FAIR OF THE LAKE-SHORE GRAPE-GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. The first Annual Fair of the Lake-shore Grape-Growers' Association, as re-organized, was held on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15 and 16, at the Court House in Erie, Penn. The display of grapes and flowers was fine, and was much better than was anticipated in view of the unfavorable character of the season for grapes on the Lake Shore. There was a fair attendance upon the meetings and discussions of the association. Nearly a hundred and fifty entries of grapes were made, and the number of plates exhibited on the tables was about two hundred. The samples were from different localities, from the Hudson River on the east, and Hamilton, Canada, on the north, to and including the Lake Shore. Perfect specimens of the Eumelan, the Walter, and the Croton (the latter Mr. S. W. Underhill's new white seedling, a cross between the Delaware and Chasselas), were exhibited, and were much admired. Wines from Mr. E. A. Thompson of Cincinnati were on the tables, and his sample of Norton's Virginia was especially admired for its excellence; while the South-shore Wine Company of North East, Ryckman, Day, & Co., of Brocton, and several smaller manufacturers, showed fine samples of their different brands of red, white, and sparkling wines. Among the distinguished visitors to the fair were Charles Downing of Newburgh, F. R. Elliott of Cleveland, Secretary of the United-States Pomological Society, and M. B. Bateham of Ohio. On the evening of Friday, William Griffith, Esq., President of the Association, delivered an address. He referred to the different systems of pruning the vine, and deprecated the method of summer-pruning which had been so generally practised, but was now growing into disfavor. He alluded also to the oïdium, or mildew, and other diseases of the vine, which had proved to be more or less disastrous during latter years in Ohio; and made copious extracts from different writers on the subject. The climatic and atmospheric conditions and the character of the soils on the Lake Shore were stated at length. The efforts of gentlemen who have sought to produce new and valuable varieties by raising new seedlings, either by chance results or by hybridizing, were especially commended; and, finally, wine-making was spoken of as a branch of industry which must be fostered and encouraged if the permanent interests of grape-cultivation were to be regarded. He was followed by Mr. E. F. Underhill, the secretary, who described the system of wide planting and high training and pruning practised at Naples Valley, N.Y. [The system was fully described in an article, by Mr. Underhill, in the November number of the Journal.] Mr. F. R. Elliott of Cleveland briefly addressed the association. He alluded to the remarkable success which this year had attended grape-culture in New England in contrast with our own success on the Lake Shore; and stated, that, on the Lake, they must not plume themselves too much upon tl eir supposed advantages for grape-growing, for there were many, very many situations where the vine could be grown with eminent success and profit. Mr. M. B. Bateham of Ohio also addressed the association. During the second day, the discussions were resumed. Mr. A. S. Moss of Fredonia, N.Y., referred to the progress which had been made in the methods of pruning and training the vine, and remarked how little had been learned during many years' experience, as was evidenced by the startling facts which were being adduced counter to their previous ideas and practices in treating the vine. Mr. John E. Mottier of North East was opposed to the system of wide planting and high training advocated by Mr. Underhill, in view of the latter's observations at Naples Valley; Mr. Mottier holding that the quality of the grapes deteriorated for wine-purposes under such treatment. He admitted, however, that, in vineyard-planting, he had commenced by putting his vines in the ground at a distance of three feet by eight; but that he had found it better, as the result of experience, to increase the distance to six feet by eight. The awards were announced as follows: : CLASS I. Standard Red and White Grapes: Ist. To Ryckman, Day, & Co., of Brocton, N.Y., for sample grown at Naples, N.Y.; 2d. L. Spencer, North East, Penn. Diana.- Ist. Ryckman, Day, & Co. ; 2d. Calvin Leet of Moreheadville, Penn. Delaware. Ist. A. J. Byington, Naples, N.Y.; 2d. C. H. Mottier, North East, Penn. Iona. Ist. W. & S. Griffith, North East, Penn.; 2d. Ryckman, Day, & Co. Rebecca. 1st. South-shore Wine Company, North East, Penn.; 2d. W. & S. Griffith. Isabella. 