316 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



from which I never raised any fruit, gave me almost a full crop 

 last year. They are doing nicely now, and I think I shall 

 give them a coat of manure next year. 



Dr. Frisselle: It seems to me that the question resolves it- 

 self, so far as the manuring is concernd, to about this, if the 

 ground is poor and needs fertilizing elements you must put that 

 fertilizer in for the use of the plant. If it is already there in 

 plentiful quantities, you don't need any more of it. Now, you 

 take our virgin soil, and the ground is rich in humus and pot- 

 ash and everything needed for plant growth. Therefore, you 

 do not need to put on any nitrate of potash nor carbonate of 

 potash nor any other potash, as we have it there already. As 

 Prof. Greene has remarked, if the soil is poor, if it is gravelly 

 soil without any material for plant growth in it, why, put your 

 fertilizer in. I think that is good common sense. I am sure 

 that the fertilizers I put on my own ground in my vineyard — 

 good stable manure put on two or ttree years ago with seven 

 or eight loads of ashes — did it much good. I should be in favor 

 of keeping up the fertility of the soil. 



Prof. Greene: There is a caution necessary to be used there, 

 too. It won't do ,to encourage too vigorous a growth of the 

 vines. I think you are very liable to have that where you have 

 too much manure. On the prairie soil of this state, you are 

 very apt to get a great growth of vine and a small growth of 

 fruit. Now, if you are getting a reasonable amount of growth 

 without the use of manure, do not use it. Do not manure it in 

 order to get twenty feet of growth, for we don't need such a 

 growth. 



Prof. Williams : I will say in regard to manuring that on 

 our home farm in east Nebraska, we have a very rich soil. 

 In our vineyard we used to work in a light coating of stable 

 manure about every three years. We find it helps the vine 

 materially, and in very dry seasons we very frequently give a 

 light coating or mulching to the vines, as well. 



Mr. Wilcox: I would like to call attention for one moment 

 to one feature of this discussion. Dr. Frisselle has very 

 plainly stated an important feature in growing grapes — to pro- 

 cure full exposure of the leaf to the sun, while the fruit is pro- 

 tected in the shade. It seems to me it is very desirable to do 

 this. You all use the upright trellis, but it is my opinion 

 that one of the best trellises is the under trellis. By the use of 

 such a trellis you secure the full benefit of the sunlight on the 



