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GRAPES. ral, 
thus provoke some right thinking on this matter.which would naturally 
be followed by corresponding action. This society,that has already done 
so much to encourage horticultural work, would and should do much 
more by offering premiums on growing crops, as is so generally done by the 
more enterprising and advanced societies at the East. Our present prac- 
tice of giving the largest premiums offered to persons exhibiting the 
largest number of varieties of grapes,for instance,only stimulates persons 
to planta vine ortwo of a large number of kinds without regard to their 
value,simply for the premium;and besides our society allows premium hun- 
ters to scour thecountry for fine specimens,which added to those grown by 
themselves, enable them to carry off the large premiums offered. Such 
practice may have been proper and perhaps was best in the infancy of 
fruit growing here, but in the present advanced state of this industry can 
hardly be commended. 
If our society would offer a liberal premium on the best quarter or half 
acre of strawberries, raspberries or blackberries, or on the best 500 
dred or 1000 currant bushes or gooseberries, or on the best vineyard 
of 500 or 1,000 bearing vines of two or three of the best kinds of grapes, 
&c., it seems to me that the real cause of horticulture in our state would 
be materially advanced. Of what value is it to the community thata 
person exhibits twenty kinds of grapes, when not a half dozen of them 
can be safely recommended for general cultivation. It is not difficult 
to secure by extraordinary care and culture a few quarts of strawberries, 
raspberries, currants or any other fruit from a few highly fertilized 
plants, for exhibition. But how does such an exhibition help those who 
may desire to grow these fruits for family use or for market, compared 
with a half acre or more of these vines in actuai bearing, showing the 
method of planting, trimming, general care, etc.? Of how much more 
practical value to the practical fruit-grower is a visit to the experimental 
gardens at St. Anthony Park, with explanations and suggestions from 
Prof. Green, or a visit to the grounds of any successful fruit-grower 
where he can see and hear by what steps the success has been achieved, 
than a few quarts of fruit on the exhibition tables? I would by no 
means wish to be understood as advocating the abolishing of premiums 
on fruit exhibited at our fairs, but I would humbly suggest that our pre- 
mium list be so modified as to offer less on number of varieties and add 
to the list a few liberal premiums on growing crops. 
AN AMATEURS SUCCESS WITH GRAPES. 
SAM’L DOUGHTY, LAKE CITY. 
In 1865 I first began the cultivation of grapes, planting and pruning in 
the conventional manner laid down in the books of the period. Close ob- 
servation, however, soon convinced me that the best fruit was invariably 
found pearest the ends of the canes. I soon abandoned the usual practice 
of pruning to the third bud, and began to increase the length of the bear- 
ing wood till the canes were from six to ten feet long, depending upon the 
vigor of the roots and the mature condition of thecane. ILalso found,that 
if I would have fruit each year with a reasonable degree of certainty, I 
