KEEPING QUALITIES OF GRAPES— PACKING— EXHIBITION 8i 



bracing atmosphere, with a fair amount of moisture at the roots, especially 

 when they are depending altogether on the inside border. The berries will 

 begin to shrivel if the border gets too dry. Toward the latter part of the Sum- 

 mer considerable moisture appears to rise during the night, even if the border 

 is kept seemingly dry, and this will also cause some of the Muscat berries to 

 decay. A light layer of salt hay will overcome this difficulty; the hay lying 

 close down over the border prevents the moisture from rising. This simple 

 treatment will keep the berries perfectly dry. Ripe Grapes cannot be held long 

 on the vines with moisture lodging in the bunches, especially the Muscats. 



That noble Black Muscat, Madresfield Court, is subject to one serious 

 trouble, namely, the splitting of the berries just as they begin to color. I have 

 overcome this difficulty by placing a coat of salt hay on the border directly 

 under those canes, and I time the watering of the border so that it will not be 

 necessary to give any at the roots while this Grape is coloring, for the watering 

 in itself will cause the berries to split. Madresfield Court is one of the finest 

 of all the Black Muscats when well done, but, unfortunately, its keeping quality 

 is poor, and it cannot be relied on to hang on the vines for any length of time. 



The late grapery is the one we have to depend upon for keeping, but even 

 with this in view the fruit should all be colored up by the middle of October. 

 Gros Colman is one of the standbys for late use; it will keep in a plump, fresh 

 condition on the vines up to the first of January, and it will improve in quality 

 by hanging. Lady Hutt also has proved admirably adapted for late use, being 

 almost equal to Gros Colman in this respect. When grown in a late house it 

 is not at its best for table use until about the first of December, and it improves 

 considerably in flavor if it hangs for some time after becoming apparently ripe. 

 The longer we can preserve the foliage the better the Grapes will keep; so, while 

 it is not necessary to apply nearly so much moisture to the roots, yet they must 

 not suffer from the want of it, for so long as there is foliage on the vine root 

 action is not dormant. 



The ability to hold Grapes only until January first may seem a short period. 

 While in moderate climates they may be held in fairly good condition until the 

 middle of February, our hot sun will often during November and at times in 

 December run the temperature up more than is good for them, even though they 

 be shaded somewhat, and it is these extremes of temperature which prevent 

 holding them over longer than I have specified. If the Grapes, after being thor- 

 oughly ripened, could be kept at a steady temperature of 45°, both day and 

 night, with a bracing atmosphere and enough heat in the pipes to dispose of any 

 dampness during the night, then we should ha\e the ideal conditions for hold- 

 ing the Grapes much longer than is now the case. But as conditions are such 

 that we cannot maintain steady fire heat, even in the Fall at all times, enough 

 salt hay should be placed on the border to keep down any moisture that may 

 rise from the soil; this will prevent the damping of the berries. 



THE COOL STOREHOUSE 



Grapes may be kept for a long time in a room especially prepared for this 

 purpose, but there must be all the necessary equipments, for the fruit is \ery 



