Gentlemen: Having provided myself with the Catawba and Isabella for natives, Black Hamburg, Golden Chaselas, Black Prince, Pitmaston, White Chester, and Early Black July, for foreign, all of which are planted along a tight board fence; the foreign on the south side, native on the north, directly behind the former, for the purpose of hybridizing when all are in bloom; at that period two or three boards may be taken off, the branches interlaced until all the fruit is set. But by taking notes when all grew under the same advantages of the sun and light, I found a difference between the two varieties in the time of blossoming, of from ten to fifteen days; the natives having set their fruit and grown as large as No. 6, shot before the foreign were in flower, thus doing away with all chance for hybrids. Now how long shall I retard the native by applying ice to its roots covered with litter, its top being shaded by the fence; or when shall I commence to stimulate the roots and tops of the foreign, the first by warm manures, the latter by blackened boards, stone and charcoal under the vine against the fence, over which a little flour of sulphur may be thrown to prevent mildew.

If any by experiment have caused the two, foreign and native to bloom exactly together, and will give me particulars, either privately or through the Horticulturist, it would greatly advance my case, and in all probability, save two or three years in experimenting; and likely be the means of placing on the American table a grape far superior to any now enjoyed. The above Grapes will all ripen their fruit here quite well by being protected through the winter. All my experiments are for open air culture, and particularly to have the pollen, both of native and foreign mingled together for the hybrid; for it strikes me, to cut off the anthers of the Catawba, and allow the Hamburg to furnish pollen only, the offspring would be too tender to stand our winters; and such might not be a true hybrid after all.

Wm. H. Read, Pt. Dalhousee, C. W.