The Government Viticultural Experiment Station, 
By H. von Lutichau. 
Mr. Presidentj Ladies and Gentlemen: 
Two seasons have passed since my last 
report on Viticultural Experiment Sta¬ 
tion in my charge at Earleton. The time 
allotted to this experiment has now 
passed and we are in a position to recom¬ 
mend a few successful varieties of this 
class of finest table grapes. Not much 
difficulty will be experienced by a care¬ 
ful grower to get a good supply of excel¬ 
lent fruit, superior to any native kind. 
Varieties recommendable are: 
White Grapes.—Admirable de Cour- 
tiller, Chasselas Besson, Florence, Mon- 
tauban, Dore, Parc de Versailles, Satin 
Blanc, Muscat Saint Laurent. 
Black Grapes. — Black Alicante, 
Frankenthal prexose. 
Red Grapes.—^Chasselas rouge. Rose 
de Fallowx, Tsien-Tsien, and Chasselas 
rose. 
By application I think the United 
States Department of Agriculture, Mr. 
Husmann in charge of grape investiga¬ 
tions, will supply a few scions of these 
varieties for grafting. For stock, our 
wild blue bunch grape is likely as good 
as any and easy to get; otherwise Ru- 
pestris in different forms. Personally, I 
like the Taylor, a small cultivated grape 
Riparia X. 
It is not advisable to plant these 
grapes on a large scale for distant mar¬ 
kets ; but for home use, for the lover of 
beautiful fruit, they will prove most 
satisfactory and a great enjoyment. 
I have raised the best crops in the 
third, fourth and fifth year—after that 
a decline is noted—but this may yet 
be prevented by different forms of prun¬ 
ing, governed by variety, as well as soil 
and locality. A good plan would be to 
graft and plant new young vines every 
six or seven years and the old vines may 
be kept or discarded accordingly. After 
planting, let vine grow at will first year— 
by winter cut back to two eyes—permit 
but one to grow—the strongest—pinch 
leader when about 3 to4 feet high—let all 
laterals grow and next winter trim to two 
eyes spur system. I say “two eyes” for 
I have found this preferable to the short 
one eye spur trimming. ToO' close trim¬ 
ming should be avoided, as well as the 
growing of long spurless canes—and 
short ones as well, which would at best 
only bear fruit on the end, even when a 
hundred feet long. Summer pruning 
must not be done,except shortening in 
a very strong and long growing ^ane. 
For fertilizer blood, bone and potash is 
best applied March or April; if possible 
nothing but the cultivator should be 
used; if plowed, then very shallow, keep 
clean culture all the time. 
Guard against overbearing. This will 
ruin a vine quicker than anything else. 
The wonder stories I used to hear occa¬ 
sionally at our meetings testify but to 
the ignorance of the grower. It is bet¬ 
ter for the grower and especially better 
for the vine to have a reasonable number 
of fine large bunches, than a display of 
a great number of “berries.” Localities 
where Anthracnose, rot or mildew is 
