25 



which they are received here, as high as $2.00 per pound being paid 

 for the sound, and their least value would probably be $1.00 per 

 pound. 



"They should be packed in baskets of about ten pounds each, 

 well protected against "bruising" by introducing between and 

 around each cluster excelsior or other local substitute. 



" To ensure their arriving here sound, it will be necessary to have 

 them brought on in the ships' refrigerator. 



" The duty here is 20 o/o on invoice value. 



"Native grapes (grown in U. S.,) are expected to come to market 

 in May, however, if you have any fit for shipment at present we 

 would recommend that you send on one basket of about 10 lbs. 

 in order that buyers might get a chance to judge of the Jamaica 

 article which at present is comparatively unknown here, and we 

 ourselves would then be better in a position to offer fitting sugges- 

 tions as to future shipments of these from your Island." 



The following statement appears in the Annual Report on the 

 Public Gardens for 1898-99 : — 



"Whether it will be found possible eventually to produce grapes 

 from January to March for the London and New York markets is 

 still a matter of experiment, but there is a local demand at 

 remunerative prices even for summer grapes." 



In a letter dated 23rd February, 1 903, and addressed to the 

 Director of Public Gardens, Messrs. T. V. Munson & Sons, Denison, 

 Texas, U.S.A., state as follows : — " Fine grapes sell at the highest 

 price in our large cities during winter. Then the Malaga grapes 

 from Spain, packed in cork dust, are in all our city markets, and 

 sell at 20 to 30 and 40 cents a pound. The demand would con- 

 tinue up to June." 



Season for Grapes — The Rev. W. Griffith writes as follows: — 

 " The natural season with us for grapes appears to be between the 

 beginning of the month of May and the end of August. During 

 these months excellent grapes, both white and black, are suffi- 

 ciently plentiful in and about Kingston to meet a good local 

 demand. Outside these months they are occasionally offered for 

 sale in Kingston, but as a rule they are poor, having evidently 

 received no cultural care. This is especially the case with black 

 varieties, which are seldon properly ripened. This, no doubt, is 

 in part the reason why black grapes are so little appreciated by 

 us, and it is a pity, as some of the very best grapes are black." 



SUMMARY, 



1. Propagation — Prunings obtained in the spring may be used 



for propagating the vine by cuttings. 



2. Selection of Site — The site for a vinery should be selected 



as far as possible from large trees, and where plants will 

 receive all the sun possible. It should have a southern 

 aspect. 



3. Preparation of the Border — Whilst the young plants from 



cuttings are growing, the border, or suitable holes should 

 be prepared as directed. 



