1 88 Editor's Letter -Box. 



Fiinbriata, white ; Intbricata,Feastii, variegated ; Lady Hume's Blush, creamy 

 white ; Henri Favre, rosy carmine. To these add Saccoi nova and Wilderii, 

 rose ; Sarah Frosty ruby red, occasionally striped ; Candidissijna, white ; Mrs. 

 Abby Wilder, creamy white, sometimes striped ; Landrethii, pale rose ; Jeffer- 

 soni, bright scarlet. 



I. P. H., Greenfield, Mass. — Mr. Strong thus answers your question : — 



Mr. Editor, — In answer to the inquiries of your correspondent in I'egaid 

 to my experience with the " horizontal mode of training the grape " during 

 the past season, I reply as follows : Owing to the pressure of spring work, the 

 principle was not applied to many varieties. The Hartford Prolific and Concord 

 varieties, being very luxuriant in growth, were thought to be good subjects for 

 experiment. In the spring of 1866, I selected two rows of Hartfords and two 

 rows of Concords, each row being about three hundred feet long, the vines of 

 which rows had been planted five years. Having been previously trained in an 

 upright position, I had noticed that the base buds, or those lower down, and nearest 

 the cane, were each year becoming weaker and less productive. I believed this 

 new position of the branches would remedy the evil, though a large crop could not 

 be expected for the first season. The trellises, which were previously six feet 

 high, were cut down to three feet. A horizontal trellis of three wires was then 

 stretched upon the top of the posts, as described in my book upon the grape, 

 page 132. The result has fully equalled my expectations. My crop was not 

 large, for the reason, as stated, that previous training had weakened the fruiting- 

 eyes ; but the vines appeared well, and the fruit matured well and in excellent 

 condition. During the past season, mildew has been prevalent in all the vine- 

 yards in this section; and my own vines were by no means exempt. In early 

 August, I thought the signs of mildew were more noticeable on the horizontal 

 treUises than on the upright, which were side by side, and of the same varieties 

 of grapes ; but a further and more careful observation convinced me that the 

 difference was only in appearance. Standing over and looking down upon and 

 along the horizontal trellis, all the new and tender growth is in plain sight. Of 

 course, any sign of disease would be much more conspicuous than upon an up- 

 right trellis. But, in September, there was no perceptible difference in the foliage 

 of the difterent trellises. It is a moderate statement to say that the fruit on the 

 horizontal trellis ripened equally as well as the other ; and I am quite certain that 

 the fruiting-eyes for next season are in much better condition than those on the 

 upright trellis. Vines which were trained in this arching way in 1865 have de- 

 veloped better fruit-buds and larger bunches, so far as I have been able to judge. 

 I may add, that several friends who have heretofore doubted this plan have ex- 

 pressed more or less confidence in its merits after witnessing these results. It 

 is due to the public, in this connection, to call attention to the instance of 

 horizontal training mentioned by Mr. Meehan as occurring in the interior of 

 Pennsylvania during the past season. The particulars, the exact mode, the 

 pruning, the variety, — none of these items are given. In a private letter, Mr. 

 Meehan informs me that the experiment was "a stupendous failure." I in- 

 cline to believe that neglect was a prominent cause ; and I think Mr. Meehan 



