384 ANNUAL REPORT 



the grape that you may eat of the fruit thereof, I shall feel well 

 repaid for the time spent in writing the same. There is no rea- 

 son why you should not raise all the grapes you need for your 

 own use. Will you try ? As I am writing this the sun is sink- 

 ing in the west for the last time for the year 1886. To-morrow 

 will usher in the year 1887. How many homesteads in the great 

 Northwest will have grapes growing on them at the close of 

 1887 no one ca.n tell, yet one thing is certain, if they are not 

 planted they surely will not grow. 



FEOM PEESIDBNT WILSON, OF IOWA. 



Atlantic, Iowa, Jan. 14, 1887. 

 8. D. Hillman, Secretary, etc.: 



I inclose you an essay on varieties of grapes for the prairies of 

 the West, in connection with some other hints. The points I 

 wish to make are deep planting, winter protection, and the 

 proper fertilizing of the Eogers grapes. If this meets the ap- 

 proval of yourself and Society you may have it. I wish you a 

 large and profitable meeting.. Remember me to your Society. 



Yours truly, Silas Wilson. 



BEST VARIETIES OF GRAPES. 



By Silas Wilson, Atlantic, Iowa. 



This is a subject of the greatest importance, not only to the 

 people of this commonwealth, but to the people of the Northwest 

 generally. It has been but a few years since we had compara- 

 tively no grapes for the northwestern prairies. Not until the 

 introduction of the grape for the million, the Concord, by Mr. 

 Bull, of Massachusetts, whose name was made famous thereby. 

 The success of Mr. Bull seemed to create a new enthusiasm in 

 grape growing which has developed for us a long list of good 

 grapes that are well adapted to the prairies. 



The only trouble now, in my opinion, is in getting the people 

 to carefully follow the directions of those who have made grape- 

 growing a success. There is no longer any question in my mind 

 about growing an abundant .supply of good grapes in every 

 county in Iowa by planting only the hardy varieties that have 

 been tested in this State, of which I will name a few before I 

 close. 



