210 GRAPES. 



the ripening process, fearing an early frost, and 

 have picked or cut away the leaves to allow the 

 sun a better chance at them. Instead of hastening 

 it delays it, and if too severely done they will not 

 ripen at all, but burn, sour and drop off. The 

 leaves are the lungs of the plant and as such should 

 be allowed to remain as nature intended. 



Summer pruning consists of pinching off the 

 growing shoots after the fruit has been all set. 

 This practice is at best very questionable, and as 

 very satistactory results are obtained without it, it 

 should be done sparingly, and then only with a 

 part to learn its effects. Some very rampant 

 growers like the best of the Rogers hybrids might 

 be improved by it if done judiciously. 



Winter protection. In parts of the country 

 where there is plenty of rainfall, and the ground 

 is in fairly moist condition in the fall, it is only 

 necessary to lay the vines down and cover with 

 earth, barely enough to say they are covered. This 

 is the usual practice in the Mississippi valley, and 

 the latitude of 40 and below, but further north, in 

 northwestern Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota, 

 and Dakota, it has not proved to be as reliable as 

 the use of mulch of some kind, such as partly 

 rotted straw, corn stalks, &c. Something that 

 will prevent the canes from drying too severely, 

 and will not easily blow off. 



Many are recommending the putting down and 

 covering the tops only, claiming that the large 

 stems are not hurt by the severest winters. This 



