128 Pomological Gossip. 



Messrs. F. R. Elliott, F. K. PhcEiiix, and others, expressed 

 similar opinions in regard to the inferiority of root grafting. 



We hail with pleasure this timely disco\-ery, and trust our 

 Western friends will plant but few root-grafted trees. There 

 may be some exceptions to the rule ; but it is safest to err on 

 the right side. We commend to the especial attention of our 

 many thousand fruit-loving countrymen, without regard to 

 latitude or longitude, the advice of Mr. Williams, that a good 

 tree is better loortk a dollar .^ than a poor one nothing and a 

 dollar gratuity to take it. 



Preserving Catawba Grapes. — The Catawba is one of 

 our most excellent native grapes, — probably the best, all 

 things considered, — but it will not mature in the N. England 

 States one season out of five, and consequently its cultivation 

 is limited. In very favorable situations it ripens tolerably 

 well, but does not attain that high flavor, which is a pecu- 

 liarity of its excellence. The Diana — so much like it — will 

 therefore take its place with us, ripening perfectly, as it does, 

 two or three weeks earlier. 



But as there are thousands of vines under cultivation from 

 Avhich only a half-ripened crop is gathered, we are glad to 

 know that even such a crop may be turned to good account. 

 From the high vinous character of the berries, they retain 

 their flavor much better than the Isabella, and possess the 

 quality of attaining sweetness by keeping. Mr. A. W. Stet- 

 son, of Braintree, who has given much attention to grapes, 

 recently exhibited, (Feb. 5,) at the rooms of the Mass. Hort. 

 Society, some very fine specimens, deliciously flavored, which 

 were gathered in so unripe a state that they were then not 

 worth eating. These, he informs us, were laid out upon a 

 table or clean board, in a cool airy place, and covered with 

 cotton batting. In this way, without any other care, they 

 kept well, and attained to a perfection scarcely excelled by 

 the fullest matured crop among our Cincinnati cultivators. 



Another year we shall try the experiment ourselves. The 

 last autumn we gathered half a bushel from a small vine in 

 October, but not thinking them of any value, they were 

 placed in a box in our fruit room, where we noticed those on 



