19 



" Syrian," when fully ripe a rich grape. 



" Black Lombardy." There is an uncertainty about this grape. It has 

 been said that West's St. Peters and tliis are identical. I have the two, both 

 late kinds, and very unlike. The " Black Lombardy" has a larger berry, 

 and is not so black. It is a valuable sort. 



" West's St. Peters." Part of the bunches have dried some, and part are 

 fresh ; has not done as well as in previous years, in respect to keeping. 



" Xeres," or " White Nice," this year has kept well. It is however un- 

 certain. 



"Muscat of Alexandria," and the " Cannon Hall," both of them have 

 dried somewhat ; but the flavor of both, if anything, is improved by the 

 process ; the berries being large. This drying is not so objectionable as 

 in small grapes. 



" Ferrar," or " Black Portugal." A large part of the bunches have this 

 year decayed or dried. Some bunches remain fresh and full. 



The old " Black Hamburg" never has kept so well. Some vines have 

 the entire crop yet on, fresh and full, while on the other vines the fruit is 

 much dried. 



" Wilmot's New," and the " Victoria Hamburg" have not kept so well as 

 the old. In previous years they have kept rather the longest and the 

 freshest. 



Hardt Grapes for cultivation in the open air, have had several seedlings 

 added to the list this year. The most beautiful one undoubtedly is the 

 " Concord " grape. I do not cultivate it myself, and can only speak of spe- 

 cimens as they have come under my observation. In flavor it ranks in my 

 estimation after the " Isabella." For Massachusetts I should place " Diana" 

 first, and " Isabella" next. Further south, " Catawba" first and the others in 

 same order. 



Hybrid Grapes. The past season I have fruited several hybrid vines. 

 Some of them have given fruit of fine flavor, and free of pulp. Several of 

 these have been shown at different Horticultural exhibitions. As early as 

 1848 it was stated in print that I had planted an Isabella vine in a grapery, 

 for the purpose of impregnation, with the expectation of obtaining a variety 

 that would mature early and be an improvement upon the kinds of hardy 

 grapes which we already had in cultivation. At that time the seedlings, be- 

 tween forty and fifty in number, were growing, and presented such a marked 

 variation of foliage, as to give good hope of success. Had this been other- 

 wise, further trials by impregnation would have been made. Being aware 

 of the incredulity of many, in the certainty of the origin of a seedling, par- 

 ticularly when it presented a great change from the parent, every means 

 were taken to make the case certain. The parent vine was the only one at 

 the time in the house, it being occupied with peaches and nectarines ; part 

 of these have since been removed and vines substituted. To be sure that 

 bees or no external cause could effect the impregnation and thus defeat my 

 efforts, the vine was forced in January and blossomed before vegetation 

 commenced in the open air. When the embryo bunch approached the time 

 of blossoming, a few of the strongest were selected and the others, at least 



