THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



31 



the bottom is fastened securely, and 

 when tlie dealer opens the box to ex- 

 hibit the fViiit to his customers it pre- 

 sents a fine, attractive appearance. 



When these boxes are properly made 

 they are very light, and ai-e sold by 

 weight witli the fruit. In this way the 

 purchaser has a convenient package in 

 which to carry home his fruit, and when 

 properly regulated will have paid the 

 cost of the box. Frequently these 

 boxes will be found convenient, and to 

 secui-e the sale of the fruit at a better 

 price, even when it is not necessary to 

 transport them by railway, and the 

 grower carries them in his own wagon 

 to the nearest market. 



It makes considerable difference to 

 the grower whether he gets four or six 

 cents i>er pound for his grapes. Up to 

 the day of gathering the fruit he will 

 have expended a given sum upon his 

 vineyard, and now if he harvests and 

 markets his crop in such a way that it 

 sells for only four cents per pound, when 

 he might have got six cents, he is a great 

 loser. If he have an acre of grapes, 

 yielding him say only three tons, or six 

 thousand pounds, the difference between 

 four and six cents per pound is one 

 hundred and twenty dollars, which will 

 pay for considerable extra labor, a 

 gi-eat deal more than the cost of the 

 difference between careful and slovenly 

 harvesting. 



PROFITS OF GRAPE CULTURE. 



The question is often asked by those 

 who are thinking of planting for market, 

 will it pay ] To this inquiry it may be 

 truthfully replied that the raising of 

 fruit for market is like every other 

 business, the question of profit depends 

 mainly upon the energy, attention and 

 skill of the grower. An acre of gi-ape 

 vines in full bearing will yield five tons 

 of grapes, or ten thousand ])ounds, If, 

 then, the grower realizes only four cents 



per pound, he will have received four 

 hundred dollars from his acre. But if 

 a judicious selection of varieties is made, 

 so that there shall be a continual supply 

 of fruit from the time that the earliest 

 ri[)ens to the end of the season, the price 

 will be more likely to avei-age at least 

 six cents per pound, in which case the 

 acre's crop will be six hundred dollars. 

 A grower near Hamilton, who takes 

 good care of his vines, realizes ten cents 

 per pound for his entire crop. And 

 why may not you 1 



CHOICE OF VARIETIES. 



The following list embraces most of 

 the varieties now in cultivation which 

 can be successfully grown in any part 

 of Ontario. I frankly state my own 

 opinion of their qualities, in the hope 

 that my experience and observation 

 may be of service to those who desire 

 to plant : 



Adirondac. — Ripens early, usually 

 a few days before the Hartford Prolific. 

 In size of bunch and berry, it much 

 resembles the Isabella. The color is 

 black. The flesh is soft and breaking, 

 sweet and agreeable flavor, bearing more 

 resemblance to a Black Hamburg than 

 any other hardy grape that I have yet 

 seen. And yet such is its lack of vigor 

 and endurance, that I cannot advise 

 any one to plant it who is not willing 

 to give it great care and attention. 



Agawam. — Also known as Rogers* 

 Number 15. The best flavored of all 

 his red varieties, bunches variable in 

 size, berries large, dark red, tender and 

 juicy, with a pleasant, somewhat musky 

 flavor. Ripe a little after the Concord. 

 In unfavomble seasons the vine is apt 

 to mildew, otherwise it is hardy, vigor- 

 ous and productive. 



Allkn's Hybrid. — This grape is one 

 of the best in quality, but the vine is 

 not hardy, and very subject to mil- 

 dew. 



