364 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



thickness of the package, thereby making a little notch at the center of the 

 bottom of each sack. 



10. I picked my grapes into large baskets with the sacks upon them, and 

 placed them in an airy, cool room upon shelves and tables, and took them out 

 of the sacks principally only for market and use. 



11. Perhaps it was fancy, but the thinner the skin and the more delicate the 

 grape, the greater seemed to bo the gain from sacking. 



12. I left some sweet, very early varieties to hang late upon the vines, and 

 when taken out they had been nicely evaporated, and but for poverty of pulp 

 would be called good raisins. 



GRAPE VINE SUPPORTS. 



Mr. E. Reed, of Wayne county, Illinois, contributes the following to the 

 Prairie Farmer : 



Set a post of good material in the ground, 24 or 3 feet — 3 feet out — say, 4 

 feet from the vine-root. If the vine is a variety of thrifty growth it would 

 require two posts three or four feet apart. Bolt to the posts in the ground a 

 scantling of any desirable hight — 8 feet or more — with a bolt near the top of 

 ground in the short post, and another near the top of said post. When the 

 vine has attained sutlicieut length cut a notch in the scantling above the top of 

 the post large enough for the vine, and put the vine in and nail a piece of lath 

 over it; then after it has attained sufficient length bend it at the distance of 

 two or three feet and bring it back through another notch, and so on till you fill 

 up the post, putting them some twenty or twenty-four inches apart. If it is 

 thought best to use two posts nail a piece of fence board from the top of one 

 post to the other. 



The advantages are : First, It makes the vine its own trellis. Second, To 

 trim the vine or pick the fruit set a trestle, pull out the lower bolt, and turn it 

 down on the trestle, and it is easily got at. Third, If desirable to have the 

 lower buds start their growth first (as the upper ones generally outgrow the 

 lower ones) pull out the lower bolt, and leave the top on the ground until a 

 sufficient advance is made. Fourth, If desirable to sulphur or smoke for mil- 

 dew, with other materials, it can be more easily done if turned down on the 

 trellis. Fifth, If the vine is a tender variety, by taking out the upper pin and 

 laying the vine on the ground, it can be covered by some material that will pro- 

 tect it from the severe exposure. Sixth, If a night of frost appears to be com- 

 ing after the buds have started by laying the vines down and covering with 

 carpet or other material they may be protected. Seventh, If it is desirable to 

 grow a number of layers from a vine by laying it flat it gives a superior oppor- 

 tunity. I believe there are advantages in it that are desirable, and they may 

 make the growing of tender varieties a better success. 



