in North Carolina.. His vineyard of 30,000 vines 
I have frequently visited dnring the past two 
years. 
The Grape hereabouts is subject to fewer 
diseases and those of a less serious nature than 
in almost any other part of the United States 
if not of the world. Planted, as many are, on 
poor, worn-out land, with no manure of any 
kind, they grow finely, producing good crops of 
fruit. In our 
METHOD OF CULTIVATIHO, 
the proper distance apart, at whioh to plant the 
vines, we find to be six feet each way. The 
most common manner of training is to put one 
stake to a vine, though some prefer two. Two 
oanes are usually allowed to grow to the top of 
the stake and are rather closely pruned. Wire 
trellises are taking the place of stakes to some 
extent, and are rouoh to be preferred. Although 
the first cost is more, the increased production 
of the vines, and the greater durability of the sup¬ 
ports will cover the extra expense. The cul¬ 
tivation given is merely plowing under the weeds 
and grass in September, cleaning up the rows 
with the hoe, plowing again in April, and some¬ 
times we get through them in May with the 
cultivator or harrow. As to 
VARIETIES CULTIVATED, 
we can say that all American Grapes, so far as 
tested, prove hardy and productive here; but 
all Hybrids of Vitis vinifera are defective in one 
way or another. As yet, we have only to con¬ 
sider two important traits, namely, the best 
possible flavor combined with enough firmnet s 
to bear transportation to Northern markets, and 
also fruit that will yield a fine quality of wine. 
Ives’ SeeDUNq is the most reliable as yet 
found, for shipping. 
The Hartford ripens about the same time, 
is a little larger, but it lacks the tough skin. 
The gentleman mentioned above is testing the 
newer varieties in a small way. 
The Belvidkbe he so far thinks destined to 
supersede the above two kinds for shipping. 
Pebkins, a few days later, is a strong, healthy 
grower and a profitable market grape. 
Martha and Lady, vigorous and productive, 
ship well when not fully matured. 
The Siglar, a variety received from Canan¬ 
daigua, N. Y. and kuown here by the above 
name, promises to take the place of the slow- 
growing and not very prolific Delaware, being 
of as good flavor, larger berry, as well as strong 
and luxuriant in its growth, 
Concord here, as almost everywhere, grows 
well, but it has the fault of cracking badly. 
The Concord Seedling which, as its name 
indicates, is a seedliug of the Concord, having 
all the good qualities of its parent with twioe 
the size of berry and clusters often weighing 
two pounds, promises to fill a prominent place as 
a table fruit for home use. 
Rogers' Hybrids all rot more or less. 
Isabella is also liable to be similarly affected. 
Catawba sometimes is specked but generally 
proves good. 
Norton’s Virginia, among wine Grapes, give 3 
the best promise. 
Although all the varieties cultivated here 
make a fine claret, the market is so well sup¬ 
plied with “ alum and logwood," and many other 
vicious compounds, that the pure juice of grapes 
goes begging ; still we look for an appreciative 
acknowledgment of the superiority of our na¬ 
tive wines at no distant day. We can produoe a 
pure wine of fine quality for loss than one dol¬ 
lar per gallon, delivered in any of our large cities. 
On elevated land well drained either naturally, as 
nearly all euoh land iP, cr artificially, the Grape 
is extremely vigorous and healthy. It is on the 
low lands, more or less wet, that the rotting 
occurs in nearly every instance. Phylloxera, 
leaf rollers, thrips, mildew and leaf blight are 
of rare occurrence, the latter being confined al¬ 
most entirely to Diana. 
