Dear Sir - In your Horticulturist for September, page 410,I notice an article headed "The Isabella Grape - Its History, etc." You have some remarks appended thereto, a portion of which I quote, viz: "There is, unfortunately, no well authenticated proof that our native grape has ever been hybridised with the grapes of Europe. All our seedlings, so far proved, are chance seedlings - but we believe some of our pomologists are now busy with the experiment of crossing the species if possible - to effect a more speedy amelioration of the hardy native varieties. A cross between Black Hambugh and Isabella, giving us the size and luscious flavor of the former, and the hardiness of the latter, would be worth untold thousands."

I beg leave to refer you to Hovey's Magazine, Vov. IX, page 134. You will there find an article "On the Production of hardy Seedling Grapes, by hybridizating the Native with the Foreign Grape." I communicated the same to that periodical, and should like to have you read it. You will perceive, that as far as human accuracy can be depended upon, I succeeded in fertilizing the Hamburgh with the pollen of the Isabella. In that year, (1845,) I raised fourteen seedlings from the fertilized seed. Absence, and other causes combined, compelled me to neglect them for more than two years, at the end of which time but two of them were living, and these not in very good order. All had been cart-fully labelled, and kept in pots. In the spring of 1847, I planted both these seedlings in the open soil, at the head of my garden, tacked them to the fence as they grew, and have rather neglected them than otherwise. I did not prepare the earth in any way for their support, nor have I given them the slightest protection during the last four winters. Last year they fruited for the first time - one vine having on it eleven bunches, the other thirteen.

The fruit was of good size, and very handsome looking, but before it was ripe, the poultry fancied it, and soon destroyed the whole of it, much to my regret and annoyance, for I now began to watch my vines with more than ordinary interest. This season they have borne a little more, and on one vine the fruit was beautiful, on the other, (with a western exposure,) the mildew rather injured its appearance. During my absence for four days in Connecticut, some miserable thief got over my fence, and helped himself to all but one bunch of my finest grapes, leaving the mildewed one's scarcely touched. Had I caught him in the act, I think I should have been disposed to pepper his footsteps with small shot; as it is, my best grapes are gone, and they were not ripe by at least a month, though deeply colored.

The concluding paragraph of my article in Hovey, reads thus: "We shall take care to ascertain all particulars as soon as practicable, and make them known when we are satisfied fully of their perfect correctness, not speculating carelessly with the credulity of our co-laborers or the public, but giving them the true result, whatever that may be." What is this result? It is, as far I know and believe, a very important one to pomologists generally. My two seedlings, from the Hamburgh fertilized by the Isabella, have lived through much neglect, and borne triumphantly the frosts of four winters. They are at this moment in as good health as can be under the circumstances, and fully deserving of the utmost care. The fruit so far has not been as large as the Hamburgh, but it is thin skinned, and has a soft and pleasant pulp, wholly unlike the Isabella. Is it hardy? I have told you what I certainly know and believe, that my seedlings are as hardy as the Isabella, and bear fruit equal to the Hamburgh in everything but size; better cultivation may give them that.

In foliage they more nearly resemble the Hamburgh, though some of my friends here think them distinct; the leaves are "very deeply serrated."

The bunch the thief left is not a good specimen to judge by, but poor as it is, I send it to you. The fruit is not ripe yet, but you can tell, perhaps, what may be thought of it.

Yours very truly, etc. Wm. W. Valk, M. D.

Flushing, L. I., Sept. 13, 1851.

Remarks - The bunch of grapes referred to by Dr. Valk, reached us in excellent order. At first sight the bunch resembles that of the Isabella - the grapes being hung somewhat loosely upon it. But the berries are round - blacker than the Isabella, and totally distinct in flavor from our native grapes - resembling the dark colored foreign grapes. There can be no doubt that this is the first genuine cross between the foreign grapes and our natives, and if the cross realizes the promise of this single bunch - evidently a poor sample of the product of the vine - this new seedling of Dr. Valk's will soon become widely sought after. The fact that hybrids may be raised, being settled, we shall expect to see a new and delicious class of hardy grapes springing up in this country, admirably adapted for the table and for wine, and perfectly suited to our climate. Ed.