10 



KXl'EKIMKNTS WITH (iKAPES. 



Njiinhcr of Varieties Tested, l4o. 



The experiment vineyard contains one hundred and forty-five 

 named varieties of grapes. About thirty of these have not fruited 

 sufficiently to determine their value and are not included in the table. 

 There is also a collection of thirty seedlings, descendants from seed- 

 lings of the late Mr. E. W. Bull of Concord, Mass., received from 

 Mr. A. B. Howard, Belchertown, INIass., and eight hundred seedlings 

 raised on the station grounds f n m mixed seed. The vines are 

 trained on the one arm renewal system, the trellis consisting of two 

 wires, the upper carrying the fruiting cane and the lower the new 

 cane for the next 3'ears fruiting. The vine is allowed to remain on 

 the trellis through the winter without protection and nearly all of the 

 varieties tested proved hardy enough to winter well under these con- 

 ditions. In most cases two vines of ench variety have been planted 

 one of them being treated with insecticides and fungicides while the 

 other was left untreated. The results fully demonstrate that, except 

 in rare instances, by giving careful attention to spraying, we can 

 grow to perfection many varieties that are very susceptible to mildew 

 and rot, and that by protecting the vines from these diseases some 

 otherwise tender varieties have gained in vigor and hardiness. 



In the following tables the endeavor has been made to give in as 

 concise a form as possible, the most important characteristics of the 

 different varieties, as grown in the experiment vinej^ard. The tables 

 represent the consolidation and average of results recorded during 

 the last four years. The classification given is according to the 

 Bushberg catalogue. 



To test the keeping quality of the grapes they were put into a 

 cold storage room in trays, examined carefully every two weeks, and 

 their condition recorded. The average of these records for four 

 years is here given. The dates of blooming and the dates of ripening 

 vary from year to year, but as those given in this table are the average 

 for five years they can be considered as fairly reliable for this locality. 

 In determining quality their value for table use has alone been 

 considered. 



EXPLANATION OF TABLE. 



Specien. livbr.forliibrusca; rip. for riparia; yEst. for^stivalis; vin. for vinifera; 

 Hyb. for Hybrids; x crosses. 



Size of bunch and berry. 1., large; in., niediuiii ; s., small. For all other qualities 10 

 is nearest perfection. 



