260 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



sulphate of ammonia, 58 lbs., nitrate of soda, 22 lbs., South 

 Carolina floats, 55 lbs., and plaster, 80 lbs. In all 600 lbs., 

 in which was contained, 87 lbs. of oxide of potassium, 30 lbs. of 

 nitrogen, and 20 lbs. of phosphoric acid. This cost, aside from 

 labor and cartage, $10.50. The vineyard is divided into three 

 parts. In No. 2, sulphate of potash took the place of the muriate. 



When the fruit is as large as peas, all small and imperfect clus- 

 ters are removed, with enough others to bring the crop down to 

 what my judgment tells me the different vines are likely to carry 

 to perfection ; in uo case more than twenty lbs. per vine, or four 

 tons to the acre. If more than that is attempted in this part of 

 the state the quality will be poor, and the vines will suffer so 

 much that the following one or two crops will be much inferior in 

 both quantity and quality. 



The crop is harvested when fully ripe, which is ordinarily from 

 the fifth to the twelfth of October — this year about the first ; and 

 marketed during four to six weeks following. 



July 5th I girdled one of the two bearing arms on each of sixty 

 vines by taking out a ring of bark half an inch long near the 

 trunk. As a result, these grapes showed color August 12th, six 

 days before those on the opposite half of the same vines. They 

 were fit for market September 20, the berries being then from 

 thirty to forty per cent larger than the others, and much sweeter. 

 October 1st they still were sweeter than those not treated, which 

 were then ripe, but had a somewhat insipid taste without the 

 refreshing sparkle of those not thus treated. An analysis was made 

 by Professor C. A. Goessmau, chemist of the Hatch Experiment 

 Station, which is here given : 