It is not surprising that fruit growers should 
become discouraged in trying new varieties after 
paying high prices for one after another aB they 
follow in quick succession, to be cast ar’.^o as 
worthless in nine localities out of ten. Stiff the 
cry is, “ something a little better than what we 
already have," and the offers to supply this want 
are numerous. The originators, no doubt, as a 
rule, honestly believe they have found the thing 
wanted; but in most cases the new acquisition 
proves but ill adapted to any locality except the 
place of its birth. I would not pluck a single 
leaf from the nobly won laurels of those who 
have the perseverance and patience necessary 
to the production of improved varieties of fruit 
or of anything that increases the comfort and 
happiness of their fellow men. But it seems to 
me that it would be well for more of the orig¬ 
inators of new fruits to follow the lead of those 
who have distributed a few of their plants for 
trial in different parts of the country, and 
await the results before offoriug them for 
sale. Such a course would save much disap¬ 
pointment. 
Brookston, Warren Co., N. C. 
—--- - 
EVILS OF SELLING UNRIPE GBAP33, 
NELSON RITTER. 
••The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s 
t eeth are set on edge.” 
The grape crop in Onondaga Oo. is oonsidera* 
THE RUSAL NEW-YORKER. 
oct. as 
bly below the average. Probably the yield is 
about three fifths of what it was last year, when 
the crop was uncommonly large and fine. Not¬ 
withstanding the light crop, the price rules low : 
Concords are selling for from four to five cents 
per pound; Delaware and other fine varieties, 
for about two cents higher. The reason why 
grapes are selling at such low rates in our mar¬ 
ket is in a great measure owing to the fact that 
for several years grape-growers have been striv¬ 
ing for an early grape, without much regard to 
quality. As a legitimate result, we have several 
varieties, the Champion (Talman) being ths most 
conspicuous, that color early and oan bo sold 
sooner than better varieties, tut which, «hen 
eaten, effectually oure the consumer of his ap 
petite for grapes. This prevailing desire to sell 
11 eaily grapes ’’ causes many to sell all kinds in 
a balf-ripe condition, thus destroying the pres¬ 
ent demand, instead of creating a greater one. 
Mr. A , in order to he the first in market ‘ U 
perhaps, sell for a cent or two per pound h ghcr 
than he could later on, picks his grapes while 
totally unfit to be eaten; Mr. B. thinks, that as 
Mr. A. is selling, he must not be behind, so he, 
too, commences to sell, and is followed by Mr. 
0., D., E , to the end of the alphabet. 
Most of the retail dealers in our city are poor 
judges of fruits, knowing little abont quality, 
and next to nothing about varieties. They 
know that there are black grapes, red grapes, 
and white grapes, but that i3 about as far as 
their knowledge extends. The consequence of 
all this is that our market is filled, early in the 
season, with green, trashy stuff, and tbo lec¬ 
tors reap the benefits, if any one does 1 1 'nn 
that nine tenths of the grapes sold iu Sjr»:nse 
are unfit to be fed to swine. This is s tuviig 
charge, but a .true one, and is susceptible of 
proof. I hope it is otherwise i n other localities. 
When well-ripened grapes are finally taken into 
market, the people are so completely soured that 
they can hardly be persuaded to purchase, even 
at low rates. 
“What are you going to do abont it ? ’ some 
one may ask. ' Well, I will leave my grapes on 
the vines until they are ripe, and endeavor to 
persuade otters to do so. Even the Cham¬ 
pion "—the poorest grape I ever tasted can be 
eaten when fully ripe. People who sell unripe 
grapes, even at higher prices, are not gainers . y 
the operation. Grapes increase in size and j 
as well as in quality, when allowed to ripen, 
and these folks sell fewer pounds as well as les¬ 
sen the demand, and lower prices. We must, as 
far as possible, sell directly to consumers, and 
furnish them such fine fruit that they will feel 
oompelltd to bny of os from year to year. Thus 
we can build up a trade on our “ own hook,” and 
be independent of ibis rush of green grapes and 
“green" grape-growers. One thing merer we 
must become disillusioned of the single ie 2 S. .hat 
an “extra early grape" is so very impel tank 
Suppose we are obliged to wait ten days . qsr 
for a good grape to ripen, is not onr patie me re¬ 
warded ? . 
The strongest argument in favor of early 
grapes is, that the lator varieties are sometimes 
overtaken by froBt. The Catawba and Isabella 
are the latest kinds I know ; and yet, with me, 
the former has only failed to ripen two years in 
ten, and the latter only once in the same time. 
