1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



47 



from the South, but have proved perfectly 

 hardy here in northern New Jersey. 



Give the children a tew Chinquapin bushes 

 or trees, if for nothing more than to add to 

 their pleasure, years hence, when thinking 

 of youthful days and agreeable surround- 

 ings. 



Report on the 1 890 Grape Crop in 

 Central New York. 



E. P. POWELL. ONEIDA CO., .V. T. 



The year, 1889, was disastrous for Grapes 

 all over the country. This year black rot 

 has been less universal; and mildew has 

 not been a serious trouble. But anthrac- 

 nose, a comparatively new pest, has done 

 much damage to vines, especially in young 

 vineyards. This blight has been successfully 

 fought with copperas. Mr. Schram says: 

 "In the spring, before the vines bud, but 

 after they have been pruned, I use .50 gallons 

 of water to 10 pounds sulphate of iron 

 (copperas). I take a barrel and pour in a 

 bucket of hot water to warm it; then I 

 throw in the sulphate of iron and add 

 another bucket of hot water, and then fill 

 up with cold water. I stir it to prevent 

 crystalizatioD. I apply it with a sponge 

 tied to the end of a stick, thoroughly swab- 

 bing the vine, and allowing some of the 

 liquid to sink in around the roots. The 

 mixture will prevent mildew and make 

 weak vines strong. It is the most wonder- 

 ful stimulant I ever saw. It is very cheap. 

 None should be used after the vines are in 

 leaf as it will burn up the leaves." 



Apart from the spread of this new disease 

 the vineyards have no great drawback for 

 1890. The heavy and cold rains of May that 

 prevented complete fertilization of the 

 Apple, Cherry, Plum and Strawberry, were 

 too early to destroy the Grapes. Still the 

 weather prevented perfect fertilization of 

 some sorts, especially Lindley, Brighton, 

 Herbert, Duchess, and most of Boyer's 

 Hybrids. Black rot with me is confined 

 mainly to Massasoit and Duchess. Massa- 

 soit rots if any Grape does; which is too bad, 

 as it is one of the best. 



Li\0]l ripened first about the last of Aug- 

 ust, a week later than its best record. It is 

 a delicious Grape, but gives no crops. 



Moore's Early. A large black Grape, 

 follows Lady and bears as poorly. 



WitrrXen came on about September 5th, 

 and was a splendid Grape for table or 

 market. This is the best black early Grape. 

 Jc.s.«(c was sweet alongabout the 10th, but 

 a poor afl:air at best; half seeds and never 

 high flavored. This Grape should be cutout. 

 Earhj Victur. A poor variety that we do 

 not any longer need. The bunches are com- 

 pact and ripen unevenly. Coloring about 

 September Uth, it is really good to eat about 

 September 20th, when we have a dozen other 

 better sorts. It is not profitable. 



Hmjcs: is ripe generally about September 

 10th, this year the 1.5th. It is a most delicious 

 grape; white, high-flavored, prolific. 



Brighton is good as soon as it begins to 

 color; a winey, sparkling, delightful fruit 

 almost unequalled. It will not always 

 fertilize unless grown with other sorts. 



Close after Brighton and Hayes comes 

 Gaei-tncr, Aottwuin, Ulstcr&ud someothers. 

 Gaertner is grand; and Agawam is good 

 enough to grow with it. Ulster I never 

 ranked very high until this year. It is doing 

 now so well that I can recommend it. 



DiamoniJ. A superb white Grape with 

 splendid foliage, splendid bunches and a 

 large berry. Hayes is spicy; Diamond is 

 like wine. It can be recommended in high- 

 est terms. Ripened Sept. 20th. 



Ba rrij and Wihlir, two Grapes much alike, 

 and both very fine. Black, can be relied on 

 to be well ripened September 25th. 



JVi'agora ripened with me this year the 

 20th of September. When not well ripened 



this Grape is flavorless. On sunny knolls it 

 becomes golden, beautiful, and rich flavored. 

 DiuMcss ripe September 20th to 25th. This 

 year a failure from rot and imperfect fertil- 

 ization. I hold this Grape in highest esti- 

 mation when well ripened. It has generally 

 done admirably with me. It will not remain 

 long on the vine after ripening without 

 cracking. On the whole, the Duchess with 

 its magnificent clusters cannot be com- 

 mended for general planting. 



Herbert. After Worden this is the grand- 

 est of black Grapes. It is a large cluster, 

 large berry, and bears superb crops. Only 

 it must have for neighbors Grapes with long 

 stamens and full pollen. It fails to self- 

 fertilize if weather be unfavorable. It is 

 thick-skinned and keeps superbly. 



Etnpire State ripe about Oct 1st. I do not 

 care to trouble farther with it. Its quality 

 alone condemns it, and it is but little more 

 suitable than Prentiss. These two white 

 Grapes may be fairly dropped. 



Pockliwitoii not early enough for bad 

 seasons; not ripe before Oct. 10th. But 

 when well ripened it is a superb Grape. It 

 grows on well. The bunch is compact and 

 fine. Flavor musky but rich. 



Rogers 30. This I have until last year 

 classed among my very best Grapes. It is, 

 however, doing poorly, and like most of 

 Rogers Hybrids fails to fertilize well. Ripens 

 September 25th to Oct. 1st. 



LiiuUeii is a royal Grape, very fair in 

 quality, berry and bunch; but fails often to 

 fertilize. For general cuture it cannot hold 

 its rank. Ripens September 10th to 12th. 



Martha. A medium-sized white Grape, 

 excellent if you trim it sharply and thin the 

 bunches. It will overbear if left to itself, 

 is then flavorless. Ripens September 15th. 

