170 
September, 1889. 
ORCHARD 
^^'V^VVVW'WVWV' ' vw+JwvsK ' 
GARDE 
mond’sSlug Shot which will drive them off. 
Goethe. Jefferson and a tew others seem 
to be favorite sorts with the insect. 
It is too soon yet to give a general list of 
the varieties damaged by rot. as some is 
still going on. One thing referred to be- 
fore is the fact that the soundest bunches 
are on the ground among the grass. It does 
not sound well to tell this, as vineyards are 
supposed to be kept clean. 
This, second day of August, in passing 
through my vineyard, where grass and 
weeds are two feet high, I lifted up a cane 
out of the grass with a hundred weight of 
sound grapes on it, while the other part of 
the vine on the tr llis had not a half bunch 
of sound fruit. Not only one vine that the 
storm had broken down, but in nearly every 
instance it is the case. Now it wont do to 
advocate the growing of grapes in weeds 
and grass, but these accidents seem 
to me to be suggestive of some plan 
ihat might be devised to circumvent 
this rot somehow. If spared until 
another year my intention is to prune 
severely, then thin out the bunches 
to half the number that set, and 
sack the whole lot. It is not only 
the rot we have to fear here but two 
other enemies, the birds and the cur- 
culio. The latter are nearly as bad 
as on the plums, and the former are 
an unmitigated nuisance. Thrushes 
that used to be here we never see 
anymore; cat birds are not plenty, 
but the orchard oriole is a very 
pest. They will spoil every bunch 
on a vine in a short time. I try to 
destroy every one that shows itself 
in the Spring so as to prevent then- 
breeding here, and have been pretty 
successful: yet, when the grapes be- 
gin to ripen, here they are. They flit 
in and out of the vines and so quick- 
ly that it is difficult to get a shot at 
them, and it requires a pretty good 
shot to bring them down. 
The best plan is to set up poles in 
the vineyard with dead branches 
tied to the top, then sneak slowly 
through the vines when they are 
likely to light on the dead branches. 
Then is the time to shoot and be 
quick about it if you wish to take 
them sitting. They are easily killed and I 
find mustard seed shot is the best. Within for- 
ty yards none need be missed. Some writer re- 
cently laid it heavily on the Baltimore oriole 
and said nothing about the orchard oriole. 
The former rarely troubles us here, and is so 
handsome that I would be lenient with it. 
Its song is also rather pleasant while the or- 
chard oriole’s is a nuisance. Some say spare 
the birds. But are we to quit raising fruit 
for a little sentimentality? Not I. A school 
teacher taught me when quite young, never 
to destroy any living creature that did me 
no harm while alive, or no good when it 
was dead. A little chippie, blue-bird or a 
peewit I would not kill for a five dollar 
bill; they are as tame as chickens around 
me. Where foxes and coons abound they 
mined as to a new grape should be: “Do 
we need it? And is it, in any important re- 
spect. better than those we have already?” 
Unless these questions can be affirmatively 
answered, I should say there was no place 
for it, and no propriety in adding it to a list 
already too long, of varieties whose useful- 
ness is certainly very limited, if not alto- 
gether doubtful. 
The Niagara grape is comparatively new; 
and although it has not been found adapted 
to very general cultivation, is still one of 
the most profitable and valuable for such 
localities as are suited to its requirements. 
It has not proven as early, nor as hardy as 
represented by its introducers; neither has 
it been more exempt from mildew of foliage 
or rot of its fruit than the average. But its 
vigorous growth and abundant bearing, with 
quality and appearance good enough to sat- 
isfy the mass of buyers and consum- 
ers, render it one of the new grapes 
worthy to be retained and recom- 
mended, where it can be successful- 
ly grown. 
The Empire State is a formidable 
competitor for public favor with 
the Niagara. It is about equal to it 
in vigor of growth, probably little, 
if any hardier in severe winters, but 
within my experience has better fo- 
liage, much less disposed to mildew. 
In productiveness, usually some- 
what less than the Niagara, but to 
my taste, in quality greatly its 
superior. 
Moore’s Diamond is a still later 
introduction of which I speak from 
a limited experience; but with the 
hope of bringing out information 
from those who have grovm it long- 
er. With me it appears no hardier 
nor healthier in vine or foliage, 
than the Empire State. About the 
same in vigor of growth, but not as 
productive, with bunches and ber- 
ries somewhat smaller. In quality 
distinct and pure flavored, but not 
better. 
Another new white grape of the 
Labrusca class, as yet but little 
known, originated at Columbus, 
Ohio, and named “Witt,” after its 
originator, by the Ohio State Horti- 
cultural Society, has the merit of hardiness 
and health of foliage, and is fairly produc- 
tive of handsome clusters of good size, and 
fine quality. It is doubtless a Concord 
seedling, and resembles the Martha in fol- 
iage and habit of growth, but its bunches 
and berries are much larger and its quality 
and flavor much better. 
The Woodruff Red has many good points 
to commend it, although there a>e differences 
of opinion as to its character and value. It 
originated near Ann Arbor, Michigan, and 
is claimed to be a Concord seedling. It 
seems to have all the vigorous growth, 
health, and hardiness of its reputed parent; 
and to have all the requisites for a popular 
and valuable grape, as nearly suited to gen- 
eral cultivation as any variety new or old, 
sometimes play havoc with grapes, and the 
opossum w ill also feed upon them. A good 
strong steel trap well covered with loose 
earth under a vine where they have com- 
menced feeding will take an opossum or 
raccoon easily, but Reynard is too sharp for 
that; so a piece of fresh meat or fowl with 
a pinch of strychnine in it answers better. 
Sometimes dogs take to eating grapes, and 
other animals get the blame. If one owns 
such they had better keep him tied up dur- 
ing grape time. 
To make the gathering of the fruit more 
convenient it may be necessary to clip off 
the ends of the overgrown canes and lay 
them over the tops of the vines. This is of- 
ten a protection to some of the bunches of 
grapes that have become exposed to the 
sun. 
| In eating grapes some doctor has warn- 
Woodruff Red. Quarter Size. Fljr. 43. 
ed us against swallowing the seeds, that it 
is dangerous. If so the danger is not great, 
as very few people go to the trouble cf re- 
jecting the seeds. But if the true quality of a 
grape is to be tested it is necessary to crush 
the pulp and then there is no trouble tak- 
ing the seeds down. I always reject the seeds 
when large, but when small they go with 
the juice and pulp. — Samuel Miller. 
1 » i 
Now Grape*. 
The number of new grapes of more or less 
promise, which have been introduced within 
a few years past, has been so large that I 
cannot within the limit of this paper, do 
more than notice a few of those most prom- 
inent, and which seem most promising for 
permanent value. The points to be deter- 
