Messrs. Editors: Our first snow is falling out of doors; but within, the fire is cheery; and while the snow covers the garden with its blanket, I have thought it would probably not be uninteresting to your readers to have another letter from the "Eastern Shore".

The year past has not been one of great prosperity to our farmers; the wheat crop was light when compared with the great show of straw, and the crop of Indian corn is not two thirds of an average. The peach crop - the great money crop of this county - was too abundant, and low prices ruled; yet, nevertheless, the fruit growers of this section unite in declaring that "peaches pay better than wheat and corn".

Still, I am disposed to think that the cultivation of the pear will ere long be the leading fruit interest of this county. On our best lands here the crop of pears is abundant and uniform year after year. I am inclined to think that your correspondent from "Vineland," N. J., some months ago, had never visited this part of the country, for if he had he would never have decided that the poor, scrubby lands of that vicinity were the best for pear culture. Our land here is high enough for good drainage, very gently undulating, and of a texture which I can describe no better than by using the words of one of our successful farmers - "it breaks up just like coffee grounds," a dark hazel loam, upon which anything natural to the climate will grow luxuriantly. We can not boast of cheap land, to attract settlers, for our own farmers know too well the value of their lands to allow any to be sold below their value. Within the past year or two we have had extensive land sales here, which were attended by men from all parts of the country; but almost without exception the land was bought by Kent County men, thus showing that those who know the land best value it the highest.

In no county in the State has there been a more rapid agricultural and horticultural improvement, and in no part of the State is land advancing more rapidly in value. Some years ago a farm in this county was sold under a mortgage of a few hundred dollars. The person holding the mortgage went to see the farm, and concluded that it would not pay him to buy, that he would be glad if he made his debt out of it. The farm was sold. An enterprising man went upon it, and two years ago I passed the place while he was breaking fallow for wheat. I remarked to the proprietor that he was plowing very deep. "Yes," said he; "but you see the plow turns no clay; and that is the only fault I find with it - it is too rich; all my small grain is liable to lodge and fall down." This farm, which years ago was thought dear at $10 per acre, can not be bought now for $150 per acre.

But about the garden. Well, I wrote to you last summer that I had tried McLean's Little Gem Pea, and found it very superior as well as early. I wanted to try Carter's First Crop, and ordered the seed, and got a mixture of tall Marrowfat and Bishop's Dwarf. From seed marked Lester's Perfected Tomato, at least two thirds of the plants produced the old knotty Red Tomato. New York Improved Prickly Egg Plant turned out to be Long Smooth. Scarlet Turnip Radish was White. Dwarf Erfurt Cauliflower was mixed with a tall, no-head sort. From another source, in response to an order for Long White French Turnip, I received White Flat Strap-leaved. This hardly seems square, and I am not sure but it would be best to give the public the names; but as the parties will probably see, and perhaps take warning from this, I will let them pass now, hoping they will not serve any one else so. I also ordered two packages of "Keyes' Early Prolific Tomato seed - thirty days earlier than any other sort" In due time they came, with a flaming picture of a round red tomato on each paper.

The seed was sown at the same time, or perhaps a day sooner, than my other tomatoes; the plants grew vigorously, set their fruit early, and ripened about ten days later than the Smooth Red; in fact, fruit of the Smooth Red variety raised from seed sown in the open ground was for sale in our market by the bushel before I had enough "Keyes" ripe for a mess. I am of opinion that the seedsmen were "sold" by the grower.

One fact in reference to fruit, and I am done. The Catawba Grape was the only variety in my garden which perfected its fruit the present season; Isabella, Northern Muscadine, Delaware, and others, mildewed, rotted, dropped; the Catawba, with its branches intertwined with those of the dropping Muscadine, brought its fruit to maturity. I have a great deal to say about fruit, but forbear, for fear that I have already tired you.

Should you ever get a notion to look at a peach orchard of 100,000 trees in one inclosure, all cultivated as cleanly as a garden, pay us a visit, and we will show you several. Yours, etc., W. F. M.

Editor's Table #1

Mr. Editor: I have been engaged in grape-growing for about eight years, and during this time I have planted about fifteen acres. Out of the many kinds I have planted, I have had it constantly in mind to select a few out of them that had superior qualities over the rest, for table use and wine combined. Up to this time I have not made a final selection. When I look at quality of fruit only, I would take Delaware, Iona, and Herbemont as the three best for table use and wine. The first three years of my experience in grape-growing was on the Gasconade River, two miles above its junction with the Missouri. Here, the Delaware lost its leaves early in the summer; and the Herbemont winterkilled, even when covered. In the spring of 1864 I bought a tract of bluff land on the north side of the Missouri River four miles above the mouth of the Gasconade River. Here I planted mostly Norton's Virginia, Concord, and Delaware, and although it was only about four miles distant from my old vineyard on the Gasconade, the vines made such a vigorous growth that one could hardly distinguish the variety, especially the Delaware, which grew more like Concord, holding its leaves until frost. I planted a few Iona, Israella, and Herbemont for trial.

I have since sold this tract of land to the Bluffton Wine Company, and planted another vineyard four miles farther up the river, on soil very much like it, on the banks of the Missouri, facing southeast, south, and southwest. I have planted mostly Norton's Virginia, Delaware, Iona, and Herbemont. All the varieties made a fine growth last season, and all held their leaves in a healthy state until frost, with the exception of the Delaware, which had small spots of mildew on a few of the leaves. The Herbemont does not winter kill here, and I have made up my mind to plant largely of both Delaware and Herbemont in preference to Virginia and Concord. My experience with the Iona is only of three years' standing. I have planted several hundreds of the vines within this time, and find it healthy in leaf, and in vigor about like Catawba. I first tasted the grape three years ago, and I think I have seen no American grape equal to it in quality. Last fall I had a few bunches from the vines I planted at Bluffton, and I was confirmed in my first opinion of its superior quality. I should be glad to know to what extent this variety had been planted in this State, and with what success.

My experience on this side of the Missouri, so far, confirms me in the opinion that the Delaware, Herbemont, and Iona will prove to be the three best varieties, both for table and wine, on thousands of acres along the north bank of the Missouri River. They will require more careful culture than Concord and Virginia, but they are enough better in quality to pay for the extra culture. Delaware and Iona have a poor name at Hermann and along the south bank of the Missouri; but I think our vine-growers are beginning to see that there is a great difference between the soil on the two sides of the river for certain varieties; and, heretofore, the reports from Hermann have had too much influence in leading others to discard such varieties as did not succeed well there. Our best-flavored varieties should be well tried in all locations before deciding to leave them out and plant such as Concord, Hartford, Virginia, etc. I do not believe grapes of this quality will satisfy the taste of many, after they get more familiar with the Delaware, Iona, and Herbemont, and others of that class. For the past few years our grape-growers here have been crazy with the idea of immense profits from an acre, and the quality was of little account if it paid well.

This can only be corrected by experience, which they are beginning to get. --- J. S. H.