Nebraska advertiser., 1869-09-16
CHARLESTON, LII, Aug. %, 1869.

CHARLESTON, ILL, Aug. %, 1869.
COL r. W. FWrnos:
REAa SIR After
spending near half q century Of my
life in other pursuits, I four years ago
turned my attention to the fruit and
nursery business, intending at the
time to confne nay operations in, a
large degree, to small fruits and flow
ers, but soon run into a general u
sery business; however, ana still Civ
ing special attention to the propagation
of flowers and small fruits, roses and
Dutch bulbs being my pets in the
flower line, and native grapes in the
small fruit line.
Having secured the leading varie-
ties of roses in the country, Hast year
ordered direct from an eastern impOr-
ter, l24 new varieties, importations Of
1878, all of which I have been thor
oughly testing on my grounds this
season, and am sorry to be compelled
to admit that my expectations have
not been fully realized. While the
average is good, there are but eompar-
atively few that I regard as being an
acquisition worthy of special COM
mendation, and two of the very best
don't seem to do well on their own
roots, hence ara worthless for general
distribution. Those of us who are on
the out side Of the ring, and who pur-
chase our plants, relying upon the
description given BY tbe originators,
are FREQ qenty grievonsly disapppfnted
In spring flower catalogue fof next
year I shsil describe a portion Of my
new roses, such as I send ont and re-
serve the balance for further trial.
OF upwards Of forty varieties of ma
tive grapes on my grounds, can only
recommend three varieties for general
cultivation, viz: Concord, Hartford
Prolific, and Ives Seeding. The
Clinton is hardy, thrifty and prolific,
but has not ripened its fruit uniformly
with me, and is quite inferiorin quail
ity. The Delaware standsat thehead
Of the list as a table grape, and should
be found in every mans garder, but is
tender, and cannot be entirely
relied on for a crop of ripe fruit each
year. Same may be said of the Iona,
both subject to mildew, and the latter
more or less to rot. The Catawba and
Isabella with us are absolute failures
and being generally discarded. With
Concord, Hartford and Ives Seeding,
1r either of them on your grounds,
under fair treatment, you may, as a
rule, expect fruit each year; and al
not of the best quality, it is
good enOugh-quite preferable to none
1t all. Besides the certainty of fruit,
The vines Withstand the rigors of our
,hangeable winters, and the foliage
the scOrching rays of the summer
sun, and the attacks of the entire in
sect family.
Believing az I do, that if the Wes-
tern people would eat less meat and
more fruit and vegetables, that they
would have clearer heads, purer hearts
and healthier stomachs.
I have put down the price of hardy
grape vines, at retail, to within
The each reach of every family who
may have as much grounds as a town
hoping thereby to largely extend
The planting of grape vines through
out the West, make some money my
self, and in a small way become pub
lie benefactor.
Pardon me for boring you with my
views upon flowers and grapes. II
QUIT answer your letter. and
find that I am spinning a yarn on sub
Iects quite foreign to my purpose.
> = Respectfully,
M. G.. MCLAIN.