1854. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
345 
guano, and all highly ammoniacal manures, also with 
barn-yard manures and composts. It recommends 
spreading it over and mixing it with piles of stable 
manure, which are accumulating through the summer, 
and generally rapidly wasting by heating, nearly as 
fast as it accumulates. 
But I will let your practical readers make such ap¬ 
plications as their good sense will dictate. Yours truly, 
Wm. H. Brewer. Ovid, N. Y., Oct. 7, 1854. 
The Concord Grape. 
No horticultural production has excited a greater 
interest of late years among pomologists, than this new 
seedling grape. Its hardiness, productiveness, large 
size,' and reputed earl incss of ripening,—nearly a 
month before the Isabella,'—have given it very strong 
claims, at least for a thorough trial. 
In consequence of the repeated inquiries which have 
been made of us as to its quality, we recently made 
application for a specimen of the fruit, and have been 
politely furnished by E. W. Bull, its originator, with 
a box of beautiful bunches, which came in fine condi¬ 
tion, notwithstanding a railway ride of several hun¬ 
dreds of miles. 
Although the largest bunches had been previously 
selected for the different horticultural exhibitions, and 
the drouth of the season had sensibly affected their 
growth, these were the most showy of any native grape 
we have met with. The berries measured about three 
fourths of an inch in diameter, and were almost per¬ 
fect spheres; the bunches were nearly as large as the 
one already figured in the horticultural journals, suf¬ 
ficiently compact, and handsomely shouldered,—nearly 
resembling a well ripened bunch of the Black Ham¬ 
burgh externally. We have been informed by some 
of our cautious friends, that they had seen bunches at 
the exhibitions this season, that were decidedly larger 
than the figured representation. 
The dense bloom which covers the berries adds much 
to the showy appearance of this grape. 
Of the quality and flavor, we cannot speak so high¬ 
ly. We consider it as rather inferior to the Isabel¬ 
la, so far as we could judge from specimens conveyed 
a long distance in a close box. The skin is remarka¬ 
bly thin and tender, and the exterior portion of the 
berry more juicy and freer of pulp than the Isabella, 
but the central portion or core holding the seeds, is 
larger than in the Isabella, Diana, and most other 
American sorts. The flavor is good, but not of the 
highest quality. Of the time of ripening, we cannot 
judge of course, although it is reputed to be much ear¬ 
lier than even the Diana. 
As to the real merits of this variety, we are inclined 
to consider it a valuable acquisition, although we es¬ 
teem fine flavor when placed against fine appearance, 
much more highly than many pomologists. As a har¬ 
dy vine, and an early, large and showy fruit for mar¬ 
ket, we shall not probably find anything to compete at 
the north with the Concord grape ; but those who de¬ 
sire a sweet, delicately flavored variety, for home use, 
without regard to size, appearance, or productiveness} 
witl choose the Diana ; which is only about one fourth 
the size of the Concord, in berry and bunch. 
A New Pear. 
We have received from L. W. Puffer, of Stough¬ 
ton, Mass., half a dozen specimens of a new pear, 
raised by James Shepard, Esq., of Dorchester. 
We are informed that the tree fruited the first time last 
year, that it is a great bearer, the fruit hanging in 
clusters of two or three each. The tree, a seedling, is 
eight years old, and is now about sixteen feet high, 
with a diameter of four inches, one foot above the 
ground. 
The fruit is not of the highest character, so far as 
richness is concerned, but its very agreeable melting 
texture, and fine flavor, render it a desirable table 
fruit. The tree is described as a free grower, and 
should it prove a uniform and abundant bearer, this 
variety would be a valuable acquisition,—though less 
so, from ripening with so many other fine sorts. 
The size is rather above medium, measuring fuil two 
and a half inches in diameter each way ; form obovate, 
somewhat ribbed towards the crown ; color dull yellow, 
with a faint greenish cast, and with numerous dots and 
some irregular patches of russet; stem an inch long, 
sunk at insertion; calyx erect, in a small, narrow rib¬ 
bed basin; flesh very melting and somewhat buttery, 
with a fine, very agreeable, although not rich flavor, 
as compared with the Doyenne, Belle Lucrative, &c. 
It should perhaps be named from its originator, the 
Shepard Pear. 
Information Wanted. 
Application of Guano. —You will greatly oblige 
one of your readers, and a young beginner in the art 
of tilling the ground, by answering a few questions. I 
have a piece of clayey ground, on which is a three 
year old clover sod. I will be obliged to plow part of 
it this fall and through the winter. I also want to put 
on from 350 lbs. to 400 lbs. of guano to the acre. Now 
how will I apply it 7 Is it best to sow 350 lbs. to the 
acre, and plow it under say twelve inches, with three 
mules; and in the spring, before harrowing, to give it 
a top dressing of 50 lbs. to the acre, and then plant as 
early as possible 7 I wait for your experience through 
the columns of your valuable paper, the Country Gen¬ 
tleman. A Young Farmer. Maryland. 
The best mode of applying guano, is a question about 
which there is much inquiry at the present time, and 
on which we should be glad to receive the views of 
those who have had experience in the matter. We 
should not advise our “ Young Farmer ” to turn his 
guano under a sod twelve inches deep. But whether, 
for a spring crop, it would be best to sow the guano, 
and harrow it in immediately after the land is plowed 
in the fall or winter, or to delay the application until 
preparing the land for the crop in the spring, is a ques¬ 
tion which can only be decided by experiment. 
