We have just been shown a letter from J. Fisk Allen, Esq., Of Salem, Mass., in which he makes an allusion to our article on the Delaware Grape. He says: "I am glad to Bee Mr. Mead, in December number of Horticulturist, giving his opinion of the Delaware Grape as a native. I pronounced it a native years ago when it was first said to be Red Traninier. And Dr. Wight in report of fruit committee of Massachusetts Horticultural Society, so stated it, and published it to the world in their annual report I had Red Trammer in fruit then for years, and have been annoyed by the statements constantly recurring pronouncing it a European variety." Mr. Allen, who has grown the foreign Grape so extensively, and studied its habits closely, may fairly be presumed to know something of its characteristics. It is peculiarly gratifying to have our opinion confirmed by such high authority.

The Delaware Grape #1

Mr. Editor:- I do not propose, in this communication, to settle the mooted question as to the nativity of this fine Grape; but as it has been grown within about four miles of this city for nearly eighteen years, I presume many of your readers would like to know how it came here, and what report we can make of its doings during all those years of probation.

A Mr. Foster first brought the Delaware to this county nearly eighteen years ago. He obtained the cuttings of a friend in Lambertville, N. J. After fruiting the vines for a few years, Mr. Foster changed his residence a short distance, but he reserved his vines, and took them with him, and has fruited them where he now resides for the last ten or twelve years.

That Mr. Foster's vines are true Delaware I do not ask you to believe on my word alone; for, in August, 1860, having a call from Mr. Charles Downing, of Newburgh, and the Delaware Grape king, Dr. C. W. Grant, of Iona, I had the pleasure of showing them one of Mr. Foster's Delawares, in fruit, in the fine grounds of the Hon. O. B. Mattison. These gentlemen both pronounced it the genuine Delaware by the time they were within ten feet of it. No further testimony need be added as to the genuineness of this Grape; but it may not be out of place to say, that when the fruit was ripe I took the trouble, for my own satisfaction, of comparing it with fruit that I had grown in my own grounds from Delaware vines that I had obtained from Dr. Grant, and I found them exactly alike in every respect.

Unfortunately the Foster Delaware has not been disseminated much, as its proprietor has been satisfied with having a few old vines, producing a better quality of fruit than any of- his neighbors; and not knowing its true name until the fall of 1859, he has never propagated it, except a little by layering for the accommodation of his immediate friends.

And now what does this disinterested witness say of the Delaware during all this time that he has grown it? Ho showed it to me on an open trellis in his yard, and assured me that he had always grown the vines thus exposed; said he had never been in the habit of laying them down in winter; had never had the vines winter-kill so as to injure them; had never known them to mildew; if they had, he had never noticed it, and thinks he would have noticed it had it taken place. And, what will please us all, he said his Delaware had never failed to yield him a full crop of most luscious Grapes annually, that had always ripened before our early frosts.

It appears to me that no vine but a native, " to the manor born," could bear such a severe test as Mr. F. has unwittingly given the Delaware, and come off with such flying colors. The past season was a very trying one for vines in this section. The most of them grew late. The Isabella, Catawba, and others of the same class mildewed very badly, and did not ripen their wood as well as usual; but the Delaware ripened its wood as well as the Concord, and was not more affected by mildew. I saw no rot among the fruit of the Delaware, while the Concord was slightly affected by it.

It should not be forgotten that our winters are pretty severe, the mercury sometimes marking nearly 30 degrees below zero. On the morning, of the 7th of February ult.; the mercury was 27 below in the city, and 28 to 30 below zero in the country about here.

The Delaware Grape #1

Mr. Editor : - If these few remarks about the Delaware are worthy of a place in your valuable journal, you may insert them. The first notice I took of the Delaware grape was in 1857, on a visit to Mr. Schneike, at Mount Adam, on Mr. Longworth's place. I found his entire crop of Catawba and other varieties destroyed by the mildew and rot, while the Delaware stood perfectly sound, without the least appearance of disease, although surrounded by the Catawba, which was almost entirely destroyed. Since that time I have grafted and planted the Delaware as last as I could possibly get the plants. I shall plant largely this spring, because I think it is the best hardy grape we have, either for wine or table use, growing strong, ripening two or three weeks earlier than the Catawba, the berries hanging longer on the vine after they are ripe, and the leaves remaining on the vine longer than is the case with others. The last season was unfavorable for the grape crop, as there was too much rain. My Delawares did well, being the only kind not affected by the mildew and rot. I lost nearly one-half of my Catawba crop, while the Cape, (that never suffers as much,) Herbemont, Isabella, Union Village, and other varieties, all suffered badly.

I think the Delaware, though the berry is smaller than the Catawba, will turn out as much wine to the acre, and of a superior quality. I am fully of the opinion that the Delaware is the best of all our hardy grapes, either for wine or the table. As for my own taste, I have never tasted any grape that I like as well as I do the Delaware; neither have I seen any one who has ever tasted it who did not agree that it was the best grape they had ever tasted. I place it at the head of all the grapes, as the best table grape as well as the best wine grape; as an early ripener, as hardening and ripening the wood to the end of the growth, and possessing a vigorous habit, and keeping its leaves on longer than any other variety.

[This testimony, from one of the largest and best vineyardists in the country, goes strongly to confirm what we have heretofore said of the Delaware, and, of course, it is very gratifying. We think we have placed it rightly. - ED].

The Delaware Grape #1

Our readers are perfectly familiar with the position we have taken in regard to the Delaware grape. We have repeatedly stated that very few persons had any proper conception of what it would be when the vines had attained age under generous treatment. Some of our friends thought we had overestimated it; but bunches and berries fully equaling in size our statement are becoming more or less common, while some surpass it. Our own knowledge made us confident that our position would be completely vindicated, and we determined this fall to give our readers some evidence of it. With this view we selected a bunch from the vineyard of B. H. Mace, Esq., of Newburgh, and placed it in the hands of C. W. Tice, Esq., of Newburgh, who, as a painter of fruit, is not excelled by any artist in the country, and equaled by very few. Mr. Tice has given us a life-like portrait of the Delaware. As an exact portrait, as well as a work of art, it is the best grape portrait that we have ever seen; nothing of Hall's that has ever come under our notice equals it, and that is the highest praise we can bestow upon it.

The bunch selected measures nearly seven inches in length, and four and a half in width, with berries like the Diana, It was not the largest we have seen during this season, either at Mr. Mace's or elsewhere. This fine portrait we propose to have executed for our readers in the highest style of art, cost what it may. We shall publish it in the April number, beautifully colored, and furnish it to all our subscribers. We mean to make it the best thing of its kind yet issued. We also propose to publish in the fall a colored plate of one of the best Strawberries or Pears. To non-subscribers, or those who do not take the magazine regularly, the price of the colored numbers will be 50 cents each. In addition to all this, our monthly frontispieces will be continued, and our usual handsome typographical appearance strictly maintained.

Our present subscribers are requested to renew their subscriptions as promptly as possible, and to use their influence among their friends to induce them to subscribe likewise. This will enable us to adjust our edition, and lay out our future plans to the best advantage. We shall appreciate all such attentions.