HORTICULTURE 245 



that produces the larva or worm that is so often found within the 

 berry itself, and they protect them from the attacks of several kinds 

 of birds that break the skin of grapes and invite further injury by 

 bees and insects and from chickens. Grapes that have been sacked 

 are always clean and free from dust and smoke, and being sound 

 may be allowed to remain for use much longer on the vine than those 

 not sacked. Indeed, they may remain on the vine until they are in 

 danger of being frozen, and if then cut when dry and laid away in a 

 cool, well-ventilated room, with the sacks on, they may be kept for use 

 for a long time after grapes that were not sacked are gone. 



The operator perhaps the farmer's wife or daughter 

 equipped with sacks and pins or wires, slips the open mouth of a 

 sack over the newly formed cluster of grapes and folding it down 

 about the stem pins it in place or.makes it fast by passing a very small 

 piece of pliable wire around the neck of the sack and the work is 

 done. The pins can be of the cheapest make, or if wire is used 

 it should be cut beforehand into lengths of about 4 inches. The 

 mouth of the sack must be carefully folded about the stem of the 

 bunch, or otherwise it may admit insects or disease germs or even 

 rain water that will sometimes fail to find its way out through the 

 sack, and would thus spoil the fruit. A little practice will soon 

 render the operator expert in affixing the sacks. (F. B. 156.) 



GATHERING, PACKING AND MARKETING. 



For home use or for making wine, grapes should not be picked 

 until they are fully ripe. Many varieties become highly colored 

 some days, or even weeks, before they are fully matured; but they 

 are not really ripe and in the best condition for use until the stem 

 of the bunch begins to shrivel or soften so that it can be easily bent. 

 Even for market, the fruit should not be gathered until very nearly 

 matured, as it ripens but little after being removed from the vine. 

 The unripe fruit may soften somewhat on its way to market, but 

 does not become sweeter or better flavored, and will retain the excess 

 of acid which disappears when the grapes are ripened on the vines. 



Gathering grapes for market should be done only in fair weather 

 when the vines and fruit are not wet with either dew or rain. The 

 stems should be cut with a knife or scissors and the bunches should 

 be laid in shallow wooden trays or baskets for carrying to the packing 

 shed. Baskets holding 5, 8, or 10 pounds, with covers fastened on by 

 wire hooks, are the best packages in which to ship, as they are inex- 

 pensive, easily handled in transportation, and convenient and tempt- 

 ing to purchasers. The fruit should be allowed to lie a few hours so 

 that the stems will become slightly wilted ; and all diseased, unripe, 

 or bruised berries should be removed before packing begins. The 

 bunches should be placed in the baskets with the stems downward, 

 and packed snugly, the smaller bunches being used to fill the spaces 

 between the larger ones. The top of the fruit should be about half 

 an inch above the top of the basket and should be even and level. 

 The baskets should be so full that some pressure will be needed to 

 bring the cover down into place, though the pressure should not be 

 eo great as to crush the grapes or break them from the stems. A 



