STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 41 



Grape Culture. 



Dr. True proceeded : — Allusion has been made to the Blood's 

 Seedling grape. Well, sir, I have eaten very good grapes of that 

 variety grown in this town, and would be glad always to have as 

 good grapes as these were, and none worse. In another place it 

 might not be good. I think it is one of those grapes that is vari- 

 ous in its quality. What I want to come at is, that every person 

 who owns a little lot of land might have one, two or three grape 

 vines growing up by the side of his house where the morning sun 

 can come in and where they can be protected from the first frosts 

 and high winds. My experience has been that if we can get them 

 past the first frosts we can ripen grapes and have them good. I 

 believe that every person can raise at least one grape vine. It is 

 something that is useful, as well as beautiful, running up by the 

 side of a house. The experiments have been tried. I can re- 

 member when we had not a grape that we could rely upon as 

 adapted to out-door culture in Maine. Now we have some four 

 of five, perhaps more, varieties. I will mention three or four 

 while I think of it. The Hartford Prolific is a good grape and a 

 rapid grower. The Delaware is a slower grower, but when under 

 way it produces good fruit. Then there is another, the Northern 

 Muscadine. I am always glad to get a good supply of these 

 grapes well ripened. There is one other variety to which I wish 

 to call the attention of the Society. I do not know whether it is 

 known in this State, but it is a seedling which originated in Os- 

 wego, N. Y., known as the Worden grape. Gentlemen who have 

 tried all the varieties they can raise there, are propagating this 

 in preference to others. It ripens there earlier than others. I 

 think it ripens earlier than the Hartford Prolific. I would like to 

 bring this matter to the attention of the gentlemen present who 

 are familiar with these things. Perhaps Dr. Weston, who watches 

 all these matters, has fruited it and can tell us about it. 



Dr. Weston. I have had no experience with the Worden grape. 

 I have read about it, but I am not aware that it has been intro- 

 duced into the State. 



Mr. Sawyer being called upon, responded : — I did not intend to 

 say anything to-night. I have, it is true, grown some grapes, — 

 in fact, most all the kinds that are commonly grown in this State, — 

 and have ripened almost all of them under some circumstances — 

 some more frequently than others. In regard to the Worden 



