102 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST 



1871 



The missourl Valley «rape Growers' Assocla- 

 • tlon. 



First Bu-Aniiual Meetinq. at Leavenworth, Kansas, February 

 the iUh and Ibth, 1871. 



By this Associate Editor. 



This Society met at ten o'clock A. M., at the 

 Council Chamber. The meeting was called to order 

 by the President, Z. S. Ragan, of Independence, 

 Mo., who returned his thanks to the Society for the 

 honor conferol upon him by electing him Presi- 

 dent. He said the object of the Society was to 

 promote the interest of grape growers of the Mis- 

 souri Valley, which is no very small district, and 

 perhaps not surpassed by any other grape growing 

 region. We should conduct our meetings so as to 

 call together the practical grape growers, that they 

 may present their successes, and also their failures, 

 that by comparing notes we may arrive at tlie cause 

 of both and improve thereby. By this method we 

 will gain some practical knowledge of grape grow- 

 ing of value to ourselves as well as to the public. 

 The most of us are new beginners from other states, 

 and have much to learn about the character of our 

 soils and locations and the varieties adapted to 

 tliem. 



If this Society is properly conducted, it will rap- 

 idly increase in size and usefulness and be of gen- 

 eral benefit. 



After the President's remarks the subjects for 

 discussion were the terminology, planting and 

 pruning the vine. 



Mr. D. L. Hall in a few preliminary remarks on 

 the importance of correct terminology introduced 

 the following resolution : 



Rcsulsed, That this Society deem it of the first im- 

 portance to adopt at once a well-defined and correct 

 terminology of the grape vine ; therefore 



Resolved, That we adopt for use in all our records 

 and transactions the terminology of the Illinois 

 State Horticultural Society, adopted at the meeting 

 in Galesburg, in December, 1870. 



The following is the terminology adopted : 



jfjoo(,,_That part of the vine growing below the 

 surface of the ground. 



Stem — The main stock below the branches. 



Arm — A portion of the vine permanently trained 

 in a horizontal position. 



Slioots — Green wood. This consists of fruit shoots, 

 "young canes" and "suckers." 



LaUral—K. branch from a shoot. 



(7rtn<j — A ripening shoot from the stem, arm, or 

 spur. 



8pvr — The cane cut short. 



Joint or Node — The enlarged parts whence come 

 buds, leaves or tendrils. 



Internodc^'Y\\e. part between joints. Tendrils, a 

 twining support. 



Motion adopted. 



Mr. Sells asked: "Will it do to prune the vine 

 while frozen ?" 



An animated discussion on pruning followed this, 

 resulting in about the following as the opinion of 

 members : 



That the vino can be pruned at any time without 

 injury, when there are no leaves on it ; that long 

 pruning is better than short pruning; that enough 

 wood should be left on to admit of thinning the 

 fruit afterwards ; that a certain amoimt of heat is 

 necessary to ripen the grape, and consequently the 

 earlier they start the sooner they ripen. 



Other questions developed the sense of the society 

 to be that the proper distance to plant the Concord 

 vine was about eight by ten feet. The depth at 

 which to plant a vine about ten inches ; and finally, 

 that the top or surface roots should not be cut. 

 There was, however, considerable difference of 

 opinion on the last named topic. 



Dr. J. Stayman, one of the committee on varie- 

 ties of grapes, read his report, which called forth a 

 lengthy, animated discussion. Dr. W. M. Howsley 

 taking the ground that accidental hybridization was 

 very doubtful. It was even doubted by some emi- 

 nent men, as Barry and others, whether Roger's 

 seedlings were hybrids,' or that artificial hybridiza- 

 tion could be effected with the grape. The most of 

 the evening was spent in a scientific discussion of 

 the subject without arriving at anything very 

 definite. After the discussion the following resolu- 

 tion was adopted : 



Besohvd, That we recommend for general cultiva- 

 tion the following varieties: 



For market, Hartford Prolific, Ives'^eedling, 

 Concord and Goethe, (Rogers No. 1.) 



For wine, Norton's Virginia, Cynthiana, Ives, 

 and Concord, and the Catawba with special treat- 

 ment. 



For amateurs, Delaware, to which was after- 

 wards added lona and Wilder, (Rogers No. 4.) 



A report on varieties of grapes was re id from 

 Mr. Adam.Durkes, of Western Missouri, which 

 embraced most of the varieties adopted by the 

 society with many additional sorts which were re- 

 jected, when the subject of vineyard sites came up 

 which caused a very general and animated discus- 

 sion. 



Mr. F. P. Grant and Dr. Stayman having both 

 high and low land planted in grapes, showed by 

 fects and figures tliat grapes started and ripened 

 first on the high land. The discussion resulted in 

 the following conclusion ; That elevated land near 

 adjoining low valleys or large bodies of water were 

 the best sites, because the temperature was more 

 uniform. That land should be dry or thoroughly 

 drained. That increase of rain or moisture has a 

 tendency to prolong the ripening of grapes and 

 produce a succulent growth which leads to disease. 



