MISCELLANEOUS TAPERS. 125 



The value of drainage was clearly exhibited in a case whicli came under my 

 notice on the estate of Col. Pearson. A plat was laid out several years ago 

 with blackberry vines, through the centre of which, in semicircular form, a 

 small tile drain was made, over which, and agreeing with its configuration was 

 planted a row of blackberry plants. These plants grew thriftily and appeared 

 about double the size of those growing on either side of the drain. The soil is 

 a sandy loam and represents the character of Mr. Pearson's vineyards adjacent. 

 His immediate neighbors lost nearly their whole crop. One vineyard of 700 

 vines yielded only 149 lbs. of grapes, while another of 900 vines yielded only 

 90 lbs. We found the phylloxera on the roots of Mr. Pearson's Concord, Clin- 

 ton, and Ives' Seedling, and he informed me that the manured and unmanured 

 rotted alike, although those manured grew more vigorously. 



On the 19th of October, of the same year, I visited Egg Harbor City, and 

 with a committee of practical vine-growers, commenced my investigations. 

 The first vineyard visited was that of Col. Chas. Saalmann, known as '^ Black 

 Kose Vineyard." He commenced planting about nine years ago, and at vari- 

 ous periods since, has planted the following varieties: Norton's Virginia Seed- 

 ling, Salem, Clarner, Ives', Concord, Martha and Taylor's Bullet. Ilis entire 

 vineyard was planted with great care, the whole being subsoiled two feet six 

 inches deep, a method of culture highly approved by the Germans of this col- 

 ony ; by this method the soil of the vineyard is rendered homogenous. During 

 the present year five acres of Col. Saalmann's vines produced eighteen thousand 

 lbs. of grapes. He considers that he lost by rot one-fourth of his crop : but of 

 the Concord alone he lost one-half. His vines are all trained on poles, and are 

 all fertilized with stable manure every year. A hole is dug say on the north 

 side of the vine about two feet deep and tilled to within six inches of the top. 

 Not more than two shovels full of manure are put in the hole. The following 

 year a similar hole is dug on the south side of the vine, and the same process 

 is followed on the west and east sides respectively during the succeeding two 

 years. The object of this method of manuring is to distribute root growth. 

 On making an examination of one of these manure deposits we found it filled 

 with masses of tender rootlets. The surface of the vineyard is kept clear and 

 free from all weeds and grass, and is ploughed each year six inches deep and 

 within six inches of the vine stock. Mr. Saalman does not resrard the removal 

 of the surface roots as detrimental to the vines, but he considers a light yearly 

 manuring and cultivation very essential to the production of fruit. The roots 

 of all the varieties of grapes in this vineyard were in good condition. 



The rainfalls were not as severe at Egg Harbor City during 1877, as they 

 were at Vineland, in the months of June and July, and the former place suf- 

 fered less than the latter from rot of the grape. 



I next visited the vineyard of Michael Hanselman, which consisted of 3,000 

 Concord vines. His three-year-old Concords rotted worse than those four years 

 old. Some of the three-year-old vines which had been manured in 1S7G, did 

 better than others which had not been thus treated. 



Mr. Gustavus Hinckle planted 4,000 vines comprising Catawba, Concord, 

 Ohio, Hartford, Clinton, Franklin, Herbemont, and Maxatany. According 

 to the experience of this gentleman, the Catawba and Herbemont failed to 

 ripen, and the Concord rotted on the vine to a greater extent than any of the 

 other varieties. The Ohio, Clinton and Franklin gave satisfactory results. 



Mr. Julius Hincke has twelve acres in all. He commenced planting in 1873. 

 He first planted 2,000 Catawba, all of which failed to ripen their fruit. These 

 he replaced with 2,000 Concord vines covering two acres of ground. He has 



