58 THE GRAPE IN KANSAS. 



S. M. BEESON, Angola, Labette county : I have fifty grape-vines, planted on 

 heavy loam having a clay subsoil. Set one-year-old vines, four by eight feet. 

 Prune any time during the winter when the sap is out of the vines; cut out all 

 old growth, leaving nothing but the previous year's growth. Do not summer 

 prune. Use a trellis made of Osage orange posts and wire. Till with a cultivator ; 

 think a five-tooth cultivator best. Tried mulching my vines and lost them. 

 Have tried Concord; that is the only variety grown here. Would recommend 

 Dracut Amber, Champion, Moore's Early, Worden, Niagara, Wyoming Red, 

 and Concord. Use all of our grapes at home ; do not think they would pay for 

 commercial purposes, as we are too far from market. I would not advise exten- 

 sive planting here. Have never sacked my grapes, as they are not troubled with 

 anything; but think it would pay for home use. Twelve years ago I had fine 

 bearing vines mulched with straw, and in three years they were all dead. Some 

 use corn-cobs for mulching with good results. My experience is that shallow 

 but thorough cultivation is best. 



CHAS. A. GORDON, Chetopa, Labette county : I have one-half acre of grape- 

 vines, planted on clay and sandy land. I think slope makes some difference, and 

 would prefer any slope but north. Set yearling vines six feet apart. Prune in 

 November or January to two buds; also, summer prune until the grapes get 

 their growth ; then let a few shoots grow. Tie my vines to a single stake. Shal- 

 low, frequent tillage, with garden cultivator, is best. Mulch with well-pulverized 

 earth. Have tried Concord and one other variety. We receive two cents per 

 pound for the fruit, but they are not a very profitable crop. Would not advise 

 extensive planting. Have tried sacking, on a small scale; it protects the fruit 

 very well, but I do n't think it pays. We have put up unfermented grape juice; 

 we Pasteurize it. 



R. DEGARMO, Oswego, Labette county : I have about 100 grape-vines grow- 

 ing on black limestone soil. Set one- and two-year-old vines, 6x8 feet. Prune, 

 during winter, by cutting away all surplus wood; during summer, prune away 

 all beyond the third bunch. Use a trellis five feet high. Till with a cultivator 

 and hoe. I consider shallow cultivation best. Do not mulch. Have tried Con- 

 cord, Moore's Early, Moore's Diamond, Goethe, Pocklington, and two or three 

 white grapes. Have discarded Moore's Early, or, rather, will soon; Clinton be- 

 cause it is too small and sour, and Diana, which is a good grape, but too tender. 

 I would recommend Concord, Moore's Diamond, Goethe, and Pocklington. We 

 use all of our grapes at home. I would not advise extensive planting, as they 

 are so badly affected with rot. I have sacked the fruit for several years, and 

 think it pays, as they last longer in the fall ; but I did not always get them on 

 soon enough to avoid rot. 



D. E. BRADSTREET, Dighton, Lane county : Have hadjfif ty grape-vines, planted 

 on bottom land. I set yearling vices, seven feet apart. Prune during February, 

 with a knife. Use a smooth-wire trellis. Cultivate my grapes with hoe to keep 

 the weeds down. A cultivator is a good tool for this use. I mulch my vines to 

 prevent them from budding too early. Have tried only Concord; I consider 

 them a paying crop, but would not advise extensive planting. Have never bagged 

 the fruit. They were a paying crop before the grasshoppers stripped and killed 

 them. I raised turkeys to kill the grasshoppers, but the turkeys ate the grapes 

 when half grown. 



JACOB GRAVES, Healy, Lane county: Have one and one-half acres of grapes, 

 set on a sandy loam bottom. Planted one-year-old vines, 6x8 feet. Prune dur- 



