78 THE GEAPE CULTUKIST. 



remarkably good, while the Litter is small but most excel- 

 lent; and suppose we choose the Union Village for the 

 fruiting parent. Now, it is very desirable that they should 

 come into flower at nearly the same time ; but if they do 

 not, it is positively necessary that the one to be fertilized 

 should be the last to bloom ; for the pollen can be kept 

 good for a few days by cutting off the anthers when in a 

 proper condition, putting them in fine, soft paper, placing 

 the whole in a bottle, and corking it up until wanted. 

 When the plant, the pistil of which is to be fertilized, 

 comes into flower, it can not be retarded, and the opera- 

 tion must be performed as the blossoms open although 

 the period of blossoming may be hastened or retarded if 

 the vine is operated upon early in the season for that pur- 

 pose. When the Union Village shows signs of flowering, 

 we should watch it closely, and so soon as a flower drops 

 its petals, the anthers should be immediately cut away, and 

 some pollen from the Delaware applied to the stigma,. 

 Operate upon every one that is sufficiently advanced to 

 admit of it, and then inclose the entire bunch in a gauze 

 bag, to prevent insects from bringing pollen from other 

 flowers, which they^often do, and thereby interfere with 

 our operations. 



If a portion of the flowers were operated upon, say at 

 ten o'clock A. M., by three or four in the afternoon another 

 set will be open, at which time they should be fertilized in 

 the same manner, and more pollen should also be applied 

 to those operated upon in the forenoon, as they may not 

 have absorbed that first applied. 



The flowers do not open ah 1 at one time, neither is the 

 stigma always fertilized by the first application of pollen, 

 but it should be repeated a number of times during several 

 days. When the fertilization has been complete, the min- 

 iature grapes commence swelling, and their growth proceeds 

 rapidly. 



The gauze covering should be removed so soon as all the 



