VINEYARDS. 123 



not allowed to bear any. As fast as the vines got to the top of 

 the posts' they were clipped off. 



The crop of fruit in 1869 was about twelve hundred pounds. 

 I selected the best for table use, wholesaling them for fifteen 

 cents per pound, and retailing them for twenty cents ; the others 

 I sold for preserving at ten and twelve cents per pound. The 

 cultivation was the same as in previous years. In the fall, I 

 pruned back to three eyes, one of which I took off this spring, 

 1870. 



The present season I have pursued the same method of train- 

 ing and cultivating, getting a crop of about three thousand 

 pounds, wholesaling them from eight to ten cents per pound 

 and retailing from twelve to fifteen cents, averaging nine cents. 



The fruit has ripened from September 15th to October 5th. 

 In 1869, there were two quite severe frosts before harvesting, 

 but no injury was done to the crop, the vineyard being in an 

 open field without protection. The long continued drought this 

 season somewhat injured a small portion of the vines, the leaves 

 becoming dry and the fruit failing to mature fully, although 

 suitable for preserving. The grapes generally have been very 

 nice, free from disease, worms or any other imperfection. In 

 marketing the fruit, we have been careful so to handle them as 

 not to bruise them or rub off the bloom. They keep much 

 longer and sell more rapidly when so handled. 



The Hartfords and Delawares I do not consider worth raising 

 in an open vineyard. The Concords exceed my expectations, 

 being sufficiently hardy to stand the winter without protection 

 and producing a good marketable grape. If I were to set 

 another vineyard I should put the vine nine feet apart in the 

 rows, instead of six. 



The land in 1866, cost $67 ; seven cords of manure at |12 = 

 $84 ; spreading, ploughing and harrowing, $12.50 ; four hun- 

 dred and fifty-six vines, $114.90 ; setting vines, $13 ; cultivat- 

 ing and hoeing in 1867, $6.30 ; posts and setting, $100 ; culti- 

 vating, hoeing and training, 1868, $12 ; do. in 1869, $25 ; do. 

 in 1870, $25 ; interest and taxes, $75. Total, $535.70. 



The amount of fruit in 1869 was about twelve hundred 



pounds, value, $150 ; in 1870, about three thousand pounds, 



value, $270. Total, $420. The estimate cash value of the 



vineyard, October 1st, 1870, is 11,000. 



R. E. Packard. 



