REPOKT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 259 



The fruit ariived in excellent condition, and while it is true that 

 very many good Concord grapes have been exhibited, there is no 

 doubt whatever that these were the very best that have been shown. 

 The bunches were very even, and the berries of good size and fine 

 color and flavor. The Committee's test of the fruit resulted as 

 follows : — No. 2 is the sweetest ; No. 3 next ; No. 1 last. 



The fruit from the girdled vines was not of as good quality as 

 the others — perhaps on account of being over-ripe. 



Dr. Fisher's Statement. 



To the Committee on Gardens : 



The vineyard to which I have called your attention is situated 

 in the northeast part of the city of Fitchburg, on the southerly 

 descent of Pearl Hill. Its elevation above tide-water is about seven 

 hundred feet. The land slopes gently to the south and east, and 

 contains a little more than three acres. The soil is a deep, strong 

 loam, resting on hard pan underlaid with gneiss rock. A thrifty 

 apple orchard, which I set in 1854, was removed to make room 

 for it. 



The vines, which were one year old Concords, were set in the 

 spring of 1871, and since 1872 no other growtli has been allowed. 

 The vines were originally placed six feet apart in rows eight feet 

 distant. Some four to six years ago each alternate vine was 

 removed so that now each occupies a space eight by twelve feet. 

 They are trained to a trellis of four wires, the upper one being 

 five feet two inches from the surface, and the others fifteen inches 

 apart. A pair of arms are grown from each vine and trained to 

 the lower wire in opposite directions. The succeeding spring 

 these arms are tied to the second wire, and the upright shoots 

 from them are tied to the third and fourth, wiiile two new arms 

 are trained to the first wire. The upright shoots are stopped at 

 one joint above the upper wire, and all laterals are stopped beyond 

 their first leaf throughout the season. At the autumn pruning all 

 the wood that has borne fruit is cut away, leaving only the two 

 arms upon the bottom wire, which are not allowed to bear. 



Cultivation is given by an Acme harrow as often as a crust is 

 formed by rain. No barnyard manure has ever been used, but 

 various commercial fertilizers have been applied annually. The 

 mixture for 1889 was as follows, applied broadcast to each acre, 

 April 13 : cotton-seed meal, 220 lbs., muriate of potash, 165 His., 



