THE WINTER MEETING 



was held in the City Hall, Hamilton, on Wednesday and Thursday, the 18th and 19th 

 of January, 1882. 



President Dempsey called the meeting to order. 



The minutes of the last winter n^eeting and also those of the last summer meeting 

 were read and approved. 



The subjects proposed for discussion were then taken up. 



GRAPES. 



WHAT VARIETIES OF GRAPES ARE THE MOST PROFITABLE FOR MARKET 1 



Mr. Saunders was asked to introduce the discussion on this subject, and said : It is 

 rather taking me by surprise to call upon me to give my views on grape growing for 

 profit. I do not do anything of that sort. My grapes are all grown as the work of an 

 amateur, and I do not know that I could give the meeting any information that would 

 be of any value to them as to the varieties most profitable for market, other than as 

 regards those that I know coming into market which have been grown by other people. 

 The grapes that we find most abundant in the London market are the Concord, the 

 Delaware, and some of Rogers' hybrids, particularly Nos. 15 and 4. I do not know 

 that any of those grapes of later introduction — the more fancy varieties — are grown in 

 our section for profit. 



Mr. Beadle. — In the section of country where I live — the County of Lincoln 

 — I suppose that as far as the experience of cultivators has gone, the Concord 

 would be voted by our grape growers as on the whole the most profitable variety 

 that they have as yet grown to any extent. They have found it to be very hardy 

 and prolific, and to resist disease well ; rarely suff"ering in fact from disease of any 

 kind. They also find that it resists the attacks of insects, on account of its peculiarly 

 woolly, thick leaf. It is true that grapes have been produced so abundantly of 

 that variety that the price has gone down to an average, I should suppose, of 

 about four or five cents a pound. Yet those who have raised that variety of grape 

 say that even that rate pays them better than what they can get for any other 

 crop, either of fruit or grain that they can get off the same acreage. Another variety 

 of grape that is coming into favour with our planters is the Wilder — one of Rogers' 

 varieties — a black grape of good size, and usually of a pretty good bunch. I believe that 

 the average size of the bunches of that variety is better than that of several of the other 

 Rogers' varieties. You are aware that the Rogers' varieties are apt to be very variable 

 in the size of their bunches. I believe that that variety, on account of the grape being 

 showy and the berries large, sells for about ten cents a pound wholesale. I am told that 

 there is a gentleman living near Hamilton who has been growing it for market, that he 

 had several tons of it last year, and that he wholesaled it at ten cents a pound — all his 

 crop. Samuel Burner is the name of the gentleman I refer to. One of my neighbours 

 living on the lake shore, Mr. William Reid, tells me that he finds that variety of grape a 

 very promising one. He has been planting it and extending its planting, because of its 

 having succeeded so well with him. He has also grown the Champion, alias Tallman, alias 

 Beaconsfield ; but he says that as soon as they can get a better grape people will not buy 

 it. For a time it was a profitable grape, because it ripen'fed so eai-ly that he got it into 

 market before other grapes came in ; but other grapes are coming into the market now, 

 and consequently the time within which he can sell the Champion grape is so short that 

 he does not market all his crop. It is a poor grape in quality, and he says that he will 

 not plant any more of it for market. The Delaware grape is also grown in our section 

 of the country for market. The small size of berry and bunch of that variety has been 

 against it ; but grape eaters have now learned its good qualities, and it will sell for a 

 higher price in our market than the Concord. When the Concord is selling at four or 



