GRAPE 



2574 



GRAPEFRUIT * 



tied to, or trained over, wires. The grape cut- 

 tings introduced from Europe into America 

 have proved successful on the Pacific coast. 

 The grapes grown in the Eastern and Central 

 states are of native origin, the result of careful 

 selection and training. 



BLACK ROT 



A cluster of Niagara grapes of which half have 

 black rot. Some of those affected have dried down 

 to mummies. 



Enemies of Grapes. The most dangerous 

 enemy of the vine is the animal parasite called 

 phylloxera, whose attacks caused great de- 

 struction among the vineyards of Europe year 

 after year. It appeared in England in 1863 

 and in France a little later. It was soon dis- 

 covered that American vines were able to resist 

 this parasite, and now most of the vineyards 

 of Europe contain vines grafted with American 

 stock (see PHYLLOXERA). 



The two most common diseases of the grape 

 grown in the United States and Canada are 

 downy mildew and black rot. The downy mil- 

 dew is caused by a fungus growth and appears 

 on the leaves and fruit in the form of purplish 

 stains, the stained parts quickly rotting and 

 affecting the whole vine. Black rot attacks the 

 leaves, dark brown stains appearing as the first 

 signs. From the leaves the disease spreads to 

 the fruit, which turns black, withers and dies. 

 For these and all similar diseases the best pre- 

 vention is thorough spraying of the vine with 

 Bordeaux mixture. 



Uses of the Grape. The first use of grapes 

 was naturally as a fresh fruit, the flavor and 

 nourishing qualities, due to the large quantity 

 of sugar contained, rendering them superior to 

 other fruits known in olden clays. Then came 

 the juice of the grape, drunk directly as 

 squeezed from the fruit, or after it had been 

 fermented and turned into wine. Dried grapes, 

 or raisins, early became a staple article of food 

 and among the Greeks the grapes of Corinth, 

 now called currants, formed practically the 

 only food of the athletes. In modern house- 

 holds raisins and currants appear daily in 

 cakes, puddings, pies, jams and jellies; and 



grape juice, a refreshing, nourishing drink made 

 of the unfermented juice of the fruit, is highly 

 esteemed throughout the world. 



Grapevines as Decorations. The grapevine, 

 properly trained, affords perfect shade, and is 

 able to transform the most bare and unsightly 

 buildings into things of beauty. In all towns 

 and villages there are houses on which the sun 

 shines from the east, west and south, blistering 

 paint and in summer rendering them almost 

 uninhabitable. Grapevines would turn the sun- 

 shine into fruit and foliage, save money and 

 materially add to the health of the home. 

 Arbors and pergolas draped with vines add 

 to the beauty of parks and gardens, and, with 

 little care and outlay, the grape will turn 

 dreary places into beauty spots. F.ST.A. 



Consult Fanner's Bulletin 30, United States 

 Department of Agriculture, "Grape Diseases ;" 

 Duggar's Fungous Diseases of Plants. 



GRAPE 'FRUIT, a citrus fruit, allied to the 

 lemon and orange, and called grapefruit be- 

 cause the fruit grows in clusters like bunches 

 of grapes. The tree grows to a height of 

 from twenty-five to thirty feet; the fruit is 



HOW GRAPEFRUIT GROWS 



four to seven inches in diameter and weighs 

 from one to twelve pounds. The pulp resem- 

 bles that of the orange, except that it is coarser, 

 and the juice is sour and a little bitter. Its 

 acidity has been greatly reduced by grafting 

 and crossbreeding. It is usually eaten with 

 sugar, although some people prefer it without. 

 It became popular as a breakfast fruit prac- 

 tically since 1900, and the increased demand 

 has led to extensive growth. It sharpens the 

 appetite, which is its real food value. The 

 pomelo variety is now grown to the extent of 

 over 1,190,000 boxes annually in Florida and 

 California, with an annual value of over 

 $2,000.000 to the growers. About ninety per 

 cent are produced in Florida, and ten per cent 

 in California. 



