flic Srntgarir. 
GRAPE TESTS. 
Report ol tlie Secretary of the Committer of 
the I'ieiiHaut Valley (Jrnpe (Jrowcru’ Am- 
norfnlinii, upon llie Grape Tr*tw, til lliun- 
mondHpori, X. V.» Oct. I 1S70. 
I Continued from pa«e330, last No.] 
Drlnwnri's. 
Srx specimen* were offered. 
1 . .Jar. II. Rick terra, Newburgh. Orange 
Co., N. Y.— Sugar, 215 lbs. Arid, 450 100,- 
000. Soil, limestone. Exposure, Eastern. 
Cultivation, not stated. Distance between the 
vines, 0 feet each way. Hummer pruning, 
none. Ago of vines, not stated. Time of 
picking, Oct. 0.1. Training , to a trellis. 
2. David Bajlby, llanmiondsport, N. Y. 
—Sugar, 25811 is. A eul, 525-100,000. No other 
particulars obtained. 
8 . H. O. Fairchild, ITammomlsport.— 
Sugar, 235 lbs. Acid, 530-100,000. Soil, 
shale; subsoil, day. Exposure, Southern. 
Cultivation, twice plowed and hoed. Distance 
between the vines, 7 feet by 7 feet. Summer 
pruning, none. Age of vines, six years. 
Time of picking, Oct. Gth. Training, to a 
trellis. 
4. Pleasant Valley Wine Co., Hammonds- 
port, N. Y.— Sugar 2G1 lbs. Acid, 500-100,- 
000. Soil, gravelly drift. Exposure, Eastern. 
Cultivation, plowed and lined twice. Distance 
between the vines, 7 feet by 7 feet. Summer 
pruning, none. Age of vines, four years. 
Time of picking, Sept. 20th. Training, to a 
trellis. 
5. C. II. Pf.rry, Vine Valley, Yates Co., 
N. Y.—Sugar, 200 lbs. Acid, 475-100,000. 
Soil, gravelly loam. Exposure, Southern. 
Cultivation, plowed and cultivated once each 
and hoed. Distance between the vines, 8 
feet by 8 feet.. Summer pruning, none. Age 
of vines, not. given. Time of picking, Oct. 
11 tli. Training, to a trellis. 
0. Wells & Mouse, Seneca point, Canan¬ 
daigua Lake, N. Y.— Sugar, 230 lbs. Acid, 
550 100.000. Soil, a deep alluvial deposit 
formed by the wash from the hill sides form¬ 
ing the lake shores, consisting largely of dis¬ 
integrated shale, and shale in the process of 
decomposition. There arc traces of clay in 
portions of the vineyard, and stones are quite 
numerous. 
Exposure —The entire vineyard is on a 
level point, running out into Canandaigua 
Lake from the base of the hills, having a 
Southeastern exposure. The surface is but 
a few feet above the level of the lake. 
Planting and culture—The plants were prop¬ 
agated from single eyes (the wood from A,. 
T. Baker’s vineyard of IIainmoiKlsport)aiul 
were set out. when one year old, being small, 
in nursery rows in the same soil they now 
occupy; after remaining one year, they had 
become line largo roots, and were set seven 
feet apart in rows six lcet between, running 
cast and west. They have been trained en¬ 
tirely on the double-arm system recom¬ 
mended by Dr. Grant. Pruning is done in 
the fall. No summer pruning is allowed, 
and overbearing is prevented by rubbing off 
all hut the required number of Imds at the 
time of first tying up. Generally from six 
to eight canes are left, on each arm. The 
vines are tied up three times, once to each 
wire. No plowing is allowed; the eultiva- 
the grapes as presented, was 234 lbs., corre¬ 
sponding with 104’ of Oeciisi.k’s scale. The 
average amount of acid was 503-100,000. 
Owing to the reasons above given, I do not 
give the maximum and minimum, as they 
would be very likely to mislead. 
Clinton. 
Three specimens were presented. 
1 . Ray IIyatt, Pullncy, Sleuben Co., N. Y. 
Sugar , 222 lbs. Acid, 900-100,000. Soil, clayey 
shale. Exposure, Eastern. Cultivation, plowed 
and hoed in June and August. Distance be¬ 
tween the vines, 8 feet by 8 feet. Summer 
pruning, none. Age of vines, five years. Time 
of picking, Oct. llt.li. Training, to trellis. 
