S16 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



FRUIT GEOWEBS' SOCIETY OF WESTERN N. Y. 



The September meeting of the Fruit Growers' 

 Society of Western New York was held at tlie 

 Court House, in this city, September 22(1. The 

 exhibition of fruit was quite fine, especially of 

 grapes. Delaware grapes were shown from the 

 original vine in Ohio, by Messrs. Bissell &c Salter; 

 from Newburgh, N. Y., by Cuas. Downing; from 

 Onondaga county, by Jno. Lowe, ripened early in 

 September; and in this county, by several gentle- 

 men. Hartford Prolific^ Concord^ Clinton^ and 

 Diana., were also shown fully ripe. Isabelht and 

 Catawba were also exhibited which had begun to 

 color. Messrs. Bissell & Salter phowed some 

 hot-house grapes; a Black Ilamburgh hunch, weigh- 

 ing more than a pound and a half, and finely col- 

 ored. A seedling from the Clinton was also shown 

 by Wm. King, of a beautiful golden color, delicious 

 flavor, and fully ripe. There was a fair display of 

 apples and pears, with some melons and other fruit. 



SUMMER PRUNING OF THE GRAPE. 



After the usual formalities of organization, sub- 

 ject No. 1 was read by the secretary: '''■Does 

 summer pruning of the grape hasten the maturity 

 and improne the quality of the fruit, and does it 

 increase the size of the fruit .?" 



A very full expression was made by the mem- 

 bert*, some being in favor of quite close pruning, 

 and others preferring to allow quite free growth 

 to the vine. 



H. E. Hooker thought that very much depended 

 upon the i«ode of training and richness of ground, 

 whether free summer pruning was beneficial. If 

 trained u[)on trellises, it gives improved size and 

 quality to prune. They must not be allowed to 

 become a mere swamp of vines. Grapes which 

 are starved are not hastened in maturity, or in- 

 creased in size. 



Mr. TowNSEND, of Niagara county, said that 

 summer pruning must not be carried to such excess 

 as to force the fruit buds of next year into prema- 

 ture development. 



Mr. Smith, of Onondaga county — Some say, let 

 nature take her course. This is well, if we com- 

 mence that way. If we commence differently, Ave 

 must continue so. In the natural soil, without any 

 pruning, the vine gives a pretty good crop, but 

 I)erliaps not quite as large fruit; but when we com- 

 mence with highly manured soil and high culture, 

 we must confine the vine to trellises, and it is 

 necessary to summer prune ; and the only question 

 is to what extent. 



P. P. Bkistoi., of Livingston county — To let the 

 grape vine grow entirely its own way, will give us 

 the poorest specimens of grapes. The habit of the 

 vine seems to correspond to all other plants, when 

 wild, i. e., to set more fruit than it is capable of 

 naturing well. Dr. Underhill cuts back half the 



inches and thins out half of the bunches of fruit. 

 ^r. Heebndeen, of Wayne county — The sap 



goes first to the leaves, and on its return &ovm^ 

 reaches the fruit. We must not summer prune s( 

 severely as to injure the health of the vine. 



Mr. Moody, of Lockport — With proper summe 

 l)runing, the buds may be develojjed so as to beai 

 surely every year. 



Mr. RiNGUEBERG, of Niagara county, said hi: 

 vines averaged sixteen pounds of fruit to the vine 

 I)lanted in rows four fect^ajtart, and eight feet apar 

 in the row. After fruit has set, take oft' the end; 

 of the bearing wood, leaving four leaves from th< 

 fruit. 



Mr. AiNSwoRTH, of Ontario county, had beer 

 led, by repeated experiments, to think summei 

 pruning beneficial. His neighbor Wilcox tlierebj 

 iiad large crops ten dnys before vines by their sides 

 which were not pruned, and of quality decidedlj 

 belter. Wood is greatly improved by summei 

 pruning, and much better prepared to stand tbt 

 winter. 



Mr. Bronson had experimented upon an Isahellc 

 vine in a favorable location. The unpruned vim 

 kept growing till frost came, but did not have i 

 single ripe grape; while the vines all around whicl 

 were summer pruned, ripened their fruit Avell. 



Mr. HoAG, of Niagara county, thought there was 

 not much difierence in the time of ripening ; bui 

 judicious summer pruning produced a much largei 

 crop, 



GRAPES FOR GENERAL CULTIVATION. 



Question No. 2. — " Can any other varieties of 

 grapes ieside Isabella be recommended for generat 

 cultivation?^'' 



Mr. HoAG, of Lockport, thought highly of the 

 Hartford Prolific, which ripened four weeks earli^;i 

 than the Isabella ; and when not grown in the 

 shade, does not drop very badly from the bunch. 

 The Delaware ripened with him lOtli September, 

 and was a better grape than any other. The Con- 

 cord is a very fine grape ; ripens after the Hartford 

 Prolific, but is ten days or two M'eeks before the 

 Isabella. The Diana ripens a few days after the 

 Concord ; a few berries on each bunch ripen very 

 early, but they hang on finely, and all are sweet 

 and fine flavored. He mentioned also the Perhim 

 and Rebecca, and wished to hear other members as 

 to the Diana and Delaware. 



Mr. Barry wished to have the varieties tested 

 thoroughly, and tried in vineyard culture, too, and 

 to see if they prove in all locations hardy, produc- 

 tive, and to ripen early. The Diana possesses all 

 the qualities tliat are required for a general, profit- 

 able, and popular grape. When ripe, it is of most 

 delicious quality, and we can not be wrong in rec- 

 ommending it. No one can be sorry for having 

 recommended the Diana. The Delaxcare is a most 

 important acquisition. The Concord, he thought, 

 is going to be a valuable grape, although nothing 

 like so fine in quality. The Hartford Prolific is 

 the earliest grape wo have in our nnrsery, but it 

 drops badly from the bunch. The N^orthem Mus- 

 cadine is a little earlier, but drops worse. As yet 

 would recommend only one variety, and that one 

 is the Diana. 



H. E. Hooker felt we must be guided by expe- 

 rience. The Delaware we shall find, no doubt, a 

 desirable grape. It is so hardy and so productive. 

 On my own premises it is now fully ripe. On the 



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