1865 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
15 
in observing their trees, and discussing their 
merits, will be of more service to one designing 
to plant an orchard than all the advice that dis¬ 
tant horticulturists can give. One of the most 
distinguished fruit-growers in the country, and 
one who has probably tested more varieties of 
fruits than any other, recently said to us that he 
had been all his life in gathering information 
and needed another life to make this knowledge 
useful to him. It is not possible for one who 
wishes to grow fruit for profit to make such ex¬ 
periments as these, but it is in his power to avail 
himself of ihe results of others’ experience. 
— m I I— ^ ■ 
Agency of Insects and Winds in Effecting 
Fertilization. 
In referring to our staten».ent that the “ Agri¬ 
culturist” strawberry did not fruit under glass, 
B. C. Townsend, Esq., of Long Island, writes : 
“ As this is a perfect variety, there is only 
one cause which can be fairly assignable, pro¬ 
vided the blossoms were fully developed and 
ordinary care exercised, and that :3, the ab¬ 
sence of bees and insects at the season you 
speak of. This is evident from the perfection 
of the same plant blossoming in the open air at 
the natural period in early spring, when these 
humble workers are abroad. 
“ It is to these diligent seekers after nectar that 
we are principally indebted for the fructification 
of nearly all our fruit blossoms; and in forcing 
fruits under glass, the process not being natural, 
but artificial, it follows that artificial meaus of 
impregnation must be resorted to, to scatter the 
pollen. Under glass, in severe weather, but 
little ventilation is allowed, and the atmosphere 
is in some measure stagnant; while out of doors, 
at the natural season of blossoming, light, balmy 
breezes scatter the pollen from each blossom, 
even without the aid of the bees. I have found 
it effectual to take a light pair of bellows, and 
when the blossoms in the forcing house were 
well matured, to blow gently among them, 
creating a light breeze, and the fruit set as well 
in each case as when growing in the open air.” 
Our correspondent has probably suggested 
the true reason for the failure to procure fruit 
from the strawberry in the green-house. Insects 
play a much more important part in fertilization 
than is generally supposed. Careful observa¬ 
tion has shown that there are some plants, the 
structure of which is such, that it is impossible 
for the pollen to come in contact with the pistil 
of the same flower, but it is so arranged that an 
insect, in going from flower to flower, conveys 
the pollen from one to another. This cross 
fertilization of the pistils of one flower with the 
pollen of a different one, tends to prevent the 
perpetuation of individual peculiarities, and to 
thus ensure uniformity throughout the species. 
Flowers for Working Men. 
The American Agriculturist is a paper for 
working men and women, and it takes special 
pleasure in ministering to their wants. Why 
should not our farmers aud mechanics, with 
their families, take more interest in raising flow¬ 
ers ? In England, and on the Continent, laborers 
ot all classes are devoted to floriculture. You 
see pots and boxes of them in their windows, 
all ablaze with beauty, and beds by the door¬ 
step and patches in the garden are filled with 
the flowers which all hearts love. Gardening 
as a profession or calling is the favorite choice 
of many. At the agricultural fairs, carpenters, 
blacksmiths and machinists often carry off prizes 
for flowers and small fruits. We are glad to 
discern the beginning of such tastes here, and 
are more pleased to see the small gardens of 
working people, than the large parterres of our 
men of wealth. They send sunshine into many 
hearts. They indicate contentment and beget 
it; they indicate taste and an increase of it. If 
any of our readers, toiling hard for daily bread, 
have no flower garden, not even a flower pot, 
we beg them in some way to contrive a change 
for the better. Begin in a small way, with 
something cheap and common, and then ad¬ 
vance to something rarer and better. The pas¬ 
sion will grow with wha. it feeds on. 
The Iona and Israella Grapes^ 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist. 
In your number for this month I have read 
an article under the above heading, the character 
of which not only much surprised me, when I 
saw it was written by one so generally well 
informed as Mr. H. P. Byram, but I was also 
astonished to find such an array of misrepresen¬ 
tations had found their way into the columns of 
your very valuable paper, to go forth with it 
into each fiimily of your one hundred thousand 
subscribers, and be perused by the lialf million 
readers, over whom you so justly exercise a great 
influence. 
Now, Mr. Editor, in view of the fact that I 
have been employed as foreman, and general 
agent for Dr. Grant, during four seasons, and 
have meanwhile watched carefully the develop¬ 
ments of all the fruits here, including particularly 
the Iona and Israella grapes, I feel called upon 
to correct some misstatements made in said ar¬ 
ticle, and speak Mdiat is the truth. Having had 
also the carrying out in detail of all the experi¬ 
ments which have been tried here during that 
time, and knowing how well calculated the ar¬ 
ticle to which I refer, is to mislead the public, I 
cannot believe my duty is less than to give, 
through your paper, a statement of facts—facts 
which can be substantiated by every one who 
has lived here, and by all who have any know¬ 
ledge of them whatever. 
