MARCH. 149 



most delicious of our native grapes, sliould have received so little attention, 

 while new varieties, greatly inferior to it in point of flavor, have been 

 heralded as the greatest acquisition to our list of hardy vines. 



The past season has not been favorable to the ripening of out door grapes. 

 — Respectfully yours, C. A. Brackett. 



Mr. Brackett's grounds were originally a pitch pine (Pinus picta) forest. 

 Ilis mode of dressing the vines (with anthracite coal ashes) may be a new 

 feature to some of our grape growers. 



Oct. Gth. — Mr. Breck exhibited the " Wyman " grape. In consequence 

 of Mr. Wyman having too liberally manured (mainly with liquid manure) 

 his vine, the quality of the grape was unanimously pronounced much infe- 

 rior to those shown in 1854. 



" Swan's" seedling fully maintained its former reputation for quality. 

 Mr. Bull exhibited the Concord at the various weekly shows, during its 

 continuance, and both bunches and berries were fully equal to those shown 

 the previous year — it is not expected that the Concord is to come in to the 

 exclusion of the Diana, dz-c, but it will be sought for as additional to those 

 which can for a certainty be grown and ripened sufficiently early to prove 

 remunerative. There is little doubt that this will prove one of our most 

 valuable wine grapes, and as such it will be largely cultivated not only here 

 but in the West and Southwest. The " Breck," a seedling, was shown by Mr. 

 Waterman — it possesses one quality with the Diana, viz., that of holding 

 the bunches entire, without the dropping of a single berry, though not 

 gathered till quite late in the season. 



Delaware Grape. — Here we have a variety which has been known at the 

 West some eight or ten years, though for the first time called to the notice 

 of our Society. Specimens were forwarded by Mr. Thompson, Dela- 

 ware, Ohio, with the view of learning if it could be identified by any of the 

 grape culturists. None could identify it with any foreign variety, and 

 though the fruit somewhat resembled the Rose Chasselas, yet it is a much 

 smaller berry than either the Red Traminer, Garden Tokay, or Rose Chas- 

 selas, though fully equal in flavor. There seemed but one opinion with 

 those best capable of judging, and that was that it would prove a Seedling 

 from some American grape. It is said to have originated in and been taken 

 from New Jersey to Delaware, Ohio. The Chairman of your Committee 

 has had it growing on the same trellis, during the past season, side by side 

 with the Isabella and several other native vines, and while all others were 

 seriously aff'ected with mildew or blight, the Delaware was entirely free. 

 This vine was received from Mr. A. Hill, a neighbor of Mr. Thompson, and 

 both agree that it ripens with them some ten or fifteen days before the 

 Isabella. The bunch is small, very compact; berries, small, round; skin, 

 thin, of a coppery -rose color; pulp, very little; flavor, sweet, but sprightly 

 and pleasant. And should it ripen earlier than the Isabella in this region, 

 cannot fail to be an acquisition for open culture. 



Peaches grown under glass -have, been exhibited in abundance. A few of 

 the largest contributors have been Messrs. Allen, Wales, Holbrook and 

 Durfee. 