The Cor cord, Delaware. Salem, Diana, and oth¬ 
ers, have ripened every time, and are good when 
ripe. Who ever heard of an early grape rp- 
ple that was a good winter keeper ? 
Onondaga Co., N, Y. 
------ 
THE GRAPES OF SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS. 
G. MARTI. 
Many are the attempts that have been made 
in viticulture in this part of Texas. Hitherto, 
however, the results of these efforts have not 
been very encouraging, success beiug the excep¬ 
tion rather than the rule. Why it shcitH oo so, 
puzzles many a one that beholds the luxuriance 
and sturdiness of the wild Grapes loaded annu¬ 
ally with a profusion of fruit. But if we look at 
these indigenous species, we find their character 
quite different from that of those from Rbmfl 
our cultivated varieties originally spraDg. The 
climate of southeastern Texas is so much at var 
nance with that of the northeastern States, 
where most of the native cultivated varieties 
originated, that it is uot at all surprising to Bse 
these Grapes struggle and at last pine away, not 
being able to accommodate themselves to our 
extremely long summers and short winter rests. 
And not until we succeed in improving some of 
our Indigenous species, will grape culture pros¬ 
per in this part of Texas. We do not lack the 
material on which to work. There are foui 
different 
WILD SPECIES OF DRAPES 
growing in this region, and several mere may be 
found in the central and upper parts of the 
State. These four Bpecies are i the Mustang, 
the Chicken, the Post - oak and Muscadine 
Grapes. 
The Mdstang Grape— Vitis mustangensis 
(Buokley)—is about the best known of these. 
It bears profusely; the bunches are of moderato 
size; but tip berry is too thick-skinned, pnlpy 
and excessively acid to give much promise of 
Improvement. 
The Chicken Grape— not named—is to be 
found associated with the former in rich alluvial 
soils, differing from it by its still stronger 
growth, climbing the highest trees and bearing 
only at the extremities of its highest and most 
exposed branches. The bunches consist of 
very large, loose, shouldered aud branched ra¬ 
cemes. The berries are small, the size of a 
buckshot, of a fine spicy flavor, with just acid 
enough to make them agreeable. They are 
thin-skinned, aud contain no pulp. If this spe¬ 
cies could be crossed with a view of enlarging its 
berries, even at the risk of losiug some of the 
extra size of its bunches, the cross might prove 
a valuable Grape. 
The Tost oak Grape (V. restivalis.)—in the 
interior of Texas this name is given to a dif¬ 
ferent species (V. Lincecumii (Buckley) - 
abonrids on upland soil. There is great vag¬ 
ueness in this class. Some may be found quite 
sweet and luscious, while others are scar and 
austere. This la decidedly the Grape that ves 
the best promiso of assuming the dignity 
ing the coming wine Grape. The only prc:.,v • 
ous vineyards I know of in this vicinity are 
planted with its varieties; and this waB-not done 
until their owners, after trying pretty nearly all 
the solta named in nurserymen’s catalogues, 
came to the conviction that it was the only kind 
worth planting. 
The Hebbfmont, among others, beloDgsto this 
class. Its productiveness is simply marvelous - 
its quality, when well ripened, excelled by uc 
other; it is hardy, healthy, strong and of a 
vigorous growth, accommodating itself almost to 
any sort c*f soil, ritual ion and exposure. Bn' 
still, it is, after all, not yet perfect, so that in i 
there is e-till room for improvement. It is the 
earliest to push in spring, and, on. this aooe>unt, 
it gets out down by frosts. It is no showy 
grape; the bunches are greatly intermixed with 
imperfect berries; its ripening process goes on 
rather tardily and imperfectly, and cn this ac¬ 
count it gets greatly damaged by birds, which 
profit by the long interval from the time the fire ) 
berry turns color, until the last one arrives et 
maturity. Its color is a dull, brownish purple, 
not at all showy. 
