Grapes in Oregon. 



to 



as president pro tem, and E. P. Hip- 

 pie, of the Bohemia Vineyards as sec- 

 retary pro tem. A number of com- 

 munications had been received from 

 grape growers in the State, and an 



early call will be made upon them for 

 a meeting to effect a permanent or- 

 ganization. Respectfully yours, 



Edward P. IIipple, 



llOUKMIAVlXErARDS, TOWN POIKT, CECIL CO ,Md. 



From the Horticulturist. 



GPtAPES IN OREGON IN 1869. 



I have just returned from the State | 

 Fair at Salem, and deem it a good | 

 opportunity to give you some ac- i 

 count of the grape culture this year : 

 in Oregon. The fair in all its depart- | 

 ments was a grand success, and was ; 

 attended by a vast concourse of peo- 

 ple—estimated at 25,000. The show ; 

 of flowers, vegetables and fruits, was \ 

 very tine. Of grapes, I saw some 1 

 thirty-five varieties, comprising the j 

 best native and foreign kinds, all | 

 grown in the open air, and thoroughly | 

 ripened. Magnificent bunches of j 

 Black Hamburg, Ptoyal Muscadine, 

 Chasselas Ptose, and Chasselus Violet, 

 hung side by side with Concord, Del- 

 aware, lona, Israella, Hartford, Crev- 

 eling, etc., all equally healthy and 

 beautiful. Of course, the earlier 

 kinds, as Allen's Hybrid, Black July, 

 Hartford, Red Tramiuer, etc., were 

 more or less shriveled, having been 

 ripe fully two months. Chasselas 

 Eose^ Black Spanish, and White 

 Muscat were barelj- ripe. I was par- 

 tic ularly pleased with the Traminer 

 a grape somewhat resembling the 

 Delaware, but with larger bunches 

 and a great bearer ; in quality it is 

 first-rate. Of native varities, the 

 Allen's Il3"brid with mo is the earliest, 

 and I think best ; but it is hafd to 

 decide between that and Delaware. 

 Tons of grapes were offered for sale 



on the fair ground. I bought Black 

 Hamburg's, averaging one and a half 

 pounds to the bunch, for six cents per 

 pound. The best vineyard in Oregon 

 is situated near the Wilamette river, 

 at Butteville. It occupies the south- 

 east slope of a high butte or hill, 

 which rises out of the prairie. The 

 vines, comprising about fifty kinds, 

 all foreign, are planted about three 

 feet apart each way, and are culti- 

 vated entirely by hand, and are 

 trained to stakes. The prunino- is 

 very simple. Two or three canes are 

 allowed to grow this season, and at 

 the pruning season one of them is 

 cut back to six or eight buds for fruit- 

 ing next year; one of the others, 

 with the cane Avhich bore this year, is 

 cut entirel}^ away, and the remaining 

 cane is cut to tvro or three buds, to 

 grow two or three canes next jQar. 

 The bearing canes arc not tied up, 

 but are allowed to lie on the ground 

 with their load of fruit, and in conse- 

 quence some of the grapes were dam- 

 aged by our early rains. I visited 

 this vineyard in September, and at 

 that time the Avhole face of the hill 

 was literally covered with the beau- 

 tiful clusters, some of them weighing- 

 four pounds, and of all colors. It 

 was a beautiful sight, and interested 

 me exceedingly. A. R. Shipley. 



Oswego, Ohkcox, October 00, 1860. 