2. Pleasant Valley Wine Co., llammonds- 
port.— Sugar, 215 lbs. Acid, 900 100,000. 
Soil ,gravelly shale, Exposure, Southeastern. 
Cultivation, plowed and hoed twice in the 
summer. Distance between the vines, 8 feet 
by 8 feet. Summer pruning, none. Age of 
vines, four years. Time of picking, Oct. 2d. 
Training, to trellis. 
3. T. P. Rossiter, Cold Spring, Putnam 
Co., N. Y.— Sugar, 199 lbs. Acid, l.QpO-lOO,- 
000. Soil, gravelly. Exposure, Western. Cul¬ 
tivation, not given. Distance between the 
vines, 5 feet by 5 ll-et. Summer pruning, not 
stated. Age of vines, eight years. Time of 
picking, not given. Training, on wire trellis. 
RECAPITULATION. 
es IT. Ricketts. 
Id Bsiiley. 
■. Fnirehlhl . 
sunt Vul. Wine Co. 
. Perry.. 
Is by G ft. Oct. 3. 
t I . I cri '. . O* p o il. »/t11. 
rolls A Mo rse. 1 S. E. 5 yrs. 7 by U ilfc Pet. 0. 
The average amount of sugar contained in 
Ray Hyatt.. 
Pleasant Vul. Wine C 
T. P. Rossiter. 
Sueur, by 
Twllclmlf’. 
Sngnr, by 
OrthultTM 
Arid. 
Scale. 
Scute. 
272 lbs. 
100- 
900 HKI,000 
215 IbM. 
97’ 
900-101),(HIO 
199 lbs. 
90" 
1000-100.000 
Name. 
Expo#* 
ure. 
Ago of 
vine*. 
Distance 
apart. 
Time of 
picking. 
R:iy Ilvatt. 
Pleasant Vul. Wine Co. 
T. 1*. ltoBsiler. 
E. 
8. E. 
IV. 
5 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
8 yrs. 
5 by 8 ft. 
8 by 8 ft. 
6 by & ft. 
Oct. 11. 
Oct. 2. 
Average amount of sugar, 207 lbs. Aver¬ 
age amount of acid, 900-100,000. The maxi¬ 
mum of sugar was 222 lbs., in the sample 
of Hay Hyatt. The minimum of sugar 
was 191 lbs., in the sample of T. P. Ros- 
SITER. 
Norton’s Virginia Seedtime. 
Two specimens. 
1 . Urbaiia Wine Co., ITammomlsport, 
N. Y.— Sugar, 218 lbs. Acid, 900-100,000. Soil, 
clay loam, with a clay subsoil. Exposure, 
Western. Cultivation, plowed, cultivated 
and lined. Distance between vines, 8 feet by 
8 feet. Summer pruning, none. Age of 
Vines, four years. Time of picking, Oct. 10th. 
Training, to trellis. 
2, Pleasant. Valley Wine Co., ITammonds- 
port.— Sugar, 214 lbs. Acid, 900-100,000. 
Soil , gravelly clay. Exposure, Eastern. Cal¬ 
ii na ion, plowed and hoed twice. Distance 
between the vines, 7 feet by 8 feet. Sum¬ 
mer pruning , none. Age of vines, four 
years. Time of picking, Oct. 7t!i. Train¬ 
ing, on trellis. 
RECAPITULATION. 
tor and hoe keep the ground clear whenever 
required. No covering is used in winter. The 
first, ripe grapes this season were picked Au¬ 
gust 24i it. The vine from which these grapes 
were picked is a large vine, and bore ninety 
bunches, all of which were picked October 
9th. Age of vines—They were planted in 
the spring of I860, this being their tilth sum¬ 
mer. It would add greatly to the interest of 
future reports if all the accompanying state¬ 
ments were made as clear and intelligible as 
this. 
It will he observed that the Delaware has 
developed an amount of sugar during the 
present year far in advance of anything that 
lias ever been seen before; and this increase 
Inis been accompanied l>y a very considera¬ 
ble diminution of acid. It is undoubtedly 
true that the Delaware is richer than it ever 
has been before, but not ns umch so as the 
above figures would indicate, as nearly all 
the specimens were very much dried, and 
not, therefore, quite fair samples. That pre- 
sen ted by Mr. David Bailey was an excep¬ 
tion to this remark, as it was plump and fair 
as a bunch that had been just plucked from 
the vines in the middle of September. 
recapitulation. 
