40 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



seen and tasted the fruit, I obtained six more, and in a moderate 

 way propagated from them. A few grapes from these vines 

 whetted my appetite, until in 1860 a crop of five hundred pounds 

 was despoiled of its foliage by a freezing temperature on three 

 successive nights, the 28th, 29th, and 30th of September. The 

 only use made of the fruit went to show that a grape not good 

 enough to be eatable was unfit to turn into merchantable vinegar. 

 Notwithstanding this unfortunate result my enthusiasm urged 

 me on and I continued to increase the Concord and at the same 

 time purchased such other varieties as oily tongued agents praised. 

 My first stimulating success came in 1865. In the spring of 

 1864 I had three-fourths of an aci'e of Concord vines just in 

 condition to make a strong growth of wood for fruitage the next 

 year, and which everything seemed to favor throughout the season. 

 The spring of 1865 opened very early. The weather conditions 

 were propitious all through, dryness and warmth prevailing, with 

 no untoward influences. The crop was enormous and well 

 ripened. Four and one-half tons grew upon this area, which sold 

 for a uniform price of twenty-two cents per pound, net, the terms 

 being my own. It seemed as if I had struck a bonanza. Many 

 people came to see the fruit while on the vines, and were mostly 

 inspired to go and do likewise. I have never heard, however, that 

 any one of them succeeded in approaching very near such a 

 result, and I certainly have never been able to equal it. The 

 following four years were passed while vainly waiting for a 

 repetition, and it was not until the fifth that a satisfactory product 

 rewarded my efforts, although in the meantime small crops and 

 large prices were the rule. 



In 1871 a very fine crop was promised, but out of a product of 

 five and three-fourths tons, I sent to market only one and one- 

 fourth tons. The season of growth and maturity was apparently 

 favorable and the frost held off until October 21st, but the larger 

 part of the fruit was unsalable, even in those days of high prices 

 and slight competition. I then appreciated for the first time that 

 a grape vine left to its own resources would set and carry more 

 fruit than it was possible for it to mature, and as a consequence 

 the quality would be so far depreciated that much of it might be 

 worthless. Tliat lesson, which cost me a high price, I have never 

 forgotten, and if I have erred since it has been in the opposite 

 direction of too severe thinning. Since 1871 large crops have 



