108 STATE POMOLOUICAL SOCIETY. 



with the main cane, or are blown out by the winds unless season- 

 ably tied to the poles. It does not tolerate se%'ere pruning. Its 

 berries color well, in October, but the season usually is not long 

 enough or warm enough to give sufficient sweetness to the fruit. 



An tittcmpt was formerly made to raise on a wall, the White 

 Sweetwater, Isabella and Catawba, but excellent as they become 

 in a more southern latitude, seldom was the season sufficiently 

 extended to enable them to yield many satisfactory matured 

 grapes, and they were discarded for earlier varieties. 



The experience with these varieties has been briefly reported, 

 ■with hope that after learning the results obtained by others in the 

 various sections of the State, it may be ascertained what kinds 

 are best adapted to different localities and what are most suitable 

 for goncral cultivation. And if tl)is paper, already extended to an 

 undesirable length, shall give in the least degree any useful prac- 

 tical information and thus lead to the more successful cultivation 

 of this noble fruit, it will not have been written in vain, but its 

 object will be fully attained. 



II. Cullure of Ihc Foreign Grape in the Cold Grapery. — The 

 ■winter of 1856-7 having been very disastrous to fruit trees andvines, 

 it was decided in the spring of 1857 to erect a cold grapery and 

 attempt the culture of grapes in an artificial climate. The com- 

 post heretofore described was immediately prepared, and a site 

 selected sloping to the southeast, upon which the rays of the 

 sun fall until late in the afternoon, and cedar posts were placed in 

 position to support the building. The earth was then removed to 

 the depth of two feet eight inches below the tops of these posts 

 to afford a space for the grape bed, technically called border, and 

 the house was afterwards erected in the autumn. 



The border is the important matter. It must be composed of 

 such materials as will yield an abundant and permanent supply of 

 healthy food to the plant, and must be so made that no stagnant 

 water shall ever enfeeble the roots. It is St by 50 feet. At the 

 bottom, stones, oyster shells, brick bats and bones are placed to 

 the depth of eight inches, covered with leather scrapings, refuse 

 boots, shoes, old plaster, grassy sod, &c., having a drain extend- 

 ing out at the lowest corner. The compost, garden loam and 

 yellow soil are well mixed and deposited during the summer, so 

 as to make the border loose and rich, and two feet deep when 

 settled. It extends over the whole inside of house, and outside 



i 



