12 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



THE GRAPE. 



[A paper read before the Summil County Horticultural 

 Society, by if. Crawford, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio] 



There is a ])ressing need of more 

 light on grape culture, for the reason 

 that such knowledge can be turned to 

 good account by nearly all classes. 

 We can not all have an orchard, or 

 •even a single fruit tree. Some have 

 not room for a row of currant bushes 

 or a strawberry bed ; but who has not 

 room for a grape vine 1 Its branches 

 may be trained on a building or fence. 

 Its roots will run under the sidewalk, 

 along the foundation, beneath the build- 

 ings — anywhere and everywhere — in 

 search of plant food, which, dissolved 

 in water, is carried to the leaves and 

 boiled down, as it were, and converted 

 into grapes. What an opportunity 

 this is for every man and woman to 

 add to the comfort, health and happi- 

 ness of those dependent on them ! 

 Horticulture gives to working men 

 almost the only opportunity of adding 

 to their income outside of working 

 hours, and this branch of it is especially 

 inviting. I once knew of a large vine 

 in a city lot that produced over a hun- 

 dred dollars' worth of grapes eack 

 season for several consecutive years. 

 How much is it worth to have all the 

 grapes one wants for himself, his family 

 •and his friends for even three months 

 in the year 1 And this is within the 

 reach of nearly all, without making 

 any effort to keep them beyond the 

 season. The vine, besides furnishing 

 such delicious fruit, adds greatly to 

 the attractiveness of home. Even the 

 name, "vine-covered cottage" or "vine- 

 clad hills," suggests that which, once 

 jjossessed, can never be fortgotten. 



WHERE IT FLOURISHES. 



Grapes may be grown in all parts of 

 the United States and Canada, where- 

 ever a grape grower can be found ; and 

 the more unfavorable the locality, the 



better will be his success, for this 

 reason : the greater the difficulties to 

 be overcome, the greater effort is put 

 forth. If he lives far north, he will 

 cover his vines in winter ; if too far 

 south, he will grow them on the north 

 side of a hill or building. If his ground 

 be too wet, he will drain it, or grow 

 his vines in a raised border. Michigan, 

 cool and level, the last place one would 

 expect this warm-blooded fruit to flour- 

 ish, sends hundreds of tons to Chicago 

 and other markets, and sends cuttings 

 to France. Campbell, of Delaware, O., 

 has the meanest place in the country 

 to raise grapes, but he has splendid 

 success, and long may he flourish ! 



Some parts of the country are so 

 favorable to this industry that success 

 comes almost without an effort, but 

 people are slow to learn that it may be 

 carried on successfully almost anywhere. 

 Dr. Buckley, now travelling in Europe, 

 writes of a noted vineyard where the 

 vines are all planted in baskets and 

 fastened to a bare rock, six or seven 

 hundred feet high. 



WHEN TO PLANT. 



The vine may be planted after the 

 leaves fall, and at any time before 

 growth commences in the spring. A 

 stronger growth will follow fall plant- 

 ing, provided the vines receive no injury 

 during the winter. 



HOW TO PLANT. 



If the vines be strong, it is only 

 necessary that their roots be spread in 

 a natui'al position, and a little deeper 

 than they were before, and that fine, 

 rich soil be bi'ought in close contact 

 with them, and the hole tilled up. If 

 weak, single-eye vines be used, greater 

 care must be given. Fine roots that 

 have grown in a mellow bed, and Avithin 

 an inch or two of the surface, should 

 not be covered to a great depth at first. 

 This is true even of asparagus. The 

 roots of a plant must have air or die. 



