l&ll 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGHST. 



<?6 



after setting out the tree the vine is planted against 

 it. In order to give it a good chance against the 

 tree, a two or three years old vine must be planted. 

 Our "rootlings" would not do. The tree would 

 starve and dry up. Not even in France and Ger- 

 many, where the people are so enlightened, and 

 read all the new ideas in the papers, have they any- 

 thing like the success in grape culture,wbich rewards 

 the toil of these ignorant Italians, not twenty per 

 cent, of whom can read or write. 



We fancy the great objection wit'j Americans 

 will be the amount of labor this system will call for. 

 The trees as well as the vines must be fed, and hence 

 top dressings have to be given every year. A lazy 

 system suits us best. When we commenced to 

 recommend grass for our orchards not a few jumped 

 at it, as a system which would give them fruit for 

 absolute neglect. Since they have come to learn 

 tliat the surface root culture really takes more labor 

 than the old deep culture plan, many prefer the old 

 one of having a few large fruits once in a while on 

 unhealthy trees, to continuous and regular average 

 crops. It is so much easier to growl at the climate 

 than to get the fruit of the earth by " the sweat of 

 the brow." — Oardeners' Monthly. 



After a very interesting meeting, the Society ad- 

 journed to meet at Leavenworth, Kansas, in the 

 Council (Jhamber, at 10 a. m., the second Tuesday 

 (the 14lh) of February, 1871. 



D. L. Hall, Secretary. 



For Th» W«»t«rn Pomologist. 



missonrl Valley Grape Groovers' Association. 



This Society met pursuant to a call, on the 15th 

 of December, at 10 a. m., at the office of the Western 

 Gardener, Leavenworth, Kansas, and organized by 

 electing the following officers : 



President — Z. S. Ragan, Independence, Mo. 



Vice Presidents — J. Stayman, Leavenworth, Kan.; 

 L. C. Clark, St. Joseph, Mo. 



Secretary — David L. Hall, Kansas City, Mo. 



Tremurei — Wm. Tanner, Leavenworth, Kan. 



The following committees were appointed : 



On Vineyard Sites — John Cadagan, J. Rivard. 



On Vineyards— W. C. Gilpatrick, L. C. Clark, 

 Chas. Byers. 



On Wines— T>. L. Hall, Wm. Tanner, J. A. Haider- 

 man. 



On Varieties of the Orape—Dr. J. Stayman, Adam 

 Durkee. 



On Essays— 1>T. W. M. Howsley, D. C. Hawthorn, 

 A. G. Chase. 



Ad Interim— J. Stayman, L. C. Clark, W. C. 

 Gilpatrick. 



The object of this Association is the cultivation 

 of the Grape, and everything that appertains to the 

 the interest of the grape-grower. 



The following resolution passed : 



Resolved, That this Society ofter one hundred dol- 

 lars for a grape that is equal to the Concord in 

 hardiness, productiveness and for market, but 

 superior to it in quality and for wine. 



Show of Grapes at Boston. 



The Journal of Horticulture thus speaks of the 

 show of grapes at the last annual exhibition of the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society : 



" Boston is not so much of a grape as a pear 

 country ; yet we think a record of the exhibition in 

 this uncommonly favorable grape season will be of 

 interest. 264 dishes were exhibited by 50 contribu- 

 tors, as follows : *Delaware, 36 ; *Diana, 23; ♦Con- 

 corn, 31 ; *Allen's Hybrid, 15 ; *Wilder (Rogers' No. 

 4,) 14; *Agawam (No. 15,) 13; *Iona, 11 ; *Isabella, 

 10 ; *Creveling, 9 ; *Israella, 8 ; *Rebecca, 8; *Adi- 

 rondac, 7; Merrimac (No. 19,) 7; Massasoit (No. 3,) 7; 

 Salem, 6; *Hartford, 5; Lindley (No. 9,) 5; Union 

 Village, 4 ; Clinton, 3 ; Catawba, 3 ; Essex (No. 41,) 

 3 ; Barry (No. 43,) 3 ; Northern Muscadine, 2 ; Per- 

 kins, 2 ; Rogers' No. 1, 2 ; Rogers' No. 44, 2 ; *Mar- 

 tha, 3; Diana Hamburg, Cornucopia, Eumelan, 

 Conqueror, Ives, Cottage, Telegraph, Rogers' No. 21, 

 Rogers' No. 33, Blood's Black, Maxatawney, Mer- 

 rill's Amber, Winchester, Framingham, Alvey, 

 Lewis, Fedora, Post, Fancher, Nashua, Sage and 

 Una, one each, and 33 seedlings. This list must 

 not be taken as an exact, but only as an approxi- 

 mate index of the value of the different kinds. 

 Eumelan and Martha, and other new kinds, will 

 doubtless be more freely shown in future years, 

 while Hartford would have figured more largely 

 earlier in the season. A prize of $4 each was of- 

 fered for the best dish of the kinds starred, and also 

 three prizes of $4 each for the best dish of any 

 other kind, which were adjudged to Salem, Barry 

 and Catawba. Many of the specimens were very 

 handsome ; and we particularly noticed lonas, Re- 

 beccas and Barry as extra fine. - 



1 » t 



Soil and Colok op Grapes. — An exchange 

 says : "Our attention was called to the difference 

 of color between grapes grown on clayey soils and 

 those grown on gravelly soils. Those on the for- 

 mer were invariably darker and more gbssy, and 

 would be pronounced on a judgment rendered by 

 the eye to be richer than those which had been 

 grown on gravelly soils which were lighter in color 

 and less covered with bloom. But the socharome- 

 ter acidometer reversed these deiiisions, and showed 

 that the richest grapes were those, which were not 



grown on clay soils. 



« ♦ > 



Grapes in Minnesota.— The Minnesota Horti- 

 cultural Society recommend Concord for general 

 cultivation and reject the Clinton. For general 

 trial Rogers Nos. 2, 4, 15 and 19 and layered vines 

 of the Delaware ; lona rejected. 



