295 



catalogues, but ought to be, as it scarcely can be 

 beaten. It grows compactly and blooms very freely, 

 in and out of doors ; trusses large, circular and fall 

 of blooms. 



I shall report presently the qualities of some late 

 novelties, such as " Grlorie de Nancy," the finest 

 Double Zonale raised so far, Mrs. Benyon, Sunrise, 

 Sunset, Groldfincli, tricolor-leaved Zonale, said to 

 surpass Mrs. Pollock, Souvenir de Sir J oseph Pax- 

 ton, Crystal Palace Grem, Christabel, a charming 

 miniature, Madame Werle, &c 



GRAPES ALONG THE WEST BRANCH OF 

 THE SUSQUEHANNA, 



BY W. L. NESBITT, LEWI3BURG, PA. 



Mr. Editor: — There is a narrow strip of coun- 

 try along the West Branch of the Susquehanna 

 river varying in width from one-fourth to three- 

 fourths of a mile, the soil of which is deep and 

 rich, in some places a sandy, in others a clayey 

 loam. The sand generally preponderates along the 

 river, the clay gradually coming in as you recede 

 from it. The general surface is nearly level, with 

 an elevation above the river of but about 20 feet. 



Many years ago, when the section of country de- 

 scribed was still a wilderness, it was noted for the 

 great number and the luxuriance of the wild vines 

 that grew upon it. Taking a hint from this land- 

 mark of nature, in the fall of 1864 your correspon- 

 dent conceived the idea of selecting a favorable lo- 

 cation and planting a vineyard upon it. The varie- 

 ties chosen were chiefly Delaware, with some Con- 

 cord and Diana, a few lonas, and a specimen vine 

 or two of each kind of any note at that time. A 

 j^ear later an acre more was prepared and planted, 

 the varieties chosen this time being exclusively 

 lona and Israella. 



Now for present results, and the promise for the 

 future. The number of vines of some varieties is 

 given in connection with remarks upon them, for 

 the reason that the horticultural public has had 

 enough of general conclusions based upon the per- 

 formance of a single vine or two, and justly distrusts 

 them. 



One hundred vines of Concord, three years 

 planted, fruit pretty heavily this year for the first. 

 Six weeks ago I was proud of them. They had 

 set a profusion of magnificent clusters, so large and 

 fine ; but the rot, that fell destroyer, has done his 

 work among them. Half the berries are gone, and 

 those fine bunches are but the wrecks of what they 

 promised to be. The foliage indeed is safe— not a 

 speck of mildew upon it, Would that the berries 

 were as hardy. 



The foliage of the Diana sufi'ers very little from 

 mildew ; the vine is a strong and vigorous grower, 

 and prolific; but the berries are quite uneven in 

 size, ripen unevenly, and are usually very crowded 

 upon the bunch. It is certainly not a first-class 

 vineyard sort. 



The Delaware vinej'ard contains 950 vines. The 

 Delaware is a slow grower, and only about 600 vines 

 made sufficient wood last season to bear heavily this 

 season. Of these one-half were left on the stakes 

 all winter, and were killed down to the snow line, 

 the thermometer at one time indicating 25° below 

 zero. The remaining 300 are bearing a most abun- 

 dant crop of fruit, and are carrying it bravely 

 through to perfection. The rot does not alfect 

 them, and the amount of mildew upon the foliage 

 is so trivial as to be unworthy of attention. The 

 deep rich green of the fruit leaves seems to bid 

 defiance to this pest, and to assure the full ripening 

 of the crop. It should be added, however, that 

 my Delawares have not always escaped, nor have 

 they all escaped the mildew this season. The great 

 secret of success seems to be (the best possible 

 position having been chosen for the vineyard) to 

 keep it in a vigorous growing condition by thorough 

 cultivation, and the careful tying up of the young 

 shoots as they grow. 



Of the lona but few vines are in bearing this 

 year, but next j^ear I hope to fruit a thousand. 

 The berries are now (August 15th) beginning to 

 color very nicely. There is not, nor has there been, 

 a rotten berry to be found upon any of my vines, 

 and if the lona maintains in future the character 

 it is making this year, it will certainly be the lead- 

 ing grape with us over any now before the public. 



Its foliage is said in some localities to suffer from 

 mildew, but this is certainly untrue of it here. 

 Your correspondent has enough vines of it to know 

 whereof he speaks. 



The foliage of Israella is less enduring than that 

 of lona, and it sufi'ers a little, though bat little. 

 The vine is a strong grower, and it sets very pretty, 

 symmetrical and compact bunches of fruit, and it 

 will doubtless take rank as a valuable grape along 

 the West Branch of the Susquehanna. 



BRIEF MENTION OF FI^ANTS AND 

 FRUITS. 



by w. l. akers, johnstown, pa. 

 Strawberries. 

 Agricult urist-^r st on the list in size and productive- 

 ness — flavor excellent. Russell also first rate. The 

 fine large berries piled up along the row. Hovey : 

 Fine rich flavor but shy bearer, although planted 



