582 Report of the Department of Horticulture of the 



weather conditions during the five years. 



Table I shows that the 1911 crop was the largest since 1900, 

 with the 1909 crop but slightly less. A part of the increase can 

 be accounted for through increased acreages, but the average ton- 

 nage per acre in the old vineyards was generally considerably greater 

 than that for several years previous. Vineyardists were of the 

 opinion, after the large crop of 1909, that the era of low yields and 

 poor wood growth was past. However, when pruning time came, 

 it was seen that while wood growth was ample, it was not, as a rule, 

 well ripened. That this was the case was further shown at the time 

 growth started in the spring of 1910 when it was found that approxi- 

 mately 50 per ct. of the buds that were to bear the crop of that year 

 were dead. The opinion prevailed that late spring frosts had killed 

 them. In the opinion of the authors, however, the injury came 

 indirectly from the heavy crop of 1909, which delayed bud maturity, 

 making the buds tender, and as a result they were killed by cold. 

 In this connection the weather conditions of the winter of 1909-10 

 are worth noting. 



The latter half of December, 1909, was an unbroken period of 

 cold weather with a minimum temperature of 5 degrees below on 

 December 29th. Once during the month of January, 1910, the 

 temperature dropped to 2 degrees and again to 10 degrees below in 

 February. The last freezing temperature of 1910 was on May 12 

 and while the buds had started slightly, they were uninjured in a 

 young vineyard nearby that had borne but a small crop in 1909 and 

 in which the wood and buds were well ripened. Whether bud 

 injury was due to severe temperatures or late spring frosts is imma- 

 terial but it should be emphasized that well ripened wood and buds 

 were able to withstand both conditions. 



The fall and winter temperatures following the large crop of 

 1911 were characterized by frequent and decided changes. January, 

 1912, was the coldest on record, — 15 degrees and — 19 degrees being 

 recorded. The cold weather continued until the middle of February 

 and after that another severe cold period occurred in March. The 

 soil froze to unusual depths. The grape crop in 1912 in the old 

 vineyards fell considerably below that of 1911. The wood growth 

 for the season was very scanty and examination disclosed many 

 injured buds. The crop of 1913 was the lightest since 1903. 



