278 AMERICAK GRAPE GROWING 



has followed the same course this season, and will have a 

 late and imperfect crop again, when his neighbors, who 

 pruned at the usual time, have a fine and abundant crop. 

 I think that a crop may be secured in such locations 

 by somewhat longer pruning, leaving spurs of three to 

 four buds, instead of two buds, then the two upper buds 

 will start first, the lower ones of course remaining dor- 

 mant. If there is no frost, so much the better, the first 

 shoots will then ripen their fruit, and any superfluous 

 shoots may be rubbed out when all danger is past. If a 

 frost should take the first shoots, then the lower, dormant 

 buds will push, and certainly produce earlier and better 

 fruit, than they will do if the vine is first weakened by 

 losing all its leaves and shoots at a time when they are 

 needed for elaborating the sap, and when excessive flow of 

 sap and bleeding are inevitable. This seems to me a 

 simple and natural preventive of total loss by frost, and I 

 advise my readers to try it, hoping that it will prevent 

 this unpleasant calamity. 



MARKETING GRAPES. 



This is a very important business in this State, and many 

 who follow it find it more profitable than making wine. 

 Carloads upon carloads are shipped East, until California 

 grapes can be found in every market of consequence. The 

 varieties used for shipping are mostly such as have a large 

 handsome berry and bunch, and meaty or solid flesh, with 

 rather thick ckin, so that they will carry well. The most 

 popular varieties are the Flame Tokay and Muscat of 

 Alexandria, the first a large lilac berry and a very heavy, 

 compact bunch, sometimes weighing seven to nine pounds, 

 the latter a large greenish-white berry, long, loose bunch, 

 with a strong Muscat flavor. This is also the principal 

 raisin grape. The Rose of Peru, also called Black Prince, 

 is shipped considerably, though it does not bear carriage 

 so well. The earliest grapes shipped are, generally, the 



