20 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMEK. 



Jan. 



The Anna is but moderately in its canea, but they 

 are firm ; the foilage is small, pubescent and dispos- 

 ed to curl and fall. The bunches are scarcely me- 

 dium and rather close ; the berries are from medi- 

 um to large, round, of a whitish amber color, cot- 

 ered with a thick, white bloom ; they are juicy, 

 sweet, aromatic, but the skin is thick and the pulp 

 firm. This is only an amateur variety, ripening the 

 end of September. 



The Rebecca and the Cuyukoga have higher claims 

 for our praise, being more refined and delicate. 



Both of these are desirable amateur varieties, the 

 former rather bearing the palm of excellence in the 

 opinion of most judges. 



These are some of the varieties that are now be- 

 ing subjected to the test of fruitage by Mr. Knox. 



THS STRAWBERRY BEDS. 



After setting the grapes in their stations in the 

 vineyard, Mr. Enox plants the eight feet spaces 

 with three rows of strawberries, eighteen inches 

 apart, the plants being separated from ten to twelve 

 inches ; the whole surface is kept perfectly clean 

 with the hoe during the summer, and the runners 

 are trimmed off as they make their appeanince. By 

 this means the plants become very stocky and 

 strong. At the approach of winter the beds are 

 covered with clean straw, which protects the 

 plants from freezing and thawing, as a winter 

 mulch. The new leaves and flowers come through 

 the straw in the spring, the fruit is protected from 

 the dirt, and the whole crop is mulched by the de- 

 caying straw during the summer. By this means 

 the most wonderful crops of magnificent berries are 

 produced — such, indeed, as must be seen to be 

 realized. The method of shortening in by cutting 

 off the runners, in combination with adaptation of 

 the soil and high culture, makes even the stamen- 

 bearing varieties abundantly productive in his 

 hands. Such kinds as under ordinary treatment 

 are considered shy bearers, producing only an av- 

 erage of ten perfect and well sized berries to an 

 hundred blossoms, are here made to yield 75 per 

 cent ; but the stools are so strong, having so many 

 points of inflorescence in each crown, that the ag- 

 gregate of fruitage is much larger even than the 

 per centage of fruit-producing flowers would make 

 it appear to be. 



. Thus, in the numerous counts, very carefully made 

 upon the ground last June, I reached the following 

 results : One plant of the Wonderful produced 358 

 blossoms. A plant of the Bonte St. Julien had 84 

 blossoms, which yielded 61 fruits, or .80. KiUey's 

 Goliah had 64 per cent, of fruit ; Trollope's Victo- 

 ria, 52 per cent.; and all of these varieties are con- 

 sidered strongly staminate, and, with the usual cul- 

 ture, they barely yield 10 per cent. 



A very extensive investigation by counting in 

 in the case of the Triomphe de Qand^ gave less than 

 42 per cent, of the blossoms yielding perfect fruit, 

 and yet, so numerous were the flowers on these 

 plants, that the number of resulting fruits was very 

 great, being nearly fifty on several plants ; whereas, 

 with common field culture on our soils, this beauti- 

 ful fruit had proved itself unworthy of culture from 

 its unproductiveness, many plants having no fruit 

 whatever, succeeeding a plenteous blossoming. 



The enterprising proprietor of these grounds is 

 eminently a believer in progressive horticulture, 

 and gpares'no expense in procuring new kinds that 

 have promising characters. Among the hundreds 



of varieties that have beon tested by him he espe- 

 cially recommends the Triomphe, Golden Seeded, 

 Hericart, Filmore, Victoria, Wilson. Of newer 

 sorts the Russell, and a plant numbered Seven Hun- 

 dred, possess admirable qualities, and prove the 

 possible development of this fruit in a remarkable 

 degree. 



» ^ > 



Grape Growing and Wine Making in 



Hancock County, 111. 



"Warsaw, Hancock Co., III. Dec. 26, '68, 

 Editors Chicago Tribune : 



Observing errors in our Springfield dispatch, 

 giving items from my statement of vine plaming, 

 &c., please allow me to give you the statistics of 

 grape planting and wine making in Warsaw and 

 its immediate vicinity, from the "beginning" up to 

 date. There were planted here : 



lu 1855 20 vines. 



In 1858 101 vines. 



In 1859 666 vines. 



In 1860 3,929 vines. 



In 1861 3,135 vines. 



In 1862 2,365 vines. 



Total up to 1863 10,206 vines. 



In 1 863 there were planted here, 65,000 vines. 

 The first wine made here was in 1861 — 86 gallons . 

 in 1862, 1,138 gallons were made, in 1863, 1,770 

 gallons. But Narfvoo is far ahead of us in grape 

 culture. There were planted in Nauvoo prior to 

 1863, apout 90,000 vines, and in 1863 they plant- 

 ed about 100,000 vines. Their crop of 1862 was 

 about 25,000 gallons, and of 1863, has been esti- 

 mated at about 50,000 gallons, worth from $1 60 

 to $2 00 per gallon. It is also estimated by Nau- 

 voo grape growers that 100,000 vines were planted 

 in the country round about Nauvoo during 1863. 

 In the neighborhood of Bascoe, on Bear Creek, 

 there has also been considerable grape planting by 

 a French settlement — as well as in other parts of 

 the county. By the foregoing statement you will 

 see that the grape interest in Hancock county, 

 though now in its very infancy, bids fair to become 

 an important and profitable business. 



The number of vines planted in our county up 

 to date may, I think, be estimated as follows : 



Planted in Nauvoo prior to 1863 90,000 



" in 1863 100,000 



" County near Nauvoo in 1862. 100,000 



" Warsaw prior to 1863 10,000 



" " in 1863 65,000 



" Bear Creek and other parts of 

 the county 35,000 



Grand total 400,000 



making the number of vines now planted in' our 

 county, 400,000. There will be large numbers add- 

 ed to this total during the coming year. Respect- 

 fully yours, N. W. Buss. 

 *9» _ 



Packing Grapes for Market.— The following is 

 from the proceedings of the New York Farmer's 

 Club: 



One of the most interesting features was a fine 

 show of grapes from the Rev. J. Knox, Pittsburg, 

 Pa., which, notwithstanding their long railway 

 journey, appeared as fresh and well covered with 

 bloom^as though just from the vineyard. Perhaps 



