FRUIT committee's REPORT. 69 



Although Dr. Van Mons has taught, and apparently established, a contrary- 

 theory — that of improving varieties by raising successive generations of seed- 

 lings — and that it may be thought presumptuous to call in question the 

 teachings in Pomology from such a source, yet some doubt cannot but be 

 entertained that hybridization is in the pursuit of this object, viz., the produc- 

 tion of improved varieties, essential to success, and that the raising of suc- 

 cessive generations of seedling grapes from a native or wild variety under 

 circumstance where admixture of other sorts was impossible, might be pursued 

 not for eleven generations, when, according to Van Mons, all the seedlings 

 would be good ; when the naming of varieties would become unnecessary, and 

 propagation by grafting and budding cease, but for double thit number, with- 

 out showing any very marked improvement. 



In a climate so austere as that of Massachusetts, it is believed all varieties 

 of grapes require protection ; that even if some may occasionally escape injury 

 when this has been neglected, it cannot be wholly omitted with safety. Much 

 attention of late years has been given to the production of new varieties from 

 seed, and a hope, if not a belief, indulged, that such attempts would eventuate 

 in the production of hardy varieties of good quality, not subject to mildew, 

 that would, in ordinary years, attain maturity in free exposures. And some 

 persons have, it is believed, even gone so far as to anticipUe that grapes 

 would become the object of extensive cultivation, and the making of wine a 

 regular branch of industry. This may be so, and all their hopes may not be 

 destined to prove fallacious. There is certainly reason to think that the list 

 of varieties to be recommended for cultivation may soon be enlarged, probably 

 by Mr. Brackett's seedling, Mr. Allen'^ hybrid ; perhaps by some of those of Mr. 

 Rogers, and some others. Beyond this, however, at present, whatever it may 

 be hereafter, no great and acknowledged advance has been made. Those old 

 favorites, the Isabella, the Diana, and the Delaware, neither of recent, and the 

 last of uncertain origin, still seem to maintain their wonted supremacy. And 

 other than this, the expectations indulged do not seem, as yet, to have a more 

 substantial basis than a hope. That the rocky hill sides of Massachusetts are 

 some day to be covered with vineyards, rivalling in their rich luxuriance of 

 foliage and fruit those of France, demands a faith in her capabilities almost 

 equal to that necessary to remove mountains, and is a belief not very soon, at 

 least as it is thought, to be realized. At all events, for this at present, there 

 is none other than an imaginary foundation, and the business of the day is 

 with the realities of the time, and not its imaginings. 



It but remains to announce to the Society the award of its premiums. 



JOSEPH S. CABOT, Chairman. 

 December 2\st, 1861. 



