THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



EAELY GRAPES AND ENEMIES. 



"Bees don't cut grapes." Don't tliey, though? I have known grapes 

 ever since the days when the York Maderia, the Isabella and the Catawba 

 were the only sorts out, and these only very little disseminated, but I liave 

 never had them injured, as by bees or wasps, until this season. I tii-st 

 noticed the depredation going on over some tine bunches of lona "which 

 were growing on a frame between Concords. I covered these with paper 

 bags arid so secured them ; but the bees went on along the frame of Concords 

 and soon there were I and X shaped slits cut on the ripest berries of nearly 

 every bunch, and crowds of bees buzzing and sucking and bearing off the 

 juice. A very few wasps were participating, and in one place some ants, and 

 I was troubled to find who began it, who made the first cut, much as one is 

 over the asseverations of a set of boys who have been conjoints in a piece of 

 mischief. The ants and wasps have been liere through all the fifty yeai's 

 of my experience, and never were known to do such things ; neither have 

 our common bees. But the bees at work here were the ring streaked with 

 yellow Italians, and although I cannot see well enough to make out how 

 they snip the grape with a cut just like that of a can-opener, I believe they 

 do it. It is somewhat singular tliat other Concords on a higher frame have 

 not been touched, nor any other sorts near, since we cleared the frame first 

 attacked and used what fruit was left to make syrup and marmalade. 



As to earliest grapes, the downy stout wood of the Champion makes it 

 seem to be a seedling of the Hartford. Both fruit and bunch are small, 

 and the quality is less than tolerable. But it does not drop as Hartfords 

 are so apt to do. I have a gra|)e called the Paxton, which resembles the 

 Hartford in every particular of vine and fruit, is evidently of the same 

 strain, and would appear identical with it, only that the fruit hangs well,, 

 becoming very tender and rich when Concords are entirely ripe and passing 

 their prime. If the Creveling -would fertilize so as to have complete 

 bunches, uniformly, it would be the best earliest grape among all here, 

 (Central Pennsylvania.) It also hangs well and attains a very delectable 

 flavor. All things considered, we count the Worden our best eai-liest. 



— W., in New York Tribune^ 



A SPLENDID EARLY PEAR. 



Petite Marguerite is one of Mr. Andre Leroy's seedlings, and it was 

 held in such high esteem by that celebrated French poraologist that he 

 named it after the youngest of his grand daughters. In the year 18G3 it 

 was first offered in France, and in this country it has been on trial several 

 years, but not until recently have its merits been recognised, and its 

 propagation and dissemination seriously undertaken. This shows how 

 much time is required to determine the value and to raise a stock of new 

 fruit. Mr. Leroy was remarkably fortunate in the production of choice 

 pears, but many of his seedlings, like Eugene Appert, Henri Desportes, 

 Madame B. Desportea, Mad. Andre Leroy, and M,aurice Desj orts, aro 



