358 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



During the summer and autumn of 1877 some experiments 

 were begun to learn the effect of girdling the vines. The 

 practice of girdling, or taking out a ring of the bark below 

 the fruit, to increase its size, for exhibition purposes, has 

 long been understood ; but the effect this treatment has 

 upon the composition of the fruit, or its influence upon the 

 health of the vine, has received but little attention. 



The first vines were girdled the first week in August, by 

 removing a ring of bark of from one-eighth to one-half of an 

 inch. Careful chemical analysis was made, from time to 

 time, of the fruit of the girdled vine, and of that from the 

 ungirdled vines also, growing side by side. 



Six varieties were treated ; but complete tests were made 

 of only one variety, i.e., the Concord. At this time (Aug. 1) 

 the "free acid of the berries had reached its highest point, and 

 the sugar was beginning to increase. The stems of the ber- 

 ries had commenced to turn. In some cases, entire vines were 

 girdled ; in others, only one or more branches. A change 

 was noticed in a few days in the growth and color of the 

 leaves, and a distinct increase in the size of the berries. 

 This change continued up' to the period of ripening, which 

 was clearly between two and three weeks earlier than the 

 fruit from ungirdled vines beside them. The grapes on the 

 girdled vines, when ripe, were of the same composition as 

 those from the ungirdled ones, showing the prevalent idea 

 of horticulturists, that this treatment produces grapes of an 

 inferior qualitj r , to be incorrect. 



The following table shows the changes taking place during 

 a period of about one month : — 



Hartford Prolific (iiot Girdled}. 