Norton’s Virginia, Lenoir, Devereux, Gyr_- 
tMaim, and others belonging to the same class, 
generally do well ; but none of these combines 
as many good qualities as the Ilerbemont. 
The Muscadine, Vitis vulpina, is a Grapo 
quite dissimilar to any other. lake the Post¬ 
oak-grape, it abounds on high, light soils. 
The Scuttebn jng is a sport from it, differing 
from it in nothing but the color, which, in the 
former is a dark purple. The merits of the 
Muscadine, and especially those of its offspring, 
the Bcuppernong, have been from time to time 
greatly extolled. I never could 6oe for what the 
latter deserves this praise. It is of a dwarfish, 
brushy growth, beaiB its large berries singly, or, 
under the most favorable circumstances, in 
bunches of two or three together, and drops 
them as soon as ripe. What is left of the berry, 
minus a thick skin and an indigestible pulp, has 
a peculiar aromatic and agreeable flavor. It has 
been suggested, time and time again, that this 
species should be crossed with another in order 
to produce a hybrid partaking somewhat of that 
flavor whioh is peculiar to the ScuppemoDg. 
Why such a hybrid is rather slow of making its 
appearance T can account for very well since I 
have, myself, been making 
EXPERIMENTS WITH THE MUSCADINE DRAPE 
without being able to boast of groat results. 
Twice I tried to fertilize the V. vulpina with the 
pollen of the Louisiana Grapo, whioh blooms 
about two or three weeks earlier; but, both of 
the attempts resulted in failure. Two years ago 
I tried the same experiment vice versa, making 
the Louisiana the seed-plant. I was able to ob¬ 
tain the pollen at the proper time by retarding 
the one vine and forcing the other. Every pre¬ 
caution was taken againBt any other bnt arti¬ 
ficial impregnation. Out of 124 flowers on which 
I operated, I only obtained 35 of what I then 
thought perfect seeds. Of these, only 23 ger¬ 
minated. A regular mongrel lot these seedlings 
were. Some of them had only one seed leaf, 
some had three of them; others had them twist¬ 
ed and contorted. Those that exhibited the 
greatest monstrosities died before they pushed 
the proper leaf. Some would grow a few inches, 
pine away and finally perish without any appai- 
ent cause. At present I am iu possession of 
oDly eight of these plants; but three of thorn, 
despite the care giveu them, made a growth of 
only about three feet, while the others are 
Btunted, dwarfish cripples. In my opinion, this 
species of grape—the V. Vulpina is so very 
different from any other in its structure, that it 
will not even produce a vital hybrid. The pollen 
of it is a course yellow powder, while in the iOBti- 
valis Borts, it is a whitish, almost imperceptible 
dust. But, after all, I hope we will, ere long, 
find the grapo for southern Texas qui t riora, 
verra! I 
Harris Co., Texas. 
- 
EXPERIENCE WITH GRAPES IN MICH¬ 
IGAN. 
8. B. PECK. 
Having, during the past twenty-five years, 
raised a few of the common varieties of grapes, 
mainly for family nee, and having for fifteen 
years past had abundant opportunities to exam¬ 
ine those that come into this city for retail mar¬ 
ket as well as those raised in the gardens of this 
vicinity, I have been compelled to come to the 
following conclusions: first, that of the largo 
amount, of this fruit consumed, a very small 
peroentage is used while in its best condition, as 
51 is generally marketed and eaten before its 
"Marino elements are fully developed: sec¬ 
ond, that the summers north of about 41 de¬ 
grees of latitude are too short for the full per¬ 
fection of many of the popular varieties now 
under somewhat extensive cultivation within 
the limit mentioned: third, that there is no de¬ 
partment of agriculture, horticulture or pomol¬ 
ogy so little understood as to its requirements of 
heat, the proper amount of moisture and ,he 
b3st modes of training and cultivating. The 
science of viticulture is yet in its infancy, so far 
as concerns the common i nn of people who essay 
to raise a few grapes for domestic use. True, 
we have many men who have devoted a vast 
amount, of time, energy, research and experi¬ 
ment to the production of new varieties, both 
by cross fertilization and by evolution, but the 
duration and number of their experiments are 
small in comparison with the time and experi¬ 
ments devoted to other branches of horticulture. 