1st. Ryckman, Day. & Co.; 2d. W. & S. Griffith. Clinton. - Ist. William Haskins, Hamilton, Province of Ontario; 2d. Southshore Wine Company. Concord. Ist. South-shore Wine Company; 2d. H. Janes, Erie, Penn. Hartford. 1st. W. & S. Griffith; 2d. M. Mehl, Erie, Penn. Ives. Ist. C. H. Mottier; 2d. W. & S. Griffith. port, N.Y. 1st. W. & S. Griffith; 2d. I. H. Babcock, Lock Massasoit (Rogers's No. 3). Ist. W. & S. Griffith; 2d. A. S. Moss, Fredonia, N.Y. Wilder (Rogers's No. 4). — 1st. I. H. Babcock; 2d. C. H. Mottier. Ist. W. & S. Griffith; 2d. A. S. Moss. Merrimack (Rogers's No. 19).— 1st. A. S. Moss; 2d. W. & S. Griffith. Rogers's No. 33.1st. A. S. Moss. Salem. Ist. I. H. Babcock; 2d. W. & S. Griffith. Israella. Ist. W. & S. Griffith; 2d. C. H. Mottier. Walter. Ist. Ferris & Caywood, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; 2d. Ryckman, Day, & Co. -- Eumelan. Ist. Hasbrouck & Bushnell, Iona Island, N.Y. CLASS IV.: Best red grape for the table, - the Delaware; Ryckınan, Day, & Co. Best black grape for the table, the Eumelan; Hasbrouck & Bushnell. Best new red seedling, Best new black seedling, Best new white seedling, Point, N.Y. CLASS V. Fruit on Cane : the Eumelan; Hasbrouck & Bushnell. the Croton; Stephen W. Underhill, Croton Best display of Isabellas on cane; C. Sexauer, Erie, Penn. Best display of Delawares on cane; C. Leet, Moreheadville, Penn. Class VI. Dry White Wines: Isabella. -Ist. South-shore Wine Company; 21. Ryckmin, Day, & Co. Catawba Ist. South-shore Wine Company; 2d. Ryckman, Day, & Co. Delaware. -Ist. South-shore Wine Company; 24. Ryckman, Day, & Co. Diana. Ist. Ryckman, Day, & Co. [The committee in their report speak of this sample of wine as entitled to special mention for its excellence.] Hartford Prolific. Ist. South-shore Wine Company. Concord. — 1st. E. A. Thompson, Cincinnati, O. Iona. -Ist. South-shore Wine Company; 2d. Ryckman, Day, & Co. Ives Seedling. Ist. South-shore Wine Company; 2d. E. A. Thompson, Cincinnati, O. Clinton. 1st. Ryckmin, Day, & Co.; 2 1. South-shore Wine Company. Concord. Ist. South-shore Wine Company. Oporto ( Erie-County Port"). Ist. W. King, Erie, Penn. CLASS VIII. - Sparkling Wines : Catawba.- 1st and 2d. South-shore Wine Company. Isabella. Ist. Ryckman, Day, & Co. From Mixed Grapes. Ist. Ryckman, Day, & Co., for the "Diamond Wedding." CLASS IX. Non-enumerated Articles : Grape-Boxes. - Manton & Noble, Fredonia, N.Y. The Vine-Lock.- A substitute for tying in attaching the vines to the trelliswire. A special diploma to E. F. Underhill, Brocton, N.Y. Twitchell's Acidometer. A special diploma awarded to Mr. Twitchell of Cincinnati. This instrument is designed to test the amount of acids in liquids. It is simple in its construction and operation, and shows upon a graduated scale the number of parts in a thousand of acid. The action depends upon the neutralization of the acid by the use of a given quantity of bi-carbonate of soda, by which a definite volume of carbonic-acid gas is given off for every equivalent of acid. This displaces a corresponding portion of water in a receiver; which portion is forced to rise in the graduated tube, where the result can be read. Special diplomas to Mrs. Wilson King of Erie, Penn., for a fine display of greenhouse flowers and plants; and to Miss Denton of Fredonia, N.Y., Mrs. W. W. Dinsmore of Erie, Penn., and Miss Mottier of North East, for beautiful displays of annuals and bouquets. During the concluding portion of the proceedings of the fair, Hon. John P. Vincent of Erie addressed the association. He stated, that, in the judicial position which he held, he was constantly brought in contact with crime; and that, as the result of extended observation, he believed that much the greater part of crime could be traced to the use of intoxicating drinks. There seemed to be, from whatever cause, an untoward tendency to indulgence in alcoholic drinks by many of our people; and all attempts to check that tendency had proved unavailing. In this view, the question was important, whether it was not possible to direct the indulgence of appetite into a different channel; to divert it from the fiery distillations at present in use to the light wines made from the pure juice of the grape, which would produce the exhilaration sought by those who indulged, and yet was quite unlikely to cause drunkenness and its attendant evils. He believed that the extensive use of wines such as had been exhibited at the fair, wholesome, pure, and generous, would do much to banish the curse of intemperance; and hence he regarded the growth of the grape, and the manufacture of cheap, pure, American wines, as branches of industry which should be fostered in every locality