§70 
APRIL 2§ 
<T.I]c IHnnjartX 
THE CENTENNIAL GRAPE. 
I inclose Mr. Van Wormer’s statement. 
He is one of our most skillful horticulturists, 
and has watched this grape with me, seeing it 
almost daily for years, and has no pecuniary 
interest in it whatever. I might add to his 
statement that the Centennial D a native, and 
belongs to the Northern type, of our Fill's 
cestivalis class. My observation and exper¬ 
ience induce me to believe that it is from this 
type and class we are to obtain our best 
grapes. 1 have uo desire to introduce a new 
grape, unless in some important respects it 
surpasses our old ones. I have endeavored to 
study and understand the grape question 
thoroughly, and believe that most of our poor 
grapes have been introduced by persons who 
have not fully comprehended what is required 
for a satisfactory grape. We have gone at 
haphazard aud have not paid attention 
enough to the botanical class from which our 
grapes have originated. We have been striv¬ 
ing for hardiness and earliness, but we want 
quality as well, and we want more satisfactory 
long-keeping grapes for Winter use, the Ca¬ 
tawba being still our most popular Winter 
grape. Quite too many of our grapes are per¬ 
ishable, and must be sold or used as soon as 
ripe. The Northern type of our Labrusca 
grapes all belong to this perishable class, and 
some of our best native hybrids, notably the 
Delaware and Elvira. The skin of all of these 
grapes is too thin and tender. The Southern 
types of our Labrusca grapes are more satis¬ 
factory in this respect, aud they ai“e also better 
iu quality, but iu other thiugs they fait The 
foliage mildews, the vines are tender, and 
they ate too late in ripening. Borne of their 
seedlings, however, three or four removes 
from the originals, are far more hopeful. 
I have not seen all of the new grapes, but I 
have ou my grounds more than a hundred 
varieties, and there is certainly not one of 
i hem, new or old, so satisfactory to me as the 
Centennial. I am far from believing it to be 
perfect, aud feel confident that there are i etter 
grapes to come from our native class-s in the 
future; but, taking ail of its features into 
consideration, I believe it iB now our best 
native gr . pe. The hard freeze of the night of 
October 4, ruined the flavor of all of my 
Labrusca grapes, while the flavor of the Cen¬ 
tennial remained good, though, of course, 
somewhat injured, aud the foliage held on 
intact fora week, while that of the Delaware 
was all blown off in two days. The Centen¬ 
nial is being tested in North Carolina, New 
Jersey, on the Hudson, iu Southern and West¬ 
ern N. Y. and near Mansfield and Cincinnati, 
Ohio. I have sent specimens of the fruit to 
Charles Downing and J. J. Tho ..as and it 
meets their kind commendation. 
Characteristics of the Centennial. 
It belongs to a different botanical class from 
most of our varieties. It ripens late enough 
to keep for Winter use. It never drops off 
from the clusters. The skin is tough and 
durable, and seldom cracks open while ripen 
ing. The color is new and unique. There is 
in it probably more grape sugar than in any 
other native grape, new or old. Its only 
apparent fault is that the seeds are rather 
numerous; still they are not as plentiful as in 
many others. It originates from a type that 
has few representatives but is very promising, 
and iu a far northern, healthy climate, much 
freer from sporadic diseases than the climate 
further south. There has seldom bten any 
appearance of mildew upon the foliage, while 
other varieties have suffered severely, and no 
signs of rot in the berries. The pistils and 
stamens are very perfect, the clusters always 
compact and full, and the vines inclined to 
over-bear, unless part of the fruit is pinched 
off. The reports from tests in other climates 
will not be ready until next Fall, but as far as 
heard from they are satisfactory. 
Watertown, N. Y. D. S. Marvin. 
The Centennial Grape. 
To be welcomed by the public a new grape 
should be: first, a vigorous grower, with strong 
and durable foliage; second, it must be hardy; 
third, the fruit must be of high quality. There 
are some other requiremen ts under these gene¬ 
ral heads. The 1 .her of the roots must be firm 
aud capable of withstanding the attacks of 
insect enemies. The reproductive organs must 
be normal or properly developed, so that a 
full and satisfactory crop may be grown. The 
skin must be thick and tough, so that the ber¬ 
ries will not burst and rot while ripening and 
keep well after packing for Winter use. 
[We beg to ask a question: Is not the white 
Malaga Grape of our markets the best of keep¬ 
ers ? Is its skin thick and tough ?—Eds.] 
Believing that the New Centennial Grape 
originated by ray neigh or, Mr. Daniel 8. 
Marvin, meets substantially each of the above 
requirements, I predict for it a great future, 
not alone as a table grape, but also for wine. 
