322 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



GRAPES. 



GRAPES ON TREES. 



The grape rarely fails when allowed to climb over trees. It mat- 

 ters not what kind of trees, or whether they be living or dead, if they 

 only have branches that the tendrils can take hold of. Astonishing 

 crops are produced in this way, even on vines that receive no care. 

 The most successful planters in the world plant trees and vines to- 

 gether so that the latter may have a suitable support. Many unskilled 

 farmers have blundered into the same method and have had abundant 

 success. A vine will make twice the growth in a tree that it will on a 

 trellis, and where an effort is made to have it occupy both, it is always 

 found that its main energies are expended in the tree. A newly 

 planted vine should have brush instead of a stake, as it has no means 

 of clinging to the latter. If the tendrils can find nothing to take hold 

 off, they continue in motion for a time, reaching in all directions, and 

 this is exhausting to the vine. For this reason skilled gardeners often 

 cut off the tendrils. When growing vines on stakes I have often driven 

 lath nails in convenient places for the accommodation of the tendrils. 



Although grapes do so well on trees without much care, let no one 

 suppose that he can accomplish anything by planting vines at the roots 

 of established trees. The soil being preoccupied, the vine will not 

 have a fair chance. Plant it at a distance from the tree to be covered, 

 and after it has made some growth it may be brought to the branches, 

 where it will take care of itself. On nearly ever}^ farm there are 

 worthless trees that might be made to carry bushels of grapes. 



Matthew Ckawford. 



grapes fdom green wood cuttings. 



A Canadian correspondent says: ''Being interested in grape 

 growing the question has come up, are vines grown from green wood 

 cuttings in all respects as good as when grown from ripened wood ?'' 



[Years ago when the public first became aware of the great march 

 taken in the progress of improvement of grapes, the demand was enor- 

 mous, and propagating from green wood resorted to in order to meet 

 the great demand. In a few years disease and disaster followed, and 

 it became clear thai the vital power of vines, so raised, was not equal 



