66 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



tial Sparks," as Dr. Warder called our Spark's Late, with Grime's 

 Golden, Smith's Cider, and Pryor's Red to enliven our winter, while 

 the Virginia May comes in early to enable us to cheer our northern 

 neighbors and to reap that golden reward which we are denied in the 

 autumnal months. 



It will, perhaps, strike the majority of your readers that great 

 expense cannot be incurred to secure the success of fruits which can 

 be produced more readily in other places, where freights are not very ' 

 great. Still it is to be noted that in twenty-eight years we have had 

 no failure in consequence of frost, which can be said of few other 

 places, and which is an important factor in the ultimate result. 



We now we sack our grapes, train them under canopies of leaves, 

 shelter them on walls or projecting eaves, may we not mulch our 

 apple tree roots, train them low, and canopy their vine-like branches ? 



The weather department will not reach its maximum of useful- 

 ness till it ceases to predict, and labors to direct atmospheric condi- 

 tions. May they not aid us? 



Respectfully, 



JAS. H. GRAIN. 



Villa Ridge, Dec. 8th, 1883. 



Friend Hayden, Manitou^ Col.: 



Dear Friend — Mr. Wallace submitted a few questions on grapes 

 from you, with the request that I send them on to you at once. Of 

 course you understand anything I may say has reference to our own 

 section. Villa Ridge. I have not time to look over my writing as I 

 am writing at the store, and am continually interrupted, but hope 

 you may guess at my conclusions at least, and cull such information 

 as you may need on this subject from this locality. 



LIST OF GRAPES PROFITABLE FOR MARKET. 



1st. Ives is the standard, and without extra care have been 

 averaging a net profit of one hundred and fifty dollars per acre, for 

 the last ten years. 



2d. Next in point of profit I would put Champion. Ripens 

 one week before Ives, is smaller in bunch and berry, produces one- 

 half to two-thirds as much per acre in fruit, rots no more than Ives, 

 and is about equally profitable. 



3d. Perkins. Will not rot any more than Ives, is a little later, 

 sweeter in flavor, and will suit the taste of ordinary buyers better; 

 have not fully tested it as to productiveness. Think about two-thirds 

 as prolific as Ives; will, I think, be quite profitable. 



4th. Cottage. This I have had in bearing but one year. Dur- 

 ing the last season, which was one of the worst we ever had in this 

 locality for rot and mildew, it was the only one in my trial vineyard 

 of over sixty varieties perfectly healthy in leaf and berrij. Is a very 

 rank grower, and ripens immediately after Ives. The only fault (if 



