Mr. P. R. Mkad - Sir: - Will you please to state in the Horticulturist what is the legal postage thereof?

What native grapes are worthy of cultivation where the European varieties will thrive?

Which are the twelve best European grapes, as to flavor and productiveness, in the order of their excellence? Am I right in naming Black Hamburgh, Chasselas de Fontainebleau, Royal Muscadine, Grizzly Fontignan, White Muscat of Alexandria, Sweetwater (Dutch), and Black July, as seven of the best?

Name the order and time of ripening of such twelve in the cold grapery. In this particular, nursery catalogues are much at fault.

Name such twelve in the order of their hardiness, and name the twelve hardiest European grapes in the order of their hardiness and of their excellence.

Are the native grapes, August Coral and Columbian Muscat, (Prince,) worthy of cultivation by the side of the Delaware, Diana, Concord, and Hartford Prolific? Inquirer.

[The legal postage of the Horticulturist is 18 cents per annum, if paid quarterly in advance, and no postmaster has a right to charge more.

We think the Delaware and Diana worthy of cultivation under the circumstances you name. We could add two or three others not so well known, if we understand your question aright.

According to our taste, the following are the best 12 European grapes: Muscat of Alexandria, Cannon Hall Muscat, Chasselas Musque, Grizzly Frontignan, Black Frontignan, White Frontignan, Chasselas de Fontainebleau, Royal Muscadine, Black Hamburgh, Muscat Hamburgh, Black Prince, Esperione. You will perceive that we have neither the Sweetwater nor the Black July in our list. We can find no place for them in a list of twelve for quality; but for earliness they have their value. We could vary this list without violence to our own taste.

The above will ripen in the grapery about as follows, though something will depend upon their position in the house: Chasselas de Fontainebleau, Royal Muscadine, Chasselas Musque, White Frontignan, Grizzly Frontignan, Black Hamburgh, Muscat Hamburgh, Esperione, Black Prince, Black Frontignan, Muscat of Alexandria, Cannon Hall Muscat.

In the order of hardiness, the Chasselas class would be first, the Hamburgh class second, the Frontignan class third, and the Muscat class last. Some of the hardiest European grapes are not mentioned in the above list. We may mention among these the Black July, the Sweetwater, the Riesling, the White Lisbon, etc. In speaking of hardiness, reference is had altogether to open air culture; we will add, that it is only under the most favorable circumstances of exposure, shelter, etc., that an occasional crop can be got from these. For a few years some of them do tolerably well; but the experiment of growing foeign grapes in the open air has been so often tried by skillful and experienced men, with such uniform results, as to compel us to accept the conclusion that they are not adapted to our climate. Besides, those that do succeed occasionally in favorable situations, are inferior to our best native grapes. If you contemplate growing the foreign grape in the open air, we advise you to make a long pause before embarking in the enterprise. Select our best natives for the open air, and grow the foreign kinds under glass. Such grapes as the Delaware, Diana, Rebecca, Manhattan, Anna, Catawba, and a few others, when grown where they can ripen fully, will satisfy a very nice taste.

There are also three new grapes to be sent out which will take their place among the best.

The August Coral is not as good as the Delaware or Diana. The Columbian Muscat we have not tested. If you will let us know precisely your location and exposure, we have no doubt of being able to make out a choice list of grapes for you, though it may prove to be small. - Ed].