114 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
ings of the insect magnified, may be found in Vol. 
XIX, p. 108 (April No.) Where these insects 
abound, they attack root and branch, puncturing 
the bark to get at the sap on which they live. Old, 
rough-barked trees are their favorite abiding 
places. Now, to dislodge them, the bark of the 
trees where they prevail, should be thoroughly 
scraped, and the loose bark burned. The trees 
should then be washed with a decoction strong 
enough to put the insects’ eyes out. A standard 
wash is thus made: “ Two parts of soft soap, 
and eight of water, mixed with lime enough to 
bring it to the consistency of thick whitewash.” 
Put it on with a white-wash brush. 
Early in this month, light pruning may be 
done. Take off all suckers springing up at the 
base of the tree, also the sprouts on the large 
limbs in the center. Small limbs in the interior 
of a tree are of no use for fruit bearing, and they 
hinder one’s climbing about with a basket to 
gather fruit. If the grails of a previous year 
have got well established, all the shoots spring¬ 
ing out below them may now be sawed off. 
April is the great grafting month—a few hints 
may be timely; a plain practical description of 
the process was given in the March Agriculturist, 
p. 82, last year. Provide the best of tools. 1. 
A fine saw, that will take off a limb smoothly; 
and of several sorts, the “ Bow-Saw,” with a nar¬ 
row, fine tempered blade stiffened by an arched 
back, is the best. 2. A grafting chisel, for split¬ 
ting large stocks. 3. A first-rate pruning knife, 
for paring the edges of all wounds smooth, and 
for shaping the cions for insertion. Select the 
largest and healthiest limbs for grafting; though 
it is a pity to hew off very large limbs, they are 
so slow in healing over, and the cions after 
making a strong growth, are apt to break off in 
high winds. Rather than graft one such large 
limb, the orchardist should climb out further, 
and work over several smaller ones. In sawing 
off' branches, they should not be suffered to fall 
down, and split off the bark below: the branch 
should be supported with one hand, while the 
other saws. It is bad policy to put on one’s rough¬ 
est boots when climbing about in the trees. 
They do not increase one’s agility, and they are 
very apt to make wounds in the bark which do 
not soon heal over. 
- m » — - 
What Grapes Shall I Plant ? 
From every quarter, this question comes to 
our table. It shows that a great and wide¬ 
spread interest is being awakened on this sub¬ 
ject. The question is not easy to answer cor¬ 
rectly and fully, in a few words. Some grapes 
are suitable for Ohio and Virginia and Pennsyl¬ 
vania, that would not thrive as well in New- 
York, Ncw-England, and other north-western 
States. Some are suitable only for wine-making: 
others are best for the dessert. Some succeed 
well in the open vineyard, while others require 
a warm, cosy corner, or the shelter of a wall. 
If we must answer in a few words, we should 
say that for the latitude south of Newburg, 
(40° 30'), Isabella , Diana, Rebecca, Delaware , and 
Catawba , would furnish good table grapes. For 
wine making, the Catawba stands first, ofcourse. 
Yet it "is probable that a few others will, sooner 
or later, divide the honors of the vineyard with 
it. The Clinton , almost worthless for the table, 
makes a very good wine. The Oporto , intro¬ 
duced lately from Western N. Y., promises well, 
and the Delaware is likely to outstrip them all. 
The vine-growers of Missouri and Ohio, having 
experimented with it for a few years past, are 
so highly pleased with it that they are planting 
it on a larger and larger scale every year. A 
late report of the Cincinnati Horticultural Socie¬ 
ty speaks of it in almost. unbounded terms. So 
well convinced was Mr. Mottier, of Cincinnati, 
of its superiority, that he, last season, planted a 
vineyard of 1500 vines, notwithstanding their 
present high price. 
For the region north of Newburg, N. Y., 
extending, say two hundred miles, we recom¬ 
mend for garden culture, the Concord , Logan , 
Hartford Prolific, Diana, Rebecca , Delaware , and 
To Kalon. The merits of all these are now so 
well established, we need not here descant upon 
them. Only it may be said that persons far to 
the north of Troy, would do well to give the 
Diana, Rebecca , and To Kalon , a warmer situation 
than the others, in order to ensure their ripen¬ 
ing before frost. For wine making, none would 
answer as well as the Clinton and Delaware. 
In addition to the above, a few grapes lately 
introduced and promising well, may be noticed: 
The Elizabeth grape.—This originated on the 
farm of James Hart, near Rochester, several 
years ago, and is in good repute in that region. 
It is a white grape, with a compact bunch. The 
Rural New-Yorker says: “The bunch and 
berries both resembled the Isabella in size and 
form; skin thin; color greenish white, with a 
slight purple tinge in the sun. The flavor was 
good, better than Isabella, we thought at the 
time, somewhat acid, but pleasant.” 
The Alvej grape.—This starts forth with high 
claims. Mr. S. Miller, of Calmdale, Pa., “ con¬ 
siders it of the highest value; he ranks it supe¬ 
rior to the Delaware, in all those qualities essen¬ 
tial to a popular fruit.” 
