THE GRAPE IN KANSAS. 43 



ruined my prospects year after year. A farmer twelve rubles west of here did 

 market very fine grapes in Oberlin, but his vines have since died. I really believe 

 we will raise grapes here some time, as wild grapes grow in abundance. 



P. T. JOHNSON, Oberlin, Decatur county : I am successful in growing one- 

 year-old vines, but no grapes. I now have twenty-five Concord grape-vines, 

 planted on black loam two feet deep, with a subsoil of magnesia sixty feet deep. 

 My land is level prairie. Have tried and discarded Catawba, because it will not 

 grow more than one year here. Have experimented with Worden and Moore's 

 Early, both of which died during the winter of 1898-'99. I prefer two-year-old 

 vines, set six feet apart. Till with a corn cultivator. 



JAMES DUNLAP, Detroit, Dickinson county : Have three- fourths of an acre 

 of grape-vines growing on black loam sloping to the east. Would recommend 

 Concord. Plant two-year-old vines, six feet in the row, and the rows eight feet 

 apart. I do not cultivate, but mulch every second year. I prune to two buds in 

 latter part of March. Do not prune during the summer, as it would expose 

 the bunches to the hot sun. I think a small Osage orange post at each vine and 

 two smooth wires make the best trellis. Do not bag any. It is too expensive. 

 Gather my grapes by cutting or pinching the bunches off. Pack in eight-pound 

 baskets. Market in neighboring towns. They have been profitable with me. 



A. M. ENGLE, Moonlight, Dickinson county: Have about 150 grape-vines 

 growing on an eastern slope. They are mostly Concord. Have tried and dis- 

 carded Moore's Early as not profitable. Would recommend Concord, Worden, 

 and Moore's Diamond. Set the vines eight feet apart ; cultivate as for garden 

 crops ; keep clean of weeds. Prune in October and November, also in March ; do 

 some summer pruning, to concentrate the strength of the vines. I consider them 

 profitable. Our experience has not been large in special grape culture. Have 

 planted and had bearing vines for over forty years, mainly for home use, sell- 

 ing the surplus as best we could, generally in towns. I think here in central 

 Kansas grape culture could be made a success, and a paying crop, with proper 

 aoil and location ; but more sure and successful with irrigation. I am so con- 

 vinced that irrigation is essential to success in almost any line of horticulture 

 that I would put much stress or stock in an irrigation plant, were I to embark 

 in any of these industries. 



L. A. SHOE, Highland, Doniphan county : I have fifty grape-vines growing 

 on black loam having a clay subsoil, sloping to the northeast; set two-year-old 

 vines, 8x10 feet apart: in pruning, I leave two buds to the spur and three arms 

 to each root ; never summer prune ; my trellis consists of posts and three wires ; 

 cultivate shallow with a disk harrow or five-tooth cultivator ; frequently mulch 

 with ashes; have tried Concord, Goethe, Cottage, Moore's Early, Moore's Dia- 

 mond, Niagara, Green Mountain, Early Ohio, Delaware and Hartford Prolific; 

 have discarded Delaware, Moore's Diamond, and Niagara, as they are too tender 

 for this climate ; the Concord, Moore's Early, Niagara, Worden, Cottage and 

 Pocklington do best here ; I would recommend Moore's Early, Concord, Niagara, 

 and Worden ; they are a paying crop, but I would not advise planting extensively ; 

 have sacked my grapes, but without good success, although, if put on in time 

 .just as soon as the bloom falls they are beneficial ; I never put up unfermented 

 grape juice, for I am in sympathy with Major Holsinger's temperance views it 

 might ferment. 



BERT MONTGOMERY, Troy, Doniphan county : Have one-half acre of grape- 

 vines on land sloping to the southwest. Varieties tested are Concord, Hartford, 