To my taste, it has more grape sugar than the 
Delaware, resembling it somewhat in flavor, 
with larger berries and clusters. It yields as 
full crops as the Concord, ripening ut about 
the same time, aud It keeps as well as the 
Catawba for Winter use; and, last but not 
least, it is the handsomest native grape I have 
ever seen—nearly white when grown in the 
shade, but a light pink when grown in the 
sun, and so clear that the seeds may be seen 
through the skin. O. B. Van Wormkr. 
[Several bunches of this grape were sent to 
us. Its excellencies are well set forth in the 
above articles. The only objection to the 
grape that suggested itself to us is that men¬ 
tioned by Mr. Marvin, viz., too many seeds— 
or rather, too large seeds—E ds.] 
-♦♦♦- 
WHITE ANN ARBOR GRAPE. 
I noticed Mr. Campbell's statement in re¬ 
gard to this grape in a late Rural New- 
Yorker. and, as I expected, he had seen those 
exhibited at Boston that had been picked for 
two weeks and shown at another convention 
and then sent on to Boston, traveling over one 
thousand miles. 
I have eaten this grape two seasons fresh 
from the vine, and pronounce it a first-class 
grape in every respect. Mr. Barry, at the 
Rochester meeting, spoke disparagingly of it, 
simply from having seen the specimen of it at 
Boston, but after seeing such evidence as that 
given below, and learning what has been my 
own knowledge of thegrape, he acknowledged 
the next day that he was too hasty, and 
wished to recall what he had said about it. 
Here are two testimonials from persons who 
visited the original vines. 
Under date of November 10 last, Norman B. 
Civert, of Ann Arbor, Mich, says: “In your 
communication to-day, you ask for my opinion 
of your seedling grape, the White Ann Arbor. 
From its great merit I hasten to comply with 
your request. It is five or six years since you 
first called my attention to itgrowingon vour 
premises; since that time 1 have given especial 
attention to it, noticing closely its habits. Its 
rapid and healthy grow th; its rich and hardy 
foliage of the Concord type, never blighting; 
its hardiness of vine not winter-killing with 
thermometer twenty degrees below’ zero, un¬ 
protected; its fruit perfectly free from mildew 
and rot; its beautifully formed clusters rich in 
color and bouquet, banging well to the stems 
when fully ripe; its luscious flavor without 
astringency or bitterness of skins make it 
the most desirable of all the new varieties 
that have come to my notice since you called 
my attention to it. I therefore recommend it 
to all grape growers.” 
Dr. James A. Rouce, < f York Co., New 
Brunswick, says of the White Ann Arbor: “I 
was at the September meeting of the Washte¬ 
naw County Pomological Society. I there 
saw the finest plate of white grapes I have 
ever seen, both in appearam e and quality. 
Having a desire to see them on the vines, I 
visited Mr. Woodruff’s grounds three days 
later, and was happily surprised to find the 
vines heavily loaded with the most delicious 
grapes I have ever eaten, and I have visited 
the vineyards of California and Europe.” 
Persons who have new white grapes should 
not be too hasty to condemn others. 
A. M. Purdy. 
ijorlicultimil. 
RURAL EXPERIMENT GROUNDS. 
Pea Tests of the New Varieties. 
We have carefully and very uniformly as 
to fertilizers prepared a plot of ground and 
sown the following kinds of peas (April 3,) all 
of which are new except the Gem, Wonder, 
Telegraph, Telephone, Landreth’s Ex. Early 
and Philadelphia Ex. Early. When the 
American Wonder Pea was first offered, we 
tested it and reported that it was very nearly 
the same as the Little Gem, one of its reputed 
pareuts. It has since become so popular that 
we determined to test it side by side with the 
Little Gem so as again to note wherein they 
differ. Tbe old Philadelphia is planted only 
to determine if any progress has been made in 
earlineas since our last testa with 27 varieties, 
made four or five years ago. 
The varieties are; 
1, McLean’s Little Gem, large size, much 
wrinkled. 2, American Wonder (Bliss). The 
same in appearance as No. 1. 3, Extra Early 
(Landreth). This is a medium-sized, yellow, 
smooth pea which the Laudreths say matures 
for table use in 45 days and oftentimes in less 
time. It grows about 18 inches in hight. 4, 
American Racer (Bliss). This is a small, 
yellow, smooth pea. 5, Carter’s Stratagem 
(Imported). The peas are of remarkably 
large size, green, wrinkled. It is a dwarf 
variety. 6, Carter’s Pride of the Market. 
