ESSEX SOCIETY. 75 



process. Besides, experience has sho\rn that a very large por- 

 tion of vines obtained from seed prove to be male, so that not 

 unfrequently after years of labor and waiting, those who resort 

 to this course find that they have labored in vain. 



Vines raised as layers are apt to be feeble for several years, 

 and seldom become as vigorous and productive as those raised 

 from cuttings. In preparing cuttings, which should be taken 

 from branches of the year's before growth, the wood of the 

 upper and lower end should be cut away very near to the bud 

 or joint, and great caution is used not to split the wood or 

 bruise the bud. Some use cuttings of a single joint, cutting 

 away the wood to within an inch on each side of the bud. and 

 others even split the bud and place the parts a few inches deep 

 in the earth. In this last method a vine, if obtained, will be 

 later in coming into bearing, but will have a stronger resem- 

 blance, and possess more of the desirable qualities of a seedling, 

 than those obtained by any of what may with propriety be 

 called artificial means. 



If persons wish to secure different varieties of fruit, and 

 have vines which they are willing to give up for the purpose, 

 the readiest way is to resort to grafting, or inoculation. By 

 this process fruit may sometimes be obtained the second year, 

 and often the third after the operation : while in doing it, there 

 is very little more skill required than in a like process on the 

 apple or pear tree. 



Influence or soil, v.\:c. — There is no fruit with which the 

 committee are acquainted, upon which, in their opinion, cultiva- 

 tion, soil, location, manure and pruning, produce so great changes 

 as they do upon the grape. Its size, shape, color, flavor, time of 

 maturing, are all obviously affected by these influences. We 

 have a striking illustration of this remark in the Walker grape. 

 This is a fruit which has long been known. The original vine 

 is stiil standing, and thriving in its native place, in East Haver- 

 hill. The fruit is fine, and being held in high estimation, has 

 been cultivated somewhat extensively in the north part qi the 

 county, and as it has been spread about, it has received almost 

 as many names as there have been persons who have cultivated 

 it, or places into which it has been introduced. There has not 

 a year passed, as the committee believe, since fruits have been 



