DuRing my acquaintance with grape growing, I know of no record of a season when the grape crop has been so full throughout the entire North and West as it has this year of 1867.

There have been seasons when, in certain localities, the crop has perfected perhaps as well, but I have no recollection, nor have I seen any published record of a season when it has ripped so perfectly over so large a territory, The rains injured, to a very considerable extent, the crop on the Atlantic coast and all east of the Alleghanies, yet the records even there show a success in grape growing and ripening that is far from discouraging; while west of the mountains, the unparalleled dry season over an immense territory, together with a more than average even temperature, has made the grape crop one of surpassing excellence in all soils and locations.

The records of dealers in the large markets show that the grape crop this year has come into close comparison in amount with the more general and universal one of apples, and many dealers have opened their eyes in surprise at the enormous quantities 23 of grapes received in the markets and readily sold at paying prices, averaging all the way from seven to twenty cents a pound at wholesale. I have no reliable statistics of the amount of acres now in bearing vineyards throughout our States, but from what I have been able to gather, we have something over 1,500,000 acres, and nearly 1,000,000 acres not yet in bearing.

If we allow the crop of this year to have averaged two tons to the acre - and it has done much more than that - we have the amount of 3,000,000 tons of grapes, which at an average of say ten cents per pound, would show the nice little sum of 600,-000,000 dollars as the value of our crop of grapes - an item in amount that if it had any political basis would lead to disputation and misrule, but as it is, it tends only to humanize and benefit mankind.

Those who read this and remark, as some perhaps will, that "if we have got 1,000,000 acres yet to come into bearing, then grape growing will soon become-unprofitable, because of the over supply," should think for a moment of the rapid increase of our non-producing population in cities and manufacturing towns, and also remember that the more abundant and common any fruit or article of food, the more freely is it purchased and eaten, and especially if that food is acknowledged on all hands to promote health while it gratifies the palate. So remembering, it seems to me no one can feel at a loss in estimating the price of grapes ten years hence at fully the present value. All the grapes, however, are not sold as fruit, but a large proportion are converted into wine; and as wine drinking has always prevailed, we may safely conclude it will continue; and as it is profitable to make certain varieties of grapes into wine, when they can be obtained at prices averaging ten cents or under per pound, we have an outlet for the surplus which, when made into wine, gives the grape grower a higher price for his labor than he who grows a surplus of corn to be made into whisky.

If I understand correctly, the grape crop of the old country is estimated in value by the quantity and quality of wine which it will make; and while I have no hesitation lin saying that whoever grows grapes for table purpose exclusively, and has convictions of conscience against their use for wine, can always sell his crop at paying prices for such use; yet there are those who do not fear the influence of wine, and who also are located where a ready transmission of the fruit to market may not be as convenient as its conversion into wine. To each of these growers it is important to know the variety of grape suited to his-soil, location, and purpose.

While I have no disposition to assert that I am correct, I will endeavor to condense some of the items relating to these points which I have collected.

The Concord, which has been regarded as the ugrape for the million," grows freely in all soils, produces the largest berries on sandy or gravelly soils, and the greatest on clay shales. As a market berry it does not bear transportation well, frequently bursting its skin, especially if allowed to become fully ripe, and dealers have to dispose of them as soon as possible after receipt. As a wine grape, heretofore it has met with but little favor out of Missouri, but the records of its must weight by the scale of Oeschle this year give it a grade from which we may expect a better wine than has ever yet been produced from it. One account I have of it from a fruit grower, whose soil is a sandy loam, on the south shore of Lake Erie, October 19th, gave 78°; another, October 21st, on clay soil, gave 80°; and another, the same day of gathering from the vines, in clay soil, of Doctor Dunham, President of the Lake Shore Grape Growers' Society, gave 84°. At the Hammondsport trial, it is quoted as ranging 71° and 75°.

The Ives, so far as I know, has never been put forward as a market or table fruit, but judging from its appearance I should not doubt its being safely transported. There are those who regard it as good for eating as the Concord. I am not one of those, nor do I think the public taste would give it as high a rank for that purpose. As a wine grape, it has abundance of juice, and its must, as a rule, weighs much higher than the Concord, making a wine of more body and character. Samples of the fruit from clay soil, same location as the Concord, and gathered at the same time, gave it a range of 7° above, or 87° against 80°. The vine is a hardy one, and a good strong vigorous grower, and while it makes a good wine, it is not as good : as Norton's Virginia or Cynthiana. The Hammondsport trial of this variety gave it 75° and 80°.

The Isabella, one of the oldest varieties grown, notwithstanding it has "had no friends," nevertheless I notice ranks among dealers as one of their best sorts; and while they have to dispose of Concords as soon as possible, they can put away the packages of Isabellas for a day when there shall be a lull in arrivals. On sandy soils the fruit of this, like the Concord, is larger than when grown on clay, but the vine also is somewhat more inclined to mildew.