336 



TRE ILLINOIS FAEMEE. 



liTov. 



Discussions at the State Horticultural 

 Society Fair at Chicago— Varieties 

 and Culture of the Grape, etc. 



During the fair, evening meetings were held in 

 Bryan Hall, at which the attendance was small, 

 but to some extent interesting. Our time was 

 too fully occupied with other matters to attend, 

 but the Recording Secretary promised us a re- 

 port of them, but unfortunately his health was 

 too feeble to attend to the matter fully, and since 

 his return home, he writes us that his time and 

 health will not enable him to write out even the 

 fe"pr notes that he took, but encloses us the letter 

 of Dr. H. Shroder, on grape culture, which we 

 give below. 



The Dr. has intelligence and zeal, and has 

 given to the subject his best efforts. As we in- 

 tend to Tisit his grounds in the course of a few 

 weeks, we will defer our remarks to that time, 

 and at once introduce the Dr. to our readers. — Ed- 



Jo the President and members of the State Horti- 

 cultural Society : 

 * * * * * 



In wet seasons the Catawba will rot, and in 

 dry ones, the Isabella. Concord is a fine table 

 grape, and in wet or dry seasons, will neither 

 rot nor mildew. The fruit is fine and early, as 

 well as showy for market, and in addition, makes 

 a tolerable wine. Hartford Prolific is an early 

 table grape, and rots but little — scarcely enough 

 to mention. It should be in every garden in the 

 west. Delaware is a fine little grape ; every 

 one speaks high of it, and I hear no complaint, 

 this year, of the rot affecting it. It doubtless is 

 quite exempt in this respect. 



Eerbemont is a vigorous grower and profuse 

 bearer. A four or five year old vine will make a 

 gallon of sweet wine , is exempt from rot and 

 mildew this year. Norton's Virginia is one of 

 the best of our native grapes ; it makes a dark 

 wine, equal to any European wine. It is a 

 strong grower ; and when four or five years old, 

 highly productive and not subject to rot or mil- 

 dew. The wine from this grape has a very pe- 

 culiar tonic or medical property, exceedingly val- 

 uable in bowel complaints ; curing diarrhea at 

 once, even in small infants. I have tried it often 

 and can recommend it with confidence, not only 

 for bowel complaints, but as a general tonic. 

 Por wine, the two last named stand high with 

 all German vine growers for wine. 



I have a number of other varieties under cul- 



ture, but not as yet sufiSciently tested to speak of 

 them with confidence. 



One Dozen Vines for Family Use. — Hart- 

 ford Prolific 2 ; Concord 2 ; Herbemont 1 ; Cole- 

 man's or White Rebecca 1 ; Delaware 2 ; Isa- 

 bella 2 ; Catawba 2. 



For a Vineyard of 2000 Vines, for the Table 

 —Hartford Prolific 100; Concord 300; Dela- 

 ware 200 ; Isabella 100 ; Herbemont 300 ; Nor- 

 ton's Virginia 500 ; Catawba 500. 



For a Vintard of 2000 Vines for Wine. — 

 Herbemont 500 ; Norton's Virginia 600 ; Dela- 

 ware 500 ; Catawba 400. 



Th« soil should be spaded, trenched or sub- 

 soiled, the rows six to seven feet wide, and when 

 trained on the German system, four feet apart in 

 the rows ; but if on trellis, eight feet. To every 

 eight rows, a drive-way should be left twelve 

 feet wide, to pass through with a team. Plant 

 nothing between the rows after the third year. 

 Cultivate with a " karst" — a kind of a hoe, used 

 only for grape culture ; keep clear of weeds ; 

 break out the suckers ; stir the ground often, es- 

 pecially after a heavy rain, to break the crust on 

 the surface, and you will have grapes good and 

 large. 



The vines must be pruned in November — laid 

 down and covered with earth, and care should 

 be had to lift them in April, before the buda 

 break. 



I shall be happy to answer any enquiries in 

 regard to modes of pruning, etc. 



Respectfully yours, 



D. H. Shroder. 



— "I like your impudence," as a pretty girl 

 said when her beau kissed her. 



— Why is a newspaper like a boiled crab ? 

 Because it is read (red). 



-••»- 



Why is the polka like bitter beer ? Because 

 there is so many hops in it. 



-«•»- 



— A poor seamstress finds it hard work to 

 thread her way through life's wilderness. 



-»•*- 



— May our blonde beauties be looked on as \ 

 forming a portion of the pale of society ? 



— A pretty female artist can draw the men 

 equally with a brush and a blush. 



