356 AMERICAN GRAPE CULTURE. 



vine that has a depression around it where 

 water can settle. 



The trellis wires should be moderately 

 loosened in winter. The bark of the posts 

 affords a convenient harbor for insects ; this 

 might, therefore, be stripped off in winter, and 

 the cracks and crevices filled with soap or coal 

 tar. A general supervision of the vineyard is 

 almost as necessary in the winter as in the 

 summer. 



Marketing. Those who grow grapes for 

 profit as well as pleasure will appreciate this 

 part of the subject. The object here is to get 

 the fruit to market in such form and condition 

 as to realize the highest price. Ripeness is the 

 first consideration. It is unnecessary to repeat 

 here what we have elsewhere said on this sub- 

 ject. The grapes should be well ripened before 

 being gathered. Baskets and boxes are used 

 for receiving the bunches as they are gathered, 

 the ordinary bushel basket being in common 

 use in some places, but a shallow basket is 

 much better. The bunches should be cut with 

 scissors, and handled so carefully as not to rub 

 off the bloom. The best scissors for the pur- 

 pose are those which hold the bunch when cut, 

 called grape-gathering scissors 



