DISCUSSIONS AT SOUTH HAVEN. 379- 



Mr. D. B. Williams said pears should be picked before fully ripe and placed 

 between blankets. Had kept Virgalien until December, in this way, when they 

 were delicious. Grapes would keep well in kiln-dried hard-maple sawdust. 

 The best way to preserve fruit was the Williams' process. 



Mr. J. Williams exhibited samples of apples, fish, and pumpkin evaporated 

 by the Williams' process. The apples were all that could be desired ; the fish 

 looked well, and Mr. Williams says they are little inferior to fresh fish. But the 

 climax of Yankee invention for Yankee palates, was the pumpkin meal, ground 

 from evaporated pumpkin, for pies. It might be made an article of consid- 

 erable commercial value. 



Mr. Bidwell loaded the table with apples and grapes in variety. The grapes 

 were mostly all well kept, and best preserved in order as follows: Diana, 

 lona, Oroton, Martha, Eumelan, Walter, and Delaware, — the first two as 

 plump as when picked. The lonas the most refreshing, decidedly. We had ar 

 good chance to test the quality, for Mr. Bidwell said they must all be eaten, 

 and, do our best, we had to leave some. 



Mr. Voorhees brought some well ripened and colored Vicar pears which went 

 the way of the grapes. 



South Haven, Dec. 23, 1873. 



There having been no questions for discussion proposed at the previous 

 meeting, "Pruning Grapes" was selected as the topic for the evening. 



The discussion became quite animated, but it is proposed to report only a 

 brief of the most important points brought out. 



Mr. Bidwell believes in, and practices, cutting back the old wood — the bear- 

 ing wood of the past season — each year, to a crown near the ground, leaving 

 the two strongest canes of the last season's growth, which start directly from 

 the roots or from the ground, to bear the present season. These are also cut 

 back to three feet or more, according to the vigor of the vine, and tied to 

 stakes. Concords and like strong-growing varieties he plants ten feet apart, 

 and Delaware and its class, five to six feet by ten. He thinks the nearer the 

 fruit is to the roots, and the less old wood the sap has to pass through, the 

 better the fruit is and the earlier it ripens. He does not summer prune nor 

 generally thin out the fruit, which grows to a good size and about all ripens 

 up well. His vineyard is five years old, and continues vigorous and yery pro- 

 ductive. 



Mr. W. H. Hurlbut claims the peculiarity of pruning in the spring when the 

 sap flows, and is satisfied with the results. 



Mr. Bidwell and others think there must certainly be a waste of sap — a clear 

 loss to the vine. 



Mr. T. T. Lyon prefers a trellis for a family garden, though it may not be the 

 most profitable for a large vineyard. Grows a pair of arms running in opposite 

 directions horizontally from tlie one main stock, along the lower slat or wire. 

 These arms are permanent, and from each joint of them one or two canes are 

 allowed to grow each year, to bear fruit the next year, being cut away after 

 fruiting, to give place for the new growth the next season. The bearing canes 

 are cut down to three joints, and the arms commenced with one or two joints, 

 and lengthened a joint or two each year. It is very easy to lay these arms on 

 the ground in the fall, and cover them with a little earth for winter protection. 



