JUXE MEETING, 1877. 89 



John Whittlesey, has a i)hiiii exaiiii)le of wliat I wish to enforce. He has a 

 single vine extending fifty feet on a trellis and from it he cnts more grapes than 

 from tiie same length of trellis wlicre his vines are eight feet apart. 



Mr. Strong, of South Haven. — I have had a good deal of experience with 

 grapes farther "west, and am of the conviction that grapes grown near the 

 ground are of far better quality than those grown out on tlie ends of long vines. 



Mr. Adams. — According to Mr. Whittlesey I have made a grave error in 

 planting a vineyard with tiie vines only six feet apart, and the most judicious 

 thing I can do when I go home will be to cut out every other one. 



Mr. Winchester. — No, I would not advise that, it takes time to grow a good 

 arm from a vine, and my advice would be to take every other vine and grow 

 gradually an arm twelve feet in length, but in the mean time raise some grapes 

 from all the vines. After the arm is extended to its proper length and is in 

 healthy condition then cut out the alternate vine. 



Mr. Dyckman, of South Haven. — I am a peach man, and am not supposed to 

 know niucli about grapes, and the supposition is pretty nearly correct, but as I 

 have been called out I will speak of one error that may be committed by begin- 

 ners in peach culture. The rose beetle has come among us in great numbers, 

 and the little fellows like almost any thing to eat, but still have some choice 

 •when there is an opportunity to exercise it. They like grapes for instance, bet- 

 ter than peaches, and n)y vineyard is used now as a trap for the rose chafer. 

 I send my little boys over the grape vines, they gather up the beetles by the 

 hundreds and thus save my peacli orchard from their ravages. It is easier 

 gathering them also from the vines, hence my advice is to raise grape vines for 

 this purpose. 



Tiie next question upon the programme for discussion was 



THE MOLE— WHAT IS HE GOOD FOR? 



The discussion was opened with a short paper by Prof. Cook, as follows : 



Some years since I was urged to write a paper for the agricultural report of 

 one of our States, by one of the then ablest agricultural writers of the country. 

 The paper, which contained a word of hearty commendation of my friend — aye, 

 iind the friend of every agriculturist, whether he appreciates the facts or no — 

 the mole, was completed and forwarded to the able compiler, only to receive 

 ignominious rejection ; all forsooth because this little mammal, the mole, had 

 received a just meed of praise. 



The first part of this experience is being repeated at this time, but that the 

 second part is to be re-enacted, there is no reason to fear. I know your Secre- 

 tary too well to believe that he would exclude matter, even though not in full 

 accord with his own opinions. 



But let us examine into the status of the mole and see how the case stands, 

 and then give a verdict accordingly. 



UE DEVOUKS INSECTS. 



The mole belongs to the order of mammals known as Insectivora, which in- 

 cludes tiie shrews, English hedgehog, and our moles. The name of the order 

 is significant, as these animals are, without exception, par excellence insect 

 eaters. It fact, their teeth are of themselves vouchers as to their character 



12 



