December, 1889. 
227 
short jointed wood, about the thickness of 
a common lead pencil is the most suitable, 
but much less will sometimes do well if 
stronger wood is net attainable. I can show 
a dozen instances on my grounds where 
a two dollar vine was planted, and the first 
year made wood barely strong enough to 
graft with, that, by the time the original 
vine had made two years growth, and with 
no show for fruit the third year, the graft 
taken from it was five times as strong and 
bore a score of fine bunches. Were it not 
for this practice of grafting on strong stocks, 
I would not care much about taking hold 
of the new high priced ones. If spared 
until next spring I intend grafting all the 
wood of Dr. Wiley into strong stocks so as 
to multiply it. It does not grow well from 
cuttings, as the Delaware blood in it is 
against that. Why so good a grape as this, 
one that is not at all affected by rot, has 
been neglected by me on my own grounds, 
is a question that I am unable to answer. 
When Dr. Wiley sent it to me it had no 
name, but if memory serves me right, he 
stated that it was a cross between Dela- 
ware and Perkins. 
This 6tli morning of November has given 
us a scorcher, mercury down to 20°, ice 
strong enough to bear a man on it. Grapes 
in our markets from Ohio and New York. 
This don’t speak well for the great grape 
State of Missouri. But the fact is our 
grapes ripen too early to keep well. There 
are two winter grapes here, that might be 
worth looking after. One has a medium 
sized berry and long bunch ; the other large 
bunch with berries no larger than elder- 
berries. — Samuel Miller. 
Grapeit, Far North. 
Very few of the fruit growers in the Mid- 
dle States are aware of the progress of grape 
growing in Canada and along our northern 
border, in New York and New England. 
There are some favored localities along 
the border, — as at Mr. Jack’s, Chateauguay 
Basin, P. Q., — where even the Concord and 
the Niagara prove a commercial success ; 
but as a rule the Concord is too late, and 
even the Worden is uncertain. I have 
been growing grapes on Lake Memphrema- 
gog for now nearly 25 years with success, 
yet the locality is not so favorable as on 
Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence 
river. Even on the Ottawa, grape culture 
is proving pecuniarily profitable. There is 
nothing whatever in the way of this crop ex- 
cept the shortness of the season, and as we 
are getting earlier varieties constantly, this 
is not insuperable. The Talman is sure in 
the worst seasons, and though too poor, yet it 
finds a ready sale at a fair price. The Dela- 
ware, Adirondac, Moore's Early, Brighton, 
Salem, Hartford, Eumelan and Israella, all 
succeed well, and the new “ Green Moun- 
tain” seems likely to prove a first-rate early 
white grape. It does not appear improb- 
able, in view of these facts, that Lower 
Canada and Northern New England should 
eventually be able to supply its own markets 
with a sufficiency of home grown grapes. — 
T. H. Hoskins, M. D. 
Timely Topics. 
Little work can be done in the berry patch 
during December with the exception of ap- 
plying mulch and manure. Mulching is 
absolutely indispensable when the best re- 
sults are desired and now, just as the ground 
is frozen thoroughly, is the time to put it 
on. We gave directions for this work in 
the November number, and will merely add 
that the best covering material we have 
ever used is long, strawy stable manure, 
which not only affords a light and complete 
protection but also enriches the soil. Note 
the article by Prof. Troop, on this subject, 
in another column. 
*** 
The hard frozen ground affords excellent 
opportunities for wheeling manure over 
the beds, and applying just where wanted. 
Do not fail to put, at least, a good shovelful 
around each hill of raspberries, blackberries, 
etc., and the currant and gooseberry bushes 
should also be treated to a liberal top dress- 
ing around them. Not only are the con- 
ditions right for doing this now, but it is 
work that is well done and out of the way 
before spring comes upon us, when it is apt 
to be neglected in the press of other work. 
**• 
There is a large amount of odd jobs that 
may be profitably done under cover during 
the inclement weather of .vinter. Every 
fruit-grower should have a workshop or 
some suitable place wherein he may employ 
such time to advantage. There are broken 
crates to be mended, new ones to be made, 
perhaps more berry- carriers for the pickers 
are needed. It is a good time, also, to paint 
the old and discolored crates and make 
them attractive and fresh looking. 
*** 
Plans for the extension of the plantations 
in spring should be made now and during 
the winter, and the whole spring's work, as 
far as possible, may be outlined and deter- 
mined upon at a considerable saving of 
time and uncertainty in spring. We would 
advise all fruit-growers to keep a few books 
of accounts, or even one, in which to keep 
track of the expenses and receipts of their 
business. In this way it may be found 
what crop has paid the best, and the exact 
amount of profit or loss that each particular 
crop has brought. If to this is added a diary 
or journal in which are entered daily the 
work done and any other items of conse- 
quence to his business, the fruit-grower will 
gain largely in experience and knowledge. 
Now- is the time to do it. Draw up a state- 
ment or balance sheet showing your present 
standing and be ready to start with your 
new account on Jan. 1st. Tw o many of us 
neglect the keeping of accounts but they 
are just as essential to our own well doing 
as to that of the city merchant. 
We are often asked to name the best 
varieties for different parts of the country. 
The small-fruits vary so greatly in accord- 
ance with soil and location and other con- 
ditions not known to us that we always 
prefer not to do so unless in a very general 
way. The grower himself, knowing his 
needs and the purpose for which he grows, 
after reading up the varieties in some trust- 
worthy descriptive catalogue and gathering 
all the information possible in his neighbor- 
hood can nearly always make a better selec- 
tion for himself than we can do for him at 
a distance. The best guide that may be 
had as to the adaptibility of varieties to 
certain States is the Catalogue of Fruits 
compiled by the American Pomological 
Society and published at the end of their 
Biennial Report. In it varieties are starred 
or doubly starred in accordance with their 
value in the States named. The list is very 
full, including all new varieties of promise, 
and we fear this catalogue is not valued as 
it might be. Every fruit-grower should 
be a member of the American Pomological 
Society if only for the possession of its re- 
ports. The biennial fee for membership is 
but $4.00, and may be sent to the Treas- 
urer, Benj. C. Smith, Cambridge, Mass. 
See notice of the latest report in our Book 
Table. 
Winter Protection. 
One of the main causes of failure in the 
average farmer’s fruit-garden in the North- 
ern States, is a lack of winter protection. 
The idea seems to be general that these 
plants, after having produced an abundant 
crop of fruit, are able to care for themselves 
during the resting period. In the natural 
state they are able to do this but very few 
of our cultivated fruits of to day are found 
as nature left them; consequently they 
must receive, more or less care and at- 
tention during the winter as well as during 
the season of growth if the best results axe 
expected. 
How often do we see strawberry beds, in 
localities where the ground is subject to al- 
ternate freezing and thawing, utterly ruin- 
ed for want of a little protection to prevent 
them from being “heaved” out. Freezing 
in itself will not injure the plants to any 
extent; it is to prevent the thawing out that 
protection is needed. For this pupose a 
light covering of wheat straw, marsh hay, 
leaves or any other material that is free from 
weed seeds, should be spread over the plants 
after the ground has frozen, in late autumn 
or early winter and left till warm weather; 
or, if the covering is not too thick it may be 
left, and the leaves will push up through it 
when it will form an excellent protection 
for the ripe fruit from the dirt. We have 
found this an excellent plan to follow in 
the management of strawberries. After 
they have been cultivated one season, the 
spaces between the rows are filled with old 
strawy manure, putting a very light cover- 
ing over the rows. 
This heavy mulch between the rows will 
keep down the weeds, at the same time 
