210 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



the Isabella. Among tbose with whom I am acquainted no one considers 

 himself deceived in the quantity or quality of the Isabella, which can hard- 

 ly be said of those kinds more recently introduced. But what I wish to 

 ask is, who inflated the Isabella balloon ? A. J. Dowing, Chas. Downing, 

 P. Barry, JohnPhin, and Dr. G. P. Norris of Delaware, have each, I think, fur- 

 nished a portion of gas — all speak highly of it, and place it in their select 

 lists. Now, contrasting what they say with what you say of the Isabella, 

 what can we say? You say the Isabella is not even third rate. Mr. Phin pub- 

 lished his book in 1862, and Dr. Norris furnished his article to the Patent-Office 

 in 1861. These gentlemen could not be ignorant of the new varieties you 

 mentioned as first rate, nor of the merits of the Isabella, and if that grape is 

 as insignificant and insipid as you say it is, how, if honest, could they at this 

 late day recommend it so highly, and thus impose upon the public ? Does it 

 not look as though interest or dishonesty was peeping out somewhere ? 

 Again, how is it that members of the Club have been so slow to give the pub- 

 lic warning of the worthless character of the Isabella. It has been in cul- 

 tivation more than thirty years at the north, and all that time open to crit- 

 icism, but not until thousands and tens of thousands of dollars have been 

 expended in purchasing, planting, and cultivating this worthless grape 

 does the warning come. Saul held the clothes of Stephen and consented 

 stood looking on while the mob stoned him to death 1 If Dr. Ward wishes 

 to destroy his Isabella vines no one out here will object." 



Mr. Solon Eobinson — I am not going to reply to this letter ; those who 

 read it will judge how far the writer has made out his case, and whether he is 

 sensitive opon the subject. I will simply inquire what the owners of 

 Isabella vineyards are to do with their fruit when they cannot find a 

 market for it, as it certainly is not a good wine grape. I have never said 

 that it is not a passably good grape, when fully ripe, though it is inferior 

 to half a dozen other sorts, which will ripen where it will not. And I do 

 say that many of the Isabellas sold in this city are unfit to eat, and more 

 failures have occurred in planting Isabellas than all other sorts, 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter said that the time will come when the writer of 

 that letter, and others who so strenuously recommend the Isabella as 

 the best of grapes, will be laughed at, the improved varieties are so far 

 ahead. 



Mr. John G. Bergen said that he should still defend the Isabella, because it 

 does give satisfaction in many localities. As to its quality, that is a mat- 

 ter of taste. Mr. P. B. Mead says that a person cannot eat freely of this sort, 

 without getting a sore tongue. This I deny ; I can eat them all day and 

 not make mine sore. I say there are very few better grapes than this 

 when it is fully ripe, and so the National Pomological Convention must 

 have thought, or it would not have retained it upon its list. It has been 

 thirty years in cultivation, and if the new sorts stand as long I shall be 

 glad. With me the Delaware is a very small fruit, and the Clinton, that 

 I thought so hardy, rotted this year. It is the height of absurdity to dis- 

 card an old well-tried sort, until we have proved the substitute. 



Mr. W. S. Carpenter said that the Pomological Convention did not recommend 

 the Isabella at its last session, but instead of that gave the localities where 

 its cultivation proved successful, and it bore relations to other sorts as fol- 



