GRAPES. 301 



GRAPES. 



EEPORT OF COMMITTEE ON GRAPES. . 



E. J. CUTTS, HOWARD LAKE. 



Mr. President and members of the State Horticultaral Society: 



As one of your committee on grrapes I submit the following report: 

 While not as favorable a season as we have sometimes, the grape crop was 

 by no means a failure. The spring was very backward; we did not un- 

 cover our vines until about the 20th of May, and the cold, wet weather in 

 June kept them very backward, and the first of July, when in favorable 

 seasons the grapes would be as large as peas, they were yet in blossom; 

 and about the middle of the month I remember remarking that we never 

 had had a failure of the grape crop, but that I would not give much for 

 the chances of a crop this season. But the hot, dry weather in August 

 brought them on very rapidly, and with the absence of frosts in September 

 and the very favorable weather, the crop ripened up nicely and far be- 

 yond our expectations. We had a hail storm in June that did consider- 

 able damage — I think it knocked off at least one-third of the young shoots; 

 and the unfavorable weather when they were in blossom hindered the 

 development of the young fruit, so that the bunches were not so compact 

 and heavy-shouldered as usual; but the quality was fully up to the stand- 

 ard, so that we had no difficulty in getting forty cents per basket for Con- 

 cords and fifty cents for Delawares in our own rural villages, where Eastern 

 and Southern fruit was almost a drug at ten cents per basket less. 



My observation and experience the past season inclines me to the opin- 

 ion that we need our vines up higher. I would like the posts six feet out 

 of the ground and the first wire at least thirty inches from the ground, so 

 as to allow freer circulation of air under the vines and to give the sun a 

 chance to strike the ground around the roots. I would go over the vines 

 at least twice in June and break off the surplus shoots, then I would sum- 

 mer prune sparingly, believing that plenty of foliage is necessary for 

 sweet fruit. In 1891 we had six Golden Pocklington vines that mildewed 

 badly, the only mildew that we have had, I believe, in our vicinity. I was 

 afraid it would be much worse last season, but it was not near as- bad, 

 and Delaware, Lady and Moore's Early vines near it were not affected at all. 



VINE GROWING IN WRIGHT COUNTY. 



E. J. CUTTS, HOWARD LAKE. 



Although we have not been growing grapes (except a few scattered 

 vines) in Wright county until the past few years, vine growing is no 

 longer an experiment. Where a few years ago, people bought two 

 or three vines and set them out with little hope of success, they are 

 putting out hundreds, and are as sure of a crop as when they plant corn. 