This grows about two feet high. The peas 
(seed) are large, dark green, heavy and 
wrinkled. 7, Laxton’s Earliest of All (Im¬ 
ported). A small, green, smooth pea. This is 
a new dwarf pea and it is claimed to be, as it 
name implies, the earliest of all. It is said to 
produce an average of eight peas to the pod, 
a statement we should not believe until it had 
been proven by our own tests. 8, Dean’s 
Dwarf Marrow (Imported). Resembles the 
Little Gem. Grows two feet high. Said to 
be immensely prolific and that the pods aver¬ 
age nine peas. 8}^, Edinburgh Beauty (Im¬ 
ported). Dwarf marrow, resembliug the 
Little Gem or American Wonder. Grows IS 
inches high. It is claimed to have a Btrong 
branching habit and to be the earliest of dwarf 
marrow peas. 9, Culverwell's Telegraph (Im¬ 
ported). The original of the Telephone. An 
intermediate wrinkled pea of the first quality. 
It-needs support. 10, Culverwell’s Giaut Mar¬ 
row (Imported). Large size,wrinkled. Grows 
from five to six feet high. It is said that the 
vines have a strong branching habit, tho 
haulm being covered from top to bottom with 
giant pods “containing al>out 13 very large 
peas of the most exquisite flavor!” 
We are likewise preparing ground for our 
usual tests with all the new kinds of potatoes 
which we have not yet tried. They are un¬ 
usually numerous the present season. 
Peaches, Six years ago the Steadly Peach 
was sent us to lie tested, It has borne inferior 
fruit for two years past. This Spring we find 
the tree is dead, root aud branch. This origi¬ 
nated with Mr. John Steadly,of Bluffton, Mo. 
Mr. Downing tells us that the tree is healthy t 
vigorous and bears abundantly, and that it 
is a very promising late variety of good size 
handsome and of excellent quality. 
At the same time Jewell’s Late White and 
Sleeper’s Dwarf Peaches were sent here. Tbe 
former has never yielded perfect fruit,though 
tbe tree has several times borne well. The 
latter has never borne a peach. Both we find, 
have been killed by the past mild Winter. 
These, as well as the Steadly, have always 
grown vigorously and shown no sign of dis¬ 
ease. 
Our last year’s (which was the first, as well) 
experience with Hungarian Grass was favor¬ 
able. The yield was two tons to the acre of 
that sown May 12, and not over one ton (it 
was not weighed) to the acre of that sowed 
May 24. The soil and fertilizers used were the 
same, the latter being “Soluble Pacific Guano,’’ 
sowed at tbe rate of 250 pounds to the acre. 
The difference iu the yield was attributed to 
the drought, which affected this quick growing 
crop more in the later than in the earlier 
planted. We used nearly two bushels of seed 
to the acre, the exact amount being one bushel 
to 17 40ths, of an acre. It was cut before, w* bile, 
and after the heads developed and was relished 
by horses and cattle. According to analysis 
it is more nutritious than Timothy, and in 
warm rich soils would yield more. It may be 
sown as late as Jane 1st. and be harvested in 
time to sow Winter wheat. 
GARDEN TALKS.—NO. 3. 
Improvements in Seeds—Choice Varieties. 
WALDO F. BROWN. 
A few days after the Squire’s visit, I 
went over to spend an evening with him to 
talk about varieties of seeds. His first ques¬ 
tion was, “Do you think there has been any 
improvement iu garden vegetables?” 
“ Yes, in most things grown in the garden 
the improvement has been as great as it has 
in the breeds of hogs and cattle. There are 
new varieties of most of our vegetables, that 
are as superior to the old as a Short-horn 
steer is to a scrub.” 
“ Can you name some of those that you 
consider such an improvement?” asked the 
Squire. 
“The wax beans, for example; the Black 
Wax is a bunch variety and the Giant Wax— 
red seed—is a pole bean. They are hardy and 
prolific, very tender and well-flavored, aud 
there is not anything like a string about them. 
I do not grow any other bean for snaps, 
and would not go back to the old varieties on 
any account. Then Dreer’s Improved Liiua is a 
great improvement. It is large and very tender 
and of delicate flavor, and will give excellent 
satisfaction. Extra-Early Blood and Long 
Blood Improved among the beets, are very 
much better than the old kinds. In peas the 
improvement has been made with a view to 
earltness and also to the producing of dwurf 
varieties that will grow without sticks, and at 
the same time the flavor has been improved. 
We have now, of the dwarf varieties, Tom 
Thumb, Blue Peter, McLean’s Little Gem, and 
American Wonder. The last two, of excel¬ 
lent flavor, are green, wrinkled peas, like the 
Champion of Eugland which is considered the 
standard of flavor. These dwarf varieties 
will bear such close planting that they will 
produce larger crops than the tall kinds 
which must be in rows four feet apart.” 
