274 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



hurtful. I prefer many vines ^ to many slioots from one vine. In 

 due time, I rub off the growing buds from the alternate shoots of 

 the vine. Say the shoots are 1, 2, 3, 4. I rub off" the buds this 

 year, from Nos. 1 and 3; next year I rub them off" from Nos. 2 

 and 4. 



I have found that among our Isabellas, those which most nearly 

 round were much sweeter than the oblong berries — I therefore 

 select my cuttings from the vines of the roundest berries. 



Mr. Pardee — There are now admitted to be five distinct varie- 

 ties of the Isabella. A committee of the State Agricultural So- 

 ciety, at the fair, pronounced the roundest Isabella berries the 

 best. Perhaps these are seedlings of the old Isabellas. 



I have found the soap suds of family washings good for the 

 grapes. It may be freely applied about their roots, at some little 

 distance from the main vine, but must not be allowed to stand, 

 for that is bad. The vine wiiich grew last year is the one which 

 sends forth the fruit bearing shoot or new vines. Our Norton's 

 seedling, Isabella and Catawba, appear to be our best native fruit. 

 German grapes (some of them) seem as yet to succeed here. 

 Bland's Virginia and the Hebbermour did so. 



Prof. Mapes — I peel old bark all off my vines and believe it is 

 good for them — that old bark hides insects. I have grafted the 

 Isabellas on the Fox grape by way of experiment — result not de- 

 cided yet. 



Paul Stillman thought suds on the vines would be destructive 

 if there should be a sub-soil close enough to hold the water. 



Prof. Mapes — I wash my vines with a solution of soda, it is a 

 cheap and good one. 



Orange Judd — At a Lady boarding house in New Haven, he had 

 observed Catawba grape-vines upon which very hot water had 

 been thrown, which seemed to grow the better for it. 



Mr. Moore of Orange county — I learned grape culture under 

 Dr. Underbill of Croton Point. I put my vines (as Prof. Mapes 

 does) six to seven feet apart, three or four years old, in holes not 

 so deep as his — I have the vineyard plowed deep — eighteen to 

 twenty inches. I go to the bottom of the natural soil — but where 

 the sub-soil is hard I have found it retain water sometimes and 

 rot, or blight, or mold my grapes. My experience in plowing is 

 that it always pays well for your trouble. 



Prof. Mapes — Whenever wheat roots reach a hard bottom they 

 cease to tiller. 



Mr. Moore — Guano put on too much is injurious. 



