12 THE GEaPE CULTUEIST. 



brittle. The bark of the native vines, particularly the 

 northern speeies, is harder than that of the foreign one, 

 and the prevailing colors are dark maroon or brown, vary- 

 ing to light orange. Yery few of the cultivated native 

 varieties have any bloom upon the young wood, while that 

 of the foreign ones, when grown in the open air, usually 

 has a grayish or ashen hue, and is also more or less sup- 

 plied with a peculiar blue bloom. 



Many other peculiarities might be noticed, but as we do 

 not recommend foreign varieties for out-door culture in 

 the Northern States, there is no necessity of pursuing this 

 subject further. 



PROPAGATION BY SEED. 



As the propagation of the grape from seeds is the only 

 method by which "new varieties can be produced, it is aU 

 important to the welfare and prosperity of grape culture 

 in this country that it should receive the attention of aU 

 friends of progress in this department of horticulture. 

 Although great advance has been made in the last few 

 years, and we now have a few fine table and wine grapes, 

 yet we have none that are perfect, or but what may be far 

 surpassed, even if only ordinary skill is appUed to the 

 growing of seedlings. 



The seeds should always be gathered from grapes that 

 are fully ripe, and from the best varieties that can be 

 obtained. Those varieties which have any prominent de- 

 fect, such as slow growth, thin small leaves, those that are 

 liable to mildew, vines that are tender, or ripen their fruit 

 very late, should be avoided, unless they possess some 

 excellent qnaUty which it would be desirable to perpetuate, 

 and which can not be found in any other variety. It must 

 not be expected that good, strong, healthy seedlings will 

 be grown every year, even from the very healthiest, native 

 variety, as the seeds of the grape are not fully developed 



