Oh grapes, grapes!! We go from bad to worse. All the grapes raised in Illinois last season, would not make nectar enough to fill Hebe's smallest cup. All remedies and theories, have utterly failed. The grapes set well as usual, but in July, even before the extreme heat came on, they began to rot. I visited nearly every grapevine in this place, to try to ascertain the facts in the case, and I found but one solitary vine which even tolerably retained its fruit. This was one about five or six years old, planted on the top of the lime scoriae thrown out from the mortar bed while bnilding a large brick house. Its bed was supposed to be from one to two feet thick, of lime and brickbats, covered with a few inches of soil by the natural process of grading about the house. The grapes on this vine ripened well with no extra care, and it was the only case in town, or in the county, so far as I know. I tried, myself, all sorts of experiments. I obtained cedar posts 22 possible; others I kept water standing around all summer. Some I trimmed close in various ways, and others I did not trim at all. But the rot took the whole of them at last, indiscriminately.

At one time I thought those mulched with saw-dust and elevated on the cedar poles, had escaped, and was about to inform you of my entire triumph, as the others were nearly all gone, while these were fresh and fair. But fortunately, before I got time to write my exultation, these mostly went in the same way; they however ripened a few bunches, and strange to tell, almost every grape that ripened had a worm in it, and was worthless. Now, query - is this rot caused by an insect, and did not the mulching destroy the larvae under these vines until all the others were "used up," the insects then gathering upon those also, by emigration? I confess it looks like it. Again, the week before they began to rot, I saw a great number of little insects on the wing under those vines - somewhat resembling a small fly, but so quick on the wing it was impossible to catch them, and I never saw one light, nor could I find any in any other part of the garden, though there were hundreds under this grape arbor in the early part of the day. This attracted my attention strongly at the time.

But I thought little of it until I found the grapes all worm-tenanted in the fall.

Again, I had almost forgotten the conclusion, until a week or two since, I was informed while in Quincy that one man had saved his crop, by his son's catching an insect about the vines early in the season. His theory, I learn, is that the rot is caused by an insect which deposits the larvae in the bloom, similar to the pea-fly - hence those grapes which perish early, say about the size of green peas, do not perfect their larvae, while those which hang on late, and ripen as some of mine did, do perfect them.

This also accords well enough with the fact, that old vines are worse infected than new ones - and the same of localities.

Some soils, also, may be propitious to the larvae, others destructive - while mulching, liming and various other processes, may tend to destroy them. But here I have no theory and no opinion; the facts I have detailed are facts - that is all I care as yet to say, except that I think them sufficient to set others to watching and thinking; for in the present state of things, grapes, over thousands of square miles in the west, can be of little or no use, and he who first discovers the true cause and cure, will be one of the greatest benefactors of his country and race. Have any others found their grapes wormy in the fall 1

Grapes #1

C. P. Williams, (Albany.) The leaf blight which turns brown.the edges of the native grape, has not been satisfactorily explained. Picking off the leaves affected appears to prevent its spreading. B. Johnson.- The Clinton Grape is worthy of trial as a wine grape. It is much earlier and hardier than the Isabella. Norton's Seedling has borne with us for several years past, and we have rejected it as worthless for the table. The Elsinburgh is the best of all the small native sorts - being delicate in flavor, sweet, and entirely without hard pulp. W. B. P., (Buffalo.) You have allowed your vine to extend too much, and exhaust itself. Dig in this fall, about the roots, over an area of some 15 or 20 feet square, as much stable, or other strong animal manure as will cover the surface of the ground. Next spring apply half a peck of plaster as a top dressing. This will effectually renovate the vine.

Grapes #2

Under Glass, Black Hamburg, Black Prince, Black Frontignan, Chasselas de Fontainebleau, Grizzly Frontignan,

White Front ignan, While Muscat of Alex'dria.

Open Culture, Catawba, Isabella.

Grapes #3

Rub off all superfluous shoots as soon as the strongest can be ascertained. In consequence of the extreme severity of the winter, much of the young wood is killed. Young vines, that ripened their wood imperfectly last season, are most likely to suffer in this way. Such shoots require to be cut back to a sound and healthy part. Even though only injured slightly, they require cutting down, as such unhealthy shoots spread disease over the whole plant.

Grapes #4

These will not require much attention at present; the side-shoots and laterals may be shortened a little previous to the regular winter pruning. Do not cut the fruit too soon. Many prefer the Isabella Grape after it has been exposed to slight frost.