"Max," Staunton, Va., under date 5th Sept. says: - "For once the Vineyardist has nothing of which to complain - no rot, mildew nor any other ill, to which the grape is heir, troubled him this season, if we except the bees.

"At this point, Brighton ripened first, making handsome bunches and yielding well - fully two-thirds as freely as the Concord. Began cutting them August 27th, but the bees had anticipated us and claimed a large share. Moral, plant Brighton for its vigor, fecundity and quality, but if there are bees in the neighborhood use paper bags.

"Salem and Wilder ripened next, both doing well - cut these Sept. 1st. Heretofore the rot has injured Salem and Catawba very materially but both escaped this year. Concord and Delaware followed, both maturing sufficiently for table use by Sept. 5th, and yielding heavily; Catawba, Clinton, Norton, Geothe are all promising; the Clinton coloring rather slowly and irregularly. Reports from other portions of the Valley and eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge, are to the same general purport. Tell us, Mr. Editor, to what causes climatic or other this is due. An exceedingly dry summer and autumn, succeeded by a fairly, though not excessively, moist spring and summer, are the conditions. For years past Catawba and Salem have rotted in both wet and dry seasons. The culture and pruning have been the same. Annual applications of stable manure and close pruning in the winter. No summer pruning whatever. Western exposure. Gravelly, limestone soil".

[It has always been noted that exceedingly dry summers or exceedingly dry soil, is favorable to heathfulness in the grape, and for this reason it is quite common to find localities so hilly that corn would turn its leaves to shavings in summer, given up to grape culture. Just why this is can only be answered hypothetically for we do not know that the reason has been actually demonstrated.

We do know that what we call mildew and rot come from minute species of fungus that require very nice combinations of heat and moisture to have their spores germinate. Those who believe that fungi can attack the healthiest vegetation would, therefore, "guess" that the fungus would not germinate in the dry atmosphere. Again we do know that the grapevine is very sensitive to the loss of its root fibres. Black rust on the roots, Phylloxera on the roots, a little more water than can rapidly pass away round the roots, or rather young fibrous roots, weakens a vine, and then mildew and rot hasten to get their work in on the foliage and fruit. So then those who believe that fungus only follows weakened vegetation, point to the dry weather and "guess" that the roots could not but be healthy in such a season. - Ed. G. M].