The annual winter meeting of this Society was held in Cleveland, 19th to 21st February, and, from the reports received, was well attended. The subject of growing grapes, inasmuch as it comes home profitably to the interest of the grower, must of course interest a large number, and especially in those sections where grape-growing is one of the most successful and profitable crops of the land.

In the discussion on varieties, we notice the Catawba, for the Lake Shore, stood as one of if not the first. The Delaware had a good show when in rich soils and well cultivated; and Norton's Virginia was spoken of as valuable for red wine.

Mr. Lewis, of Sandusky, read some statistics regarding the yield of last year in that vicinity, as follows:

There were some other varieties of grapes included in the above, but the great balance was stated to be Catawbas.

The subject of keeping grapes was freely discussed, and from it we extract as follows :

"Mr. Saxton had kept his grapes in a cool room - a dry cellar - as cold as could be without freezing. They were as plump now as in October. The grapes must be ripe first, he had learned, and then they could be kept easily. He thought fruit would keep better in a dark room than in a light one. His grapes would keep two months yet.

"Several instances were related of keeping grapes in layers, with cotton batting or paper between the layers. One man in Lake County, as related by Mr. Harrison, of Painesville, packed in saleratus boxes, with paper between the layers. Part he put on high shelves in his cellar, and part near the cellar bottom. The former were badly shriveled, while the latter were plump. Both were well preserved, however.

"Mr. Wadsworth, of Madison, Lake County, said his grapes were raised on gravelly soil. Last year they ripened well; were gathered and laid on a packing-table till the stems were withered, and then they were packed. They were kept in a cool cellar.

"Dr. Dunham said that grapes, the must of which would weigh 90, would probably stand a temperature of 27 degrees. Another gentleman said that he had tested the temperature in his grape-room and found it to be 16 degrees. Still another gentleman confirmed this statement in another instance.

"Mr. Lowry said he used to try to keep grapes in cotton batting, setting them in a cool room. When one grape would rot, the juice would be communicated to others by batting. Cotton cloth remedied this, as it would not carry the juice from a rotten grape to sound ones. Catawbas keep better than Isabellas or Delawares. If grapes are shipped when the weather is pretty hot, with frequent showers, they are pretty sure to spoil.

"Mr. Griffith said the whole thing was to keep the grapes dry and cool. They should be kept at least three days after picking, filling the boxes half full; set them in an open room; then, after setting three days, remove every grape that is loose, and the rest would keep without trouble. He always kept his grapes in an upper room. They must be ripe, and packed with care.

"Mr. Cay wood, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., said it was not thought to pay to keep grapes. He had the experience of two men who had tried it for years, and had become convinced that the cost of buildings, etc., for keeping, was more than enough to overbalance the profit.

"Mr. Swan, of East Cleveland, referred to the keeping of grapes in fruit-houses, both in Cleveland and in New York. The temperature in these fruit-houses was stated to be 34 degrees the year round.

"Dr. Dunham said that two years ago his grapes were bought to put in the fruit-house in this city. Mr. Nyce had them picked before he (Dr. D.) wanted them to be , picked. They were not fully ripe. They did not keep".

A report was made of the weight of musts, but as this has all been recorded and published in Mr. Elliott's article, in our December number, we do not copy it.

The subject of wine-making was brought up by a few one - ideaists, and after some discussion we notice Prof. J. P. Kirtland, with cool, discerning judgment as to its ultimatum, moved the subject "be referred to the temperance societies, as it might be discussed in the Grape-Growers' Association (where it was out of place) for a centurv, and never reach a conclusion.

During its discussion, Prof. Rhodes, whom we know to have a knowledge of what he affirms, spoke as follows on this point:

"He had last year been in Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Bavaria, the German States, Russia, etc. He had very distinct impressions of the drinking habits of the various people. In Ireland, you will see whisky; so in Scotland and England. He saw much drunkenness in these countries - more than in this country. The use of the whisky and strong ales in Great Britain produced more drunkenness than in America. In France, he was struck with the abundance of wine and the little amount of intemperance. The wine is cheap - about ten cents for a quart. This is put with water, and with bread makes the food of the common people. In Belgium, beer and wine come in competition. In Holland, beer is used, also in Switzerland. In Italy, again, there is wine; then again, in Germany, you come to beer again. He saw no drunken men in beer-drinking countries. The beer in Germany has only 2 per cent, of alcohol in it. People on the Continent do not seem to drink as they do in England, merely for the animal enjoyment. It is a part of the social enjoyment of the people. They do not stand up to drink, but sit and read or converse while drinking. He thought the people frequently got drunk on wine.

But they were brought up on it; children four or five years of age drank wine and water mixed. In times of great festivity, like the gathering of grapes at Baden, there may probably be some excesses that would never be seen at other times. He thought temperance would be promoted best in America by reform in two respects. First, reform the manner of drinking - not gulp down a glass of whisky in a minute. Second, introduce pure wine and beer, such as is used in Europe. He did not think temperance would succeed on the total abstinence principle. It never had succeeded in any country. Where the use of wine is almost universal, he saw no drunkenness. He thought he was in places where he ought to have seen intoxication if there had been any. He thought the freedom of social life in France affected the temperance habits of the people. They could get wild amusement and excitement almost free, and need not go to. strong drink to satisfy the natural cravings for some excitement. In England, where people are kept most closely confined at work, there is most drunkenness; after working twelve to fifteen hours, the men gravitate naturally to drink.

" In Europe, he saw no such cases of dyspepsia as we have here, and he thought the use of wine beneficial. In Paris, beer drinking is increasing very rapidly, but he saw no bad effects. The police regulations of Paris against adulteration were very stringent. He regarded it the duty of a man abroad to see life in every phase, and he took occasion to go to all sorts of places, to see the people in their worst phase. His conclusions were made up from observations taken in all places".