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the N. Y. Tribune of Feb. 15th. It was read by 

 the Secretary, as follows : 



Hammondsport, Jan. 28, 1867. 



Dr. C. W. Grrant, lona Island— Dear Sir: Mr. 

 C. D. Chapman brought to Pleasant Valley four 

 samples of your lona Wine for testing in such a 

 manner as I should choose. After a strict examina- 

 tion, I have found the wine above my expectation, 

 although they have been very high. First, it is 

 a very pleasant wine to drink, the new samples have 

 a delightful flavor and the old a fine bouquet. Second, 

 it has a great deal less apparent acidity than the 

 Catawba, is fuller bodied and richer in alcohol. 

 The No. 1 (two years old) contains 14 6-10 per 

 cent alcohol. The No. 2 (grapes picked Sept. 14, 

 1866), 12 5-10 per cent alcohol. The No. 3 (grapes 

 picked Oct. 1, 1866), 14 per cent alcohol. The 

 No, 4 (made 30 days after picking), 15 6-10 per 

 cent alcohol. 



The three last being new wines that have not yet 

 finished their fermentation, and will be still richer 

 when that is completed, especially the latter. The 

 older wine of 1864, has improved a great deal by 

 age, and is the best wine I ever drank from native 

 grapes, notwithst nding the unfavorable circum- 

 stances that alvvays attend making it in small quan- 

 tities, by which a portion of strength and all good 

 qualities are lost. I would be very much obliged 

 to you for a small quantity to make into sparkling ; 

 I have no doubt it would be No. 1, and as much 

 above all others as the still wine is. J, D. Masson. 



The Wine Tariff. The subject of duties on foreign 

 wines was discussed at some length and a memorial 

 adopted and signed asking for a higher rate of 

 duties on imported wines, as a means of protection 

 to American vineyard culture as well as affording 

 revenue to the government. ' 



Extent and progress of Vineyard planting. The 

 Secretary was instructed to append to the memorial 

 sucli facts as he possessed in regard to the extent and 

 progress of grape culture in the Lake Shore district. 

 This may be regarded as extending from the vicin- 

 ity uf Dunkirk, near the east end of Lake Erie, to 

 Port Clinton at the west end; and embracing the 

 Islands and Peninsula off Sandusky Bay ; a belt of 

 territory about 200 miles in length and 5 miles in 

 breadth. In this district, it is found on careful 

 inquiry in the several townships and neighborhoods, 

 the amount of land now planted with grapes is not 

 less than seven thousand acres, and the rate of in- 

 crease for the past four or five years has been 1000 

 to 1200 acres per year, which rate is likely to con- 

 tinue, or to increase to all appearances, indefinitely 

 for the future. 



A Grand Shimmer Excursion, by steamboat, to 

 the grape islands and other points of interest, was re- 

 solved on by the Association for next August, and 

 Capt. Spalding of Cleveland was appointed to look 

 after a steamer for the purpose with hotel accom- 

 modations on board sufficient for 200 to 300 persons 

 for a cruise of 4 or 5 days. We shall learn more 

 about this in due time. 



What shall we plant f This is the most impor- 

 tant, and at the same time the most perplexing 

 question before the minds of our vineyard planters. 

 Scarce a day passes that I do not receive a letter or 

 visit from some one asking my advice or opinion, as to 

 the best varieties of grapes for planting on the Lake 

 Shore. If I refer them to the discussions at the 

 meetings of grape growers, the reply commonly is, 

 we cani ot understand the value of the opinions 

 expressed without more knowledge as to the exper- 

 ience and locations of those who utter them. 



The best answer I can give to this question, is, 

 to state what I intend myself to plant in extending 

 my plantation the present spring, the object being 

 fruit, for the market. lam preparing to plant 2000 

 lona vines and about as many Delaware, with a few 

 hundred Israella and Diana for early and late. 



My rule is to plant none but first rate grapes ; for 

 I cannot afi'ord to risk the expense of bringing a 

 vineyard to bearing, then to have only second or 

 third rate fruit for sale for a life-time afterwards ; 

 and it is certain that the people in our cities will 

 before long become educated to a higher standard 

 of grape taste, so that some varieties now deemed 

 "good" will be banished from all respectable society. 



The Catawba is a good grape, when fully ripe, 

 but too often fails to ripen perfectly here. The 

 Delaware also is of the first class and does finely in 

 this district. It only lacks size of berry and spright- 

 lincss of flavor. The lona is free from all defects 

 in its fruit, and from three years of trial, we see fiO 

 reason for apprehension that the vine will be liable 

 to fail in our Lake Shore region ; and if it is likely 

 to fail elsewhere there is only the greater motive 

 for our planting it largely here, for we shall then 

 be the more certain of having the best of the mar- 

 kets for our grapes and wine. 



If wine-making was m.y object I should still plant 

 the lona in preference to all others for this region ; 

 for besides my own judgment I find our most intel- 

 ligent and experienced vignerons hke Mottier and 

 Grriffiths, in spite of 'their prejudices and the high 

 price of the vines, buying and planting the lona by 

 the ten thousands, and avowing their convictions 

 that this is to be par excellence the grape of the 

 Lake Shore, both for the market and for wine. 



