148 IHE CANADIAN HORTlCULTtJRIST. 



and fifteen feet or moi'e long were common. The gveat productiveness of 

 the vine, and the size and beauty of the bunches and berries, were conspicu- 

 ous qualities. The leaves are thick, distinctly lobed, and hang long on the 

 vines. The bunches often measure six inches long ; they are compact, uni- 

 form and handsome, and the beriies are three-fourths of an inch in diame- 

 ter, light greenish-yellow, the fruit ripening about as early as the Hartford, 

 but continuing longer, and they are much superior in quality to the Con- 

 cord. We had occasion to observe that difierent judges rated the quality 

 variously, some making it equal to, or better* than the Rebecca ; but we 

 could not place it so high. It appears to be intermediate between the 

 Hartford and Concord on one hand, and the Croton and Duchess on the 

 other. But the vigor, productiveness and healthiness of the vine^ the size 

 and beauty of the fruit, and the facility with which it may be shipped, 

 present an vinusual combination of valuable qualities for market. A part 

 of Mr. Hoag's vines were set in 1879, and now, in their second season of 

 growth, were bearing well. Those which were two years older had heavy 

 crops. In the vineyard of B. W. Clark a one-year green- wood plant had 

 been set in 1878, and bore 25 clusters the following year, weighing 19 lbs., 

 and this year we found 57 bunches on it. One of the caues measured 

 nine-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, and was 18 feet long. The Niagara 

 vilies are not offered for sale, but the grape belongs to a company, who 

 plant it exclusively for vineyards, and have now twenty acres in different 

 stages of growth. This variety was originated by C. L. Hoag from a cross 

 of the Concord and Casgady, and it is wholly a native. 



The Lady grape was in tine bearing at B. W. Clark's ; is about as early 

 as the Niagara, and was pronounced by all who tasted the two not quite 

 equal in quality to the Niagara, which it i-esembles in the external appear- 

 ance of the berries on smaller bunches. 



Moore's Early. — Mr. Hoag has a large number of vines of Moore's 

 Early, which we found much better in quality than the specimens we had 

 seen at e^thibitions. It is superior to the Hartford, and about ten days 



earlier> This year it ripened about the middle of August. 



PLUM CEOP AT OWEN SOUND. 



Mr. Vice-President Eoy writes : — 



Our crop this year is simpl}' enormous. No wonder that plum trees 

 are short lived, they do so overbear on clay loam impregnated with lime. 

 I havfe a fine lot of the Glass Seedling ; will send some. I find a great 

 njany of all varieties rotting on the tree this year. McLaughlin is laden 

 to the ground. I am told by dealers that upwards of two thousand bushels 

 sometimes arrive at Owen Sound in one day. Our market is Chicago, by 

 boat. Apple crop large. Pears far below an average. Grapes are a very 

 large crop. Raspberries were very fine. Strawberries rather poor. All 

 this northern country has been favored with large crops. Fall wheat all 

 that could be desired in quantity and quality. I was at Toronto lately, 

 and found the crops from Owen Sound to Orangeville better than I ever 

 Baw them before. 



