34 



shoots covered with an outer hark of a peculiar gray color, and the old 

 wood presenting an unusually rough and ragged exterior. It is a profuse 

 bearer, the bunches, when left unpruned and illy attended, generally small 

 and loose, but under good culture of good size, and compact ; the berries 

 nearly round, deep black, and covered with a handsome bloom ; quality 

 better, in my view, than the Isabella ; and in this opinion I am sustained 

 by most judges of fruit who have tested it. It is thoroughly hardy, and may, 

 I think, safely be called our very earliest grape of good quality. 



Not recognizing it as any grape with which we are acquainted, and be- 

 ing unable to have its identity established through others, myself and a 

 horticultural friend and admirer of the fruit concluded to call it Logan, in 

 reference to the supposed place of its origin, and as a compliment to the 

 memory of the distinguished Indian chief of that name. 



Yours, truly, A. Thomson. 



Mr. Thomson is a distinguished horticulturist, and his name is familiar 

 to the readers of the Horticulturist and Hovey's Magazine as the person 

 who was most instrumental in bringing to notice the Delaware grape. 

 Here we have, in the Logan, the promise of a grape, ripening earlier than 

 almost any other, leading us to hope, that, ere long, through the aid of 

 seedlings from this and others, we may attain all that we have desired in 

 past years for open culture. 



There are yet several other seedlings of great promise as to quality, ear- 

 liness and hardiness, the properties of which we think we cannot be mis- 

 taken in, that will not be brought to the notice of the public till they shall 

 have been most thoroughly tested by the originators. 



We had intended saying something of seedling grapes, heretofore spoken 

 of in former reports, but the room already occupied under this head pre- 

 vents our extending the remarks at this time. 



We introduce a letter from E. A. Brackett, in reference to the character 

 of various new grapes, and their growth the past season: — 



Winchester, January 2, 1858. 

 Eben. Wight, Chairman of Fruit Committee of Mass. Hort. Soc. 



Dear Sir: — I have received your inquiry respecting my vines. I need 

 not say that the past season has been a poor one for open culture. Almost 

 every vine in my vineyard has suffered from mildew. My crops of the Diana, 

 Concord, Isabella, and Wyman, were entirely cut off. Indeed the only 

 specimens of ripe fruit I obtained were from the Delaware and the Union. 



The Concord has never been a favorite with me as a table grape ; but 

 from some experiments I have made, and from samples I have received from 

 Mr. Bull, I am satisfied that a wine may be made from it not inferior to the 

 best brown sherry. If such should prove to be the case this grape will 

 assume an importance that will more than compensate for any disappoint- 

 ment that may have been felt respecting its flavor. 



The Delaware is a most desirable grape for this climate. It is a good 

 bearer, ripening its fruit some three weeks earlier than the Isabella, while 