 Lady Wdshingtou is handsome enough, 

 but its flavor in this climate is nowhere. 



Poufjhkeepsic Red is too compact in bunch, 

 and vrith me is not so good as to warrant its 

 high recommendation. Ripens September 

 3.5th. The appearance of Poughkeepsie is 

 like Delaware, but not so good a Grape. 



Mn.'isnsoit. I neglected to note among the 

 earliest Grapes; ripens about September .5th 

 to 10th; but with me it rots when nothing 

 else does. It is to my taste preferable to 

 liindley, but I cannot grow it. 



.Jefferson. A marvelous Grape, but too 

 late. I must have it, however, and still 

 plant it. I would rather eat it half ripe than 

 most Grapes ripe. 



loud. Tender, and must be covered in 

 winter; but the most delicious of Grapes, 

 and enormously prolific. 



Vrrgcniirs. A Grape that grows in favor 

 with me. Large red, handsome. 



Agnwanr I have already referred to, but 

 it you get the right Agawam you get a grand 

 Grape. There are two called Agawam. 

 Ripe September 15th to 20th. 



Ulster is growing in favor with me. I 

 think I shall yet like it better and better. 

 Ripe September 15th to 30th. 



Amber. A late white Grape that is hardy, 

 resists mildew and rot; is a good grower, 

 and of fair quality. 



Golden Oiin. Small white, early, but not 

 worth planting; much better than .Jessica, 

 which it resembles in growth, bunch and 

 size of berry. 



An<iust Giant. A black Grape generally 

 resembling Concord. Ripe October 18th, 

 and of good quality. The specialty of this 

 Grape is its rampant growth and splendid 

 foliage. It should be Oct. Giant, or Giant. 

 Oneida Seedling. A horrible humbug; 

 vile in quality. 

 Clinton. Only fit for wine. Small black. 

 Perhins. Unfit for anything. 

 Iris. A good Grape when well ripened. 

 A heavy cropper and healthy. 



Sitlem. A noble red Grape; ripens 25th of 

 September. Is healthy and a fair cropper. 



Woodruff. A red Grape of superb foliage; 

 fine bunch, large berry; ripe the very last of 

 September. Quality excepted. Woodruff is 

 a great acquisition; but it is not good to eat 

 and it is very late. 



Diana ripe Oct. 15th. A late red Grape 

 with peculiar flavor. It bears enormous 

 crops, is healthy, and for a late red Grape 

 should rank high. 



Purity is an early white. It looks and 

 tastes like Grein's Golden, but is better. 



Grein's Golden is handsome and as fine 

 in all respects as could be asked for except 

 never is sweet enough. No amount of rip- 

 ening gets away with a queer tartness. 



Qrcin's No. 7 is worthless every way. 



Goethe. Grow this if you can. It is 

 splendid when it ripens. 



Eldorado is a poor cropper compared to 

 some sorts; but it is about as good a Grape 

 as we have. Much like Hayes, and ripes 

 fast after that variety. 



Walter. A fine red Grape, bearing ad- 

 mirably, compact in bunch; looks like large 

 bundles of Delawares. Has a defect in 

 complete coloring that injures it for market. 



It must be held in mind that all Grapes 

 are late in ripening this year. I recommend 

 as the best ten Grapes now well tested: 

 Diamond, Hayes, Niagara, Worden, Bright- 

 on, Gaertner, Herbert; with Iowa, Goetho 

 and Jefferson when they can be ripened. 

 After them I place Duchess, Pocklington, 

 Agawam, Salem, Ulster, Barry, Martha. 

 For five I would select Worden, Diamond, 

 Niagara, Hayes, Herbert. Out of these I 

 could not spare one. All of them are extra 

 good growers except Hayes, which is good. 

 The foliage of Diamond is golden green. 



Salt as a Garden Manure. 



The application of salt to weedy land has 

 often been recommended as means of weed 

 destruction. In an experiment made by Dr. 

 Voelker, sweet venial grass was killed by a 

 solution containing twenty-four grains of 

 salt per pint after the lapse of one month. 

 Yet this same solution decidedly benefited 

 Radishes, Onions, Cabbages, etc. On the 

 whole, however, we find that it requires 

 rather heavy dressings of salt in order to be 

 effective as a weed destroyer, and that such 

 dressings, if applied, would kill not only 

 the weeds, but the cultivated crops as well. 



For this reason, we must regard salt, in 

 this role as a failure. As a promoter of 

 plant-growth, directly or indirectly, how- 

 ever, salt is by no means without value. In 

 limited quantities it often exerts very 

 beneficial effects upon all bulbous plants, 

 and plants with succulent leaves, especially 

 Radishes, all Brassiceai, (Cabbage, Cauli- 

 flower, Turnips), Onions, Leeks, Beets, 

 Rhubarb, Potatoes, Asparagus, and per- 

 haps Peas and Beans. 



For fruits, it is considered more desirable 

 for Peaches, Plums and Pears, than for 

 Apricots, Apples and Cherries. 



As a top-dressing, says the Journal of 

 Horticulture, salt may be applied to every 

 kind of kitchen garden crop at the rate of 

 ten bushels per acre, either at the time of 

 sowing, or perhaps preferably when crops 

 from seed have arrived at the thinning 

 stage. For Potatoes and Artichokes, it may 

 be applied when they are well above 

 ground, and before the first hoeing. Some 

 crops will bear much more salt than the 

 quantity named : Asparagus for instance, 

 will not suffer by any application of two 

 tons per acre. 



Cabbages may have repeated applications 

 of salt, and so may other members of the 

 tribe. 



Salt possesses still other values. It is 

 destructive to slugs, grubs in Turnips, etc. 

 It also protects plants from injury by cold. 



To apply salt mixed with other substan- 