“ How close do you plant them?” asked the 
Squire. 
“ About eighteen inches, and they will grow 
still closer if you cultivate by hand.” 
“What about cabbages: is there anything bet¬ 
ter than the Early York and Late Drumhead?’* 
“Very much better. We have half a 
dozen early varieties better than the York. In 
fact, you could not get a market-gardener to 
grow it at all. Early Jersey Wakefield, Win- 
ningstadt, aud Henderson’s Early Summer 
are all excellent for early, and Prem. Fiat 
Dutch and Stone-mason for Winter. In corn, 
the improvement covers both flavor and earli¬ 
ness, and while the Stowell Evergreen is still 
tbe standard for the main crop, there are 
several better varieties for the table. The 
earliest varieties I know are Early Boynton— 
also called Tom Thumb—and Marblehead 
Early. Either of these is fully three weeks 
earlier than Stowell. The Narragansett Sweet is 
about a week later than the two named, but 
has larger ears, and is unsurpassed in flavor. 
Then there is the Mammoth Sweet, with ears 
as large as field corn.” 
“ What is the best cucumber for pickles 
and family use?” asked The Squire. 
“The best I ever fouud was a strain of the 
Early Cluster, called the Boston Pickling. 
The great advantage of it is that the vine is 
not rank in growth, but the vitality of the 
vine seems to be expended in producing fruit. 
This sort will begin to boar in six weeks from 
planting and can be planted 4x5 feet, and will 
not cover the ground so as to make it difficult 
to pick the cucumbers. There is a new kind 
offered now called Perfection Pickling, which 
I shall try this year.” 
“ Do you buy your seeds or save them 
yourself?” asked the Squire. 
“ I do both, but I usually buy more than I 
save. Toe trouble with farmers saving their 
own seed is this: they generally use the best 
and take what is left for see 1. They will eat 
all the early peas, beaps, corn, etc., and then 
take the leavings to plant, and in this way the 
variety soon “runs out.” 
“ Is there not a good deal of humbuggery 
about new varieties?” 
“ Of course, there is some, but, as I told you 
before, there has been great improvement. I 
have visited some of the largest seed growers 
in our country, and I find that they take the 
utmost pains to improve, and when they find 
an individual specimen of any vegetable that 
shows some desirable quality, as, for example, 
earliness, form or flavor, the greatest possible 
care is taken to perpetuate and establish it, 
and if this can be done by five years of watch¬ 
fulness, they are well rewarded. 1 make it a 
ru,e to buy and test sometbiug new each year. 
If it proves valuable, I retain it, and if not, 
I drop it. I find iu looking back ten years 
that I am growing very few varieties now 
that I did ten years ago, and am convinced 
that there has been great improvement in 
nearly all our vegetables.” 
Before leaving, the Squire concluded to try 
several new varieties and as he had no cata¬ 
logues, I promised to order them for him. 
-*-»-•- 
BEAN GROWING. 
I here give my own experience in growing 
Navy beans. The crop is a very pleasant one 
to grow, and one requiring but little labor, 
and is the best crop to precede wheat, that I 
ever grew. It shades the laud thoroughly so 
as to prevent weeds from growing, aud, being 
a leguminous crop, it in some way affects 
the soil favorably for a wheat crop. All the 
preparation necessary after the crop is har¬ 
vested is to mellow three inches of the surface 
with the cultivator or some good harrow, roll 
or drag it smooth, and drill iu the wheat. 
There is, however, one serious drawback to 
the extensive cultivation of beaus, and that 
is the danger of bad weather at harvesting 
time, which will greatly* reduce their value 
and often render the expense of picking over 
by hand necessary before they can be sold. 
If there are many damaged b?ans among them 
it will pay to pick them over before putting 
them into market. 
The land for beans should be plowed early 
and worked over once or twice before planting 
time, so as to kill the weeds and get it in good 
condition. The best time to plaut l have 
found to be from the first to the tenth of J line, 
and I prefer to plant as soon after a rain as 
the land will work well. I do not like to have 
a heavy rain fall on them before they come up, 
for two reasons. Oue is that they are likely 
to be crippled and not come up well, if the 
land is clay; and the other reason is that a 
crop of weeds will come up and start with 
them. I use from half a bushel to three pecks 
of seed to the acre, and prefer to sow with tbe 
force feed wheat drill, using every fourth 
drill, which makes the rows about two feet 
anart. This I consider wide enough for the 
Navy bean, but some of the large varieties I 
should plant 32 inches apart. I can plaut 
three rows at a time with the wheat drill at 
the first named distance. The beans do not 
need much cultivation, as wften planted close 