Name. 
Sueur, bv Sugar, by 
Ttrltrhclra Oeulwlo’o Acl«l. 
Sm Id, Soule. 
Urliana IVine Co. 
Pleasant Vul. Winet’n. 
213 lbs. 93° 900-100,000 
2!4 lhs. 9fi° SoO-ldO.OflO 
XT 
N AMR. 
; 
Kxpos- Age of Disljuice Time of 
ure. vines. apart. picking. 
Urbann. Wine Co. 
Plenaimt Vul. Wine Co. 
W.7by S ft. Oct. 10. 
F.7 by 8 ft. Oct. 7. 
Average amount of sugar, 210 lbs. Acid, 
900-100,000. 
Iuvnelln. 
1 . Eli R. Stf.ver, Bluff Point, Yates 
Co., N. Y. — Sugar, 103 lbs. Acid, 500-100,- 
000. No other particulars furnished. 
Surat, bv 
Twilrhdl’s 
Srnle. 
Sugar, by 
Oec bale's 
Scale. 
Aoid. 
215 lbs. 
®8 lbs. 
235 lhs. 
201 lbs. 
;yo itm, 
230 lb a. 
97* 
MX' 
105* 
Hi- 
115" 
100* 
450-100.000 
525- HKi.OOO 
500-100,(xX> 
500-100,100 
17.-100,000 
650-100,000 
F.*|s>:>-! Air. III! Dintnncc | Time ol 
Ur.. Vinos. AjiRTt, j PlrklllJ. 
1 1 ! 
4 vrs.|7 by 7 ft. Oct, ft. 
4 yrs. " by 7 ft. Sep. 
JS by 8 ft. Oet. 11. 
DESIREE COMELIS TEAR. 
2. Pleasant Valley Wine Co., Ilammonds- 
port, N. Y.— Sugar, 189 lbs. Acid, 500- 
100,000. Soil, gravelly. Exposure, East¬ 
ern. Cultivation, plowed and hoed twice 
in summer. Distance between the vines, 7 
feet by 7 feet. Summer pruning, none. Age 
of vines, three years. Time of picking, Sept. 
Arboricnhurt. 
PICEA PARSONSIANA. 
E.SE An$_s e , 
A BRANCH OF PICEA 
Training, on trellis. 
RECAPITULATION. 
PARSONSIANA. 
Sugnr, bv Sugar, by 
Twltchell’i Oeclmle’s 
Mill. Soil#* 
Kll Tt. Stover. 
1G3 lbs. 
Plemmnt Vnl. Wine Co., 189 lbs. 
500-100,(XX) 
500-100,000 
F.xpon- Age ol 
ure. rltiM. 
Ell n. Stayer. 
Distance 
H)>IUt. 
Time of 
pick big. 
Plea* ant y.,l wine Oi l 
Average amount of sugar, 170 lbs. Aver¬ 
age amount of acid, 500 100,000. 
Walter. 
Lindley W. Ferris, Poughkeepsie, N. 
Y.— Sugar, 23-1 lbs. Ariel, 375-100,000. Soil, 
argillaceous gravel. Exposure., Southeastern. 
Cultivation, with the hoe. Distance between 
the vines, 8 feet by 10 feet. Summer prun¬ 
ing, none. Age. of vines, three years from 
cutting. Time of picking, Oct. 8th. Train¬ 
ing, to trellis. 
Itnrilan. 
James H. Ricketts, Newburgh, Orange 
Co.,N. Y.— Sugar, 251 lhs. Acid, 500-100,- 
000. Soil, limestone. Exposure, Eastern. 
Cultivation, not given. 1 Distance between 
vines, 0 feet each way. Summer pruning, 
none. Age of vines, not given. Time of 
picking, Oct. 0th. Training, to a trellis. 
Putnam (Mark.) 
Jas. II. Ricketts. — Sugar, 222 lbs. Acid, 
400-100,000. Other particulars as given for 
Raritans, except that the grapes were picked 
on the 10th of October. 
Clinton Seedling (White.) 
Jas. n. Ricketts. — Sugar, 190 lbs. Acid, 
not determined. Other particulars the same 
as given for Raritans throughout. 
