The Canadian Horticulturist. 345 



SHALL WE CONTLNUE TO PLANT VINEYARDS? 



AM by no means sure that the continued heavy planting of the grape 

 will prove to be a safe commercial venture. It is, doubtless, true 

 that the consumption of this fruit in a fresh condition is increasing at 

 a rapid rate, and it may reasonably be anticipated that such con- 

 sumption will continue to increase. On the other hand, public 

 sentiment grows stronger and stronger against wine-making, and this 

 seems likely to diminish the demand for grapes for such purposes. 

 The grape can be, and is, successfully and profitably grown much farther 

 north than any of the tree-fruits, since by laying down and covering the vines 

 they can be carried safely through the severest winter cold. With judicious 

 selection of a vineyard site, many of even the late-ripening varieties mature with 

 nearly or quite the same certainty as farther south. As a case in point, a fine 

 collection of well-ripened grapes, grown in southern-central Minnesota, was 

 shown at the New Orleans Exposition during the winter of 1875. Among them 

 were perfectly ripe Catawbas which, even in southern Michigan and northern 

 Ohio, ripen thoroughly only in exceptionally favorable seasons or in protected 

 or sheltered localities. A subsequent visit to the vineyard in which these 

 specimens were grown revealed the fact that their maturity was due to the 

 training of the vines upon a low trellis with a southern slope and exposure. 

 The vines were covered with earth in winter. — T. T. Lyon. 



Just so long as bananas are sold in our northern towns by the wagon and 

 car-load we say, plant grapes. The capacity of our people to consume grapes is 

 only just beginning to be tested. What we want is to improve their quality, to 

 cheapen and quicken transportation and to extend the season. Every northern 

 market should be supplied with fine grapes from June until January, and in 

 abundance. Our people have only been eating grapes for two months ; they 

 ought to be supplied for six. 



Fruit-growers need to tone up on honesty. They should put up honest 

 goods in first-class order, stop growling at commission-men, and improve the 

 quality of their fruit. Have a perfect understanding with your commission-house. 

 Let the house know what you have, and just when it will be shipped. Make 

 daily reports, use the telegraph, get acquainted with a trustworthy firm, and 

 stick to it. It is possible to have good, faithful, conscientious producers and 

 shippers at one end of the route, and good, prompt, honest dealers at the other 

 end ; but there must be mutual and continual understanding and co-operation. 

 — S. S. Crissey, Chautauqua Co., N. Y. 



Modest bearing is very commendable in a man, but it is no recommendation 

 to a fruit tree. — Lowell Courier. 



Father : " No appetite this evening, eh ? What is the matter ? Late 

 unch?-' Little Boy: "No, sir; early apples." — Good News. 