The bunches are long and tapering, berry of 
good size, flavor excellent, and will probably 
furnish a “must” of first-rate quality. The 
vine is vigorous, free from mildew, and hardy as 
can be desired. So the “ Farmer and Gardener ” 
asserts, and adds that it is “ one of the best of 
our newer grapes, if, indeed, it do not prove to 
be superior to all for certain purposes.” It must 
indeed be a remarkable grape, if it can sustain 
such praises: we want to see it. 
The Crevelling. —Here is another Pennsylvania 
grape. Mr. Mead, of the Horticulturist, de¬ 
scribes it as resembling the Isabella somewhat, 
yet distinct from it. The bunch narrower, the 
coloring matter of the skin a deep purple, the 
berries covered with a thick bloom; ripens ear¬ 
lier than Isabella, and is sweet and pleasant. It 
is identical with the Catawissa, and the Colum¬ 
bia Bloom. In Pennsylvania, it makes a good 
wine, without the addition of sugar or spirit. Its 
only point of superiority to the Isabella is its 
earlier ripening. 
The Ci yahoga. —Here we have a new grape 
of undoubted superiority. Its history, as given 
in the January No. of the Horticulturist, is sub¬ 
stantially this: Mr. Wemple, some ten years 
ago, saw a seedling vine, a few inches high, 
coming up between the steps of a store in the 
town of Euclid, which he took up and carried 
home. Afterward, parting with his farm, he 
carried a layer of the grape to his residence 
in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, whence its name. 
The bunch is of medium size—smaller, it 
would seem, than the Rebecca—but this will 
increase in size with the age of the vine. It is 
said that it ripens from ten days to two weeks 
earlier than the Isabella. This is a very import¬ 
ant point, and we could wish the evidence had 
been fuller and more decisive, for if it is as late 
as the Isabella, it will be comparatively worth¬ 
less north of Albany. We aro told also, that 
the foliage is free from mildew, the berries ripen 
uniformly, and hang well to the stem. 
Here is a formal pomological description: 
“ Bunch , medium to large, shouldered, compact. 
Berries, medium to large, round, covered with 
bloom. Pulp , melting, juicy, sweet, with a fine 
musky flavor. Color, pale, yellowish green, 
tinged with amber when ripe. Quality, best.” 
If the testimony of good judges will help any 
of our readers in forming their opinions, let them 
read the following: Marshall P. Wilder, says: 
“ The Cuyahoga is as good as the White Clias- 
selas.” Dr. I. P. Kirtland, of Ohio, says, “ It is 
the best grape yet introduced for this locality.” 
The editor of the “ Gardener’s Monthly ” says, 
“Of some seventy native varieties we have 
tasted this season, this is decidedly the best.” 
Mr. Bulls New Seedlings .—This gentleman, the 
originator of the famous Concord, has been occu¬ 
pied for many years in raising seedlings from 
that good, substantial variety. Out of a multi¬ 
tude, he has selected six, in the third and fourth 
generation from the parent, which he thinks 
worthy of trial. He exhibited them at the last 
annual meeting of the Mass. Horticultural Soci¬ 
ety. These were all considered excellent, most 
especially a white one, which the committee of 
examination report as “ nearly of the same col¬ 
or as the White Nice, with whitish bloom ber¬ 
ries, and large bunch, without any foxy taste 
whatever, and in quality equal or nearly so to 
any foreign grapes this day shown; and after a 
careful comparison with the Concord, Diana, 
Delaware, Hartford Prolific, Catawba, and Isa¬ 
bella, they consider it much the best native 
grape shown.” This is high praise. That Con¬ 
cord great-grandson deserves looking after. 
A Few Good Shrubs. 
As beginners in ornamental planting are often¬ 
times at a loss to know what are the best shrubs 
for their gardens and lawns, we will offer 
them a little advice. The catalogues of the 
nurserymen often enumerate them by the hun¬ 
dred, with high-flown descriptions annexed, but 
this only puzzles the inexperienced man, who 
wants but a dozen or two, and such as are really 
suitable and best for him. If the writer’s ex¬ 
perience and observation of fifteen or more 
years among shrubs, will avail our readers any¬ 
thing, they are welcome to its results. 
It is not enough to inquire what shrubs have 
the finest flowers; the flowers will last, at the 
longest, only a few weeks, and if the foliage 
and general habit of the bushes are defective, 
they will yield but little satisfaction. We want 
good foliage first, and fine flowers afterwards. 
Nor, again, is it best to inquire whether a 
shrub is one of recent introduction. It is no 
better for being new-fashioned. The old sorts 
have been retained in our fathers’ gardens from 
generation to generation, because of their real 
excellence. And what pleasant associations 
have grown up around them ! Our ancestors 
planted them, and made love among them, and 
their children decked their hair with garlands 
from them. Yes, hold on to the old sorts; make 
them the basis of your collection, and add the 
new, only as they have been tried and approved. 
The Japan Quince .—This is one of the earliest 
of flowering shrubs, the blossoms appearing in 
April, and rarely in May. There are two sorts, 
the scarlet, and white or blush. The first is the 
most showy; the flowers, when the sun shines 
upon them, looking like coals of fire. North 
of Albany, N. Y., the upper half of the shoot 3 
