No. 244.] 389 



While on the subject of native fruit, permit me to mention a vari- 

 ety of native or incliginous plum which grows at Hatfield, Mass., on 

 the banks of the Connecticut river. This tree bears a small red fruit, 

 and in its wild state as it appears in the forest is acid. The tree is 

 sought for as a stock in grafting. 



The white and blue gage and egg plum when grafted on this stock 

 grow luxuriantly and seem to acquire a hardiness to resist frost and 

 cold which these varieties of plum do not possess when cultivated in 

 gardens. 



My brother in Hampshire county, Mass. procured one of these 

 trees of the native plum and set it in his garden. 



The next season after, he grafted a scion of the egg plum on the 

 native stock. The graft had grown full five feet when I saw it in 

 September last. This was the growth of one season. 



Dr. Underbill made some remarks on the Isabella grape, when sev- 

 eral interrogatories were addressed to him in a conversational man- 

 ner by several members; and by that means the following valuable 

 information relative lo the culture of the grape was elicited from Dr. 

 Underbill, who, we should observe, is probably the most extensive 

 and successful culturist of the grape in this country. Anything com- 

 ing from him on this subject is the result of enlightened experience, 

 and is, therefore, entitled to the highest consideration. 



Dr. Underbill in speaking of the improvement of the Isabella grape, 

 said that it would now do about as well in the worst year as it would 

 in the best year ten or fifteen years ago. The soil for this vine re- 

 quired two things, first that it should be dry; second, free from clay, 

 or have but little clay; a sandy loam was good, the sand from slate 

 or granite rocks. Prune from 1st March to middle of April. Plant 

 from 1st April to 1st July, or even the middle July. He recommen- 

 ded deep plowing and deep manuring. The plants should be taken 

 up in April before the buds start, and if not at once put in the ground, 

 the roots should be trenched in the cold ground at the side of a wall 

 or other cold place. The object of this was to prevent growth. It 

 would be well to cover them with ice or put them in an ice-house. 

 He had taken vines from the nursery, with large leaves on, and plant- 

 ee them, and they did well, though it was done at great risk. Vines 

 four or five years old would bear some the first year, pnd very well, 



