62 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



judgment having been passed upon the fruit wlien it was unripe ; and 

 as some who are supposed to be authority in such matters have given 

 expression to this opinion, it has become the fashion among the " upper 

 ten" of the horticultural world to call the berry "sour." But when the 

 fruit is allowed to become ripe, which is not when it first turns red, 

 but when the seeds have become dark brown and the berries assume 

 a mohogany color, then will its true richness and flavor be developed, 

 and the fruit be found to possess that commingling of sweet and sour 

 which is sprightly, refreshing and agreeable. For those whose taste 

 demands a greater degree of sweetness, sugar may be added without 

 destroying the flavor, but they will be few who will require much 

 addition of saccharine beyond that which the perfectly ripened berry 

 yields. 



With a record such as the one we have now presented, the Wilson's 

 Albany will commend itself to the planter, whether he purposes 

 merely to furnish his own table or to supply the market. 



THE GKAPE-VINE FLEA-BEETLE. 



BY HENRY BONNYCASTLE, CAMPBELLFORD, ONT. 



I am in trouble with my grape-vines. I have a small vineyard of 

 about thirty vines, well trellised, some of them 1| inches in diameter'. 

 They all started their buds properly this Spring, but since then one- 

 half of them have remained in the same state, the buds turning yellow 

 and looking sickly ; I found a lot of small dark blue bugs on the buds, 

 they appear to eat into the heart of the bud, and are difficult to catch. 

 I made a solution of soap suds, putting one table spoonful of hellebore 

 into one pailful, and watering the vines with a rose on the watering 

 pot. I apply every Spring around eacli vine old rotted horse manure, 

 raking in wood ashes, and keep the ground in clean order. Would 

 you be kind enough to advise me what to do. It is very disheartening 

 to lose the vines after so many years of care and labor. The vines 

 are Delaware, Adirondac, Salem, Concord, Hartford, Israella, Martha, 

 (white), Eumelan, and Clinton. The Adirondac, Delaware, and Salem 

 are most affected. I am trying to catch the bugs by hand, but find it 



