FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 15 



The trouble with this method is, that many enter the pupae state 

 deeper than can be plowed without tearing out the vines. 



So spraying is the only method to be relied on to keep the root worm 

 in check. 



He refuses to eat arsenate of lead when mixed with bordeaux and if 

 tlie vines are thoroughly covered with bordeaux he takes to his 

 wings and finds some vineyard that is not sprayed with bordeaux. 



This is a driving-off process rather than a killing but I veritably be- 

 lieve that a vineyard thoroughly sprayed three times in June with bor- 

 deaux and lead will not be seriously damaged by root worms. 



But — if you have got him bad and must kill him, use 6 pounds ar- 

 senate of lead, 2 gallons of cheap molasses and 100 gallons of water. 

 Spray the 25th of June and every time it rains until the 10th of July and 

 \ou will get nearlv everv beetle the first season. 



The same treatment that will destroy the root worm will hold the 

 grape berry moth in check, only spray earlier. 



Bordeaux will destroy the black rot fungus if properly applied, also 

 the downy mildew but the thrip or leaf hopper is a different proposition. 

 In the Chautauqua belt the leaf hopper some seasons does great dam- 

 age. Many vineyards have been nearly ruined by them. 



They are inmiune to all forms of poison, nothing but contact sprays will 

 have any effect and that must be applied just after the first brood is 

 hatched to be effective, as they must be hit before their wings are grown. 



Then the gentleman inhabits the under side of the leaf near the center 

 of the vine and he is hard to get. 



The spray to use is, black leaf 40 or nicotine. Soapsuds or kerosene 

 emulsion will destroy most of them. Look out for them next season. I 

 never saw so many go into winter quarters as I did last October and 

 so far the winter has been very favorable for them. The damage done 

 by the hojjjter depends very much upon the season. Dry, hot weather 

 they flourish but wet summers reduce tlieir numbers materialh'. 



Harvesting — This is the goal which we have been striving for all 

 summer, but don't be in too big a hurry about it. Don't commence until 

 llie grapes are ripe enough so you can eat them yourself. 



This is the best test I know of. Remember, that green grapes leave 

 a bad taste in the consumer's mouth when you want a more-ish taste. 



Thousands of good customer are driven out of the market every year 

 by green fruit, and all Michigan is cursed for its product. 



We pick our fruit in trays or carriers that hold about two baskets of 

 packed fruit and we are extremely careful about the picking and the 

 handling that the berries are not cracked. 



Then they are taken to the packing house and wilted from 24 to 48 

 hours before packing. The object in wilting is that we get the full eight 

 jjounds in our basket without crushing and then they carry much better 

 and are full at destination. 



Again, in our case, we have 65 acres to handle and must improve every 

 minute, so by using about 1,500 carriers we have a day's packing ahead 

 and in case of rain our packers keep to work and have but very little 

 lost time. 



We very frequently have a car of grapes in our house unpacked in 

 trays and often a car of packed fruit, too. 



Packing — Here is the supreme test of your manhood. 