£unieln.ii. 
Pleasant Valley Wine Co.—Sugar, 230 lbs. 
Acid, 400-100,000. Sul, gravel!y, of dri ft for¬ 
mat ion. Exposure, Eastern. Cultivation, 
plowed and lined twice. Distance between 
the vines, 7 by 7 feet. Summer pruning, a 
light pruning was given, as described under 
Dianas. Age. of vines, set. two years last 
spring. Time of picking, Sept 28tli. Train¬ 
ing, to a trellis.— [To be continued. 
TnE remarkable and fern-like beauty of 
the foliage of this tree 
has called forth so many 
expressions of admira¬ 
tion, that I gladly com¬ 
ply with your request 
\b\\ for its history. In the 
ML# autumn of 1852 we sold 
| a bill of some $1,750 to a 
\ firm in San Francisco for 
)g|jpr $1,200, of which we gave 
them credit, and request- 
ed them to send us sonic 
P seeds of conifers, and to 
charge the value against 
this credit. In May, 1853, 
we were surprised by 
the receipt of a box two 
. feet, square, accompanied 
by a freight bill of $80 
and an invoice of $1,200. 
Isuilwrxl The seeds being new 
mm both to the botanist and 
iK-rSlr to the trade, wo consld- 
ered them of very uncer- 
tain value, and came to 
AmMi /y the conclusion that we 
/ ///j as well as our goods were 
sold. The firm soon afler 
fy jg a/ failed, and we received 
y ■'a ZSzivS r no explanation, and of 
course no more money. 
Among them were Libo- 
. / / cedrus decu rrem , Torrcya 
w//W// myristiea, and many fine 
\U\nf/jmr conifers, which proved 
very valuable, and our 
adventure, which prom¬ 
ised to be unfortunate, 
proved to us more valu¬ 
able than the amount charged us. 
In the autumn of 1855, Stuart Low, then 
in this country, bought nearly ail our Torre- 
ya myristiea, and as many of the Pice a Par- 
sonsiana as we were willing to spare. About 
the same time, or soon after, we sent, some of 
them to Mr. Barrow of Elvaston Castle, 
whose opinion of conifers ranked high, and 
who was always supposed to speak ex ca¬ 
thedra. lie wrote us that our Picea was un¬ 
doubtedly a new species, unlike anything 
then known in England, and that be had 
named it Picea Parsonsiana. We accepted 
the name, because it was associated with a 
plant of rare merits. Some time after lids, 
whether one, two or three years I cannot say, 
seed was introduced Into England, the trees 
from which I saw in the spring of 1859, in 
the grounds of Wateree & Godfrey, and 
which I recognized as our Picea. I found, 
however, that they lmd it under the name of 
lasiocarpa. On corresponding with Mr. Bar- 
row again, he asserted that this name was 
wrongly given—that the true lasiocarpa was 
totally different, and that he should adhere 
to Ins former nomenclature. 
On examining our own plants, us well as 
those of Wateree & Godfrey, we found 
that the species spotted very much and pro¬ 
duced trees widely differing, but having a 
predominance of straight leaves. Finding 
among our own stock a variety which we 
did not find in England, witli curling leaves, 
symmetrical form, and a remarkable fern- 
like aspect, we concluded to propagate that 
only, and let the straiglit-leaved plants go. 
In this way our Picea Parsonsiana is kept 
entirely distinct from those of the same spe¬ 
cies grown in England under the name of 
lasiocarpa, and which last, are still asserted 
by Mr. Barrow to be Parsonsiana. 
Those of your readers who have visited 
our grounds will be Impatient with any des¬ 
cription which 1 can give, for no description 
can do justice to its beauty. It is worthy of 
admiration at. all seasons; but in June, when 
the new growth is crowned upon the old, 
when the delicate light steel green of the new 
Shoot is contrasted with the rich darkness of 
the old and the leaves curl up over iho 
branches till they almost meet, it is especially 
beautiful. Lovers of trees will then sit upon 
my piazza and, fascinated by its charms, gaze 
upon it as a connoisseur devours with his 
eyes a beautiful picture. It lias been scattered 
somewhat over the country but not widely, 
for few men have sufficient appreciation to 
pay a large juice for a small plant and wait 
for its beauty. S. B. Parsons. 
