348 A Few Words about Grapes. 



but, on the other hand, it takes up water with great avidity, and becomes 

 chilled sooner than the latter. To make the matter worse, these cold rains 

 are often preceded and followed by excessive heats : so that when the tem- 

 porary check to rapid vegetation has passed, and atmospheric conditions 

 are again favorable for its renewal, the roots of the plant do not respond ; 

 for the soil recovers its temperature far more slowly than the atmosphere. 

 This non-correspondence, this want of equilibrium between root and foli- 

 age in the vine, is, no doubt, the prime cause of rot in its fruit. This being 

 the case, it follows that a clay (which allows much rain to flow off unab- 

 sorbed, and parts with its heat with difficulty) will, cceteris paribus, agree 

 better with the vine, in a wet, stormy summer, than a more porous soil ; for 

 a soil can become chilled in midsummer in no other way than by the 

 absorption of large quantities of cold rain. 



Let us now proceed further in our record of the weather. The July 

 storm being followed by sultry heats, mildew was quite prevalent prior to 

 Aug. I. Seven inches of rain fell in July. On Aug. 2, a severe north- 

 east gale, with three and a half inches of rain. The prevailing weather in 

 August was warm and cloudy, with great excess of rain : over nine inches 

 fell. The results of this unfavorable weather have been almost utter dev- 

 astation by rot in some varieties, and the appearance of mildew in nearly 

 all; though some have suffered far worse than others- On the ist of Sep- 

 tember, the crop seemed likely to prove a total failure ; but, since that time, 

 the weather has been very fine and dry, and many varieties have ripened. 

 Up to this date (Oct. 10), there has been no frost to injure tender plants. 

 The following are a few notes regarding the health and status of some 

 varieties in my collection : — 



Rogers 15. — Mildewed badly; lost four-fifths of crop by rot on sandy 

 soils ; on clays, fared much better ; fruit that escaped now ripe. 



Ji. 19. — Mildewed considerably; no rot ; fruit nearly ripe on vines 

 having sufficient foliage. 



J^. 4. — Mildewed less than preceding. Of four vines in a row, two rotted, 

 and two entirely escaped. Fruit partially ripe, and very large and handsome. 

 This grape needs a warm, dry summer to perfect it. 



i?. 33. — Wholly destroyed by rot and mildew. 



