88 THE GRAPE IN KANSAS. 



close at that time ; and do not touch them afterwards, so as to weaken necessary 

 shade. My trellis is made of wire, drawn as tightly as possible. I have not 

 bagged my grapes, but would advise it, as I think the fruit better, particularly 

 if season is dry. I think them a paying crop. Have put up unfermented grape 

 juice; bring the grapes to boiling-point, and skim; put a tablespoonful of sugar 

 to a quart of juice, and seal up in glass cans. Do n't think it a good plan to cul- 

 tivate between the rows more than once every two years; then hoe, and keep 

 every weed down. Grape roots are so near, the surface, and extend out so far, 

 that I don't think it a good plan to tear them up and expose roots too often. 

 However, if not too heavily fruited, give the ground a good tearing up every 

 other year, and keep always perfectly free from weeds. 



F. SEIFERTH, Strawberry, Washington county: I have about 650 grape-vines, 

 planted on land which slopes gradually to the east. My varieties are Concord, 

 Elvira, Ives, and Clinton. Would recommend Concord and Elvira. I prefer 

 two-year-old vines, set six feet square. Prune in February and March. My 

 trellis is of posts and three wires. Sometimes I summer prune, clipping the ends 

 if they are growing too rank, but this is seldom. Have never bagged the fruit. 

 Gather in twenty-pound baskets, and market at home. Have realized $100 and 

 over per acre. I consider them a paying crop. I mulch my vines with prairie 

 hay, which lasts two years ; then I rake the mulch in to the vines and cultivate 

 with a hoe one year; then give them a good mulching again. I have good suc- 

 cess and raise a full crop almost every year ; my vines are always in good condi- 

 tion; grow from eight to fourteen feet during a season. Have an immense crop 

 this year (1900) large clusters and large berries. 



JOHN C. FORD, Leoti, Wichita county : I have only a few Concord grapes, 

 which have just commenced bearing. They are planted on level land. I think 

 grapes would be a success here if we irrigated them. 



R. O. GRAHAM, Altoona, Wilson county : I have 150 grape-vines, planted on 

 sandy loam having a clay subsoil. I think slope makes very little difference, but 

 northeast is preferable. Set the young vines 8 xlO feet. Prune severely in Feb- 

 ruary; also pinch them back during the summer. I use a wire trellis. Culti- 

 vate with a spade and hoe, and keep them mulched with straw; a plow and 

 corn-cultivator are the best implements for this work. Have tried Concord and 

 Niagara, which do well here; the former is preferable. Pick by hand into the 

 baskets in which they are to be marketed ; sell at home, usually receiving from 

 three to four cents per pound ; and sometimes five cents, for green ones. They 

 pay fairly well, but I would not advise very extensive planting. Have never 

 sacked the fruit. 



JOHN A. MAGILL, Roper, Wilson county : I put out one and one-half acres 

 of grape-vines several years ago on red soil, but have let them run down. I think 

 slope makes a difference ; a southeastern is preferable. Set yearling vines, six 

 feet each way. Prune to one bud. For a trellis I use stakes two feet high. 

 Till shallow, with a five-toothed cultivator. Do not mulch. Have tried Dracut 

 Amber, Concord, Clinton, Delaware, and Norton's Virginia. Have discarded all 

 of these excepting Concord, for want of a good market, as we depend on our home 

 market, where we receive from one and one-half to two cents per pound. I do 

 not consider them profitable, and would not advise extensive planting here. 

 Have never sacked the fruit. 



A. J. JONES, Yates Center, Woodson county : I have forty grape-vines grow- 

 ing on sandy soil. I think an eastern slope best. Set one-year-old vines, six feet 