Mr. Byram hinges his article particularly upon 
the merits of the Israella grape, and the means, 
which he claims. Dr. Grant employed to secure 
its early ripening, concerning all of which I 
might perhaps be excused from speaking, were 
I not generally supposed to be one of the “ in¬ 
telligent persons” of whom he speaks. 
First, as to his right to express an opinion to 
the public concerning its quality. He first came 
to live at Iona in October, 1863, which was six 
weeks after the fruit of the Israella became fully 
ripe, and more than four weeks after all the best 
of it had been distributed for testing by fruit 
judges. Remaining here until some time in 
July last, he went to Sag Harbor, Long Island, 
and did not return again until nearly the first of 
October. At that time I had been absent several 
weeks, exhibiting the fruit of this and the Iona, 
and was then in Ohio. When I returned, he 
told me he had never yet seen a bunch of the 
Israella, and wished me to show him one. This 
was fully six weeks after the Israella ripened. 
Not knowing the fruit had been so nearly all 
cut in my absence, I proposed to get him a 
bunch from the vine, but it was found none were 
then remaining, except one or two very imper¬ 
fect specimens. He fairly admitted they were 
improper specimens to judge from, and ex¬ 
pressed a regret that he had not seen the fruit 
in its perfection. That these grapes were shown 
in good, well ripened state, the first wees in 
September, was witnessed, and the specimens 
tested by more than five hundred different indi¬ 
viduals at the New England Agricultural Fail' 
at Springfield, Massachusetts, among whom were 
many of the leading pomologists in the Eastern 
States. More than one thousand persons can 
give evidence that they were exhibited, an<J 
fruit of them distributed at the New York State 
Fair, at Rochester, and all who visited the grape 
show at Cleveland, Ohio, were afforded speci¬ 
mens of each variety for tasting. At each place 
of exhibition, the grapes received high expres- 
siouo of merit from those who had ample oppor¬ 
tunity, and were best qualified to judge. So 
much for Mr. Byram’s opinion of the Israella, 
and his opportunity of judging of its merits. 
Second, as to manner of producing said fruit. 
Mr. Byram asserts that Dr. Grant has forced 
every “good bearing vine of Iona and Israeila,” 
and gives the public to understand that all ho 
(Dr. G.) has written concerning their time of 
ripening has been done with a view to mislead. 
He admits however the excellence of the Iona, 
and concedes to it all the merits of quality its 
proprietor lias ever claimed, giving other per¬ 
sons credit of having raised finer specimens 
than have been grown here.-But to his as¬ 
sertions regarding what he termed a “forcing 
process.” In his article he states that “ early in 
the season in front of each good bearing vine of 
both the Israella and the Iona, was first placed 
a large glazed sash, and then on the back or 
north side and twelve or fifteen inches from the 
vines was erected a large wooden screen or wall 
to break off the wind on the one side and to re¬ 
flect the heat of the sun upon the vine and fruit 
on the other.” This statement is incorrect in 
eveiy particular, for within the past four years 
no such experiment has been tried upon any 
one vine on this Island, of any variety whatever, 
The time of ripening of the Israella as set down 
in Dr. Grant’s catalogue is, as I have observed 
it here, standing unprotected winter and sum¬ 
mer in the open vineyard. 
Mr. Byram does positively know that numer¬ 
ous visitors were at Iona during all parts of last 
season, and that very many made pilgrimages 
here for none other than the express purpose of 
seeing these new grapes. He knows further, 
that not only were all who came here shown 
freely about by the proprietor and employees, 
but that every person, whether visiting here, or 
on business, has had free permission to walk 
everywhere about the Island, as he chose, and 
further, that the Iona and Israella vines in bear¬ 
ing were particularly pointed out to all. 
It is perhaps generally known, but I will brief¬ 
ly state that numerous experiments upon vines 
and trees have been and are being tried here 
each year. Such have embraced different meth¬ 
ods of training, pruning, choice of exposure, va¬ 
rieties of shelter, etc., but in no single case 
within the past four seasons, has there been one 
vine protected on two sides, nor has there been 
protection given any vines, equal in effect to a 
continuous board fence six feet high. The near¬ 
est approach to this is a shelter commenced but 
not complete for a system of vines mostly Del¬ 
awares, on the Thomery plan. 
Iona, near I'-. AlVAH BuSHNELL. 
Dec* 1 864, 
---- 
He who admits that he has a secret to keep 
has, by doing so, revealed one-half of it, and 
the other will be likely to very soon follow. 
A physician is an unfortunate gentleman, who 
is eveiy day called upon to perform a miracle— 
to reconcile good health with wrong living. 
