THE GENESEE FARMER. 



61 



GRAPES. 



Mr. Langworthy spoke of the crops of Isabellas 

 which have left Western New York for the eastern 

 markets; and speaking of some of the new varie- 

 ties, asked if we could not graft on good, substan- 

 tial branches upon old vines, and get them to bear 

 tlie first or second year? 



Mr. 0. P. BissELL. — Grafting branches upon old 

 Tines' during the full flow of sap is a difficult opera- 

 tinii ; but the old practice called inarching, is a safe 

 way of performing the operation, while the vine of 

 the new variety only loses a bud or two, and is in 

 no "nay injured. 



Mr. HoAG, of Niagara, thought pot plants were 

 a.s good to buy as layers. In spring of 1856, bought 

 twelve slender Dianas^ which in 1858 bore forty 

 clusters, and 1859 as many more. Set out Dela- 

 wares in spring of 1858, and they did as finely as 

 layers ever could. 



Mr. Ellwangkr. — Has grafted the Diana in the 

 open ground as well as the apple, just after the 

 ■plants have made a fair start in the spring; graft 

 upon a level with the surface of the soil. Heap 

 the soil around, covering all but one bud with 

 earth, and they always succeed. 



Mr. AiNSwoETH. — Plants from pots have one 

 great advantage over those dug from the ground — 

 that is, all the roots are saved, every fibre, and the 

 plant has no new roots to make — nothing to do but 

 grow. Planted Delawares tlie spring of 1859 from 

 pots, and they grew fifteen feet. 



Mr. BissKLL. — In spring of 1859, after sales were 

 over, had over seven hundred Diana grape vines 

 left standing in pots. Turned them all out into the 

 nursery rows without losing one single plant, and 

 some of those vines bore fruit that summer. 



Mr. Maxwell. — Had rather have good one-year 

 old plants in pots tljan stout layers, as layers are 

 usually taken up. Layers have not one-tenth as 

 much root as pot plants — fine, fibrous roots. 



Mr. Langwortuy. — Wait until the sap has run 

 pretty well in spring, and it is not so very difficult 

 to graft, and have the scion bear in two years. The 

 first Clinton Grape that came to this county I 

 grafted in that way. 



Mr. Peck, of Ontario. — Strongly approve of cov- 

 ering even halella vines with a little earth each 

 winter. A neighbor, who had one thousand vines 

 set In 185G, and sheltered by woods on west and 

 north, got three thousand lbs. f<n- the crop of 1859. 



Mr. Beadle. — Had tried experiments with par- 

 allel rows in the vineyard. Those lightly covered 

 witli earth v/ere twenty per cent, better crop than 

 those merely laid down, and far better than those 

 left tied up. Plants four feet apart in the row, and 

 rows eight feet apart, and averages fifteen pounds 

 of grapes per vine. 



Mr. AiNSwoRTii. — Neighbors all think it pays to 

 lay down the vines and cover with earth. Should 

 practice pruning on the renewal system. 



Mr. Barky. — Had some vines growing on the 

 end of his house, eastern exposure — Delaware, 

 growth remaikably vigorous: fifteen to eighteen 

 feet per vine. 



Ml-. H. B. Miner. — Never had a ripe Isabella or 

 Catawha on an open trellis. On south or east side 

 of house both get ripe. Diana will ripen finely 

 with me on an open trellis. 



Mr. Hoag. — A neighbor ripened his fruit at Lock- 

 port, and sold eleven hundred lbs. for twenty-two 

 cents per lb. If you want a vine to grow and boar 

 well, you must prune thoroughly. 



Here a member opposed the severe pruning, and 

 told about a vine which had been let grow witliout 

 pruning; one year the frost killed it back to a mere 

 stump, whence it sent up some very thrifty branch- 

 es, which were not pruned at all, and bore 2500 

 bunches of grapes. 



Mr. Thomas thought that the gentleman's argu- 

 ment against pruning was the strongest one in its 

 favor he had ever heard. What caused the very- 

 thrifty growth and the large crop of fruit ? It was 

 the severe pruning which the frost gave to the vine, 

 and all the vine wanted now was another frost. 



Mr. Brooks appealed to farmers to attend more 

 to the culture of the grape ; wished the cultivation 

 of all fruit might be extended, and even of — (hesi- 

 tating,) dwarf pears. (Great laughter.) 



COMPARATIVE MERITS, ETC. 



Mr. Brooks. — The time will come when every 

 man — when every holder of land — shall be consid- 

 ered disgraced, if he does not supply his family 

 with such luxuries as we see here before us (waving 

 his hand to the seven long tables loaded with pears 

 and apples), and they are the greatest under heaven. 



Mr. Barry. — Near market, small fruits are most 

 profitable. At a distance, where fruit must be 

 barreled, apples and pears are better. In Niagara 

 county, the estimated value of the apple crop of 

 1859 was $500,000. Just think of pears, in New 

 York, selling at $18 and $20 per barrel. To skill- 

 ful cultivators, with good soil, all things considered, 

 the pear offers the greatest inducements. Tlie pear 

 crop is uniformly more certain than the apple, and 

 there is hardly a farm crop as sure as the apjile. 

 Potato? let the rot answer. Wheat? it has almost 

 been driven from Western New York. Corn ? 

 Oats? 



If a pear tree or two dies, just fill up the rows 

 from a reserve which every farmer should have on 

 hand, in a little nursery of his own. 



Mr. TowNSEND. — Western New York will become 

 the home of the pear in the United States, and 

 here it is raised in perfection. Would not recom- 

 mend a man to plant trees unless he meant to take 

 care of them. 



Mr. W. B. Smith. — Years ago, pears would only 

 bring seventy-five cents or one dollar per bushel. 

 Now, the public taste has been educated to fine 

 fruit, and the same will bring four dollars per 

 busljel. Would not rare to plant any but dwarfs. 



Mr. Hodge. — The fact is, that half the people of 

 the United States never yet saw a good pear. Now 

 they see and taste such fruit as loads these tables. 

 before us, and they are willing to pay for it. Such 

 fruit as we here see can be raised by any one who 

 will cultivate properly and carefully. 



Mr. Brooks spoke of three Baldwin apple trees 

 which each year bore six to eight barrels of apples, 

 selling at three dollars per barrel. Each tree yielded 

 a greater net profit than the average acre of land 

 in Wyoming county. If market is glutted, give 

 them to the horses — to the cattle — to the hogs — to 

 the hens ; there is nothing that lives, or ought to 

 livCy will refuse a good apple. 



