416 ANNUAL REPORT. 



had, I should expect better success on the sandy soil of South 

 Minneapolis than on the banks of Minnetonka. Grapes can be 

 produced well in almost every place they have been planted in 

 the State. 



Mr. Pearce. I don't think there is any trouble growing grapes 

 on sand. I think they will mature earlier on sand than on clay. 

 The soil around Minnetonka, as a general thing, is a clay soil. 

 I have observed for years that grapes and ax)ples have done bet- 

 ter on that soil than they have on the sandy soil. The apples 

 on that high clay soil are in good condition. South of the lake 

 the soil is a deep red clay. I think a week or ten days can be 

 gained on sandy soil. At the same time, if I was going to set 

 out grapes, and had a clay hill sloping to the south, I would 

 choose it in preference to other localities. Heat is what we are 

 after. I have known grapes to stand still for weeks after they 

 were almost ripe because there was not heat enough to ripen 

 them. In regard to varieties, I have planted the Delaware and 

 Concord universally. About one- quarter of the Concords have 

 ripened, and the balance have been sour. I think we ought to 

 look very carefully to the locality of the vineyard, and suit the 

 varieties to the locality. Concord and Delaware grapes are 

 grown because they are universally known. Some people will 

 send for Concord grapes, no matter where it is. I believe that 

 Moore's Early will ripen in this climate. It is not a heavy 

 bearer, but it is a good one, and the fruit is fully as large as th;it 

 of the Concord. The grape is sweet and will command twenty- 

 five cents a pound. From the best information I can get the 

 Early Victor, a large black, is highly recommended. There is 

 no excuse for a man saying he has not got the proper soil for 

 raising grapes. If he will post himself on the different varieties 

 he can get grapes that are adapted to his soil and will ripen 

 there. 



Mr. Grimes. The ground on which my grapes grow is hardly 

 suitable. Some years they grow well and others they do not. I 

 have planted the Concord, the Delaware, and the Hartford Pro- 

 lific. The Delaware is a very good grape, and has given me as 

 much satisfaction as any I have grown, but the Concord has pro- 

 duced the most fruit. My soil is clay, and only moderately ex- 

 posed to the sun. It is a heavy soil and not calculated to ripen 

 fruit as well as some other localities. I tried a few of Eoberts' 

 hybrids, but they were not satisfactory. As a general thing I 

 would say that the extra early varieties are not as good in quality 

 as the later kinds. 