Flushing, L. I. 
Our limited space this week prevents us 
giving an engraving of a full-sized specimen 
of this evergreen ; but we shall give it at an 
early date. 
Bomolagtntl. 
FRUITS RECEIVED. 
BY F. R. ELLIOTT. 
Desiree Cornells Pear, 
Tms, received from Elt.wanger & Bar¬ 
ry, I am disposed to rank higher than has 
been generally stated. It is a beautiful and 
large fruit, smooth and regular, and 1 think 
should have extended trial over the country. 
Its description is well given by Downing, 
except bedocs not state that it is thickly 
studded with small specks. Its flesh is fine 
grained, melting, buttery, vinous sweet. It 
will be a popular market pear, and if the 
tree prove reliable in all localities it will 
some day be extensively grown. 
Bonne Du I’niiN-AiiBiiiilt. 
The specimens of this pear, T imagine, are 
of the first of the variety ever fruited in this 
country. Tt. is well described and pretty 
correctly figured by Leroy. Tl is a pear of 
full medium size, roundish oblate, slightly 
conical; surface rough and uneven;• light 
greenish yellow, mostly covered, marbled 
amt dotted with a thin yellow russet. The 
stem is short, and set, in a deep abrupt fur¬ 
rowed cavity. The calyx is closed, small, 
and set in a round, deep basin. The flesh is 
fine grained, melting, buttery, and sweetly 
acidulous, and as Leroy says, "premiere," or 
best. 
Duchesne Preence. 
This is another new variety—that is, new 
to me—first fruited in this country. It is de¬ 
scribed by Leroy, but is not by him well 
figured. The fruit is large to very large ob¬ 
long, obovate pyriform; surface glossy, slight¬ 
ly uneven, light. pule yellow, with bronzed 
shade, broken lines and many minute 
dark dots. Stem one and a quarter inches, 
stoutest, at connection with limb, set oblique 
or by a knob; calyx large, set in a broad, 
open basin; flesh juicy, astringent, not quite 
second-rate. Its size is its only merit. 
ROCK CREEK GRAPE. 
BONNE DU PUTTS-ANSAULT PEAR. 
The Goethe Grain*. 
At the time Mr. Rogers sent out bis new 
hybrid grape, Goethe, be described its color 
as “ amber, flushed with red on one side.” 
[ Most of our writers for the horticultural 
About the middle of last August I was 
shown a bunch of wild grapes gathered on 
Rock Creek. I spent fifteen days in the 
woods and found the same grape in two 
localities; furthermore it. was ascertained 
that it ripens in the middle of August, and 
that its vine and foliage lire different from 
the two already set. out. In the same expe¬ 
dition was found a summer grape with 
bunches fully six and eight inches long and 
berries twice as large as a buck-shot. Hereby 
inclose a specimen of the Rock Creek grape 
with leaves for inspection. Tt is, I think, a 
new variety but before calling it. so I request 
you to pronounce judgement upon it.—A. 
Kochi s, Esperanto,, near Tullahoma, Tenn. 
We cannot, tell much about the quality of 
this grape from the dried specimens received. 
The leaves, however, show unmistakably 
ftiat it is one of the wild varieties of vitis 
lahmmi or Fox grape. There are thousands 
of these varieties, but very few of the num¬ 
ber arc worthy of cultivation on account of 
their lough skin and pulp, and inferior 
qualities. Some persons like the strong rank 
flavor of the wild fox grapes, and they cannot 
understand why anybody should prefer the 
delicious little Delaware to the old bullet- 
like Charter Oak. 
We would advise our correspondent and 
every other person who think they have a 
good wild grape, to procure the Concord, 
ami plant it along side, and when they both 
come into bearing make a careful compari¬ 
son ; and if the wild sort is really superior in 
size, tenderness of skin and pulp, and delicacy 
of flavor, then preserve it for further trial; 
but should it fall below the Concord in any 
particular, throw it away as unworthy of 
preservation. 
We select the Concord ns a standard for 
comparison, as no variety inferior to it should 
be preserved or propagated. It is true, that 
we have many varieties in cultivation that 
are greatly inferior to Concord, and that is 
just the reason why no more of this kind is 
wanted. 
The summer grape referred to may be 
worth preserving and we shall be happy to 
receive specimens of it next season. 
» L. l 
