48 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMER. 



Jan. 



care of. A m n Bhould not set out until he is 

 ready for it. 



Minier — I have had grapes from grafts of the 

 same year ou the Catawba; my father has five 

 dollar vines, which produce the same year, but 

 are not go good for stock as younger vines. 



Dalton, of Calumet — I had this grape some 

 years ago from Delaware, Ohio. The old plants, 

 although not forced, did not live well, while 

 thosflfiom them grew finely. I think the reason 

 that the old vines did not do well was the change 

 of the soil, &c. 



Douglas — It is a ccmmon rule among propaga- 

 ors to throw away the old vi e after a few 

 tyears. 



Andrews — I put a cutting six inches long in 

 the ground last spring, and it grew fourteen or 

 fifteen feet ; I layered it, and will get ten or 

 twelve roots; my soil is light colored; on dark 

 colored soil near by the river did not do so wel ; 

 in fact, I think in no instance has the dark so 1 

 done well. No bones are needed in grape culture; 

 mix up the soil well; plant on soil that will drain 

 itself, or underdrain, if flat. In this way I raise 

 even the Golden Chasselas, Hamburg and White 

 Muscat out doors; it is better to starve grapes 

 than to over feed them. For foreign giapes, I 

 would suggest the east side of a close fence six 

 feet high. Plant four or five feet apart, and six 

 feet between the rows; prune in the fall; train 

 the vine so as to slant at the root and protect it 

 in winter; put a stone on the bent over vine to 

 hold it down, and throw on a few shovelfulls of 

 earth; I prune my vines so as to have two arms 

 at right angles to the main vine, which are low 

 enough to be included in this covering; I do not 

 let my vines overbeav; I can ripen the Catawba 

 the first of September, in October, or not at all, 

 by different growing and pruning; overbearing 

 and shortening in, retard the time of ripening. 

 The Delaware is very easily grown from cuttings, 

 by putting two eyes below the ground; water and 

 dig about a little way off; cut cuttings in autumn; 

 put them on the ground and cover up with earth 

 until used; set out in spring. 



[The soil of Mr. Andrews' is on the Trenton 

 or Galena limestone, a porous, friable stone that 

 is easily weathered down. The garden of Mr. 

 Rosenstiel at Freeport is also on an outcrop of 

 this rock, and his grapes do so remarkably well 

 that it is a matter of astonishment to every one. 

 Why these two gent'emen should be so remarka- 

 bly successful is no great secret to us. In the 

 first place their soils, though twenty-eight miles 

 apart, are alike, and another coincidence, they 

 are practical grape growers, and have taken the 

 utmost advantage of their soils. Let no one sup- 

 pose that with the same care they can succeed 

 anywhere, as these two persons have done. With 

 similar soil others may suooeed. Their practice 

 will be found valuable on all soils.] 



Douglas— In planting an old vine, I would 

 bend it over and make it put out new roots above 



the old. In layering a vine, the first layers are 

 stronger than those succeeding. 



Phoenix — I would always use well rotted ma- 

 nure. 



Bragdon — Brush would indorse Dr. Andrews 

 as to letting laterals grow. He is down on ma- 

 nure. 



Asa Kennicot*, Dr. Grant and Chnrles Down- 

 ing told me I mudt use no manure; I make use 

 however, of some wtU rotted muck and cow ma- 

 nure. Where a mixture of these and sand were 

 used the vines started twice as well A part of 

 these I then planted in sand with a little leaf 

 mold, and a part in a very rich border. The last 

 grew well; the former not. 



[The Dr. is located on the lake shore sand 

 knoils, aad needs both manure and clay.] 



Phoenix — I would use manure in planting out. 



Kidder — I would ask how they get crops at 

 flockford without manure. 



Andrews — It is a light clay soil, not rich; a 

 shell limestone soil, perhaps. 



[As we said before, this lets out the secret, 

 this outcrop of shell lime. It has doubtless once 

 been the bed of Rock river, washed down to the 

 rock, and a change of channel has allowed this 

 rock to become weathered down to soil, forming 

 oile of the best of gi'ape soils. 



Kidder — The best vineyards in the west which 

 I have visited, were well manured; they were 

 not in Illinois, however. 



Andrews — If our soil were heavy clay, I shoud 

 mature. 



The Delaware was recommended for general 

 cultivation, by a very clcse vote, however. A vote 

 that at no distant day will berescinr'ed, placing 

 it among those that do well 'n certain locations, 

 According to usage, no fruit is entitled to a place 

 on the general list unless it is vcluable in all 

 parts of the district, which this grape is not, as 

 shown both in thiis discussion and the vote.] 



Diana. 



Douglas — It has been dropped by some of our 

 eastern friends, but I do not want to be too hasty 

 in doing so. 



President — I have it in the open air. 



Starr — It is hardy at Alton. 



Nash — It is hirdy with the Catawba. 



Overman — I had good vines of Charles Down- 

 ing in 1853, good layers therefrom and very nice 

 fruit; lost them in making new location; superi- 

 or to Catawba, though smaller, and next in quality 

 to the Delaware. 



Bragdon — I have noticed that with the same 

 treatment it is Irom ten days to two weeks earlier 

 than the Catawba. 



Sherman — I find it one of the best. 



Phoenix — It is tough skinned; and has a pecu- 

 liar flavor. 



