PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 363 



•vvill root out their June grass, and feed clover and timothy, we 

 shall hear of no more abortion in cows. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — And yet Kentucky cows feed wholly on 

 this grass. 



Grape Eoots in the Water. 



Mr. J. B. Garber, Columbia, Pa.: Some time ago I gave the 

 club an account of grape vines growing finely and producing 

 largely, whose roots stood in water. Last year my Catawbas, 

 Isabellas, and many other varieties on dry ground badly mildewed 

 and made a feeble growth ; in short, the vines ripened so poorly 

 that they will require a favorable season to recover. Now, the 

 other vines growing in water were not injured in the least by the 

 wet spell, and most of their roots were under water the year 

 round; the soil is never cultivated, but covered with a sod of grass. 

 The branches and berries were large and of extra quality. 



The only Black Hamburg vine that I have ever seen growing in 

 the open air and worth the ground, was a trellis one hundred feet 

 long. They bore full crops of fair grapes, though the foliage was 

 slightly injured, perhaps, by summer cold. Now the trellis of 

 these exotic vines stood within two feet of a drain from the house, 

 which v/as always moist. Another example of the love of vines 

 for moisture is the Great Hampton Court vine in England, as its 

 main root, it is said, has taken exclusive possession of an old drain, 

 I have Concord and other vines o-rowins; within three or four feet 

 of a small stream of spring water which are healthier and show 

 more and better fruit than -others growing on trenches and dry 

 ground. 



I have been a grape amateur about fifty years, have read all that 

 has been published on grapes, and now, after this long apprentice- 

 ship, I confess myself a beginner; this I must say, I know of no 

 books which can be followed with the least prospect of success. 

 I would strongly urge those who have a chance to plant within a 

 foot or so of a running stream to do so, and report to the Farmers' 

 Club. 



Seasoning Fence Posts. 



Mr. Ephraim Harmon writes : "I have read the reports of the 

 Farmers' Club for several years, and I consider the information 

 contained in them very valuable. I am Avilling to add my mite. 

 Much has been said and written about fence posts. Some thirty 

 years ago I built a post and board fence. After it had stood about 

 twenty years, I built it over again by taking up the posts and set- 



