MY VINETAEl). 61 



more than paying the expense of cultivation. A few of 

 the vines died, but nearly all made a good growth. In a 

 few instances some of the latei-als had become longer than 

 the i^ain stem, but in almost every case the main stem 

 was large and well developed at the base. Nearly all the 

 , vines shed their leaves before the arrival of frosts, and the 

 wood appeared to be well ripened. About the middle of 

 November the vines were cut down to within a foot of 

 the ground, and cuttings made of such wood as was suita- 

 ble for that purpose. 



GRAPE-GROWING CONTAGIOUS. 



During this, my first year of planting grapes to any ex- 

 tent, several of my neighbors made a commencement in 

 the business. The different branches of agi-iculture and 

 horticulture may be considered as contagious. This ex- 

 plains in part the fact, that we almost always find the 

 different branches confined to specific localities, while 

 there are other localities, equally advantageous as regards 

 soil, climate, and market, where they are not found. Thus 

 we find hop-yards, peppermint farmp, fruit farms, etc., 

 clustered in little circles here and there, throughout the 

 country. I had caught grape-growing at Hermann ; my 

 neighbors were taking it of me. At this I was not a little 

 gratified, believing that their success would only enhance' 

 my own. Hence I was ready to give any information 



