proceedings of the farmers* club. 269 



Grape Pruning. 



At the request of a number of persons who were not present last week, 

 Mr. Fuller addressed the Club upon grape pruning-, contending for the sin- 

 gle arms and renewal system. He does not manure highly, because by 

 only growing his canes two feet long the quantity of wood is so small that 

 he does not need much manure. If convenient, he would mulch with long 

 stable manure, but never put anything in a crude state near the roots of a 

 vine. It is an object with European vine growers to produce as little wood 

 as possible, and a large amount of fruit. We only want just leaves enough 

 to ripen the fruit. If we grow many more we shall need to furnish food 

 for no profitable purpose. Long vines require long and strong roots, and 

 these must be fed in proportion. It is the greatest error that vine growers 

 commit, to grow too much wood. 



Mr. Robinson thought there was one greater error, and that was trying 

 to grow too many varieties. 



Mr. Fuller said, that is true, for out of one hundred sorts I can name but 

 three that I can recommend as certainly valuable for everybody to grow.^ 

 These are Concord, Hartford Prolific, and Delaware. 



Prof. Mapes. — For years I have used the phosphates to manure my vines. 

 Some years since I took all the trimmings from my vines and passed them 

 through a straw cutter, placed them in a heap, sprinkled over with wood 

 ashes, then well moistened with water, and covei-ed with dirt. The next 

 year this material was in such a state that I could apply it to my vines. I 

 found that the vines manured in this way produced a large quantity of 

 fruit. 



Illinois Coffee. 



Mr. A. H. Wetherill, of Hopeville, Iowa, thinks that the Club has con- 

 demned this coffee without giving it a trial. 



Mr. Hoffman, who introduced the plant, in a letter to Mr. Wetherill last 

 year, says: 



"Two years ago last February I received a letter from my son in Aus- 

 tralia, containing thirty seeds of coffee, whence was grown my little stock 

 of seed. Directions: Plant on good ground, in drills, eighteen inches apart 

 in the drill; the rows three and a half feet apart, the same as corn, one 

 seed in a hill. When ripe, gather and thresh the same as beans. Plant 

 and cultivate the same as corn. To prepare for use: Brown the same as 

 other coffee: when ground, pour on boiling water, let it stand about five 

 minutes and then pour off. Pour on more water, boil thirty to forty min- 

 utes, and it is ready to serve. Those who have prepared it in this way 

 consider it as almost equal to store coffee. I have drank it prepared differ- 

 ently, and called it, as you do, 'poor stuff.'" 



This coffee, as it is called, grows upon an annual plant or shrub, and 

 will yield about thirty bushels an acre. 



Mr. Robinson said that the sample sent him looked like shriveled peas. 



Subject for discussion at the next meeting: " Strawberry and Raspberry 

 Culture," and " Pruning Fruit Trees." 



Adjourned. JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary. 



