^Ew York Agricultural ExpiiRntEXT Statio>7. 499 



superior quality and upon which the grapes ripen a few days in 

 advance of those on other soils. The plat on this soil contains 

 about one acre upon which are set 600 vines. The other division 

 of the vineyard is on Dunkirk clay, a soil more retentive of mois- 

 ture than the other soils of the belt and more productive but on 

 which the grapes are comparatively late in ripening. Of this clay 

 land the experiment included about two-fifths of an acre, contain- 

 ing 225 vines. The vines behaved much the same on these two 

 plats — quite contrary to expectations. 



THE VINEYARDS. 



Planting ■plan. — The grapes in both plats were set nine feet 

 apart in rows eight feet apart. In the smaller plat. Plat I, there 

 are nine rows containing twenty-five vines each; in the larger 

 plat. Plat II, twelve rows of fifty vines each. The plan of the 

 experiment calls for numbers of the varieties as given in the 

 diagram on the next page. 



The vineyard was laid out and planted under the general direc- 

 tion of Professor S. A. Beach, who planned the experiment, in 

 May, 1902. Professor Beach directed the test until August, 1905, 

 when the writer took charge. The original plan was to graft all 

 vines in the vineyard and plantings of the stock for this purpose 

 were made in late Mav, 1902. At this time, 225 vines each of 

 Eiparia Gloire and St. George were set in the experimental plats. 

 The Clevener stocks could not be set until the spring of 1903. 



Unfortunately a poor start was made with the vines for stocks. 

 The plants had to be ordered from California and the long trip 

 across the continent, with vines severely root-pruned and not good 

 to start with, so weakened them that the loss at planting was great. 

 Of the St. George plants 49 died and of the Eiparia Gloire 20G. 

 In the fall of 1902 the vacancies in the plats of these two stocks 

 were filled and all of the varieties on their own roots were set. 



Grafting. — Grape-grafting is as old as grape-growing. At least, 

 more or less precise methods are given for the operation in the 

 earliest printed cultural directions for this fruit. It would seem 



