SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 351 



GRAPES IN PAPER BAGS. 



We wish to add our testimony in favor of the value of paper-bag protection 

 for grapes. We long since gave up all hope of growing any good table grapes 

 in our climate on account of the universal destructiveness of the " rot." But 

 seeing such positive statements by many reliable parties regarding the service 

 of paper bags, we last summer applied the little bags to about half the clusters 

 on the few vines (Concords) we had left. The enclosure was made when the 

 grapes were about one quarter grown, the rotting having already commenced 

 on some clusters. The result far exceeded our anticipations, every single grape 

 not already attacked maturing perfectly inside the bags. On gathering the 

 grapes in August we found that those particular berries which had been 

 attacked with the fungus before bagging, had perished and dried up, but the 

 disease had not spread in the lease. The perfection of most of the clusters 

 was delightful. Every bunch was fully colored, very high flavored, with 

 untarnished bloom, and without blemish or defect of any kind. We were 

 surprised and rejoiced. 



As so many experimenters have obtained equally satisfying results, we have 

 great faith that a practicable answer is at last found to the question of how to 

 grow perfect grapes. These experiments seem to settle the controversy as to 

 the source of the "rot." It does not come from the soil, from the root, or 

 disease of the vine. It is a fungus disseminated through the atmosphere. 

 The little manila bags, carefully pinned on, are impervious to air currents, 

 hence the millions of fungus spores floating in the air cannot come in contact 

 with the grapes, and no rot is generated. 



But if any one prefers to think that the rot is caused by grape curculio, or 

 any other small insect, or by sudden changes of temperature, or by too much 

 rain, the protection given by the bags against either of these agencies is equally 

 good. And then our sweet-singing but voracious friends, the birds, they are 

 entirely shut out from their choicest feast ! Well, we love the birds, and are 

 willing to divide our dessert with them, and will leave out a few clusters for 

 their benefit! But as the too enthusiastic birds have never been willing to 

 divide fairly with us, having rarely left us a grape unharmed, of the few which 

 had escaped the rot, we don't think they deserve a very generous share. The 

 cost of bagging would be amply repaid by the security given against the 

 attacks of the birds alone. 



Now let us plant some grapes again, and take care of them, and bag them, 

 and we have faith that our tables may be again laden with the most delightful 

 fruit which man is ever permitted to enjoy. — Parker Earle in Farmer and 

 Fruit Grower. 



TRAINING AND PRUNING GRAPES. 



I find many beautiful illustrations of various methods of performing the 

 above operations, but I have never seen any one of them carried out to the per- 

 fection shown in the plates. In fact, I have rarely seen any one plan, as they 

 appear in the books, attempted and persisted in for any length of time, except 

 that recommended by Strong — a flat trellis about two and a half feet high and 

 about as wide, allowing the vines to run over and hang down the sides as they 

 please. This plan has with me worked very well, but it takes more work than 



