MISCELLANIES 297 



at what season his varieties ripen ; for, to take the turn of the 

 market, he must know exactly when a variety will ripen and 

 how long it will keep. He needs this information, also, that he 

 may distribute his labor better throughout the picking season. 



Unfortunately, the data as to ripening time given by origi- 

 nators and introducers of varieties are not always reliable. This 

 untrustworthiness of data is readily accounted for in several 

 ways : First, growers do not generally agree as to when grapes 

 are ripe nor as to how long they are fit to eat. Again, much 

 confusion as to when varieties ripen and how long they will 

 keep arises from the fact that grapes ripen at different times in 

 different places, and it is difficult for the grape-grower in 

 Maine to make allowance in season for varieties, the time of 

 ripening of which is given for Maryland. There are also 

 other causes than the seasonal differences in grape regions for 

 variability in ripening time ; thus, some soils are warmer and 

 quicker than others, and on these grapes ripen earlier. Appli- 

 cation of nitrogenous fertilizers may delay the period of ripen- 

 ing somewhat. Grapes ripen perceptibly earlier on old plants 

 than on young ones. Lastly, every vineyard in a particular 

 region has its own particular climate caused by the lay of land, 

 nearness to water, air currents and altitude which cause small 

 differences in ripening. 



The following table taken from Bulletin No. 408 of the New 

 York Agricultural Experiment Station gives the ripening dates 

 of grapes at Geneva, New York. It is necessary that the reader 

 know something about the conditions affecting the ripening time 

 at Geneva. The latitude is 42 50' 46". The altitude is 525 

 feet above sea level. The vineyard lie^ a mile west of a rela- 

 tively large body of water. The soil is a cold heavy clay which 

 must delay ripening time somewhat. The land is level. The 

 data are given as an average for three seasons, 1913-1915. 



The figures given for "weeks in common storage" cover a 

 variable number of years, but for all varieties three or more 