Having come to these conclusions I am, more¬ 
over. of opinion that 
THE GRAPE WANTED 
is one that will fill the following requirements : 
First, that in ordinary seasons and in ordinary 
exposures it shall attain its full color early in 
September; second, that it shall have sufficient 
tenacity to remain on the stems and bear hand¬ 
ling for at least two weeks after fully coloring ; 
third, that it eball have a thick, strong, broad leaf f 
of which that of the Concord is the most perfect 
type. As to its size and color, I consider them 
of minor importance to the connoisseur ; and as 
to flavor, that is a mere matter of taste in which 
consumers do, and always will, differ. Product¬ 
iveness and hardiuess are certainly very desira¬ 
ble, especially when the dollars and cents to be 
obtained from them, are considered. 
With these ideas firmly fixed in my mind, I 
obtained, in the spring of 1875, single plants of 
twenty-eight varieties that were then new to me, 
among whioh were twelve of Rogers’ Hybrids. 
Of the twenty-eight, six failed, including four of 
the Rogers’. A majority of the twenty-two left 
fruited in 1877. In 1878 nearly all failed, owing 
to the frost in May. Witli this very limited ex¬ 
perience I should gain little credit were I to be 
very positive in my conclusions. Of the 
NEW VARIETIES TESTED, 
The Requa— Rogers’ 28—a rather large, brick- 
colored grape, ripening a little before the Dela¬ 
ware, has best met my approbation. 
The Massasoit— Rogers’ 3— is very uearly the 
same thing in size, color and time of ripening, 
both being also very vigorous in foliage and 
wood. 
The Lindley— Rogers’ 9—is nearly the same 
iu color and lime of ripening, but it is not as 
large in berry, leaf or wood. 
These three of Rogers’ reds all adhered well 
to the stems after being picked, Sept. 10, '77, and 
kept on racks till January and February and Rre 
all, to my taBte, superior in lluvor, and only lack 
the thick, rough leaf of the Concord to resist 
the attacks of insects. 
The Salem —first called Rogers’ 22, but now 
53—1 have fruited one vine of, a few years. In 
foliage, wood and color it is much like the above, 
but it is larger and later in fruit. It is a little 
risky as to fall frosts, but I am so pleased with 
its size and rich, raisin flavor as to put out fifty 
more. It ripens not much, if any, behind Con¬ 
cord. As to its hardiness, I cannot say much, 
having always laid all these down with a little 
brush over them, but I see no reason for think¬ 
ing they are less hardy than tho Concord, though 
I do not expect them ever to be as prolific. 
Mebrimao —Rogers’ 19—black, is much like 
Salem in size, foliage and time of ripening. 
Wilder and AairNiA— the former Rogers 4, 
and the latter his 39—stand high in my estima¬ 
tion. Both are black, vigorous and premising 
in growth. 
Rogers’ 1 and 2 I have, but I judge them too 
late for me. 
Eumei.an, black and rathor small, is sweet, 
rich and as early as any of tho above, and so far 
I like it. 
North Carolina is the old Isabella in size, 
color, flavor, hardiness and productiveness, with 
an advance of ten to fifteen days in ripeniog. I 
like it so far. 
The Senega and the Kkuka appear to be about 
a second edition of the Hartford or Ives’. 
ie Praout Amrer, Perkins and Northern 
jadine are described by Meade as “unmit- 
fox from the woods." The two former 
a my experimental list and are highly spoken 
j some, and I think are early, hardy and fair. 
Hit say ditto of the Belvidero; bat my tv o 
hern Muscadines are old offenders on my 
nds and not worth their room. 
,o above is about all I have to say of the 
ity-two tested varieties, by the way of descrip- 
'Asto flavor, I would give preference to 
Salem and Merrimao. For cultivation for 
