PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 173 



red ones are from vines five years old, and I have found them very prolific 

 bearers. They are rather late; but we think excellent for flavor, and for 

 wine they are not to be surpassed. They are from the seed; and we some- 

 times think they have a strong- relationship to the Catawaba, but I find 

 they do better here than does the Catawaba. 



I wish to call your especial attention to the white grapes. Of their fla- 

 vor I leave you to judge. Many of my clusters will weigh two and a half 

 to three and a half pounds; but in consequence of the wet weather and 

 other causes, a great many of the grapes have fallen from the clusters, as 

 you will observe upon inspection. The white grapes ripen much earlier 

 than the red. The vines are very hardy, good wooded and vary short 

 jointed, thereby offering great chance for a great number of clusters. The 

 white grapes are but four year old vines. They were originally raised in 

 a hot house, but the progeny is an out of door child. 



I also send you a sample of my Switzer prunes, upon which I received 

 the premiums at the Albany county fair, and a special premium for being 

 the introducer of the fruit into this country. The parent trees, (for I have 

 varieties) were brought here ten years since, and they have borne very pro- 

 lifivally every year since, and I have never seen any blight, curculio, insect, 

 black wart or gum on them; the bark is very smooth, and there is no blem- 

 ish whatever, and their bearing is almost fabulous. These trees must be 

 propagated from the seed and sprouts from the root, and not by grafts, for 

 I find that the fruit after a time runs out by partaking flavor from the stock 

 upon which it has been grafted. Of the flavor you must be the judge. 



My object is to bring these vines and trees into notoriety, as well as to 

 dispose of the fruits of my labor, and wherever they have been seen, favor- 

 able mention has been made, and I have no doubt but that you will kindly 

 make mention and give name to my vines. 



Dr. Trimble, who has had the lai-gest experience of any member of the 

 Club in the growing of plums, called the attention of members to the fact 

 that Downing gives no description of any prune under the name of " Swit- 

 zer." Perhaps it is a mistake of the writer for Quetsche or German prune, 

 tliough this does not answer that description, nor does the time of ripening 

 agree. Downing says: "The common German prune is described as fol- 

 lows: Branches smooth; fruit long oval, near two inches long, peculiarly 

 swollen on one side, and drawn out toward the stalk; suture distinctly 

 mai-ked; skin purple, with a thick blue bloom; stalk three-fourths of an inch 

 long, slender, slightly inserted; flesh firm, grecu, sweet and pleasant; sepa- 

 rates from the stone, which is flat, very long and a little curved; ripens 

 about the 10th of September. This prune is, perhaps, the most universal 

 and most valuable fruit tree in Germany, Hungary, Saxony and Central 

 Europe. Preserved, it is used in winter as a substitute for butter by the 

 laboring peasantry; and dried, it is a source of large profit in commerce. 

 In this country it is yet but little known, but from the great hardiness and 

 productiveness of the tree, it may be worth trial on a large scale." 



There are several varieties of the Quetsche prunes, and this may be one 

 of them. At any rate, it was the unanimous opinion of the Club that is an 

 excellent fruit, and well worthy of recommendation for general culture. 



