GRAPES ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA. 357 



GRAPES ADAPTED TO MINNESOTA. 



GUST JOHNSON, EXCELSIOR. 



If the question before this society was what kind of grapes can 

 be raised in Minnesota, I would say we can raise any kind of grapes 

 from Champion up to Catawba and get them ripe in most years, 

 but when we come to talk about kinds adapted to this state, the 

 list has to be cut down a great deal. The reason many kinds grow 

 here and still are not adapted, is from causes not sufficiently under- 

 stood. Some of these causes are mildew, tenderness from early and 

 late frosts and root-killing. One of the greatest causes I have found 

 in my experiments, is over-bearing. They seem to get along all 

 right until the time of ripening, when they stop while they are green 

 or half ripe, even if the weather is warm and favorable for ripening. 

 As an example I would name Rog. 15, Agawam. I should hate 

 to have to give up raising it, because it bears heavily, is a good 

 keeper and seller. If we get a cold night or two early in Septem- 

 ber, it won't go ahead and ripen like the Concord, for instance, 

 which seems to get increased energy to ripen from the same cause. 

 On the other hand we find varieties of entirely northern blood, as 

 Concord and its progeny of pure and hybrid seedlings, showing 

 better adaptability to this state. In order I would first name the 

 Concord. Even if it is late on account of a heavy crop, it don't 

 show the disposition of not ripening its fruit like some of the hy- 

 brids, but if overloaded it will rid itself of part of the crop by rot 

 and ripen its fruit with its wood. The next in order would be its 

 seedling Worden, which is earlier but will have to have better care 

 than its parent. Still earlier is the Moore's Early, which I like. 

 Of the finer quality of grapes we can't very well omit the Delaware, 

 which has probably done more than any other variety to bring 

 Minnetonka grapes into popular favor, and the Brighton, which is 

 one of our finest hybrids but is more subject to root-killing than 

 the others named. If one likes to try the Rogers hybrids, the No. 

 9 generally ripens but don't set perfect bunches every year. 



Before I end this paper I want to speak a good word for two 

 more kinds that are not much spoken of here. The first is the 

 Wyoming Red, which ripens early, mostly ripe and gone before 

 the Delaware. It is a healthy and heavy bearer, but ripens its crop 

 well. And Pocklington, a Concord seedling, which bears a heavy 

 crop every year. It is rather late, a few days after Concord but will 

 ripen about as well as the Concord and if not ripe will bring more 

 for jelly than Concord ripe will. These two have done well with 

 me for a series of years, and I would recommend them for trial. 



