348 STATE HORTICUIiTURAL SOCIETY. 



titles are evaporated in the east. The dry fruit sells for eighteen to 

 twenty cents per pound. It takes three quarts of berries to make one 

 pound of dried fruit. 



Wm. Schuh: I have a small planting of gooseberries which has jDaidme 

 as well, if not better, than most all other small fruits. I find ready sale 

 for them. They are hardy and produce large crops annually. I have 

 recently visited Mr. Hayes of Talmadge, Ottawa county, who has an exten- 

 sive vineyard of Niagara grapes. I there saw some of the finest clusters 

 of that variety of grape I have ever seen. Mr. Hayes follows the KnifPen 

 system, using two wires, the lower one three and a half feet from the 

 ground, the upper wire nearly seven feet high. The vines are twelve feet 

 in the row and the rows ten feet apart. Only one main stalk is allowed to 

 grow. All laterals are kept off below the lower wire, but at this point two 

 laterals are allowed, one on either side. These form the arms for the 

 lower wire. The main vine is then continued to the upper wire, forming 

 two arms, one running each way. These are kept closely pruned and 

 pinched back. Only the desired number of clusters is allowed for each 

 vine. I only saw the older vines, or one part of his vineyard. I under- 

 stand he has changed or improved upon the first setting, I am much 

 pleased with Mr. Hayes' manner of growing and handling his vines. 



Mr. Steong: Is there not another system for training vines in tree 

 form, so they become self-supporting, which does not require a wire 

 trellis? 



Mr. LaFleur: When I was in southern Missouri I found nearly all 

 the grapes grown upon the tree or self-supporting system. It is also 

 practiced to some extent in Michigan, when the vines are strong and old 

 enough. It takes many years for a vine to become self-supporting. I too 

 visited Mr. Hayes' vineyard. I like his method of handling his vines and 

 shall follow it so far as I am able to do in growing my own vines. Some- 

 thing over one half of Mr. Hayes' 5,000 vines are set six feet apart in the 

 row. This gives one whole wire to each vine for every twelve feet, the 

 first vine trained to the upper wire, the second vine to the lower wire, 

 alternating the whole length of the row. I like Mr. Hayes' method and 

 am ready to learn of him, because he has demonstrated that he can do 

 what he attempts to do with both vine and cluster, and puts into practice 

 exactly what he recommends to others. His theory and practice are the 

 same and a success. 



UNION MEETING OP A.LLEGAN AND WAYLAND SOCIETIES. 



By invitation, the Allegan and Wayland societies held a union meeting 

 at the commodious and homelike residence of Dr. Tuenee, October 21. It 

 is a type of an American citizen's home, where all arrangements indicate 

 good sense, refinement and intelligence. 



In the absence of the president, Dr. Tuenee was called to the chair to 

 preside. The first topic considered was strawberry culture, by A. 

 Newman. 



I do not grow strawberries extensively, only for home use and the local 

 market. Spring is the right time to set o\it the plants. If set in the fall 

 they require good protection over winter. By plowing in the spring and 

 setting in the fresh ground, it is less work to tend them the first season. 

 I plant in hills, three feet apart, and cultivate both ways. I think mulch- 



