244 transactions of the american institute. 



The Norton Seedling Grape. 



An animated discussion took place upon the question, whether the 

 Norton Seedlinp: (Norton's Virginia) is a hardy variety in this vicinity. 



Mr. John G. Bergen said that Mr. Meeker speaks of it as perfectl^i hardy 

 in Missouri, and a most excellent wine grape. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter said that it was not hardy here, and thong-ht that 

 this Club should discourag'e people from planting it, as it will almost cer- 

 tainly produce disappointment. 



Mr. W. R. Prince objected strongly to this view of the case, and contend- 

 ed that it was one of the most hardy varieties, and a good wine grape as far 

 north as Massachusetts. He said that it was not a seedling, but a wild wood 

 grape, found in Virginia by Dr. Norton. If any one fails, you may be sure 

 he has got a spurious sort. 



Prof. Mapes said that it had ripened with him, but thought it owing to 

 peculiarity of soil or situation, as there is a complaint of its not ripening 

 generally. 



Mr. R. W. Holton said Dr. Underbill could not succeed with it; his vines 

 were very much diseased the past season. 



Dr. Trimble would be very glad to hear that it was hardy, as he esteem- 

 ed the quality. 



Mr. E. Williams said that he was so well satisfied that it was not hardy, 

 that he had refused to grow it or sell it. 



Mr. Solon Robinson characterized any attempt to bolster up such a variety 

 as Norton's Virginia, as anything but honest, just or proper, and thought 

 it the duty of this Club to raise its voice in opposition. It succeeds in 

 Missouri, and there let it remain. It does not succeed at Cincinnati, and 

 it is perfectly notorious that it has almost universally failed in all the 

 north-eastern States. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter read the proceedings of the National Pomological 

 Convention, to show how strongly its cultivation had been denounced. 



Adjourned. John W. Chambers, Secretary. 



December 29, 1863. 

 Mr, Nathan C. Ely in the chair. 



Artificial Fertilization of Crops. 



The Secretary read the following article from one of the foreign journals: 

 "A singular discovery has lately been announced in France. The dis- 

 covery, however, is that of a Dutchman, M. Hooibrenk, and the results of 

 his researches have been so well marked and valuable that he has been 

 awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor by the Emperor, who has 

 directed that a scientific commission be appointed to investigate and report 

 upon the matter. M. Hooibrenk supposes that the number of grains in an 

 ear of corn can be increased by bringing a larger quantity of pollen into 

 contact with the stigmate than they usually receive. He conducts his ex- 

 periments as follows : he takes a cord of from twenty-five to thirty yards 

 long, and fastens it to a stiff woolen fringe of about ten inches long ; he 

 steeps it for a short time in honey, and drags it over the fields of corn two 

 or three times after flowering. It catches the pollen from the anthers 



