Keeping Grapes — Rose Culture. 63 



Keeping Grapes. — In reply to a request to give the method of 

 preserving grapes alluded to in his paper more fully, Mr. Plumb 

 said: "Select good, well ripened bunches of grapes; remove all 

 green and unsound berries; place a layer of grapes in a stone jar, 

 packing the bunches closely, but avoid pressing so as to bruise the 

 fruit; then sprinkle on a layer of fine sugar; fill the jar with alter- 

 nate layers of grapes and sugar, using the latter at the rate of one 

 pound to four pounds of grapes; place a plate over the top, with a 

 weight on it, to keep the grapes covered with the liquor formed 

 from the melted sugar and the juice of the grapes. In this way, if 

 put in a cool place, the grapes could be kept until January and 

 even later, and retain their fresh taste much better than when pre- 

 pared in any other way. The juice coming from the grapes had 

 much of the vinous element in it; this might change to some extent 

 to alcohol, but if this was regarded as objectionable, it could be 

 avoided by putting more sugar with the grapes. He had also heard 

 of keeping grapes in the fresh state without sugar, by packing 

 them in jars and burying them in the ground, where they would be 

 dry and keep at an even and low temperature. The keeping qual- 

 ity of our fruit would be much improved, if more attention were 

 paid to picking it at the proper time, storing it with more care, and 

 providing suitable houses in which to store it. He had no doubt 

 but that one-half of the crop of early apples in Jefferson county 

 was wasted in 1876, by leaving it too long on the trees; it got over- 

 ripe and much of it commenced to decay as soon as harvested, and 

 the market value of the whole was depreciated. Mr. Olds, of 

 Clinton, had built a house in which to store fruit, which he believed 

 was working very well. He approved of Mr. Olds' plan of storing 

 in bushel boxes. These boxes are easily handled, without injury 

 to the fruit, and are readily examined to see how the fruit is keep- 

 ing, being made of narrow strips with spaces between. It is not 

 advisable to pick over or handle fruit much, as this hastens decay. 



Rose Culture. — The question, " What are the hardiest varie- 

 ties of roses, and the best methods of culture," was discussed. 



President Smith called on Mrs. Arnold to give us the benefit of 

 her experience on this subject; in response to which she stated 

 that she had but little knowledge, and had not given much attention 



