418 ANNUAL REPOET. 



year-old vine from the cutting. It makes some eighteen inches of 

 growth the first year, and as a general thing it will have better roots 

 and in a better compass than a two-year-old. 



Mr. Busse. I would like to ask: Is it best to leave one or two 

 canes to the plant at the end of the second year? Which would pro- 

 duce the best and most fruit, to have one or two? 



Mr. Rogers. I never allow a vine to fruit much the second year. 

 It makes no difference provided you leave about an equality of eyes 

 when fruiting on each cane. There may be some advantages in leav- 

 ing only one cane in layering. Bear in mind never, on a bearing cane, 

 leave surplus canes. 



Mr. Emmous. How late do you recommend continuing your sum- 

 mer pruning in the season? 



Mr. Rogers. That is a diflScult question to answer. Mildew as a 

 general thing, appears on the younger shoots; is more apt to attack 

 them than the older shoots, and it is a question that only experience 

 can demonstrate; no rule can be laid down. I should continue it 

 until I was sure that I would save and form my fruit-eyes. And if I 

 found that too much strength was going from the vine into the bunch, 

 then it is a question whether it is not better to risk a little mildew. 

 Experience must be the guide. 



Mr. Pearce. In New Jersey do you grow from cuttings or layers? 

 or, in other words, which is considered the best? 



Mr. Rogers. We grovv mostly from cuttings, unless it is some 

 variety difficult to propagate from cuttings. 



Mr. Pearce. Is there any marked diflFereace between cuttings and 

 those raised from a single eye in hot-houses? 



Mr. Rogers. I don't think there is, provided the eye be mature and 

 perfectly ripe; but in the new varieties grown from new wood there 

 is a marked difference. If you have a cutting that has three or four 

 eyes, cut off the roots below the lower eye and you have it. I am 

 told that bone dust does yoa no good; but if I were going to grow 

 grapes here, I should go into its use experimentally, and should 

 use bones from which glue is made — from which all the ammonia has 

 been removed and only phosphoric acid is present. As a general rule 

 all bone dust that contains ammonia is detrimental to fruits. The 

 nature of bone-dust is to ripen the wood early. If used in too large 

 quantities it contracts the wood-cell so that the sap will not circulate, 

 hastens early maturity, and the fruit will remain of a small size, 

 mature early and drop off. 



