262 



The Grape Culturist. 



of yieldinj^. We do not pretend to 

 know aJl about it; on the contrary', 

 the more we learn we see only the 

 more cloarl}' how little we yet know. 

 But we have made some good wines 

 in our day, and do not fear any more 

 that we will make a really poor 



article. If these hints will enable our 

 readers to do the same, we shall think 

 ourselves richl}" repaid ; and if they 

 will, now and then, send us samples of 

 their skill, we will try and give them 

 our opinion and advice about it. 



NOTES ON GEAPES FOE 1869. 



Editors Grape Culturist: 



The present season, by reason of 

 excessive rains, accompanied with 

 much cold and a very variable tem- 

 perature, seems to be unusually un- 

 fortunate for grape growers in most, 

 if not all parts of Ohio. Nearly all 

 varieties have suffered from either 

 mildew or rot, and some from both 

 combined. Accounts from the Lake 

 Shore region indicate that one-fourth 

 of a crop of Catawba grapes will be 

 as much as can be looked for. Here, 

 in Central Ohio, there are no extensive 

 vineyards, but an examination of dif- 

 ferent varieties, as grown in my own 

 grounds and elsewhere, affords a fair 

 opportunity for obtaining comparative 

 results. 



Most of Eogers' Hybrids have shown 

 both mildew and rot the present sea- 

 son, but none as badly as Catawba. 

 Those most exempt are Goethe, No. 

 5, Wilder, No. 28, No. 30, and No. 33. 

 Agawam, or 15, rots from one-third 

 to one-half. Delawares show some 

 mildew, but no rot of any consequence. 

 Union Village and Israella mildew 

 somewhat, but show very little rot ; 

 Zona mildews rather less, but rots a 

 little more, perhaps one-fourth of the 

 crop. Concord, Hartford, and Ives 

 perfectly free from mildew, but rot 

 from one-fourth to one-third, depend- 



ing somewhat on location. Martha 

 perfectly healthy in foliage and vigor- 

 ous in growth, but rots about one- 

 fourth — somewhat less than Concord. 



From the experience of the present 

 season I am satisfied that the Martha 

 may be relied upon in all locations 

 where the Concord succeeds ; and in 

 seasons when the Concord would suf- 

 fer, I should look for the Martha to 

 do the same, as their habits of growth 

 and general characteristics are almost 

 iaentical. 



I think the present season also 

 demonstrates that mildew, or oidimn, 

 and rot are entirely distinct diseases, 

 and not at all dependent one upon the 

 other, for I find in some cases appa- 

 rently perfectly healthy fruit, wholly 

 free from rot, upon vines with foliage 

 badly mildewed j and in others per- 

 fectly healthy foliage with more or 

 less rot in the grapes. In others still 

 mildew and rot both prevail. 



The early part of the season, during 

 May, June, and the forepart of July, 

 the rains were excessive beyond any 

 similar period within my recollection, 

 but since the 27h of July to the pre- 

 sent time we have had no rains, and 

 the grapes remaining are looking 

 much more promising. 



Geo. W. Campbell. 



DttLAWXRE, O., August 12, 1869. 



