234 Grapes. 



G-rapes. 



An Address, hy F. V, Mercerou, before the l*ennsijlvani<t Fruit Growers' Society, tTait, 1873, 



First. — What method of propagating Grapes produces the healthiest plants ? 



I have myself propagated but in two ways, from single eyes under glass, and from 

 two-eyed cuttings in the open air. I abandoned the single eye method after the 

 second year, as I found that those from cuttings in the field were much the finest 

 plants, and my customers, many of them ordering a second time, would prefer plants 

 grown from cuttings. There were some varieties, however, that did better under 

 glass, such as Diana, Adirondack, lona, Rebecca, and many others, but that is the 

 only place they ever did well, for when I came to fruit them — no, that ain't it — 

 when they got old enough to bear, the grapes were not forthcoming, the principal 

 cause of failure — mildew. 



But all soils are not equally well adapted to growing vines out of doors. My soil 

 is fine sandy loam, and grows good plants. The best vines I ever bought came from 

 Vineland, and I never got a good vine from Rochester. I never want a cutting more 

 than six inches long, and prefer them about five inches, as they root quicker than 

 cuttings eight or ten inches long. I bury the upper eye just under the soil and tramp 

 well on each side of the line. 



Second Question. — Has Grape growing proved profitable ? 



Of course I can only speak for myself, and others in my immediate neighborhood. 

 In my own case I cannot do better than copy a few items from my sales book. In 

 1869, the average price was 13 cents per pound ; in 1870, Sept. 1st, 400 lbs. Hart- 

 ford to Scranton, at '20 cents ; Sept. 8th, 300 lbs. Ives at 15 cents ; Sept. 12th, 400 

 lbs. Concord to Wilksbarre at I'J^ cents; none sold less than 12^ cents per lb. 1871, 

 first Hartford 15 cents, to Scranton ; Sept. 14th, 242 lbs. Concord to Williamsport 

 at 12^ cents ; Sept. 20th, 700 lbs. Concord to Plymouth at 12|- cents. The last 

 shipment of Concord, 700 lbs. to Pittston at 10 cents. 1872, first Hartford 15 cts. ; 

 first 300 lbs. Concord at 12^ cents ; all the rest at 10 cents, excepting 2,400 lbs. 

 Concord at 5 cents. The crop was heavy in most vineyards last year, and sales inac- 

 tive and low. A great many more vines are coming into bearing every year, and I 

 think that grapes will bring less money next year than last. 



So far the grape has proved profitable to me. The old vines of the Concord rot 

 more or less every year — enough to spoil the bunches for shipping as table grapes. 

 The 2,400 lbs. sold at 5 cents, were of that character. Had they not rotted, there 

 would have been at least 3,400 lbs., and they would have brought 8 cents at least. 

 I sold them to a distiller for brandy. 



We have one advantage in Catawissa ; our grapes do not ripen until the Jersey 

 crop is on the wane, and the Lake grapes do not come in until ours are nearly over, 

 and that enables us to get better prices. One of our largest grape growers in this 

 part of the State is Mr. George B. Youngman, of Sunbury, who has four acres of 

 Concord in bearing. I wrote him, asking him if grape growing had been profitable 

 with him, and telling him why I wanted the information. He says : 



" To the question, has grape growing proved profitable? I will answer, it has been 

 profitable with me for the last three years. I received from 7 to 12 cents per lb. for 

 my grapes ; a fair average I think would be 8 cents per lb. But I received more 



