12 



process involves more the lessening of acid than the increase of 

 sugar. 



The enlargement in size of berries from girdling was from twenty- 

 five to forty per cent, and although upwards of five inches of 

 rain fell between Sept. 6th and 18th, which caused many of the 

 berries to split open and threatened destruction to the whole, the 

 more favorable weather which followed suspended this result and 

 they went to market in good condition and were all sold before the 

 others were ready to follow. 



The fruit remaining on the vines of which one arm had been 

 girdled was decidedly inferior to that on ungirdled vines, both in 

 earliness of ripening and quality, insomuch reducing the advantages 

 of the operation, while the fruit on the two to four central shoots 

 between two girdled arms on the same vine was worthless, showing 

 that there is some robbing of Peter to pay Paul and suggests whether 

 it is possible to long continue the operation without injury to the 

 ripening of the roots of the vine. The three years in which this 

 treatment has been carried out has not developed as yet an answer 

 to this question. 



The Use, of Sulphate and Muriate of Potash. 



Upon one of three contiguous vineyards of an acre each, the form 

 in wliich potash is applied has for four years been different from the 

 others. A formula is compounded which is intended to supply 25 

 lbs. of phosphoric acid, 30 lbs. of nitrogen and 75 lbs. of potash 

 to the acre, annually. Two of these vineyards have been furnished 

 with potash in the form of muriate, and the other as a higher grade 

 sulphate. Fruit was gathered from each of these vineyards Oct. 8th, 

 the analysis of which is here given : 



Muriel te of Potash. Sulphate of Potash. 



Moisture at 100^ C. 85.38 85.11 



Ash, .59 .53 



Sugar, 6.65 7.67 



Acid, .51 .71 



The analysis of the ash follows : 



Muriate of Potash. Sulphate oF Potash. 



In dry matter. In ash. In dry matter. In ash. 



Potas.sium Oxide, 1.55 42.61 1.68 46.28 



Phosphoric Acid, .34 8.63 .30 8.26 



Nitrogen, .78 .80 



The fruit was equally ripe in the two vineyards and while there 

 appeared to be about the same proportion of sugar and acid, there 

 was to the taste a slight preference for those treated with sulphate 

 of potash, as if the vines in the other case had been somewhat over- 

 loaded, which was not the case. 



*Thia is sliown by the analysis of the lona grape whicli most persons will pronounce 

 an acid grape but which really contains more sugar than the Delaware. 



