110 • BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of foliage on the long-growing shoots below them, which have 

 been saved from mildew by the shelter of the upper ones. 



Let me say, in regard to the Concord, that np to this year I 

 have ripened my whole crop without rot, except here and there 

 a berry, and without mildew. This year one-third part, perhaps, 

 of a bunch would be unripe and unfit for market. The unripe 

 berries were scattered in the bunch ; they ripened unequally, so 

 that they were not marketable. Still this is the eighteenth year 

 since my Concord first bore, and it is the first year it ever failed 

 to ripen its whole crop. It has never failed to give me a crop 

 during the whole eighteen years. 



Let me say a word, in passing, about the profits of grape- 

 growing. I have had considerable experience in that direction. 

 I find it the most certain crop I grow. It never has failed. I 

 expect, confidently, from five to seven tons to the acre ; I do not 

 think I ever made so small a crop as half that. Suppose you 

 take three tons to the acre, at ten cents a pound, there is $600 

 an acre ; at five cents a pound, $300 to the acre. A constant 

 income, observe. The crop does not fail. It did not fail this 

 year ; it suffered. In those two instances where the destruction 

 was absolute, it was clearly to be traced to the imperfect method 

 of culture ; scientific, I grant you, according to the books — 

 quite too much so, but not the best method, in my judgment. 

 Take half a crop, three tons to the acre, at five cents a pound, 

 and you have a constant income of $300 to the acre. Tell me 

 what husbandry will pay so well as that ? 



Mr. Hyde. A great many things will pay better. Straw- 

 berries will pay a thousand dollars an acre. 



Mr. Bull. I will not combat your proposition, but I will 

 state what I have learned about it, upon inquiry. You will 

 observe, the grape requires very little labor, very little care. 

 You plough in spring and keep down the weeds in summer ; 

 your vine is hardy ; you never take it down ; there is no tying 

 up, it fastens itself there ; you let it run into space. You do 

 not put on much manure. You want a little dressing — lime, 

 phosphate, in some form, wood-ashes, and, if your vine grows 

 weak, some nitrogenous manure — perhaps guano and ashes 

 would be the best. The cost, then, of manuring and keeping 

 your vineyard up to the time of harvest (I am testifying from 

 my long experience, and other grape-growers will corroborate 



