MISCELLANIES 293 



BAGGING GRAPES 



In some localities bagging is considered an essential to profit- 

 able grape-growing. The bags serve to protect the grapes 

 against birds. In some grape regions vineyards suffer more 

 from the depredations of robins and other birds than from all 

 other troubles. Grapes bearing small berries and having 

 tender pulp and those which shell most readily from the stem 

 suffer most. Of standard sorts, Delaware is probably more 

 enticing to robins than any other variety. There is only one 

 way of preventing damage to grapes from birds and that is by 

 bagging the clusters. 



Bagging is also an effective means of protecting the grape 

 from several fungi and insects. In home plantations or small 

 commercial vineyards, bagging the bunches often eliminates 

 the necessity of spraying for fungi and for most of the insects 

 that trouble the grape. Because of the warmth afforded by the 

 bags, bagged grapes ripen a little earlier and are of somewhat 

 higher quality than those not bagged. Grapes bagged are pro- 

 tected from early frost, thus prolonging the season. Grapes 

 that have been protected from the elements during the summer 

 are more attractive than those exposed to the weather, since the 

 fruits are free from weather marks and present a fresh, bright 

 appearance, which puts them in a grade above unbagged 

 grapes. Bagging often enables the grower to sell his crop as a 

 fancy product. 



Grapes are bagged as soon as the fruits are well set, the 

 sooner the better if protection against fungi is one of the pur- 

 poses. Under no circumstances, however, should the clusters 

 be bagged while in blossom. A patent bag made for the pur- 

 pose may be purchased or, serving equally well, the common 

 one and one-half and two-pound manila bags used by grocers 

 prove satisfactory. One of the patent bags which is known as 

 the Ideal Clasp Bag has a metal clasp attached to the top for 



