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servatory of the flourishing and highly productive 

 vineyards upon its southern border. Its modifying 

 influence upon the surrounding atmosphere, pre- 

 venting extremes of aridity and humidity, is the 

 key to our successful grape culture. 



He would remark, however, that care should be 

 used in adapting varieties of grape to soils ; as strong 

 growers like the CHnton, Diana and Concord, must 

 have the poorest soils ; while the Delaware needs 

 the richest, and those of medium growth like the 

 lona and Catawba, soils of average quality. His 

 own soil was materially different from that of the 

 western parts of the shore districts ; being a friable 

 c'ayey loam, abounding with gravel, especially in 

 the subsoil, giving perfect drainage. It is a drift 

 formation 100 feet or more in depth, and suflaciently 

 fertile from top to bottom. 



On this soil he had derived much satisfaction from 

 grape cultivation. He had committed some mis- 

 takes, and suffered some losses, from want of suffi- 

 cient knowledge, but this was more than counter- 

 balanced by successes ; and with the advantages 

 that we all now possess for gaining instruction by 

 means that this association is calculated to afford, 

 he thought there was little danger of serious mis- 

 takes in the future. 



Mr. Parsons, of Flushing, N. Y"., said he had 

 long been puzzled with this question of soils, and 

 had been making some experiments in planting 

 grapes on the sandy lands of the sea shore in New 

 Jersey, and he had been much gratified with results 

 thus far, especially in the growth and healthiness 

 of a young vineyard of the Delaware variety now 

 ready to commence bearing ; the soil a white sand 

 and no manuring applied. 



Dr. Kirtland suggested that perhaps the soil was 

 underlaid with marl or "green sand" as is the case 

 with some of the New Jersey soils, giving them 

 much fertility. 



Mr. Parsons replied that no marl had been dis- 

 covered within 10 or 12 feet of the surface. He 

 thought the proximity of the ocean had much 

 effect, and he would insist on a location near a large 

 body of water, as the prime requisite for successful 

 grape growing. 



Attention was called to the researches and obser- 

 vations of J. S. Lippincott of Haddonfield, N. J., 

 as published in the Reports of the Agricultural 

 Department at Washington, on the influence of 

 large bodies of water upon the humidity and tem- 

 perature of the atmosphere, and the benefits thereof 

 to fruit crops. The opinion was expressed that 

 such experiments and investigations were likely to 

 lead to the most beneficial results, and should be 



encouraged by this and all kindred Associations, 

 and also by the Department of the Government. 



Mr. Lowry of Berlin, Erie Co., advised not to 

 plant grapes near a "fever and ague hole" for he 

 was convinced that whatever caused malaria or 

 miasma in the atmosphere would injuriously affect 

 the vines and fruit. He preferred the poorest soils 

 for grapes — if shaley or gravelly, with some clay, all 

 the better. Mr, Work of Cincinnati, had expressed 

 to him a decided preference for grapes from clayey 

 soils for wine making. 



Dr. Dake would select heavy clay soil with some 

 shale or gravel and lime. He had recently visiied 

 the grape settlement at Hammondsport, N. Y. 

 The best grape soil there was a mixture of sand and 

 clay with gravel and rotten slate, (shale.) But on 

 the shore of Lake Erie, he had found the best Ca- 

 tawba grapes on clay soils. 



Dr. Spalding of St. Louis, said his observations 

 in Missouri did not quite accord wii^h the opinions 

 expressed here in regard to the preference of the 

 Catawba for stifl" clay soil. He had found it do 

 better on friable sandy loam than on clay. 



He instanced a vineyard where the ^:ame rows of 

 vines ran over sandy loam and clay soil altarnately, 

 and the crops on the clay soil were always inferior 

 to those on other portions. He had also observed 

 similar results at Hermann in that State. 



The best vineyards were on the hill-sides, the 

 greater the elevation the better, other things being 

 equal. 



Dr. Warder, of Cincinnati spoke of the excellence 

 of the vineyards on elevated hillsides near St. Louis, 

 and other places in the West. 



Dr. Kirtland of Cleveland, expressed the belief 

 that grapes grown on clay soils possessed more of 

 the saccharine principle, and hence were better for 

 wine as well as for the table, than those on sandy 

 soils. He believed this was the testimony of all 

 experienced wine makers. A friend of his, a man 

 of observation, had told him that apples grown on 

 clay lands made stronger cider than on sand. He 

 hoped that experiments in testing the quality of 

 the Must of grapes from different soils and localities, 

 would, before long settle this point. 



On the preparation of soils. Dr. Kirtland said 

 he was a firm believer in the necessity of a thorough 

 drainage of all clay soils if at all flat or inclined to 

 be wet. He had seen the stiflbst clay soil become 

 changed to nice fraible loam in a few years, from 

 the effects of under-drainage. Other persons spoke 

 to the same effect, and remarked that young vines 

 were apt to be killed by heaving in winter on clay 

 soils not under-drained. 



