186 



than other fruits, but the necessity of selecting a suitable 

 soil, coupled with favorable climatic conditions for its com- 

 mercial culture, needs no stronger argument than the fact 

 that in New York the grape growing of the state is centered 

 in four comparatively small districts while commercial suc- 

 cess with the grape appears to be impossible on much larger 

 areas, which produce good crops of other products, even 

 fruits. ' ' 



FERTILIZERS. 



Fertilizers should be used that will be ample for growing 

 the fruit, but without making undue grov/th of wood. 

 Stable manure is more apt to promote fungus growth than 

 are commercial fertilizers. Cover crops help to keep up the 

 humus supply, and keep the land in good condition. It is 

 well to remember, however, that a rapidly growing cover 

 crop, in a very dry time, may seriously injure the growth of 

 the vines and fruit. 



VARIETIES. 



Hedrick, in his "Grapes of New York," has described so 

 fully and well the good and bad points of the different va- 

 rieties of grapes, that I quote quite freely from his descrip- 

 tions. Agawam is the most largely grown of Roger's Hy- 

 brids. The qualities commending it being large size of 

 bunch and berry, rich, sweet aromatic flavor, excellent keep- 

 ing qualities. Its chief defects in fruit are, a somewhat 

 thick and tough skin, and foxy flavor. In some localities it 

 does not yield well. It ripens soon after Concord, and can 

 be kept much longer. It prefers somewhat heavy soil, doing 

 better on clay than on sand. Brighton — Ranks as one of the 

 leading amateur grapes. Its good points are high quality, 

 handsome appearance, certainty of ripening, vigorous 

 growth, and adaptability to various soils. It deteriorates in 

 quality quickly after maturity, hence cannot be shipped well 

 to distant markets, and is self sterile to a more marked de- 

 gree than any other of our commonly grown grapes. 



