THE VINEYARD IN JULY AND AUGUST. 259 



poor, we must have with us always, in others one or two sprayings 

 will be all that is needed. 



The past season I used the dust stray for the first time. I 

 believe that will prove to be the best, as the vineyard is more quickly 

 covered with the dry spray, and the dust clings all the better in a 

 wet, murky time, when the wet sprayer is entirely out of commis- 

 sion. The only question in my mind is the efficacy of the prepared 

 dust, as we have to go by faith concerning the ingredients and the 

 relative proportion of fungicide and medium. I had the best success 

 working while the dew was on and in the too many foggy days. 

 If the firms making the dry Bordeaux remain dependable, I con- 

 sider it ahead of the wet spray. But there's that "if." 



Summer pruning is the bugbear of most growers but is a very 

 simple matter. Just go through the rows and, like the Irishman in 

 the fight, when you see a head, hit it! Snap off the light green 

 shoots at the joint, reaching well into the mature foliage. Do not 

 wait until a corn knife or scythe is necessary. When allowed to 

 grow until they top half way across the row it seems to do more 

 harm than good. I always find it a hard matter to spend enough 

 time on this work, for it is most imperative just when berries are 

 ripe. I must confess that my Concords look pretty badly some sea- 

 sons when I get into them, but then that good old Concord will 

 stand for more abuse than any other variety — and generally gets 

 it too. I have found it a very good plan on Moore's Early, Concord, 

 Worden and some other of the rank growers, to go through when 

 the cluster buds have developed — in fact any time till they blossom — 

 and pinch off the extreme tip of the shoot. That seems to check 

 the push of wood at a time when the blossom needs it. I consider 

 this of great importance. However, it adds to the number of lat- 

 erals that must be looked tO' later. 



Of insect enemies, all I can say is that for the last few years 

 they have resigned in favor of the mildew and rot. The blue beetle 

 was never much of a nuisance with me, and I made no pretense of 

 combating it. I wish I could say the same of the leaf-hopper. In 

 some seasons they have literally ruined the Delawares. I never 

 could find any more efficient way to rid the vines of them than to 

 stand at south end of the top row and "cuss" them good and plenty. 

 I designed a trap that caught millions of them, but multi-miWions 

 came to the funeral ! I also used large frames smeared with the 

 active principle of sticky fly paper. It caught a few millions of 

 them, but there were others ! I believe that about three pounds sul- 

 phur added to forty pounds of dry Bordeaux dust, sprayed or blown 

 well into the vines, would prevent them to some extent. I sincerely 



