PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMER'S CLUB. 95 



and corn in alternate hills. He thinks the potatoes are benefitted by the 

 shade of the corn, and that the land will produce a more valuable crop than 

 when either is planted alone. 



Apples packed in Buckwheat Hulls. 



R. F. Bates writes from Brook field, Vt. 



" I noticed a few weeks since, in a discussion on the best manner of pre- 

 serving apples, a recommendation to use buckwheat hulls. We here in 

 Vermont are getting to use them pretty extensively for that purpose, and 

 find them excellent. I have apples now packed in that way, as fresh as 

 when taken fi'om the trees last October, and of excellent flavor; but let all 

 remember that in both picking and packing they should be handled as care- 

 fully as eggs." 



Seedling Apples. 



Mr. Bates also says: 



" Let me suggest another thing. Why may not apples be improved by 

 planting seeds from the best known varieties ? I planted a few seeds the 

 last Fall from the best apples I could get, and although I may not live to 

 see them bear fruit, others will." 



Dr. Trimble remarked that he saw Porter apples three days since, quite 

 perfect, yet this variety is considered a rather early Autumn apple. He 

 thinks we are beginning to learn how to preserve fruit. 



Suitable Varieties of Grapes for Vermont. 



David D. Ward writes from Londonderry, Vt. : 



" I feel no small degree of interest in perusing your accounts of the Fai'- 

 mer's Club. You are constantly calling public attention to the best varie- 

 ties of fruit and the methods of cultivating them. Grape culture very 

 jusily claims your attention. Although our climate is rather cool and the 

 soil not so well adapted as some to the grape, yet we do not wish to be 

 deprived entirely of this one of nature's choicest blessings. I have a vari- 

 ety on trial, an accurate description of which I have never seen in print, 

 called Early Close Cluster Madeira. It matures near the middle of Sep- 

 tember, clusters quite large, very compact; berry oblong, about the size 

 of a medium-sized English gooseberr^^, and shaped like it; color, dark blue; 

 very juicy, flavor very delicious, thin skin, and leaves no unpleasant taste 

 in the mouth ; it has no pulpy centre that most varieties have. The past 

 season was the third from the cutting, and although the season was unfa- 

 vorable, yet they bore quite full and promise all I could expect. I have 

 practiced taking them off" from the trellis late in the Fall, prune them close 

 and bury them slightl}'^ to keep them away from the mice ; there let them 

 remain till after the freezing nights are over in the Spring. Is this the 

 best way, and are there other varieties, think you, that with proper care, 

 will mature in our climate ?" 



Wm. S. Carpenter — A few years ago a grape was extensively advertised 

 as being hardy in Vermont, and even still north of there in Canada. This 

 afterward proved to be the White Chasselas, a variety that is quite worth- 

 less for out-door culture in this vicinity. The kind spoken of by Mr. Ward 



