THK CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



107 



sert the foregoing apology and sketches, 

 to stop confusion in wrong names. 



D. B. Hoover. 

 Almira, Ont., April 1st, 1884. 



ON (iRAPE CULTURE. 

 My plan is to have the rows nine 

 feet apart, the vines five feet apai-t in 

 the row. Take two stakes, or posts, 

 bore \h inch hole for a leg, a little 

 slanting, so as to cause the post to lean 

 when the leg is in the post, with three 

 poles to be nailed on the posts for the 

 vines to climb on, but the leg to be 

 loose, so that it can be ]n;lled out of 

 the post easily. Lay the two posts 

 with the foot end in line with the 

 vines, or row ; lay on the three poles 

 at regular distances apart, and spike 

 them to the posts. This do the whole 

 length of the row. Then one take 

 hold of the top pole in the centre and 

 lift it head high, and another stick in 

 the two legs and let it stand. This do 

 the whole length of the row. The 

 vines tied to the poles, they will soon 

 tie themselves. In November cut all 

 off above the top pole, and, if needed, 

 thin or cut off the vines on the poles 

 when they become thick. The hardy 

 vines put in rows by themselves. 

 When trimmed, do as directed. Two 

 must be employed, as directed above ; 

 one take hold of the top pole and lift 

 it, the other pull out the legs of the 

 posts and let the posts and the vines to 

 the ground. This do the whole length 

 of the row. In this way two men can 

 put up or take down one acre in a day. 

 The hardy grapes need no more cover- 

 ing than the snow. The tender vines 

 when put down as directed above need 

 to be covered with pea-straw, or its 

 sub.stitute. From long experience I 

 consider it pays to cover all kinds to 

 ensure a good cro(). The straw can in 

 the spring be put by the vines to 



manure them. In Eastern Ontario 

 only the Concord and tln^ hardy grapes 

 [)ay the grower. 



Allan McIntosh. 

 Dundela. 



FRUIT GROWING IN THE NORTH. 



GRAPES. 



Mr. Editor, — My experience with 

 grapes, like that with apples, only runs 

 back a very few years; and yet in that 

 sliort time I have foi-med some very 

 decided opinions. I am satisfied that 

 as grown in this pai-t of the country 

 1 he Clinton and the Cham])ion are not 

 tit to eat, and that any hybrid witH a 

 foreigner for one of its ])ai"ents will not 

 pay to plant. ^our g!a|jes, such as 

 those named, are not suitable for the 

 north, because the less sun our vines 

 get the lass sugar the fruit will contain. 

 This is unfortunate for us. as the Cham- 

 pion is the only grape that is quite 

 sure of ripening. 



I have been agreeably sur]:>rised to 

 find that vines floui'ish as well as they 

 do on my grounds. I ;ittril>ute this to 

 the perfect natural drainage, and tlie 

 existence of considerable limestone in 

 the soil ; in fact, my success with 

 plums and gi-apes has been much more 

 encouraging than has my experience 

 with apples. A heavier soil would, I 

 believe, grow more wood, but I find the 

 sandy and gravelly loams conducive to 

 fruitfulness ; and the readiness with 

 which my layered vines take root, and 

 the disposition the young layers evince 

 to bear fruit the first year — I actually 

 had one layer that bore nine small 

 bunches the year it was planted — 

 shows that the elements necessary for 

 a healthy growth are present in the 

 soil. And here let me say that I wish 

 your correspondents, when relating 

 their successes or failures, would state 

 the conditions as to soil, drainage, etc., 

 under which such results are achieved, 

 so that we mij'ht befjin to learn what 



