6 



REPORT ON ESSAYS. 



The Committee on Essays take pleasure in submitting the two 

 following papers, both of" which were presented by gentlemen, who 

 are practically engaged in proving the correctness of their several 

 theories, and whose statements are worthy of entire confidence. 



The Committee award to William E. Rice, M. D., of South 

 Boston, for his Essay on " The Culture of the Grape in Open 

 Air," a premium of ten dollars, also to Mr. E. A. Samuels, of 

 Dorchester, for his Essay on " The Breeding and Economical 

 Management of Domestic Poultry," a premium often dollars. 

 For the Committee, 



CHARLES C. SEW ALL. 



3Iedfield, Dec. 26, 1864. 



OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



BY WM. E. RICE, M. I). 



There is no fruit which will so richly repay the care and ex- 

 pense of its cultivation as the grape. By a judicious selection of 

 varieties, it can be raised with profit in all parts of this State. 

 By care to supply it with a favorable soil and exposure, and a 

 moderate expense for suitable manures, it will yield a large crop 

 of delicious and noble fruit. If, on account of distance from mar- 

 ket, or other reasons, it does not find a ready sale, it can be made 

 into wine, with but little more care than is required to make good 

 cider. In this State, there are thousands of gravelly hill-sides 

 inchning to the S. S. W. and W., which are now given up to 

 shrubs and dwarf trees ; they might be reclaimed and made to 

 yield an income of from $300 to $1200 per acre, every year. 

 Good, ripe grapes can be sold in Boston, in large quantities, at 

 from eight to fifteen cents per lb. A cultivator of the vine, who 

 has had a large experience, told me, tliat with land worth fifty 

 dollars per acre, it cost him five cents per lb. (all expenses in- 

 cluded) to raise Concord grapes. This was in the vicinity of 

 Lowell. In three years from the time of planting, the vines com- 

 mence to yield ; if spur pruned, at that age, they will average 

 four or five lbs. to the vine. In the fourth year they will ripen 

 ten or twelve lbs. ; and after that, with good treatment, from 

 fifteen to twenty lbs. every year, for at least from thirty to fifty 



