Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 345 



The Walter Grape. 



A. J. Caywood, of Poughkeepsie, came before the club with a 

 single, large, fine, ripe, fragrant cluster of this new variety. It was 

 passed from one seat to another, but nobody could taste it. He asked 

 the Chair to give him a committee to go up and visit his vineyard 

 and report on what they could see and taste. 



Mr. ]Sr. C. Meeker. — I have nothing to say against this grape; 

 indeed, what I have seen of it, I think it an acquisition. But exhib- 

 itors do themselves injustice by liaving such small shows for speci- 

 mens. It looks as though their fruit was very scarce. It seems to 

 me that the best way to prove that a new fruit is valuaj^le is to grow 

 it for market, and then let the public decide upon its merits. It is 

 taking a fine sight to present a fruit that is only to be smelled. 



Mr. A. J. Cay wood. — It takes a long time to propagate a new 

 grape. There are fifty clusters on the vine, and I hesitated a long 

 time this morning before I picked this cluster, because I intend to 

 take the whole to Cincinnati to compete for the prize for the best 

 seedling ; also, to otlier places. I never saw so much mildew on my 

 place among the grapes before, but the/Walter is unaffected. 



Mr. E. Williams, Montclair, N. J. — On the Hudson river, at New- 

 burgh, is a fruit garden owned by a gentleman eminently skilled in all 

 kinds of fruit. This grape should have been tried on these grounds, 

 for, with the good opinion' of Charles Downing, the grape would 

 have a reputation worth something. Nor is it to be found elsewhere. 

 What do we know of its general adaptability, what will the commit- 

 tee know of its power to withstand the various and trying climates 

 of the interior of centrtil and southern Oliio, Iowa, Missouri, and 

 Kansas ? 



Mr. A. J, Caywood said he did not ask any favone of the commit- 

 tee ; he would have them to condemn or to praise just as their judg- 

 ment should dictate. Nor would the public buy if it was not good. 

 It must stand on its merits. Mr, Downing knew the reason why he 

 did not have it on his grounds, and others knew why they did not 

 have it. Mr. Caywood did not say, but it was inferred, that the 

 reason w^hy it was kept so close was to prevent nui*serymen from get- 

 ting hold of it and propagating it. 



Prize Tomatoes. 

 A plate of uncommonly large, smooth, and well-shaped tomatoes, 

 from a lot exhibited at the New Haven fair, were brought before the 



