60 



ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS. 



In 1860 a fine crop of grapes was produced, which 

 in consequence of the backward and moist season, had 

 not arrived at maturity at the first of October. At 

 that time, during two or three successive nights, the 

 thermometer marked a temperature of thirty degrees, 

 and the berries and leaves were frozen through. — 

 A few days subsequent to this date, a warm rain caused 

 all the leaves to drop, leaving upon the trellis a most 

 beautiful show of purple clusters, many of which 

 weighed three-fourths of a pound each. The fruit was 

 worthless for the table, but made a very fine jelly. 

 The wood was only partially mature, and gave poor 

 promise of wintering well. The vines could not be 

 'laid down, in consequence of the manner of training, 

 and were left at the mercy of the elements. On the 

 8th of February last, the mercury descended to 

 twenty-two degrees below zero, having gone down 

 fifty- eight degrees in twelve hours. A considerable 

 portion of the wood itself was killed at this time, and 

 as vegetation commenced in spring, it was found that 

 with only two or three exceptions, every bud, both 

 primary and secondary, were dead. The snow, at the 

 time of this extreme cold, was two feet deep, covering 

 the lower wire of the trellis, and as a consequence the 

 lower laterals or arms of each vine. This portion of 

 all the vines was found to be uninjured, and is this 

 season giving a crop of fruit, the clusters being consid- 

 erably smaller than usual, consequent, as I suppose, on 

 the immature condition of the wood when vegetation 

 ceased in 1860. As soon as the foliage had become 

 developed the past spring, each vine was cut away just 

 above the lower arms, and six canes were trained 



