SEED-TIME km HARVEST. 
n 
Most assuredly I would not have given 
twenty-five cents for the whole, yet the 
blue card was attached to that collection, 
and the exhibitor would get four dollar . 
Such an exhibit as that does not do a Fail 
any good, especially among strangers tVn 
they are apt to carry the impression that 
it is a poor country for vegetables; on the 
contrary it is a very good one. There was 
also a most beautiful display of vegetables, 
said to have been raised on the sod, from 
Dakota Territory. There were none better 
at tho fair. Nevertheless, let those go to 
Dakota who will; lam as far North as I 
wish to be. 
Experimental Grape Culture. 
The Western Farm Journal gives in a 
late number an account of a visit of its 
editor to the home of >a gentleman in Des 
Moines, Iowa, who has thirty-eight of the 
newer varieties of grapes in fruit. He says: 
Among the light-colored grapes we found 
fine specimens of the Martha, Eva , Elvira , 
Lady Washington, Duchess, Charlotte and 
Victoria. Of the red grapes there were 
the Ionia, Rogers Nos. 3, 4 and 15; Perkins 
and Walter. Among the dark grapes that 
showed fine samples of fruit were the Coy- 
cord, Eumelan, Vergennes, Cottage , CrWfto^ 
Marino , Jamesville, Eureka^ Worden and 
■a seedling of his own raising which we 
named the Blatchley in honor of this en¬ 
thusiastic and successful grape-grower who 
has shown by his patient and intelligent 
care and cultivation that more than fifty 
varieties of grapes can be successfully 
grown in this part of Iowa. Of all of his 
dark or red grapes, Mr. Blatchley gives 
the preference to the quality of the Ionia. 
His vines of this most excellent variety 
were loaded with large well-filled clusters. 
One of his own seedling from the Concord, 
the Marino, he esteems very highly, and we 
found it loaded down with very fine clusters 
of excellent grapes. Janesville is esteemed 
for its extreme hardiness, and is ten days 
earlier than Concord, the fruit of fair qual¬ 
ity. The Eva is one of his choicest white 
grapes, and is delicious. Rogers No. 4 was 
a very good grape. The Eureka is valued 
as a late keeper, and can be preserved fresh 
all winter. Mr. Blatchley lays down all 
< >f his vines in the Fall and protects them 
vith a light covering of coarse litter of 
. alf -rotH'd hay or straw. He believes that 
veil the ha diesc varieties are benefitted 
by tins win.er protection. 
Vines from Cuttings. 
Most varieties of grapes, currants, goose¬ 
berries, quinces, and other shrubs and 
vines are easily propagated from cuttings, 
but to be successful with them it is nec¬ 
essary to begin in the fall, that they may 
be properly calloused before spring. Pre¬ 
pare cuttings of last year’s wood about 
ten inches in length. Let the lower end 
be cut off smoothly, but below the bud. 
Cut the top end about an inch above the 
bud. Grape cuttings on this plan should 
contain three or four buds. Tie the cut¬ 
ting in bundles about three inches in diam¬ 
eter, with a small wire that will not rot 
in the dirt. Make the butt end of the bun¬ 
dle even, and tie tightly. Heel in the cut¬ 
tings in dry, mellow ground, with the butt 
end of the bundles up. Cover the piles 
from four to six inches deep with mellow 
soil; cut down smoothly and give a good 
drenching of water. Then cover the bed 
with manure, fresh from the stable, deep 
enough to prevent freezing in winter. On 
the approach of warm weather, when the 
frost has left the ground and night frosts 
have nearly ceased, take off the manure, 
but do not disturb the earth or the cuttings. 
After the other spring work, examine your 
bed, and when the buds are well swollen, 
so that by careful handling to prevent dam¬ 
age, set out the cuttings in a he mellow 
soil; set them so deep that the top bud will 
be just above the surface, and so that a 
mulch of straw or sawdust wdll hide it. 
This treatment of cuttings should begin 
early in the fall. The setting should be 
done from a pail of tepid water. 
Have we mentioned, in these humorous 
items, why handcuffs are like guide-books? 
They are made for two wrists—that’s why. 
—-All competitors are sure of good pay and a 
small club may take a good cash prize. See second 
cover page. 
