 

 are very healthy. The wood of the latter is very short-jointed. 



Delavvares that have hardly grown an inch for several years are growing vig- 

 orously this season, and are perfectly free from mildew. 



I noticed a three-year-old Martha the other day carrying forty handsome 

 clusters. J. M. M., Jim. 



Aug. I, 1869. 



The Peach-Crop in Delaware. — We have an immense crop of peaches 

 in our country this season. I am afraid there is ample to glut Baltimore, Phila- 

 delphia, New-York, and Boston markets. There never has been such a crop 

 in Delaware and Maryland. Railroads, steamboats, tugs, sailing-vessels, and 

 barges are, taxed to their full capacity carrying peaches. I shall have five to 

 eight hundred bushels of Bartlett pears to ship in a week or ten days from 

 now. Yours truly, Randolph Peters. 



Wilmington, Del., Aug. 12, 1869. 



A Warning to Beggars. — A gentleman at Winchester (Eng.) has placed 

 this notice in front of his rockery of ferns : " Beggars, beware ! scolopendriums 

 and polypodiums set here ! " It is said that the beggars keep at a respectful 

 distance, though its effect would fail if the beggars were unable to read. 