where they could be successfully carried on. L. THE AMALIA APPLE. — This new variety is described in "Hearth and Home" as one of the most beautiful of apples, and giving promise of great excellence. It bore at the remarkably early age of five years. It was raised by Mrs. Siedhof of Weehawken, N.J., and bears her name. "Fruit large, roundish, inclining to conic; skin very smooth and shining, deep yellow, with small spots and blotches of reddish orange; calyx set in a narrow, deep, and irregular basin; stalk rather slender, about an inch long, inserted in a deep, funnel-like cavity; flesh yellowish-white, tender, with a crisp, sub-acid flavor. Season, September and October. Judging from this single specimen, we consider the Amalia a very promising variety." KANSAS FRUIT. - The Kansas people are justly proud of the beautiful exhibition of fruit made from their State at the meeting of the Pomological Society; and "The Kansas Farmer" gives a fine engraving of the pomological pyramid on which they were displayed. Noticing a short time ago a remarkably fine dish of yellow Bellflower apples at an exhibition of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the exclamation which instinctively came to our lips was, “Equal to Kansas!" It seems strange that this young State should furnish a standard of excellence for our apples; but so it is. THE ANNUAL EXHIBITION Of the Ohio Grape-Growers' Association was held in Cleveland, Oct. 13. The display of fruit was much better than was expected after so unfavorable a season; the number of entries being over a hundred, embracing about three hundred plates of forty different varieties, nearly all of fine appearance and quality. In the evening discussions, depth of planting was the first subject introduced. It was found that the fruit ripened better when the roots were near the surface: but the difficulty of using the plough or cultivator, and the danger of winter-killing when planted shallow, were objected to; and it was thought that the majority were in favor of shallow planting, and ridging up the ground in autumn, to prevent injury by the winter. Mr. Caywood said that deep planting caused the "mushroom" disease, a white fungus under the outer bark of the stem of the vine both above and below ground, causing lasting injury to the vine; while Mr. Campbell said this fungus was often seen where not attributable to deep planting, and he did not think that it damaged the vines much, if any, except while quite young. The discussion of varieties was commenced by Mr. Bateham, who remarked that Rogers's Hybrids had mildewed badly with him the present season. He had also seen them at Mr. Knox's, near Pittsburg, destitute of leaves. He was apprehensive that their foreign blood rendered them too liable to mildew. Mr. Babcock of Lockport, N.Y., would not judge any variety by its behavior this year. He had seen Salem, Wilder, and others of Rogers's, succeeding the present season where Delaware and lona failed. Mr. Campbell had been much pleased with Rogers's grapes; but this year his expectations had been disappointed: but he still hoped this would prove an exceptional season. Mr. Caywood had seen Salem and Agawam doing well this year. Mr. S. B. Marshall had a fair crop of Wilder and Merrimack on dry, gravelly soil: he had also seen Agawam doing well; best on dry soils, and not pruned too closely. Mr. Bateham inquired whether any one had tested sulphur as a remedy for mildew this season, and read a letter from W. J. Flagg of Freestone, Sciota County, O., suggesting as reasons why sulphur might have failed in some cases, that, ist, The applications may not have been timely or sufficiently frequent. They should be made either immediately upon the appearance of the disease, or before it has been able to work serious damage; or, if such appearance cannot be early enough detected, then there should be a sulphuring every twenty days, beginning as early as any mildew has ever been observed to show itself on the particular vines to be treated, and continued till the grapes begin to change color. However much sulphur one may blow upon his vines, if he allows the fungus to get the start of him by a few days, there will be a failure of the experi ment. 2d, The sulphuring may have been carelessly done; or, being well done, rains may have washed off the powder before it had time to work its proper effect. 3d, After properly dosing his plants, the vine-dresser may have been frightened by the appearance of black rot (which sulphur will not cure), and confounding that with the fungus disease, for which alone sulphur is prescribed, abandoned the remedy in despair. That is not the malady that some call the |