18 



THE GRAPE IN KANSAS. 



Every correspondent mentioned in this work was asked if he ever bagged 

 grapes. Many seemed never to have heard of it. Sixteen have practiced it. 

 Some of these do it to a limited extent regularly. Some have tried it, but for 

 want of tact or patience, or owing to press of other duties, thought it did not pay. 

 Some say the rain and wind destroy the paper bags. Some complain of birds 

 and grasshoppers taking most of their grapes. Sacking would save most of 

 these to the grower. The process is easy ; girls or women could do it, especially 

 as they are handy with pins and thimble. 



Sack in place. 



Sack tied or pinned. 



Small, strong manila paper sacks, size No. 2, are best. They should be put 

 on when the grapes are the size of bird shot, and should all be on by the time 

 they are one-third grown. Slip the bunch into the open mouth of the sack ; fold 

 an inch of the upper end of the sack over the branch above where the bunch is 

 attached; close it in such a way that a common pin (or two) can be thrust 

 through, taking a stitch and leaving the pin there. The pins can be easily thrust 

 through with the aid of a thimble. The bunches are thus protected from birds, 

 grasshoppers and other insects. Spider- webs and dust do not gather in the cen- 

 ter of the bunch. Rot and fungous diseases are not so bad, and the sun does not 

 burn them. The bloom stays on the berry, and the bunches are always larger 

 and more perfect. Besides, they may be left on the vines from two to four weeks 

 longer in autumn, thus prolonging the season. They may then be cut, leaving 

 the bags on them, and kept still longer in a cool apartment. This prolongs the 

 season and brings them into a higher market, even if only for family use, thus 

 paying for all the trouble. 



OVERBEARING. 



Some vines set more fruit than they can carry to perfection. There can be no 

 hard-and-fast rule. Thrifty vines of vigorous varieties will, in Kansas, set three 

 to five clusters to each shoot. If there are two shoots to each spur and twenty 

 spurs are left, there will be between 100 and 120 clusters of grapes. Now if the 

 soil is not strong, or the grape-vine is crowded by other vines, trees, or crops, it 

 is quite possible that 120 clusters are far too many. If you thin, snip off one 

 bunch from each shoot, which will bring them down to eighty clusters. If the 

 vine is well established and the ground rich, it may mature all of these and do it 

 well. Experience is the best teacher, but leave too few rather than too many. 



