TRANSACTIONS OF ALTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 307 



The discussion awakened deep interest and new hopes, and a feeling 

 came over some of us — " well, after all, we may have been in error in 

 our severe treatment of the vine." At any rate, some will be found try- 

 ing the more liberal treatment. 



Messrs. Hull, Huggins, Hollister, McPike, Snedeker and others 

 joined in the-discussion. 



Capt. Stewart is always ready with his suggestion on Small Fruits. 

 Between the middle of September and fruiting time next spring, straw- 

 berry beds should not be disturbed much. If weeds spring up, pull them 

 out by hand. 



Now is the timb to prepare for new plantations. The last of Sep- 

 tember or the first of October is a good time to set strawberry plants. 

 Mulch the ground soon after the first freeze, and await the harvest. 



Mr. Huggins said this wet season had been unfavorable for the pro- 

 pagation of insects, aVid he expected to be comparatively free from insect 

 depredations next season. Mr. H. also put in a plea for the birds. 



Dr. Hull and others joined in the discussion. 



MR. FRED. HAYDEN'S REPORT. 



The following are the report and correspondence on Grape Culture, 

 referred to above, and they will be read with interest; indicating that we 

 have yet some things to learn or unlearn : 



At our last meeting I had a few words to say in relation to grape rot, 

 then said to prevail in some vineyards, giving you what my ten years' 

 experience led me to believe would be a partial cure for it. 



Mr. James Starr, in rather a sarcastic manner, took exceptions to it, 

 and added further that he never could raise those big crops of grapes that 

 Mr. Barler and others (meaning myself) told of. I did not answer at 

 that time, because Mr. Starr is an old grape grower, and ought to know 

 better than I about grapes. Still, I felt that I was right, and I deter- 

 mined to get the best authority I could to back up my position, as there 

 is certainly no profit in a small crop of grapes, and there is a profit in a 

 large crop. 



I wrote and ascertained who were the most extensive grape growers 

 in Ohio. Having got their names, I wrote to them for their method of 

 training, amount of grapes raised to the vine, etc. I will read you their 

 answers, then judge whether I am right or not : 



Bkrlin Heights, Ohio, August 19, 1875. 



Friend Hayden : Your lines of the 13th are at hand. We grow Delaware, Ives, 

 Concord, Catawba and Isabella. We trellis our grapes on wire — two and three wires. 

 Where we have three wires we trim so as to tie on two, and as the vines grow we lie to 



